I Ain't Leaving Here Without You

The butterflies fluttered like mad. I don’t know why I was feeling like this. I knew everything was going to go well, it had to. To help calm my nerves I smoothed my hands with the neatly painted light lavender nails over the lacey tiered skirt of the dress that comfortably hugged my body. It did nothing until I smelt the aroma of my lavender bouquet. I opened my eyes
and moved some of the loosely curled hair out of my face.

“Are you doing okay?” My mother asked as she came up behind me looking out the window.

“Yeah, I’m just nervous, that’s all.” I explained to her with a timid smile.

“Don’t worry about a thing. The girls and I have made sure that everything is going as it should and you already know that Zack will be right there waiting for you with a smile on his face. You have nothing to worry about.” She told me with a warm smile.

I smiled back as I looked back out to the courtyard that held the beautiful pond. At the far end I could see guests gathering in their seats. However, at the moment, I couldn’t see Zack and that put the nerves back into my stomach. He’s still just getting ready, I told myself repeatedly in my head. I braved a smile as there was a knock on the door. My stomach dropped as I thought it might be Zacky or one of the guys coming to tell me that we had to cancel.

“Photographer is here!” And instantly I felt a little better.

The photographer took numerous pictures. There were some with me looking out the window, with my mom and dad, with the rest of the girls, and anything else that the photographer thought would look nice. Once he was done the time came to start the ceremony. I looked in the mirror one last time, picked up my lavender bouquet, took a deep breath and then headed toward the door. As we got closer to where all the chairs and costumed guests were my dad took my arm. He gave me a reassuring wink and gave my hand a squeeze before we continued on. I smirked at some of the costumes that my guests were wearing. On our invitations, Zacky and I had requested that guests wear Halloween costumes to spice things up.

As soon as I got to the end of the aisle my eyes locked with Zack’s and I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face in reaction to Zack’s. His beautiful green eyes sparkled and looked slightly glassy. Jimmy nudged him and whispered something in his ear to which he laughed and just shook his head. I eyed him questioningly and he just responded by shaking his head with a smile again. Dad and I made it down the aisle before I knew it and kissed my cheek before handing me off to Zacky. Zacky and I locked hands as he and I faced the man who would wed us.

“You look gorgeous, babe.” He told me quietly as he gave my hand a squeeze.

“And you just know I love it when you wear a bowtie.” I said as I glanced up at him.

A smirk came across his lips causing his lip rings to catch the light. Zacky and I were in a world of our own for almost the whole ceremony until it came time to recite the vows and proclaim the “I do’s.” After our first kiss as husband and wife a feeling complete excitement came over me. I squeezed Zack’s hand as we turned to face our guests in disguise with ear to ear smiles on our faces. We walked down the aisle hand in hand and guests followed behind to go have some drinks while they waited for the reception to begin. We, along with the rest of our wedding party went to take yet more pictures then get changed into costumes of our own. Angel, Brian, and Ryley became Belle, Beast, and Chip, Val and Matt dressed up pirates, Jimmy and Ava made the greatest Mad Hatter and Alice, and Johnny and Lacey were Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. Zacky and I stepped out as mobsters. Everyone walked into the reception ball room in the same procession that they did walking into the wedding with Zack and me following behind them. When we entered there was applause and cheers and woops of joy. We all went up to the wedding party table and sat down to eat. There were two types of meals: one was cheese ravioli with a creamy red sauce and carrots and zucchini while the second was rosemary rubbed steak with asparagus. The kids in the room had special mac’n’cheese that looked like a brain with ketchup drizzled around it to look like a bloody brain.

When it seemed like most people had finished eating, Zack and I began our first dance to A Little More by the band Skillet. Yes it was different but that’s just Zack and I. He placed his right hand on the small of my back while taking my right hand into his inked left hand. He began to lead me around the dance floor as the song filled the air and our ears. I looked into his beautiful eyes and couldn’t help the smile that plastered itself on my face.

“What?” Zacky asked a large smile of his own spreading across his face.

“I am just so incredibly happy!” I explained to him as he led me around the hardwood dance floor.

“I know the feeling.” He said and placed a kiss upon my lips.

All too quickly the song was over and more began to play and our costumed guests began to dance around us. I looked around us and saw mine and Zack’s parents dancing with each other, I saw Brian and Angel laughing as he led her through the mass of people, and everyone else with nothing short of a smile on their face as they either danced or mingled off the dance floor. Before the end of the night I had danced with almost everyone it had seemed: my dad, the other boys, the Franks and Gerard and Mikey from My Chemical Romance who came out for the wedding, Zacky’s brother Matt and his dad, just about everyone. For about the fourth time Jimmy had come over and taken me away from Zacky.

“You know what, I am gonna miss you guys when you take off.” Jimmy told me with a smile.

