‘You’ve got this, girl!’ Encouraged Auntie’s best friend, Stacy, winking a hazel eye at her. Auntie was thirty-seven and unmarried, and every wedding reminded her of this. Auntie peered through the wooden structure as Stacy linked arms with her father, behind her. A tug of jealousy peddled in her heart, but she quickly pushed it away. Soon, it would be her turn to shine. Auntie Patricia was one of Stacy’s bridesmaids. Lilian and Katherine, the two other bridesmaids, gave Auntie some quick words of bravery before they slipped out the door.
The old familiar wedding tune played as Stacy walked down the aisle. It was loud and happy, and it definitely made Auntie’s spirit rise. She wondered absently who was playing the piano. They were good. The pure white color of Stacy’s wedding dress, and the bright lights immediately blinded her eyes, and she blinked. Her mother must have thought she was crying, because she burst out in tears, holding a frilly, white handkerchief to her glistering eyes. Auntie bit her lip and immediately revolted within. Her bright red lipstick might look glamorous, but it tasted like crap. She realized then that Stacy was already halfway across the aisle, then she glanced up at the groom—a man she secretly loved and wanted.
As soon as she did, she wished she hadn’t. He was handsome as ever—his black hair slicked back and his big, brown eyes shining with joy. His skin looked slightly brighter than usual against the white background, and his tuxedo fitted him just right. Guilt bit a hole in her heart, and she flinched slightly. Remembering that she should look over-the-top happy, she forced a wide smile onto her unnaturally red lips. Stacy waved briskly at her, and Auntie slightly nodded back in return. Stacy looked dazzling in her puffy white wedding dress. She looked better than Auntie did, and Auntie sadly knew it. Auntie glanced down at her tight, strapless orange dress. Even while Stacy wore a wedding dress that looked like something the Queen of England would have worn a thousand years ago, she still looked breathtaking than Auntie did in a dress not appropriate for the church. Not that Auntie cared much. This wedding was entirely not in her best of interests.
Paula, Auntie’s little niece and the little flower girl, skipped out of the way as they threw their final handful of pink petals. They were at the altar. Already? So soon? This was going by far too quickly for Auntie. Lilian and Katherine smiled at Auntie, their orbs bright with anticipation. Stacy mouthed ‘Good job’ to Auntie. Auntie dipped her head curtly to her, and turned stiffly away. Auntie’s father smiled at her, tears dripping down his face. He knew the agony Auntie was going through, just as her mother knew. Almost everybody in the hall knew the agony Auntie hid behind those unconvincing smile. ‘Take care of my daughter, Darren.’ Stacy’s father said. Stacy’s soon-to-be husband nodded quickly. ‘I couldn’t do anything else.’ Darren chuckled. These words broke Auntie’s heart into a zillion pieces, and burnt its remains in flames. Stacy’s father nodded and wiped away a few tears before shuffling to his seat beside Stacy’s mother and sister.
Auntie felt Darren’s black-brown orbs on her face, but she averted her own gaze. She still didn’t know if she was doing the right thing by not telling him how she felt all these years. She felt Darren’s strong hand tighten around Stacy’s, like it was hers, and she stepped forward a bit, like she wanted to throw a fist at Stacy. The bishop smiled at the couples, and flicked open his bible. ‘Hello.’ Darren whispered to Stacy out of the corner of his mouth. ‘You look quite lovely this evening.’ He chuckled at his own joke, and Auntie could barely manage to radiate a smile. ‘Yes. Um. Hi. Y-you too.’ Stacy stuttered in return. Stacy’s whisper wasn’t very secretive and the bishop flashed a glare at her before continuing his speech. Auntie hadn’t even been listening to what the bishop was saying. Her attention was tied around Stacy and Darren, and lurking around, trying to pick up any conversation going on between the pair.
After a few painful minutes of the bishop’s speaking, he ordered the couples to turn and face each other. Auntie gulped back her fear and twisted stiffly sideways so that she could see Darren’s face and mouth perfectly. And that’s when he saw her. She hoped that if he saw her, he would want to change his mind. That’s why she accepted to be Stacy’s bridesmaid. ‘Stupid me!’ She yelled silently at herself.
Auntie might have been Stacy’s Maid of Honor, but Darren was Auntie’s best friend before Stacy came along. Auntie introduced Stacy to Darren while they were in the University. Unable to tell Darren how she felt, Stacy made the first move. Auntie and Darren’s eyes immediately locked, and she struggled to remove hers slowly enough, to avoid appearing jealous. That crooked but somehow adorable smile of his on his face, melted Auntie’s heart, and made her blush until she turned red. Darren was handsome than ever in this white room, and his thick, deep-black hair was styled in the same messy way it was the day she actually fell in love with him. This brought old and extremely strong feelings back, and Auntie tried to fight the feelings as they steamed inside of her broken heart.
His black-brown eyes reflected the lights of the room, and they were so glossy and perfect that Auntie knew that if she was closer she could see herself in them. Now that their eyes had met, she couldn’t even bring herself to look back at Stacy. The guilt, the jealousy, the pain, the emptiness, the sadness, and the unbearable anger made sure of that. Darren made everything uneasy. She felt drawn to him more than ever. Even now, she kind of just wanted to strip off her dress and go walking toward Darren. Her mind kept screaming no, but her body kept moaning yes. She has made love to Darren several times in her mind, and now, she has lost count. Darren knew Auntie better than anyone, even Auntie’s own mother. The only thing Darren was unaware of, was that Auntie felt the same way about him, as he felt about her. He could make Auntie laugh harder than anyone, even harder than Stacy could. And he loved her more than anyone, even more than he loved Stacy. The crazy thing is, both Auntie and Darren have come to love each other more than anything and anyone, and they were both unaware of their feelings.
Suddenly, the bishop’s loud voice shattered her soul. ‘And do you, Miss Stacy, take Darren to be your lawfully wedded husband?’ Auntie flushed, realizing that this was the moment to say something, or completely give up on having a happily-ever-after life with Darren. Her mouth clamped shut, with her eyes still locked on Darren’s face. Darren noticed Auntie’s glare. He raised a dark, handsome eyebrow at her, his black-brown eyes quizzical. Auntie shook her head slightly, looking stoically at Darren. He looked nervous, like he wanted Auntie to say something. He was chewing slightly on his bottom lip, eyebrows kneaded in slight worry. It was then Auntie realized that Darren had felt the same way about her all along. But for how long had he wanted her to play a better role in his life? Auntie quickly opened her mouth, but the words tangled in her throat. She needed to speak now. She didn’t have any more second to waste.