Just Friends (Dan Howell)

Chapter Twenty-Four

I took a deep breath, looking at myself in the mirror.

I wore a soft, peach-colored cocktail dress. My hair was up in a bun with two curls hanging in front of my ears. Jenny had done my makeup. It was subtle, but brought out my features. I wore some tan wedges, so that boosted my height.

I examined myself, and shut my eyes tight, imagining. Shelby's wedding was in twenty minutes. She was probably adding the finishing touches to her own outfit. White gown, blonde hair done up in a lovely and elegant hairdo. Her face simply glowing with radiance and joy.

Lillette linked her arm around her Uncle's elbow. She met his reassuring eyes. He smiled at her. "You look lovely," he told her.

"Thank you," she breathed. "I'm just so sad that father and mother aren't here to see me walk down the aisle."

"Oh, but my child," he told her, lifting her chin so that their eyes locked. "They will be watching you. They're with you right now. In your heart. Remember that."

Lillette smiled. Jenny handed her the bridal bouquet, then went back to stand beside Phil. "You look gorgeous!" She assured her friend.

Then, the music began.

"That's your cue," Lillette told Clary. Her friend linked arms with Pj Liguori, and the pairing stepped out of the canopy, heading down the aisle.

"Lillette?"

I was stirred out of my imaginings by Jenny, knocking on the bathroom door.

"Coming!" I called, crabbing my bag and opening the door. Today was Shelby's big day, not mine. Maybe someday I'd have mine, but not now. Today is not that day!

Jenny looked beautiful, as per norm.

"Come on, we have to get to the cab," Jenny told me, grabbing my elbow. "Dan and Phil are waiting in the lobby."

Jenny started tugging me towards the hotel door, clutching the crook of my elbow, and I allowed her to lead me from the room.

After Clary and Pj left, Louise and Chris Kendall followed. Next were Joe and Zoe, with Jenny and Phil bringing up the rear. Lillette's Uncle gave her hand one last squeeze, then Lillette took the first step onto the carpet.

She emerged from the canopy, smiling. There were soft gasps from the crowd. This was her day. She was the beautiful one. She was the stunning one.

She didn't even look at her husband-to-be. She focused on the petals in front of her, thrown down by Baby Glitter. She focused on her Uncle's elbow in her grip.

Are you there, mum and dad? She wondered. Can you feel my joy?

Then, she reached the end of the aisle. She caught a glimpse of Marcus Butler with his girlfriend in the front row. Then, beyond him, DJ, her hair stylist! So many friends... row up on row.

But who am I marrying?

Lillette stepped in front of her husband-to-be. She was looking down. All she saw were his shoes and trousered legs.

"You look stunning," a voice, too faint to recognize, told her.

"Thank you," she whispered back, raising her head to see the love of her life, the man she was going to swear to have and to hold. Her eyes traveled up his overlong torso, to his shoulders, and resting upon--

"Lillette, shake out of it!"

I jumped, startled. "Come on, Lil!" Jenny was saying. "The ceremony's about to start! Get your head out of the clouds, we've just arrived, we need to get seats!"