Save the Date
when he's the one, you'll come undone
It takes Avery months to get used to the ring on her left hand. She fiddles with it when she’s nervous––which is constant––and often finds herself looking at it. Her friends find her anxiety cute and Scott smiles every time he catches her.
“Sorry I’m late,” says Sydney as she takes the chair across from Avery. They’re at a table in a café, sitting next to a window so they can people-watch. Avery has been waiting for at least ten minutes and is already a quarter way done with her latte. “Anyway. After some serious thinking, I’ve decided that I am okay with yellow being in your color scheme.”
“You should be,” Avery says, “It’s my wedding.”
“Which is why it’s okay.” Sydney sighs, “And, besides––not all shades of yellow are completely hideous. Plus Scott looks great in yellow.”
“He does,” Avery agrees.
There’s but a second of silence before Sydney says, “Of all of your boyfriends, I’m glad it’s Scott you’re marrying.” Avery sighs quietly to herself, but Sydney doesn’t notice and continues, “He’s such a great guy.”
“Thanks, Sid.”
Avery takes a sip from her cup and stares absentmindedly out the window as Sydney changes the subject and begins telling her a story about what just happened at work. She nods at appropriate times, but her attention is on a man across the street from her.
He’s walking alone, gazing aimlessly into the various shops along the street. She only sees him from the side, but he looks eerily familiar, like an old friend. His hair is dark and well-kept, just like the rest of his appearance. She smiles to herself and she hears Sydney again: “…Right?––What are you staring at?”
Avery blinks at her, “That man over there. Doesn’t he look just like––”
“––Nick. Yeah––wow. He does.” Sydney stares at him too, and he suddenly looks over at them, as if he’s felt them staring. He gives a little wave and both girls giggle, leaning back and out of the window’s sight.
“You know,” says Avery into the lid of her cup so Sydney won’t see her blush, “Nick was my first, you know––”
Sydney does know. But she still wants to hear Avery say it.
“Lover,” she hisses softly.
Sydney laughs a little, “Really? You waited until your junior year of college?”
“Well, I’m sorry not all of us were ready in our junior year of high school,” Avery retorts with a smile.
Sydney puts her hand over her heart, pretending to be hurt. “How was he?” she asks quietly, leaning forward as if Avery was about to share some great secret.
Avery, feeling awkward, laughs at the question. She looks away from her friend and back at the man. “He proposed to me the first night we slept together.”
Sydney squeaked, “He did? Why didn’t you tell me? What did you say?”
“I told him ‘no’, of course,” Avery says like it’s obvious. And to her it is. “He only proposed out of lust. We were both virgins, and what we gave each other is ours to keep.” She looks back at Sydney, “I remember exactly what he said: ‘Marry me, Avery Jenkins. Make me the happiest man alive.’” Avery puts her hands on her cheek jokingly, as if Nick’s proposal was the most romantic thing she’d ever heard.
Sydney smiles at her earnestly, “You guys were really perfect for each other. It’s a shame things turned out the way they did––but what else can you expect from a business major and a music major?”
Avery shoots Sydney an expression mixed with confusion and amusement, “Wait a minute––weren’t you just saying how much you love Scott and how excited you are that we’re getting married?”
Sydney shrugs, “It doesn’t matter what I think––you’re the one getting married.”
Avery rolls her eyes. She doesn’t much like comparing the two loves of her life, but she can’t help it––with Scott she feels secure and safe, while she felt free and simply happy with Nick; she’d come completely undone with him.
“Stop comparing them,” Sydney snaps, the psychoanalyst in her coming out unexpectedly.
Avery tells her how she feels about both men, knowing that Sydney’s waiting for it. “What do you think?” she asks now that it’s been revealed that she’s still unsure of the marriage.
Sydney sits back and takes it, stroking her chin conclusively, “Well, here’s another question to consider: who do––or did––you love more?”
“Sorry I’m late,” says Sydney as she takes the chair across from Avery. They’re at a table in a café, sitting next to a window so they can people-watch. Avery has been waiting for at least ten minutes and is already a quarter way done with her latte. “Anyway. After some serious thinking, I’ve decided that I am okay with yellow being in your color scheme.”
“You should be,” Avery says, “It’s my wedding.”
“Which is why it’s okay.” Sydney sighs, “And, besides––not all shades of yellow are completely hideous. Plus Scott looks great in yellow.”
“He does,” Avery agrees.
There’s but a second of silence before Sydney says, “Of all of your boyfriends, I’m glad it’s Scott you’re marrying.” Avery sighs quietly to herself, but Sydney doesn’t notice and continues, “He’s such a great guy.”
“Thanks, Sid.”
Avery takes a sip from her cup and stares absentmindedly out the window as Sydney changes the subject and begins telling her a story about what just happened at work. She nods at appropriate times, but her attention is on a man across the street from her.
He’s walking alone, gazing aimlessly into the various shops along the street. She only sees him from the side, but he looks eerily familiar, like an old friend. His hair is dark and well-kept, just like the rest of his appearance. She smiles to herself and she hears Sydney again: “…Right?––What are you staring at?”
Avery blinks at her, “That man over there. Doesn’t he look just like––”
“––Nick. Yeah––wow. He does.” Sydney stares at him too, and he suddenly looks over at them, as if he’s felt them staring. He gives a little wave and both girls giggle, leaning back and out of the window’s sight.
“You know,” says Avery into the lid of her cup so Sydney won’t see her blush, “Nick was my first, you know––”
Sydney does know. But she still wants to hear Avery say it.
“Lover,” she hisses softly.
Sydney laughs a little, “Really? You waited until your junior year of college?”
“Well, I’m sorry not all of us were ready in our junior year of high school,” Avery retorts with a smile.
Sydney puts her hand over her heart, pretending to be hurt. “How was he?” she asks quietly, leaning forward as if Avery was about to share some great secret.
Avery, feeling awkward, laughs at the question. She looks away from her friend and back at the man. “He proposed to me the first night we slept together.”
Sydney squeaked, “He did? Why didn’t you tell me? What did you say?”
“I told him ‘no’, of course,” Avery says like it’s obvious. And to her it is. “He only proposed out of lust. We were both virgins, and what we gave each other is ours to keep.” She looks back at Sydney, “I remember exactly what he said: ‘Marry me, Avery Jenkins. Make me the happiest man alive.’” Avery puts her hands on her cheek jokingly, as if Nick’s proposal was the most romantic thing she’d ever heard.
Sydney smiles at her earnestly, “You guys were really perfect for each other. It’s a shame things turned out the way they did––but what else can you expect from a business major and a music major?”
Avery shoots Sydney an expression mixed with confusion and amusement, “Wait a minute––weren’t you just saying how much you love Scott and how excited you are that we’re getting married?”
Sydney shrugs, “It doesn’t matter what I think––you’re the one getting married.”
Avery rolls her eyes. She doesn’t much like comparing the two loves of her life, but she can’t help it––with Scott she feels secure and safe, while she felt free and simply happy with Nick; she’d come completely undone with him.
“Stop comparing them,” Sydney snaps, the psychoanalyst in her coming out unexpectedly.
Avery tells her how she feels about both men, knowing that Sydney’s waiting for it. “What do you think?” she asks now that it’s been revealed that she’s still unsure of the marriage.
Sydney sits back and takes it, stroking her chin conclusively, “Well, here’s another question to consider: who do––or did––you love more?”