Matchless

1

Get it together

"One shot to your heart without breaking your skin. No one has the power to hurt you like your kin. Kept it inside didn't tell no one else, didn't even want to admit it to myself." – India Arie.

Lyric sat on the fifth pew of the church on the bride's side letting her tears slide from her swollen eyes. She wore black oversize sunglasses to cover her puffy eyes despite her mother's chastising her about being rude. Lyric didn't really care if she was being rude or not. She didn't even want to come to the wedding. Lyric knew her big comfy bed calling out for her to come jump in. She'd rather stay home and bury herself under her covers; while reading a cheesy romance novel that would have her mind swimming with thoughts of the love she'd never find.

"Daniel Porter, will you take Jasmine Spain to be your . . ."

Lyric had tuned out the words that the preacher spoke she couldn't believe that her Daniel was marrying her cousin. The cousin that was she once thought was like a sister to her. Lyric always dreamed of marrying Daniel, not Jasmine. Daniel was her best friend and her first love. She was the man of her dreams and she loved him with every working nerve in her body even though she'd never admitted to it.

Her fear of ruining their relationship scared her. So she'd carried on their friendship for close to ten years hiding her true love for him. Along with the fear of ruining their relationship, she also feared being rejected. Lyric knew Daniel loved her as a best friend but she feared that, that was where his love for her ended. So she played the good best friend. Always there for him throughout his breakups and fuck ups wishing all along that he'd see the love she had for him.

There were many moments throughout the span of ten years that she convinced herself that she would just tell him. Tell him that her love for him ran so deep that she couldn't sleep some nights from thinking of him. Thinking of how to tell him how she loved him and that she was tired of being just a friend. Tell him that she knew that they were great friends but they could be so much more if he'd let them. Tell him that she'd never have a good relationship with another man as long as he was around because he was the only man she'd ever wanted. When she thought of her future, she saw Daniel.

But she never had the heart to tell him so and now she sat here at his wedding wishing she'd been woman enough to do so. Then maybe she'd be in the shoes of her devious cousin, Jasmine. The only person whom knew of her true feelings for Daniel was her. Jasmine was her closest cousin, she had called Lyric out on her feelings for Daniel long ago. That night after graduation she admitted her true feelings and Jasmine told her to live a little and go for him.

Lyric could remember how Jasmine giggled and raved about how cute they would be together. Jasmine even cooed about how adorable Lyric and Daniel's babies would be. Lyric could only smile and daydream, hoping that it would be true. Now four years later, Jasmine was in the spot Lyric thought she should have been in. At that instant she hated to be related to Jasmine. She didn't see her as any family of hers.

So what she never gained enough courage to admit her feelings for him. That didn't give Jasmine the right to take her chance with him. Family wouldn't do that to each other. Daniel was never up for grabs.

"He was mine!" Lyric's heart screamed.

She felt pathetic for crying but she couldn't help it, her heart was taking several blows and the blows didn't seem to ever let up. While the other women in her family were crying tears of joy, she was crying because aching pain in her chest. She couldn't believe it and didn't want to believe it.

"I now pronounce you man and wife, you may now kiss your bride."

The crowd cheered. Lyric only stood to her feet solemnly. The smile on Daniel's face almo0st made her feel sad for being such a horrible friend to him for the past month. As his best friend she was supposed to be happy that he was happy and in love. He wasn't to blame here.

As the couple walked down the aisle hand in hand, Daniel spotted Lyric and winked while the queen bitch herself blew a kiss towards Lyric. They hadn't spoken a word to one another since their big blow up a year ago when Lyric found out Daniel and Jasmine was dating. Lyric smiled at Daniel before giving him a weak wave. Daniel was happy without her. She had to go home and pull herself together. It was time to move on. Lyric, get it together!