Must I Imagine You There

Ch1: Clueless

As she walked, Chloe looked down at the grass below her feet and wondered, if it was having a better day than her. All grass had to worry about were things like, getting enough sunlight and water. Maybe there was some worry about springing back up after being stepped on or having something blocking light or rain, but Chloe felt like being grass would probably be a simpler life. Grass didn't have problems like being the maid of honour at their little brother's wedding. Was she greatly mistaken or was Chloe actually getting jealous of a plant. Empathizing with it? Either way, it wasn't good. She looked up sharply, trying to pull her mind out of the strange place. Looking up at the beautiful blue sky, didn't help. Normally, Chloe loved the sun, but not today. Today, it was just another perfect aspect of the wedding that was making her miserable.

But maybe that was a little over dramatic. Chloe was, after all, a hopeless romantic and part of her was genuinely happy for both Tyler and Sara. Chloe had been best friends with Sara for as long as she could remember and what sister wouldn't wish happiness for her only brother? Even so, Chloe couldn't help but he jealous of them and if she was being truly honest, a little bitter whole thing, almost made her want to go back to that day in 10th grade, when Sara asked her if she could date her brother and give Sara another answer. Chloe did admit, it had been nice of them to ask, but after that it had all happened so fast. She'd thought for one second, that they'd work out. Chloe had imagined only a few awkward dates and maybe a painfully awkward break up, before things went back to normal, but a wedding had not been ever a blip on her radar.

And a what a wedding it was. The whole park had been decorated with beautiful white flowers. White folding chairs were lined up in front of a great archway, that was also covered in flowers. Chloe couldn't help but cry, as she saw the way they looked at each other as they said their vows, a single silent tear rolling down her cheek. It reminded her of all those larger than life movie moments she loved so much. If Chloe was being honest with herself, all she really wanted was to have someone she loved look at her, the way Sara and Tyler looked at each other. Of course, there was another level of jealous woven into this, since her little brother Tyler and her best friend Sara now had a stronger bond to each other, than they did to her. In that moment, it felt like Chloe would always be the third wheel. Not just because she'd never found love herself, but also because for the rest of her life whenever she wanted to spend time with either her brother or her oldest friend, she'd end up with both of them.

As the wedding ended, and the photographer started issuing orders, Chloe decided that she was going to give herself today to feel miserable and sorry for herself. She deserved this day. With a great sigh, Chloe seriously considered sitting down on the dirty cement, dress and all. But she couldn't because she was the maid of honour and she had places to be. Chloe smiled for the cameras as instructed. She hide her bad mood away while she say cheese, creating the perfect memory she knew Sara and Tyler deserved, but her heart wasn't in it.

"I thought I saw you sneak off," a familiar voice said. Chloe turned to see her mother, Theresa smiling at her. Chloe considered her mother more beautiful than her. Theresa had blue eyes, light brown hair and a kind smile while Chloe had the same boring brown for both her hair and eyes. Chloe's stupidly lucky brother not only was getting married before her, but had also manage to get their mother's eyes, even if they had the same hair colour.

"Shouldn't you be busy taking photos, mother of the groom?" Chloe whined, annoyed to be caught hiding away from the wedding party. "Your son did get married you know."

"Yes, but my daughter is sulking," Theresa explained. "Tyler is too happy to notice I'm gone anyway."

"Yay," Chloe said without any emotion as she pretended to spin a party favour in the most sarcastic way possible.