First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 126

  Wedding prep day feels quieter than I expected. Not muted, just calm. Like everyone understands this is not about spectacle, it is about choosing and being chosen.

  The boutique smells like fabric and perfume and something floral I cannot name. Sunlight filters in through the front windows and lands across a rack of dresses that already feel too important. My mom is beside me, her purse tucked under her arm like she does when she is trying not to cry too early. Taytum's mama, Lauren, stands on my other side, eyes bright and soft in that way she gets when she is holding something sacred.

  Taytum disappears almost immediately. "I'll be right back," she says, already being pulled towards the suits by her mom Kyler and Lauren goes with them. "Don't move."

  "I won't," I laugh.

  I do not miss the way her eyes linger on me though. Like she wants to memorize this version of me before everything changes again. While I wait, I run my fingers along lace and satin. Some of the dresses feel too stiff, too heavy and too much. I keep thinking about the garden and the pavilion. The way the sunlight filters through leaves. I want something that breathes. Something that moves when I do.

  I am holding a dress when Taytum suddenly reappears. She is grinning like she cannot help it. Her moms follow behind her and Lauren suddenly nudges her forward. "Show her." Taytum clears her throat like she is nervous and turns slightly so I can see her better.

  She is wearing a light gray suit. Clean lines and sharp shoulders. Under the jacket is a dusty blue vest that makes her eyes look even bluer somehow. The color choice is so us it almost hurts.

  My chest tightens. "Well," I manage. "That feels unfair."

  Taytum laughs. "Good unfair or bad unfair."

  "You know which one," I say, my voice soft.

  She steps closer and drops her voice. "I wanted something that looked like it belonged outside. Like it could stand next to you but not compete."

  "You look incredible," I say honestly. Her cheeks pink a little and that alone makes it worth it.

  Then a woman with a clipboard appears and smiles politely. "Okay," she says. "Now that we have seen the suit, the groom is done."

  Taytum blinks. "I'm not a groom."

  The woman smiles wider. "Still not allowed to see the bride's dress."

  Lauren claps her hands. "That's it. Out. All of you."

  Taytum looks at me once more, lingering. "I love you."

  "I love you too."

  She leans in and kisses my forehead like she always does when she wants to stay but knows she should not. Then she leaves with her mom and my dad, who had been standing quietly near the door, pretending not to watch everything too closely.

  The room feels different once she is gone and now it is my turn. The consultant brings me the first dress. It's pretty, it's fine but it's not it. The second one makes my mom tear up but my heart stays quiet.

  Then she brings in another one. The dress feels heavier than I expect when they help me step into it. Not uncomfortable. Just real. Like it carries weight because it matters. It is a boho mermaid country wedding dress. The lace is delicate and soft, not stiff or busy. It settles against my skin like it knows where it belongs. The V neck is elegant without ever making me feel exposed. It frames me instead of showing me off.

  My mom zips me in carefully, mindful of my belly. Taytum's mama adjusts the straps and smooths the fabric down my sides, her hands gentle and sure.

  "Okay," she says softly. "Turn around." I face the mirror as her and mom step out of the dressing room.