Sealed with a kiss

1 • Selena

I stared at myself in the large mirror. My best friend and maid of honor, Kylie Volts stood beside me. "Y'know, It's not too late to cancel; you don't have to marry him."

I frowned at the sentiment, "But I do. My parents are really depending on me. Our company will go under if we don't do this merger, and that's the only deal they were willing to make."

"It's fine. It's an investment in my future. Most marriages aren't built entirely on love, and maybe I will love him eventually," I said, trying to convince myself more than I was her. She shook her head.

"Yeah, and I'm sure no one will notice your yearning stares at his brother during family gatherings." Kylie rolled her eyes, and I sighed. "I'll get over it. I have to." I whispered.

...

I took my father's arm, and he smiled down at me, "You got this, Sweetie." He murmured, and I smiled back, hoping the veil hid my sadness well enough.

We began our walk down the aisle, and the wedding march was played softly by one of my friends, an aspiring musician.

I kept my gaze on the ground before me, white petals littering the red carpet on which I walked. Finally, when we reached the end, my father slipped from my grasp and took his place in the front row beside my mother.

I looked at the minister and then shuffled into place, feeling awkward and pitiful.
I drowned out the minister as he began his speech, my gaze instead traveling to the groom; I didn't look very closely because, in the corner of my eye, I saw Marcus.

He watched me with a look of awe and longing, his gaze soft and filled with gloom. No doubt, he, too, wished this was our ceremony and it was him instead of his brother.

"Selena?" I snapped out of my thoughts, glancing up at the minister. "Do you take Alexander to be your lawfully wedded Husband?" He repeated. "I—" I hesitated.

I caught Kylie's expression of anticipation among my bridesmaids. "I do." I declared, a look of disappointment crossing her face.

"Very well. To commemorate this union, you may now exchange rings. The circle formed by each ring symbolizes your eternal love and commitment to one another. Let these rings always remind you of that love and of the promises you have made here on this day."

"Will each of you please repeat after me as you place the ring on your loved one's hand?"

I flinched as he took my hand, and I glanced at his hands as they carefully slid the ring onto mine."I, Alexander, give you, Selena, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed."

I slowly grabbed the ring, and as he did, I slid it onto his finger. "I, Selena, give you, Alexander, this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. With this ring, I thee wed." I echoed, my gaze slowly meeting his.

I felt an awkward heat shoot up my neck; his blue eyes settled comfortably on mine. "By the power vested in me, by the Universal Life Church, and by the state of California, I pronounce you, Alexander and Selena, as Husband and Wife, lawfully wedded before God."

"You may now kiss the bride," the minister finished. Kiss... I forgot about that part. He raised my veil, and I could now see him clearly. He wore a neat white tuxedo, and his spikey hair was sloppily slicked back, a few strands falling over his face.

He closed the distance between us, lowering himself slightly to my height, and as if the world began moving in slow motion, we shared a hesitant kiss.

It wasn't quite what I expected; it wasn't passionate or steamy but more of a peck on the lips. When we parted, the guests cheered, and again, music played, yet everything felt odd.

I'm a married woman now, but I don't feel any different. All I could feel was an immense pressure building in my mind, like a weight I couldn't lift.

I glanced back to Marcus, and he smiled at me. For some reason, it was genuine.