Chapter 7 Laurie's Wedding

• Laurie Ston
• I woke up to the sound of my cell phone. I opened my eyes slowly, feeling the brightness irritate me, and then closed them again.
• I turned over in bed and opened my eyes once more, getting used to the sight of an extremely messy room and remembering lapses from the night before.
• I felt my body burn in response, giving me the certainty that he was no longer there.
• Had he run away? Left in the dead of night?
• I sighed, sitting up in bed and running my hands through my hair. It had only been one sex; he had no obligation to wait for me to wake up before leaving. But it was a fantastic night that I'll never forget, that was for sure.
• I picked up my phone and saw Clarice's missed call on the screen—more than ten missed calls—then I realized that today was the big day, and it was already almost ten in the morning; I was late.
• “Shit, I overslept.'' I gritted my teeth and got out of bed.
• Although I saw the sun's rays before it went out, it was his gray eyes that I saw for the last time before I fell asleep. I ignored that last part that kept popping into my head, among other things.
• I ignored the fact that I'd slept less than four hours, the nausea from drinking too much, and the pain from the wild, monstrous sex the night before.
• I quickly got ready, washed my face thoroughly, and applied foundation to disguise my face, which was tired and pink.
• I did my morning chores, tied up my hair, quickly changed my clothes, and put on some perfume. Grabbing my bag and putting my cell phone in it, I left the room and went down to reception.
• Clarice texted me that she was waiting for me in front of reception.
• I walked up to my best friend and hugged her.
• “Are you all right, Laurie?'' I lied right then; it was her day.
• ''Yes, I just have a migraine, but I'm fine.'' I smiled at her, who helped me into the car and said she'd buy some medicine to help me. I thanked her.
• After she bought the medicine and I took, the driver dropped her off at the spa I had booked for her. I wanted her to relax.
• I said goodbye to her and told her to enjoy the day, then the driver took me to other places.
• I was running around, taking care of the final details. The hall was full of flowers, the furniture was arranged perfectly, and the sweet aroma of the wedding cake filled the room. Then, in the afternoon, I went back to the spa to see my friend. She was radiant, but rather anxious. I sat next to her as I watched the manicurist do her nails.
• “I don't remember seeing you leave yesterday.” She said, narrowing her eyes at me.
• “So, I didn't want to bother you; you were incredibly excited.” I said, looking away from her, knowing that I was a terrible liar.
• “And the reason you're walking around awkwardly, do you have a name at least?” she asked with a smile dancing on her mischievous lips.
• “You don't miss one, do you?” I laughed. “Noah.” I said softly.
• “Noah...” She mumbled. “Got it.”
• “Why are you making that face?” I asked, staring at her, her expression becoming thoughtful, as if she wanted to hide some kind of concern from me.
• “Nothing much. But what about it? Was it good?” She cracked a wide smile and narrowed her eyes at me.
• “It was incredible. I felt free—a bit guilty, but free.” I replied with a smile and a thoughtful look.
• “Guilty? Josh cheated on you with his boss; you gave it to a guy. What's to blame?” She asked, disgusted.
• “It's just that I've just gotten out of a relationship, and the guy is a stranger.” I huffed.
• “Friend.” She looked at me seriously. “You got out of a relationship because he cheated on you; you're free to be with whomever you want, including a stranger. With several strangers.” She said, gesturing and making me laugh.
• “Okay, I was drunk; it was a fuck. Life goes on.” I said with a grimace.
• “An unforgettable fuck, apparently.” She grumbled.
• We laughed as I grimaced at her. We continued talking about the wedding, and I reassured her when she felt anxious that the moment was coming. Being by her side had made everything so light for both of us that I no longer felt so broken. As I helped her get ready, I could feel the mixture of nervousness and happiness she exuded, while I reminded her of all the love that awaited her at the altar.
• We shared a laugh, toasted with champagne, and then I went to the next aisle so that she could get dressed and I could too. The most eagerly awaited moment was coming.
