The Fourth Roommate

Walking Down the Aisle

I was walking down the aisle, my beautiful dress flowing out behind me. Ace was grinning happily at me, his eyes sparkling. Zac and Cam were his best men, standing loyally behind him and they looked at me lovingly. I was unable to contain my wide smile, but as I tried to say Ace's name, the word died on my lips.

And I walked right by them and I went to stand to the side. I looked down and I saw my dress was a plain green. I turned round and I saw Selena winking at Ace. He laughed slightly and the members of the audience smiled at the pair of them fondly.

She stood opposite him and the priest began the ceremony. A cold sweat was budding on my back. This was all wrong. Ace was mine. Ace loved me! I tried to scream at them, tried to pull Selena away from Ace but my hands fell through her. It was like I was a ghost, I was shut out of my own life.

"You may now kiss the bride!"

Ace leaned in deep and kissed Selena. Zac let out a whoop, typical of him. Cam gave my mom a thumbs-up and I was crying, tears rolling down my face. I couldn't lose Ace. I couldn't lose the Zacs. They were what kept me going. But no matter how loudly I screamed, they didn't look at me. They didn't acknowledge me. I was nothing to them.

They were happy without me.

And then they all melted away. I was standing at the church altar by myself, holding my shaking shoulders. Alex strolled in, absent-mindedly. He was whistling an old tune, the one who Always used to. I used to call it the Warning Song and then I would kiss him softly. He would laugh at me, with me. We used to have so much fun together.

"Serena." he greeted me.

"Alex!" I breathed, relieved he could hear me and see me.

He took my hand and looked up at me, "they don't need you, Serena. I don't need you. We're tired of pretending. Why don't you let us go?"

"You're lying!" I shouted and pushed him away.

"Am I?"

I woke with a start. What a terrible dream, I thought. I walked downstairs, unable to deal with the thought of staying in that goddamn bed one minute longer. I hated nightmares. They Always got me where it hurt the most. I never dreamed of monsters, I dreamt of abandonment. I guessed I did that because it was probably the thing which was closest to happening.

I got myself a big glass of icy cold water. I shivered but it felt good. I washed my face too. I really wanted to shower but I'd wake up the rest of the house. I heard a thud and I jumped.

"Shit," came the hushed curse.

I snorted as I saw Ace crawl upwards and enter the kitchen.

"I fell," he explained, "off the sofa. What are you doing up?"

I shrugged. I didn't want him to tell him the details. I was afraid Ace would Judge me or laugh at me. He sighed and kissed my forehead. I smiled a little and wrapped my arms around his back, feeling his muscles tense slightly.

"Wanna sleep in my bed?" I said suggestively.

Ace laughed and untangled himself from me, "yeah, and then I'd get skinned by your mom. No thanks."

I sighed, reluctant to go up by myself, "okay. Wuss. Do you want to watch TV?"

Ace glanced up behind me and raised his eyebrows at me, "it's three thirty in the morning. No, I do not want to watch TV."

"Well, we could hookup?"

Ace let out a reluctant, slightly surprised laugh. I really, really didn't want to go back to bed. Ace ruffled my hair and then stumbled back to the sofa. He was too long for it and his feet hung off the edge. I thought about what I was going to do for a moment, and then I decided I really didn't want to go to bed.