"Look what I've got."

Calvin said excitedly as he gave Ella a calling card. That night, Calvin picked her up from her office, and they had dinner at the balcony of his apartment. He wanted to tell her his new surprise for her. "Bernice Cai? This is my favorite fashion designer! How did you get her card?" she asked. "Well, I had a client, and he's a good friend of Emily I mentioned to him that we're getting married, and that my bride-to-be loves Bernice Cai's design. So, he helped me to get her contact details." he told him.

Ella shrieked in happiness. She walked to his side of the table, sat beside him, and hugged him tight. "You're the best, Calvin!" she told him. "Only the best for the love of my life. So, tell me when you want to set an appointment with her, then I'll go with you." he said. Ella pouted at her. "If we go to her, then you'll see what dress I'm going to wear for the wedding."

Calvin gave her a puzzled look. "And so?" he asked. "I want to surprise you on our wedding day." she said with a smile. Now, it's Calvin's turn to pout at her. "I can't even peek?" he asked. Ella shook her head. "Not even a peek." she said. Calvin just pouted, while Ella laughed at him. "No fair!" he said. "Hey, let's just say this is my surprise for you. Because for the past eight years, you're the one who's doing all the surprises. Now, it's my turn." she said.

He let out a sigh, and resigned himself to what Ella wants. "All right, if that's what my bride wants, then she'll get it." he said. Then, he leaned down to her,and kissed her on the lips. "Anyway, there's something else I want to tell you." she said. "Sure, what is it?" he asked. "You were asking me what happened to Chun and Tiffany, right?" she said. Calvin nodded his head. "Yeah. I was curious as to why he went alone. Is there something wrong?" he asked. Ella let out a sigh. "The two of them broke up." she said.

Calvin was surprised at what his girlfriend said. For the past years, he had seen how perfect Chun and Tiffany's relationship is. He never thought it would come to an end. "Why?" he asked. "Apparently, Tiffany has been having affairs behind Chun's back. And everytime Chun finds out, she apologize and Chun would take her back. It's not just one affair. All through out their relationship, she had cheated too many times. And this time, Chun's already fed up, so he ended things between them." Ella explained.

Calvin let out a sigh. "Well, he made a good decision. But Chun had a good heart to forgive Tiffany each time she cheated on him. He must truly love her, but he could not take it anymore." Calvin said. "I guess you're right. You know, Tiffany is his frist love. She was his dream girl. I guess it's not that easy to let go of someone you loved for so long." she said with a sigh. "But you can let go, when you believe you deserve to be happy." Calvin told her.

She looked up at him, and smiled. Calvin is right. She had that decision the moment Calvin confessed to her. After being hurt from her unrequited love for Chun, she realized that she deserves to be happy too. Thank god Calvin came into her life. Her love for Chun is all in the past now. She can only now see him as a friend. While Calvin, he's a different story. He is her life.

Calvin pulled Ella closer to her, and embraced her. "God, I love you so much, Ella..." he whispered to her. Despite all the hurt and the pain she felt before, Calvin's love was her beautiful reward. He was her reason for everything. "I love you too..." she told him. He caressed her cheek as he looked into her eyes. "I can't wait to spend forever for you." he told her. "With you, I'll never be afraid of anything. I can face anything and be brave as long as you're beside me." she told him. Calvin let out a smile. "That's sounds like something I can say on our wedding vow." he said.  Ella just laughed at him. Calvin could only hug her even tighter. He wish this happiness could last forever.

--

Ella pulled up the hood of her car. Just then, grey smoke puffed into her face. She could only cough. "Ella, I called the mechanic, and he said he'll be here in an hour." her office best friend, Tracy, told her. "An hour? But we're going to be late for my dress fitting!" she whined. "I'm sorry, Ella. I wish I have my car with me, but I just sent it for service yesterday. Shall we go and get a cab instead?" Tracy suggested.

Ella looked at her watch. She's going to be late for her dress fitting, and she can't let that happen. It's not that easy to get an appointment with Bernice, and if she have to cancel it today because of her, she might not haveany dress on her wedding day. "I guess you should call a cab." she told Tracy.

Just then, a car stopped in front of them. The window rolled out, and both of them saw Chun inside. "Ella? Tracy? What happened?" he asked. "My car broke down..." Ella said in a disappointed tone. Chun looked at his watch. "Don't you have an appointment today with your designer?" he asked. Ella nodded her head. "Chun, can you drive us there, pretty please?" Tracy asked him. Chun smiled and nodded his head. "Sure, I'll drive you there. Hop in." he said.

"Are you sure? You don't have anything to do?" Ella asked as she got into his passenger seat. "My appointment ended earlier. I was about to go back to the office, then I saw the two of you." Chun explained. "Thank you so much, Chun. You're such a life saver! Do you know how worried Ella is that she'll miss this appointment? I told her that we should call Calvin to accompany us, but she refused." Tracy said.

Chun gave Ella a confused look. "Why? Is he busy that he can't go with you?" Chun asked. Ella smiled and shook his head. "I told him not to go with me. I want my wedding dress to be a surprise for him." Ella explained. Chun simply nodded his head.

They got to Bernice's shop  on time for Ella's appointment."We're here, Finally!" Tracy told them. Ella looked at Chun, and smile. "Thanks for the ride." she said. "No problem." Chun said. "Hey, Chun. If you don't have anything, why don't you come with us and see Ella's dress? I'm pretty sure you won't say anything to Calvin, right?" Tracy said. Ella gave Tracy a look of disbelief. "Tracy, what are you doing? Maybe Chun's busy..." she said. Chun shook his head. "I don't have anything to do anyway. Tracy's right, maybe I should take a look?" Chun said.

