Gone

Chapter Six

It’s been 3 months since Zayn told me about his engagement and I met Perrie. Nothing has really happened and I have still gotten nothing from Liam, Perrie had insisted that I help her plan the wedding so I had kept myself busy with attending dress shops, picking fonts, decorations, and trying cakes with her and Zayn. Today I was going with Perrie, her mom, my mom and Perrie’s bridesmaids to see and try on some dresses. I haven’t seen my mom in so long, it’s not like we have a bad relationship but I had isolated myself from most of my family and friends after Liam left. I was excited to see her, I missed her a lot.

“My mom and bridesmaids along with your mom are already at the dress shop” Perrie said as we made our way to the car. She had come to pick me up so that we could drive together, over the past 3 months we had grown really close and she knew everything about me and Liam.  She had helped me a lot along with Zayn they had both been a lot of support. Niall had also been a lot of help, the last time I had talked to him was when he invited me to hang out and go watch a movie together but that had been like a month ago. I would have seen him today but him and my brother had gone to look at tuxes since Zayn had asked him to be one of his best men.

“We’re here” Perrie said as she took the keys out of the ignition and turned the car off. I opened the door and a cold breeze made me shiver. The cold February air gave me Goosebumps, I buttoned up my jacket and followed Perrie into a store. The shop appeared small, it sat on 5th Avenue, I had passed by it many times on my way to work but I never thought I would be going into it as a bride’s maid for my brother’s wedding.  The words Bridal Reflections was written on a sign on top of the store. The word reflection was in cursive but the word Bridal was in normal font. Perrie opened the door and we walked inside. There was a huge difference between the outside and the inside, the interior of the shop was absolutely breath taking. There was rows of beautiful wedding dresses and colorful bridesmaid’s dresses. Chandeliers hung low from the ceiling, white tiles covered the floors with a large B logo with the words bridal reflections in the center of the store. The walls were a light Champaign color and held mirrors of all sizes, the semi dim lighting created a beautiful reflection of all the dresses, diamond earring and necklaces shined brightly in the glass display cases. There were headless black mannequins that modeled elegant white wedding dresses on almost every corner of the room.

We walked over to a far right side of the store, it contained a mirrors around in a 180 degree half circle, and pearly white couches were set up in front of the mirrors. A circular platform was set in between the couches and the mirrors, it contained two small steps. A beautiful chandelier hung from the ceiling lighting the space making everything appear more breath taking.

“Perrie!” A young girl with blonde hair gushed as she ran to hung her, I assumed it was one of her bridesmaids.

“You must be Emma” She asked

“Yes, nice to meet you”

“Nice to meet you too, I’m Perrie’s sister Kaitlyn”

She smiled politely and made her way back to the group of girls sitting on the couch. My mom sat at the end of one of the couches speaking silently with Perrie’s mom who I had met only a few days ago. She was a very sweet lady and I could tell she loved Zayn very much. She had been very ecstatic about the news her daughter was engaged. Zayn had told me that Perrie’s mom and our mom along with two of his good friends had been present the Sunday he proposed, I wished I would have been there but then again I didn’t even know Zayn had a girlfriend to begin with.

Zayn telling me about the proposal and how he and Perrie even met made me realize how much I had missed out on my family’s lives while I had purposely isolated myself from everyone. Everyone’s life seemed to keep going while mine seemed to be frozen on a painful reminder that Liam was out fighting in a war. My life felt as it was crumbling around me while everyone else lived theirs happily. To be honest I was jealous of Zayn’s life, not because he was marrying the love of his life but because she was actually here with him. Perrie wasn’t miles away, Zayn could constantly have her telling him how much she loved him and they could cuddle on the couch together and be happy while I was sulking in my misery crying every day of my life since Liam left. But even though I felt jealous I was also beyond happy for him because he had exactly what he wanted and where he wanted it, Perrie and he were the perfect pair.

“Emma!” my mom’s voice filled the room, she walked over to me hugging me tight when she reached me.

“Hi mom” There it was again, that familiar knot in my throat.

“Oh darling, I’ve missed you so much, How are you?”

“I’ve been better” I answered

“Oh Emma” she sighed

She opened her mouth to speak again but quickly shut it deciding to go against it, but I knew that she wanted to bring up Liam.

“No mom, I haven’t received anything from Liam” I spoke for her, she was taken back and seemed surprise that I knew what she was thinking but I mean come on that was all everyone seemed to bring up when they saw me. She stayed silent for a few seconds before she reached out to me again and hugged me, I tried not to cry but the moment she pulled me into her hug I cried into her shoulder. I forgot that we were out in public with Perrie and her family, as I continued to cry into my mom’s shoulder I realized I had taken Perrie’s spot light. This day was about Perrie finding her perfect dress for her wedding with my brother and here I was being selfish crying for Liam again. I pulled away from my mother’s embrace, wiping my face, I ignored the stares from Perrie’s guest and sat down on one of the couches. Perrie met my gaze and I mouthed the words sorry, she smiled weakly and mouthed back not to be.

“Hello, hello everyone” A cheery women entered the small space, she wore a white skirt with an equally white blouse and matching white heals. All this white was giving me anxiety, the name tag pinned to her blouse displayed the name Debra in gold letters.

“And who is the gorgeous bride to be” she asked, in unison all eyes darted to Perrie whose face turned a bright red. Debra followed our gaze to Perrie and flashed what could be a million dollar smile.

“Ahh, well you certainly are quite gorgeous” she complimented

Perrie seemed a little uncomfortable by the boisterous attendant but she nodded and said a simple thank you.

“Alright well follow me and we will get you into some dresses” A bit reluctantly Perrie followed the cheery Debra down rows of dresses. I was excited to see Perrie in wedding gown, although the wedding was set for December it was nice to see that Perrie was beginning to plan early and her along with Zayn had a mind set on how they wanted their wedding to be. 

I had often fantasied about me and Liam’s wedding if we were ever to get married, we had talked about it but we just weren’t ready and the time was never right. But when I was home alone I sat at the kitchen table thinking about how our wedding would be. I had often dreamed of a big venue decorated with reds and whites and beautiful center pieces for the tables. The whole room would be light by candles and Liam would be standing with a huge smile on his face at the alter and as I would down the aisle, my white dress would fit perfectly and a long trail would follow behind, my face covered by a simple veil and I would follow a path of scattered white and red rose petals. We would recite our own wedding vowels, say I do and the moment the priest said “you may now kiss the bride” Liam would lift my veil and kiss me, as he pulled away he would whisper “I love you.” Although I day dreamed about a fairytale wedding I was okay with a small one as long as Liam and I were together, I didn’t care where or when it was.

“Here she comes!” Debra shouted

I snapped back into reality as Perrie walked out from a dressing room and made her way to the platform. The dress she modeled was an all-white strapless dress with small silver sequences along the top, it was tight above the waist and seemed to drape down. It looked as if on one side it had been pinned up midway. It was elegantly simple and fit Perrie perfectly as always she looked beyond gorgeous.

“This is the one” Perrie gushed as she looked at herself in the mirror. The girls screamed in excitement and flashed photos of Perrie in the gown. A smile wiped across her face as I neared her.

“You look amazing” I complimented

“Thank you”

She hugged me tight, Perrie had become a sister, she was family and I was glad that she was.