Green Girl (PRS)

There Go The Brides

I watched sorrowfully as the man I love was at the alter marrying another woman. I looked to the bench next to me and saw Mentor crying. I started chuckling a little at Mentor. "Guys, check out Mentor with the waterworks. I turned to Emily who sat next to me and Kevin who was behind us. Kevin was crying too. I gave him a look and he tried to defend himself.

"It's allergies. The flowers." I turned back to Mia and Jayden at the alter.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." I said while watching them.

"Mia looks so beautiful." Emily said with gleefully.

"Someone get me out of here."

"You promise one another to aspire to these ideals throughout the rest of your lives together. Love is patient. Love is kind." The priest read. He turned to Jayden and I knew this would be the worst thing I would ever hear. "Do you promise to be faithful to her, forsaking all others for the rest of your life?" Jayden looked at Mia, then he looked back at me. He gave me an apologetic and regretful look before looking back to the priest.

"I do." And those words broke my heart into a million pieces. Then the priest turned to Mia.

"Do you promise to be faithful to him, forsaking all others for the rest of your life?" Please say no. Please say no.

"I do." Damn.

"If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, speak now or forever hold your peace." I went to raise my hand, but Emily immediately brought it back down.

"It's all part of the plan. Remember?" She whispered to me. I knew that, but I still let a single tear fall. Suddenly Mentor answered his samuraizer and stood up.

"They took the bride? Okay, the nighloks didn't take the bait." Mentor said.

"I thought our fake wedding would've worked for sure." Emily said sadly.

"Not this time. The moogers stormed the church downtown and kidnapped another bride." I looked at Jayden with a stare that could kill. He looked at me more apologetically than before. We all started to walk out and he tried to hold my hand, but I ripped mine away and walked faster.

"Allison..."

"Just leave me alone."

"But none of that was real!" I harshly turned toward him and crossed my arms.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is you said 'I do.' You could've just stalled instead of saying it. Everyone knew it was fake. Why make it all too real?"

"I was thinking of you the whole time. All I could see was your face and think about us. Please, Allison. I just want to take out this nighlok quickly so we can get closer to our goal. I love you and only you." I let some tears fall before walking into his embrace. It was tight, like we were never letting each other go.

"I love you too, Jayden."

•••

"That makes it five brides kidnapped." We all sat around the map listening to Mentor. I zoomed in on the map before tracing a star along the points where brides were taken.

"Look it's in a pattern, in the shape of a star."

"You're right." Kevin said, intrigued. "Have you studied maps and crime patterns before?"

"Sort of. I took a forensics class for half a semester."

"Too much was left up to chance." Jayden interrupted. "We have to make sure we lure them in before anymore brides are taken."

"I can't even begin to imagine what those poor girls are going through." Mia said. "This is supposed to be the happiest day of their lives."

"Do you think they would've taken those brides to the Sanzu river?" Emily questioned.