Today was supposed to be the best day of her life. She was finally achieving her fairytale ending. She was going to marry prince charming and ride off into the sunset. So why did she feel so off? Wasn’t today supposed to be beautiful and magnificent? It was and she knew it but somehow, she felt regretful.

 

Her fiancé was nice enough and she did like him. Sure he had a small temper, yet he’d never hurt her. Not once had he lifted a finger against her. He was a good man overall who could offer her a life of protection. For the rest of her life she would never go wanting. He could supply everything her heart desired. Except for desire itself. 

 

He was a handsome man to be sure yet she didn’t come alive with need when she saw him. A few small butterflies stirred in her stomach when they kissed but that was it. No explosive attractions, no sparks of electricity down her spine. He just didn’t give her that kind of satisfaction. Not that they’d actually done much more than kiss.

 

Then she saw him and smiled warmly. She had no close girl friends so instead of a Maid of Honor, she had a Man of Honor. They had dated for a short time a few years before. The relationship itself had only lasted for a few weeks however before they broke it off. It just seemed better when they were friends. It’s not like they’d fought or anything and there definitely had been a physical attraction but it just felt like they were good friends, not lovers. At least that’s how she had felt.

 

Finally she turned her eyes to the mirror in front of her. Her wedding dress was a stunning sight. It was a bit more than what she’d wanted but her fiancé had picked it out and he seemed to really like it. So she’d bought it. Looking at the garment actually fitting to her form now, she felt slightly awkward. Her own reflection didn’t even match her.

 

Quickly shaking those thoughts from her head, she turned to her Man of Honor with a serene smile. He looked absolutely perfect in his crisp white button up and smoky grey vest. His face was handsome and strong and his normal cheery smile was on his face. Today however, it didn’t reach his eyes.

 

“Ready?” she asked timidly. Since her father had died years ago, he’d be walking her down the aisle.

 

He nodded his head at her as he was expected to and tried to smile brighter. He had to appear as happy and supportive as possible, even if his own heart was cracking as he placed her arm in his. Today was the day he finally got to see her in her wedding dress. And he hated it. He knew her fiancé could never love and care for her the way he could. That man lost his temper too quickly and he could only hope that her fiancé hadn’t hit her.

 

He could still remember the night she pounded on his door, hiccupping with tears. Her eyes had become slightly swollen and her petite form shook with sobs as he’d held her on his couch. Her fiancé and her had had a huge fight and he’d thrown something at the wall. It killed him that he hadn’t protected her as he’d promised to. She was everything to him.

 

He had been so surprised when only a week later, she’d pounded on his door again. This time though, her eyes were alight with happy excitement. That horrible man had proposed…and she’d accepted. That day, after she’d left, he’d cried for hours. Screams had erupted from his dry lips and his once strong body had felt so undeniably weak.

 

Yet he’d stood by her through it all. He’d helped her plan her wedding and had even agreed to walk her down the aisle to that prick. Which brought him to these large double doors. On any other occasion, he would have called them beautiful. Today however, they were foreboding and cruel. 

 

He turned to her then and smiled one last sincere smile, “Are you ready?”

 

“Yes,” she had nodded at him. She did not feel ready though. In fact, dread had pooled inside her stomach, causing nausea to grip her tightly. Suddenly she felt trapped in a cage that she could never get the key to. Maybe all brides felt like this? It was probably just a severe case of nerves. Yeah, that had to be it

 

As she placed one foot in front of the other, the wedding hymn playing in the back of her mind, her nausea grew worse. The cage appeared to grow smaller and smaller until she reached the end and he released her arm to stand next to her.

 

She looked into the eyes of her fiance but felt no reassurance. That was odd. Her insides should have melted or butterflies should have tickled her stomach. No such reaction occurred. She was given no time to dwell upon these discomforting thoughts seeing as the preacher began to speak.

 

Soon the vows were exchanged and it was time to say, “I do.” When it was her turn, she hesitated for a moment to listen to her instincts. Something felt so wrong about this. She couldn’t place her finger on it but she simply knew. She glanced at him for support and realization hit. Her fiance was what was wrong. He wasn’t the man for her. Sure, her fiance was relatively kind, could protect, and even provide. But her fiance couldn’t love her like he could. He awakened things in her that people were supposed to feel when they were in love. He made her insides melt and set butterflies wild within her. He was the one she should be marrying.

 

As if she had broken through a trance, she  turned to her fiance with determined flames in her eyes.

 

“I don’t,” and with that, she walked back up the aisle, out of the church, and straight into the rain.

 

It wasn’t long before she heard quiet footsteps behind her. She turned around to face him for the second time that day. The desperately hopeful look on his face was enough to bring tears to her eyes. 

 

“I’m so sorry,” she breathed as she reached out for him, hoping he would not reject her.

 

Without hesitation, he gathered her close to his warmth and whispered, “It’s okay.”

 

They each pulled away and simply stared at each other with half-lidded eyes. Then their lips met and a spark shot through them. Fire wound up their spines and warmth settled in their chests. This is what love was supposed to feel like.

 

Eventually the rain stopped as they settled on a nearby park bench. Her head was tucked under his. Both of them knew there would be questions and consequences later. For now however, they would simply enjoy the peaceful moment. Him in his grey vest, and her in her wedding dress.