Before I could process what was happening, I found myself running out of the chapel. My legs were carrying me farther and farther away, as I heard the gasps and whispering. My deep purple dress stained with tears as I had to tear myself away from the man I’ve loved since childhood. He’s getting married, what are you doing?! He wanted you there more than anyone else in the world, and you’re throwing that away like garbage. My breathing hitched and the sobs started flowing like a waterfall and I sunk to my knees in the middle of the hallway in which I found myself. I grasped the necklace he gave me for my sixteenth birthday hoping somehow I could go back to that moment. A time when things were so much less complicated and the world didn’t have to make sense. I stood up to walk a few steps and calm myself down but it didn’t work. I started to tremble and attempted to grab the wall to hold myself up. My hold on the wall was just as bad as my hold on him. Perfect for a brief moment in time, and suddenly it falters. I depend on the stable wall to keep me balanced but it’s letting me go, letting me fall. I sink to the floor with my back against that very same wall, and the pain that I’ve been keeping inside of myself for so long finally breaks through to the surface.
“Cassidy! Cass wait!” I thought I’d heard his voice call out to me. I laughed through my tears. I’m losing my mind for sure. I slumped to the floor in a massive heap of purple and tears. “Cass,” I heard the voice whisper. Footsteps in my direction. Sanity come back to me! I can’t take this right now.
“Cass.” The voice said and I felt a hand on my back. My breath caught in my chest and I looked up. His beautiful eyes looked back at me. If this is a dream, I never want to wake up. He hugged me and kissed my forehead. I heard the noise of people leaving, getting into cars, talking loudly about absurd things, and the distinct crying of a bride left at the alter.
I looked up at him and shook my head.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Making sure you’re okay.” He replied and looked thoughtful for a moment. “I would never have been able to forgive myself if I didn’t come.” He paused. “It’s like…I was pulled to you.” He smiled at me softly. “I can’t describe it.”
“I bet I can.” I whispered and bit my lip gently. With one last longing look into those beautiful blue eyes, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him to me.
I kissed him. He kissed back. We pulled away. He gasped for air.
“Something like that?” I asked shyly. Unsure of his response.
“Exactly like that.” With that he placed one hand on my cheek, and pulled me to him with the other.
I laughed. “Took you long enough,” I smiled. For once, he didn’t smile back. Instead, he kissed me.
“Sorry. I didn’t realize you were waiting.”
“I would have waited forever.”