Ella hesitated to let Chun go with them. "It's a good idea, Ella. At least you'll have more opinions about your dress. And we need a point of view from a man like Chun." Tracy convinced her. "Well, if it's OK with Chun..." Ella looked at him again. Chun smiled at her. "I'd love to." he said. Tracy smiled and clapped her hands. "It's settled then! Let's all go inside." she said.

As they entered the shop, they were greeted by the owner, Bernice. "Hello, Ms. Chen. I was worried you won't be here on time." Bernice said with a smile. Ella smiled at her. "I'm sorry, I had a little car trouble along the way." Ella said. Bernind just nodded her head. "I see you brought your friend with you. Hey, is he your gay friend?" Bernice asked, pointing at Chun.

Chun was surprised at what she said. Tracy couldn't help but laugh, while Ella was trying her best to keep a straight face. "He's my best friend, but he's not gay. And he's single." she said. She threw a look at him, and then winked at Chun. "Ah, I'm sorry about that. I'm just used to my clients bring some gay friends for their wedding dress fitting. Well, I know your friend would be able to help you chose the right dress for you." Bernice said. "Well, I hope I can be a help to Ella." Chun said. Bernice nodded her head. "I know you will. So, shall we look at the dresses?" Bernice asked. Ella nodded her head. Then, they followed her to where the wedding dresses are.

--

The moment they entered the room where the gowns are stored, Ella felt overwhelmed. There were so many beautiful dresses that she wants, she doesn't know what to pick first. "So many pretty gowns." Tracy said dreamily. "Hey, Ella..." she said, nudging her. "Have you thought what design you wanted?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders. "I still have no idea." she said. Tracy began to look at each rack for a dress that would suit Ella, and Chun did the same thing. "How about this? Let's try this one, all right?" Tracy said, picking a dress from the rack. "And this one. And this one. Oh! And this one."

Before she knew it, Tracy already has a couple of dresses on her hand. "That's too much...." Chun commented. Tracy could only roll his eyes at him. "So that Ella would have many options." Tracy told him. "How about you, Ella, don't you have anything you want?" Chun asked her. "I'm too overwhelmed  to even pick." Ella told him. Tracy then looked at Chun. "Wei, you're Ella's best friend, right? Why don't you help her choose, and pick a dress that  you think that will suit her." Tracy suggested.

Chun nodded his head, and began to look within the dress rack. From one of the racks, a lace wedding dress caught his eye. It was vintage, and rustic - something he knew that Ella would love. "How about this?" he asked. Tracy looked at the dress, and then frowned at Chun. "Aiyo, that looks so old school." Tracy commented.

Ella looked at the dress Chun was holding, and thought it was beautiful. However, she wants to try what Tracy picked for her before she could choose the dress she wants. "That's OK too. I'll try all the dresses you guys picked for me, then if I can't pick from them, I can try on a few more dresses,right?" she said. Tracy smiled and nodded his head. "I'm pretty sure you'll love the dresses I picked for you." Tracy said confidently.

--

Ella tried on the dresses that Tracy picked first. Most of them didn't suit her, even if Bernice helped to fit it to her. Others were too y, or too extravagant for her. The simple dress that Tracy chose for her doesn't look good on her, and doesn't fit her nicely.

"I guess I'll fit Chun's dress first. If this doesn't work for me, let's go back and pick another, all right?" Ella told them. She went back to the fitting room, and tried on the lace wedding dress Chun picked for her. The moment she looked at herself on the mirror, she was stunned. The dress looked beautifully on her. It was as if it was made especially for her. She fell in love with it.

"Ella, can we see?" she heard Tracy said from the outside. "I'll be right out." she told her. She spentthe next minute smiling at her reflection, knowing she had found the dress she wanted.

"What's taking her so long?" Chun asked worriedly. "Maybe she was too shy to show us the dress you picked." Tracy said. Then, Tracy stood up from her seat. "I'll find other dresses in case she doesn't like the last one." she told Chun. Then, she left Chun all alone.

The moment Tracy left, Ella came out of the fitting room. "Chun?" she called him. As he looked back at Ella, he was mesmerized by her beauty. "What do you think?" she asked with a smile. She then walked in front of the mirror, and looked at herself. Chun, on the otherhand, just kept staring at her.

She was heartbreakingly beautiful. She was no longer that boyish best friend of his, who always tag along with him. She's now someone's bride. She is going to be someone's bride. And that thought only pains him even more.

"You look pretty in that dress, Ms. Chen. Why don't we try it with this veil?" Bernice said. Then, Bernice helped her with her veil, and her look is now complete. She was even more beautiful this time.
"You look beautiful..." Chun managed to say as he gazed at her. Ella looked back athim, and smiled. "Thank you." she said. The, she looked back at herself in the mirror. "Do you think Calvin will be surprised on our wedding day if I wear this dress?" she asked.

Chun nodded his head. He faked a smile at her as he looked at her through the mirror. "I'm pretty sure Calvin will love it."

--

They say a bride glows beautifully on her wedding day

The moment you walked out of the room with the dress I picked,

I was mesmerized

I imagined that you were my bride

That I was your groom

And that smile is mine

But the moment you said his name

I had to snap back from the reality

That you will never be my bride...

And that I could only love you from afar