when love lasts | wroetoshaw

fifteen

the morning air was filled with excitement as we stood in faith's bridal suite. the room was a flurry of champagne glasses, curling irons, and last-minute adjustments to dresses. faith stared at herself in the mirror, the intricate lace of her gown cascading to the floor. her veil was pinned delicately in place, and her makeup was flawless.

"you look incredible," talia said, soothing the skirt of faith's dress. "ethan's going to lose it when he sees you."

"if he doesn't cry, we'll make him," i added, popping another strawberry into my mouth.

freya laughed, adjusting her bridesmaid dress. "i've got tissues ready. just in case the boys are useless, which, let's face it, is highly likely."

demi stepped forward, holding faith's hands. "are you ready for this, mrs almost-payne?"

faith took a deep breath and smiled. "more than ready."

downstairs, the groomsmen were in their own chaotic world. ethan paced nervously, adjusting his tie for the tenth time. "mate, you're fine," freezy said, slapping him on the back, "she's not going to leave you at the altar."

"unless she sees how bad you are at tying that tie," harry laughed, earning a round of laughter from the group.

tobi, ever the calming presence, stepped in to fix ethan's tie. "relax, bro. you've got this. faith's head over heels for you."

josh handed ethan a glass of water. "and if you pass out from nerves, we'll prop you up. no one will notice."

the teasing settled ethan's nerves slightly, but when the wedding coordinator appeared to summon them to the ceremony, his stomach flipped again. "let's do this," he said, his voice steady but filled with emotion.

guests gasped as faith walked down the aisle, her father by her side. ethan's breath hitched when he saw her, his eyes glistening.

us bridesmaids walked ahead of faith, our dresses catching the light. freya held the train of faith's dress, while talia, demi and i carried small bouquets, exchanging knowing smiles as we took our places.

the ceremony had been nothing short of magical, but now the reception was in full swing, and the spotlight had began to shift from the newlyweds to the people who made the day complete. the chatter of guests blending with the soft hum of music and the occasional burst of laughter. i adjusted the hem of my bridesmaid dress and leaned back in my chair, watching the festivities unfold. my feet ached, but i didn't care. faith and ethan were glowing, surrounded by their friends and family, and the happiness in the air was undeniable.

i couldn't help but smile as i caught sight of harry across the room. he was standing with josh, freezy, and tobi, his tie already loosened and his hands flying wildly as he recounted what had to be some ridiculous story. even from here, i could see the way his eyes lit up when he talked, his grin wide and infectious.

"you're staring," talia said from beside me, a teasing edge to her voice.

i turned my attention back to the table, where the bridesmaids were gathered. "i am not."

freya smirked. "you totally are. it's cute, though. he's a mess, but he's your mess."

i rolled my eyes but didn't argue. it was true, after all. harry could be chaotic and impulsive, but he was always thoughtful and charming in a way that always caught me off guard.

"he's probably scheming something," i said with a small laugh, picking up my glass of champagne. "that's his natural state."

"probably," demi agreed, glancing over at the groomsmen. "but it's always fun watching him drag you into it."