• As I hadn't had much time to decide on a dress, I chose a simple but sophisticated one. My dress was made of silk fabric with a smooth fit. With a straight cut that emphasized my curves, a discreet bateau neckline highlighted my cleavage, thin and delicate straps gave it a touch of femininity, and, at the waist, a band embroidered with stones accentuated it. The skirt of the dress was long, with soft pleats to facilitate movement when walking, with a small slit on the side adding a subtle touch of sensuality. The color decided was blue because of the palette. To complement it, I selected pearl earrings and a watch.
• I combed my hair into a low bun and applied a light shade of makeup so as not to draw attention away from the bride. Today was her day. I added a pair of pumps to my feet and headed for the room where my best friend was.
• When I entered, my heart beat faster; she looked phenomenal, and I felt honored to be by her side at that moment. Her dress was simple but sophisticated, just as my friend had always dreamed. Made of silk and with an impeccable fit, the silhouette stretched into a slight mermaid that hugged her curves delicately. The neckline with a discreet lace detail gave the dress a romantic and feminine touch, and the long, transparent sleeves extended to the cuff. The waist was marked by a thin sash and embellished with a discreet satin bow, contrasting with the flowing, slightly evasive skirt, with pleats that opened gently in a beautiful movement. At the back, there is a row of fabric-lined buttons that run from the neck to the waist, making it even more magnificent. A simple, delicate veil, adorned with lace at the edges, fell over her shoulders, extending to the end of the dress.
• I was thrilled. I walked over to the mirror, where she was staring at herself, holding back tears.
• “My God, how beautiful you look!” I said, putting both hands on her shoulders.
• “I can't cry!” She whimpered with a smile. “Would you come in with me?” She asked, taking me by surprise.
• I knew that she would go in alone, but I hadn't imagined that she would make such a special request of me. Her parents were in another state and had cut off contact since she decided to move so far away. I knew it had been painful for her, and I wanted it to be as special as possible.
• “You can't say no.” I replied with an emotional smile.
• The driver took us to the wedding venue, and when I helped her out, we stopped at the entrance, and they announced that the bride had arrived. I could tell she was nervous, but I comforted her and told her to focus only on her fiancé.
• As we walked down the aisle towards the altar, our arms entwined, I felt a wave of happiness and gratitude invade my heart. The soft sound of music filled the church as Clarice walked towards the love of her life. I didn't feel as bad as I thought I would.
• And all the nostalgia for imagining that it could have been me disappeared when I saw the unknown Noah at the altar; he was the groom's best man. Our eyes met for a few seconds, and then I turned to the groom, who was overcome with emotion.
• This was my friend's moment; that's all I had to think about. When we reached the altar, I kissed her forehead and handed her over. She smiled at me, and I smiled back. Then I stood opposite Noah, with the other bridesmaids, holding the bouquet of the most beautiful bride in the world.
• During the ceremony, a feeling of sadness and happiness invaded me as I conflicted. I had dreamed of that moment, but I wouldn't get there. While I spent my life building a solid foundation so that I could finally get married, my friend made the most rash decision of her life and followed a stranger to get married in a year. She was happy, while I had just taken a nice pair of horns from the man who had sworn to love me for three years. How?
• I ignored the unknowns, while the justice of the peace's words echoed in my mind in an oath that I imagined I would one day be able to recite. But I wouldn't. It was beautiful to see that moment, to see Clarice more in love than ever.
• And it was hard to ignore Noah; our eyes met a few times, and I felt warm just remembering his hands on my body. The ceremony seemed like an eternity, and when it was finally over, we moved on to the fun part.
• While the wedding party was going on, I danced alongside Clarice; we had a lot of fun, the vows were said, the buffet was served, and everything seemed perfect.
• It was my last night there, and we made it count. Noah and I didn't exchange a word, especially when I realized that he was accompanied by a brunette woman. She had black, wavy hair, makeup, and striking eyes. She was beautiful. I was sitting there at the time, taking quick glances at him and the woman, while sipping a glass of wine, trying to ignore the feeling inside me.
• I imagined that this was why Clarice had been surprised when I told her it had been with him and that she hadn't told me so that I wouldn't be disappointed again. He had someone. I was shaken. I felt bad because I would never have continued if I had known he had a commitment. But I ignored it because I didn't want to ruin my friend's wedding party, so I just focused on her.