And We Looked so Good Together

She stares at her own reflection in the body-length mirror standing in front of her. The mirror was taller than her; it was rounded, it was framed with mahogany wood, and on top of it there is a magnificent carving of flowers. It was just a mirror, it was just a flower-carved mirror, but she wishes that she was the mirror at the very moment. Or rather, she wishes that she was just the reflection inside the mirror; trapped and unable to go nowhere, unable to continue life after this ceremony in this very evening. Usually, it was always the groom that got scared, but in this case, she was the one who chickened out.

She was still looking at her trapped self in the mirror; she was beautiful. Everything on her was flawless; her medium curly brown-reddish hair was perfectly tied up with a black bow, leaving only her bangs on top of her forehead, her face was perfectly untouched, there were only some dashes of black around her eyes as accents and only her big lips that were covered in glossy blood-red. She was wearing a black tube dress with a very long red ribbon tied around her waist and red furring coming out from the bottom of the dress. Yes, black for her wedding because her fiancé and she have a perspective of their own over the color black. She wasn’t wearing any shoes, but she was wearing black ballet slippers, not that she does ballet, but she just loves the look of the slippers. She was holding her bouquet, of red and painted black roses of course. Downstairs from where she’s standing, the area had been decorated with gothic furnishings and accessories, all swathed in black and red. She could hear her wedding anthem being played by the band; her fiancé’s friends. She knew that she was very late, she didn’t know how long she was late, but she knew that she was late enough to make an impression that the bride was calling the wedding off.

She knew she loves him, loved him, loves him; the fiancé. But she can’t understand why her late ex has always been showing up in her head, even until this very second, which shouldn’t have been happening, because she is getting married. And “showing up in her head” does not mean that she sees images of her late ex playing in her head, that would be too very easy. When he shows up in her head, well, he’s really there, well, not literally there, because he does not exist in the real world anymore, but she really sees him there; talking to her, playing with her curls, cuddling her, and yes, not only that she sees him, she could feel him too. But yet, he is not real. And it’s not like she didn’t look for help. She went to psychologists, psychiatrists, “gifted” people, she took different kinds of pills, she did rituals, but nothing worked. He keeps coming to her; he keeps appearing from time to time. Well, that is, until she met her fiancé; Gerard Arthur Way. She had never seen her late ex anymore since the first time she made it official with Gerard, well, until now, that is.

“Ronnie… please.” She said weakly, she was still standing face-to-face with herself, she looked at the ground now, she hasn’t moved a muscle. Ronnie Radke was standing behind her, his reflection is not showing in the mirror, because he doesn’t have one, he couldn’t have one. “But I still love you, Arlette, I still do.” He said without a vestige of backing off, he hasn’t moved a muscle as well; his hands were placed inside his jeans pockets after all this time. “And I still love you too, Ron. But you know this is impossible. You need… you need to find the light, go home.” Said Arlette, she moved her neck; she placed her chin on her right shoulder, half turning to Ronnie. “Yes, I know. I know this is wrong. I shouldn’t have stayed this long, I… I should’ve been moved on to the afterlife by now. But I can’t let you go, Arlette. I can’t rest in peace, knowing that you’re married to this guy, knowing that you’re sharing the same bed every night, or maybe you’ll even make children with him and… and…”

“Oh grow up, Ronnie!” she snapped at him before he could finish, now her whole body is facing him. “Why are you still acting like this immature kid in a band, you’re not even alive anymore! You… you really need to move on, Ron! And you don’t even know Gerard, okay? He deserves me! I mean… he’s… he’s really sweet. You weren’t around before… before this, you don’t know Gerard okay?” she said, protesting Ronnie’s judgment of the guy she will be spending the rest of her life with, hopefully. “I’m glad that you’ve found him.” He responded quietly, he is looking way down to the ground by now. “Ronnie, look…”

And then the loud bang on the door interrupted them. “Arlette? Are you inside? I’m coming in, okay?” the shrill voice of Arlette’s best friend since high school was heard behind the door; it is demanding and controlling, the voice of a perfectionist and control freak at everything. Ronnie chuckled as he heard the voice, after all, the owner of the voice was one of his good friends too, he knew that voice well. “Leigh.” He said as he shook his head. Arlette looked at the door and then she turned to Ronnie again. “Going now?” she asked. “As usual.” Answered Ronnie as he nodded once. He put his hands on Arlette’s shoulders, and then he kissed her forehead. “Well, congratulations then, I guess, Mrs. Gerard Way.” He said with a smile. Arlette looked up and tried to smile back, but she failed. She is trying very hard to hold her tears so it wouldn’t come falling down and ruined her black-dashed eyes. Just as Ronnie disappeared, the door was opened and she could hear firm footsteps coming right at her.

Arlette turned quickly at Leigh. “What the hell are you doing here?! Do you have any idea how late you are?!” snapped Leigh automatically as soon as their eyes met. Arlette let out a very long, deep sigh. “Look, I could explain… he… he came.” Said Arlette with her eyes closed. “Ronnie came? He was here? At your wedding day?” asked Leigh with her eyes sparkling the gaze of disbelief. “I… yes. Leigh, please do not freak out. I, he… he told me that he still loves me…”

“Again.” Cut Leigh as she crossed her arms on her chest. “Yes, Leigh, don’t cut… just… listen for a mo!” said Arlette as she massages her temples with her fingers. “Just listen, okay? Well… he said that he still loves me, and I too said that I still love him.” Said Arlette finally as she stops massaging her temples. Leigh dropped her arms free and her mouth is reflexively dropped opened as well as she heard what her best friend just said. “Are you serious?! What were you thinking, A? This is your flippin’ wedding for fuck’s sakes! Oh. My. God.” Snapped Leigh as her rounded eyes are getting bigger from pressure. “Leigh, do not freak out! He’s gone now! I don’t know if he’ll be back but… please, you can’t tell anyone! Don’t ever let it slip to anyone! Do you hear me?!”

“Hey guys, sorry to break this out, but we were wondering… it’s been what? An hour or so?” Bert, Gerard’s best friend and best man suddenly appeared by the opened door, Arlette felt so bad for the anxiety he’s feeling, which clearly shows in his expression. “Right, I’m… I’m marrying my fiancé now.” Said Arlette aloud, hoping that Ronnie was still around to hear her.