My Shooting Star

24. The Wedding

"Ryan make it fast, You don't want to be late for the wedding of your best friends." Dad called aloud from my room.

I told him to be on time and here he is, at my place to pick me up.

God! Why does he treat me like a teen? I got a whole lot of new suits, just a day before I joined him in our business but No, he got a new suit for me.

"Coming Dad, and relax. It's not my wedding. I can be a bit late." I replied with a chuckle at his excitement.

"I know, but it's Wedding of my best friend's son and eventually He is best friend to my son too. And...My Handsome son is going to be his Best-Man..." his sentence died in mid as he found me standing at the door, for a second his eyes shines brighter with a smile of pride.

"It is the first wedding in our next generation. And if your best friend is getting married, you might be The next in the queue." He says with a gleam of shine in his eyes.

No doubt my father is a hardcore optimistic.

"Feww...I can't believe it's happening. Jerry is getting married in such hurry." I exhaled avoiding my father's false hopes from me.

"Ryan, you didn't reply for my query."

"Oh! Was that a query even, I thought you were just trying to tease me Dad." I chuckle over his words.

"Ryan, I am serious boy. You should at least think about it."

Not again, Dad is starting the convo again which I always avoid and he tries to prob into, "Why you avoid all the time I ask you about it?" He questions again. This time seriously.

"Because..." I don't want to hurt him by mentioning their broken relationship, but what should I tell him?

"Because, I have not found the right one. OK. Is this enough to satisfy your queries. Now, let's move or we will be late for the great event." I replied looking into his eyes in the mirror as he is the one making me wear it.

"Hey stop!" Dad stops me as I reach to open the door for him.

For my surprise he clicks me in his cell, "My son is looking so handsome, I have the right to take a picture of yours.

Awww... my father acts so weird at times but It makes me love him more. I grabbed his cell and switched the camera to front Cam and clicked a few nice selfies with Dad before leaving the home.

•••

"Hello Ryan, where are you these days?" A pair of smooth arms flung around my neck to pull me in an embrace and a peck landed on left cheek .

I'm sure her lip marks must be imprinted on my cheek.

"Hey, how you doing beautiful?" What's her name? What's her name! Come on Ryan you can't forget these beautiful faces and break their hearts.

"I'm good. How about you? Hasn't seen you with anyone for a long time. Where are you?" She said leaning on me. Her eyes, roaming around my face and neck as if she's gonna bite me any second.

Thank God, so many people are here.

"Hey Ryan, how are you doing love?" Another female voice met my ears while I saw a beautiful lady walking my way just to push the former one bit away from me.

Not again, I couldn't recall the name of the earlier one and now another girl from my past. This one behaving aggressively as if had copyright on me.

"Hey, yeah. I'm good. Let's go inside and witness the huge event." I try to get off from her clutch but she is clinging on my arm as if glued.

"Yeah, after all that is for what we are here for." The earlier one held my other arm, exchanging cold looks with other.

Why am I feeling like a piece of meat or salmon, these cats are fighting for?

I can see Dad enjoying my poor condition from distance.

Thanks to him that he came to my rescue with an excuse that the groom was asking about me.

Finally I got relief from them and headed to Jerry's room. He is getting married in our resort only.

All of sudden I felt as if the passer by held my arm as got disbalanced, my back hit the wall of the corridor while trying to help her.

"Ryan, are you trying to avoid me?" Oh no! This was the aggressive girl again. I thought I got rid of her but she was following me.

"Avoid? Oh Nothing like that." I actually tried to avoid her now.

"Then why are you running from me? Come on, we had fun when we were together. I dated many after you but no one could reach near you." She says getting closer to me.

Why am I backing now? She is hot. I used to love when girls try to dominative.

Her lips nearing mine but before she could land them on mine, I turned my face away.

"Ryan, I'm not asking you to marry me! I'm just asking to be with me. Ok, after the wedding, we can go out and have some fun, for weekend at least.

"I'm sorry." I have to say it before she makes me more uncomfortable, "I don't mean to disrespect you or the thought to be together. But..." She looks into my eyes as if waiting for the exact reason for my words.

"I.. I'm not into all this any longer."

"You are with someone." She says disheartened.

"Ahm... no." No I'm not with anyone.

"You are in love with someone!" She exclaimed looking at me.

"Ahm..." what should I say? If I say No, she might take it as an affirmative for her proposal and If I say Yes, she might want to know her name.

What the heck am I doing!

I could have kissed her and this all would not be happening right now!

I felt a palm on my back and a warmth hugging me from the left side. I look at my left to find a beautiful blond standing close to me with a hand of her's spread at my back.

"Yes, we are in love. Sorry for disappointing you but we want to keep it secret for a while. Will you please keep it a secret only?" She says to the girl gazing at us with baffled eyes.

This voice, this time I know it.

I know her!

Even this warmth of her closeness, I can recognize it but... no she's not Her!