Unfortunate Circumstances

Chapter 1

In the fifth grade, Patrick Zimmer rejected my proposal to be boyfriend and girlfriend. My dramatic self decided that was unacceptable and I proceeded to clock him square in the nose. It was totally worth the week-long suspension from recess. 

It was this very betrayal that set me in the path to find true love. As corny as it sounds, I didn't want to date anyone that wasn't my soulmate. I have laid out a checklist of twenty bullet points to make sure he is acceptable. That's not too much to ask for, right?

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"Hey, Callie, it's time to go," my brother says from my doorframe. "Mom said we should have left half an hour ago, even though we still have four hours until it starts."

"Alright," I tell him over my shoulder. "I'll be down in five." He sent me a thumbs up and a grin before heading downstairs.

"Ooh, was that Coop?" I hear from my phone. "What's he wearing?"

Finishing up the last bits of my makeup, I respond. "Millicent, I don't understand your fascination with my brother. He's gross, and you know that. Besides, he's wearing the same thing as all the other groomsmen, so nothing special." Millicent has been my best friend since birth. And for whatever odd reason, she has a massive crush (bordering on obsessive) one my brother Coop.

" Of course you find him gross, he's your twin brother for God's sake. But there's just something about him that makes me melt."

"Whatever," I sat lightheartedly. "I gotta go, but I'll see you at the wedding okay? Bye, love ya!"

"Love you, too!"

Letting Millicent end the call, I do one final check of myself in the mirror. Today is going to be hard, but I can do it. Seeing my older brother get married is cause for celebration right? I'll just have to ignore the voices in my head telling me I will, never find that kind of happiness long enough to not have a complete breakdown.

To avoid further disappointment and resentment, I force my feet to carry me through the door and down the stairs, where a,oat everyone is waiting.

"Oh! Callie's here!" My dads proclaims with a clap of his hands. "We can go now."

"Dad." Rolling his eyes, Denver huffed. "You're forgetting about Evan again."

Dads eyes widen comically. "Uh,no...I-I just meant we...could, just, uh, start heading to the car..."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's what you meant," Bridget chimes. She doesn't bother looking up from her phone. She's probably texting Derek, her fiancé.

"Alright kids, leave your father alone." Mom round the corner with my youngest brother not far behind.

"Hey look dad, now we can go," Coop calls out, proceeding to receive "the look" from mom. His hands fly up in defense, surrendering.

"C'mon Phillips family; we have a wedding to get to."

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The ceremony was absolutely beautiful in every way. I cried just about the entire time, and I think I went through two boxes of tissues. Now at the reception, I can drown in my sorrows through stress eating, shoving yet another brownie slice down my throat, I watch Alex and his new wife, Madison, living in their own world.