Hard To Love (a Josh Hutcherson Fan Fiction)

Chapter 39

Song of the Chapter: Stolen by Dashboard Confessional

Stella's POV

-October 2016-

I step up on the pedestal facing the mirror at the bridal shop in downtown LA. Never in my life would I have thought that I would be standing in front of a mirror in a long white dress preparing for my wedding day. Never. 

I always thought that I would live a miserable life alone, just trying to live off of the little talent that I had, struggling to get by. But instead I have been proven that I thought wrong for a whole seventeen years of my life. 

So now, here I stand, in a dress I never thought I would have a chance to wear in preparation to wed this man who has patched holes, buried dark memories, and saved me in the process, all in the short four years we have known each other. 

Now it is 2016, I am 21 years old, I am getting married in two months on December 15th, and I have a perfect four month old, healthy baby that I would go to the ends of the Earth to keep safe. All things I once thought were impossible for someone as damaged as me. But my life has completely changed, for the better. 

I never thought that I could get to know someone, much less love someone, in such as short time as I did with Josh, but he's a miracle worker, and I think many will agree. 

I stare at my reflection in the long ballgown type, strapless dress and I squint and turn to the "panel of judges" that I brought along with me, which includes Corie, Michelle, Connor, who insisted he would be able to give a good opinion, which we all think Josh sent him to spy, and Avery. 

"What do you guys think?" I ask and furrow my brows. 

"Well, you don't look like you think to highly of it." says Michelle with a slight laugh. 

"I don't like that one." Avery speaks up. 

"Good because I don't either." I start walking back to the room to try on another with my consultant. She hands me the second dress, the one that Connor picked out, and zips me up. I walk out in front of them and everyone laughs. Including me. 

The dress is a mess of feathers, pearls and sequins, and weird bird designs. I don't know who in the hell designed it, but I am madly convinced that this dress is a bad result of a severe acid trip. 

"That is the one." Connor says and tries to start a slow clap, which gets the crowd laughing again. 

"It's a good thing men don't wear dresses on their wedding day Connor, or else you would be in trouble." Avery says, though she is only 8, she definitely has some witty comments that give us all a couple giggles every now and then. 

"Next!" Corie and Michelle say in unison. 

Mary, my consultant, finally hands me the dress that I picked out once we get the atrocious monster of a dress off of me. 

I remember back in New York whenever Mrs. Parker showed me her wedding pictures. She was young and lively and laughing. I remember that about her pictures.. She was glowing with happiness, and I was so jealous. I wanted to feel that, I wanted to be her in those pictures. But it was a lost hope in my eyes. 

She showed me her wedding dress one day and let me try it on. She was married at 16, and she was my size, so it fit like a glove. I thought that would be the first and last time I would ever put on a white dress, but now that my string of events has positively changed, I decided I would look for the same design that she had. Long lace sleeves and a slim fit all the way to the floor.

As Mary tightens the corset in the back, I have a look in the single mirror in the dressing room. 

My stomach flutters and I can see the tears pooling in my eyes. I blink fast to try and get them to go away, but they just fall down my cheeks anyways. I quickly wipe them away.