“We aren’t gonna be gone for long, you know that.” I said as I returned the smile.

“I know, but I won’t be there to mess with you guys and be a cock-blocker. You know I love to do that!” Jimmy said and I just laughed and shook my head.

I looked over and saw Zack and Brian cracking up laughing as the two of them danced together much to other’s amusement. I couldn’t help but to laugh even more as I looked around to find where Angel was since she wasn’t with Brian and I found her dancing with Mikey, one of her best friends. It seemed that not only had I felt like I had danced with almost everyone but everyone was dancing with everyone else.

Not too long after that the music stopped and Zack’s and my parents stood at the head of the room with a microphone in hand.

“So, we’ve had some time and we have decided on the winning costumes. The winners from the wedding party are Jimmy and Ava. Now the winners from the guests are the Berry Twins who are dressed as Thing One and Thing Two.” There was a round of applause for the winners who took a bow. “Now who thinks it’s time for the bride and groom to cut the cake?”

To the sounds of even more clapping, Zacky and I walked over to our cake. He and I both grabbed the crystal knife to cut the lowest tier of the cake. As per usual pictures were taken of that. When he and I both had small pieces of cake we fed them to the other. Zack shoved the cake in my face smearing it so I took the piece I had been going to feed him and smashed it in his hair. I used my other hand to help smear it and the look on Zack’s face when I did that was of pure shock. Anyone who knew Zack, and Brian as well for that matter, knew you don’t mess with the hair! His hands started to reach for me but before they could trap me I was already off and running, even in my heels. Our guests erupted into laughter as Zack chased me around the ballroom. I squeaked when I was abruptly stopped and turned to see Brian holding me as Zacky got closer. I squirmed in an attempt to get away to no avail.

“Angel, help me!” I pleaded.

She laughed and shook her head, “Nope. You know not to mess with the hair.”

I couldn’t help the fit of giggles that came over me as Zack reached us and began to tickle me. I pleaded as best I could through my laughter for him to stop but he was relentless. When he finally stopped I was gasping for breath and sure I was as red as a tomato. When Zack and I had calmed back down cake was served and not too long after that I threw the bouquet which Lacey caught. Things then began to wind down and most of the guests began to take off. Most of them came over with one last wish of congratulations and a hug before leaving.

“Bye Zack, bye Bailey! Congrats again you two! You really are perfect for each other!” Frank said as he came over with Jamia and the little twins.

“Oh my gosh! Cherry and Lily are too cute! How old are they?” I asked in utter amazement at the adorable girls that Frank had with his wife.

“About eight weeks now.” Jamia said as she bounced one of the little girls.

“They are too precious! They are surely going to be some of the cutest twins ever. You gonna be ready for that when they get older? Ready to beat the boys away?” I questioned with a laugh.

“Don’t even want to think about it right now.” Frank said seriously as he shook his head. “If the boys are gonna be any kind of a hellion like I was, I am definitely in for some trouble.”

Both Jamia and I laughed said our good bye’s and promises to keep in touch again before they took off. Mikey and Gerard followed not too far behind them.

As I watched some of the remaining guests Zack put his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. “You know we have to leave soon?”

“Yeah, I know. I’m all packed though. I just need to change.” I informed him.

“Alrighty. Our plane takes off at midnight and by the end of the day we’ll be in Italy.” Zack said and I could hear the smile in his voice.

“Mmm, I can’t wait. What time are you wanting to get out of here?” I asked.

“I think we can wait until a few more people leave but I don’t want to wait until too much later.” He answered.

“Alrighty,” I said as we headed off to hang out with the rest of the guests that remained.

As the last of us danced and goofed off more people were leaving along with Angel, Brian, and a sleeping Ryley. When it got to be about the time that Zack wanted to leave we talked to our parents and asked them if they could take the gifts back to the house for us and they told us that it was no worries and to get on our way. On our way out Zack and I said good bye to the last of our remaining guests and thanked them for coming. Zack and I went back to the room where we had changed into our costumes and again changed but into something much more comfortable.

“So are you sure you have everything: passport or anything else that you feel you may need?” Zack asked.

“Pretty sure. You ready to go?” I affirmed.

“Yup, let’s get outta here and to the airport!” He said as he grabbed his suitcase and
headed towards the door and out to the car.

When we got to the airport it took quite a while to get through checking in to get our boarding passes and to check our bags. Thankfully, security was moving at a pretty decent pace and didn’t have too many problems.

“Do you want to get anything while we wait or for the flight?” Zack asked as we were walking by food vendors, magazine stands, and assorted knick knacks.

“I think I’m all good. Thank you though, babe.” I said as I wrapped my arm around his waist as we continued walking.

“Alright, just let me know if or when you need anything.” He said as he wrapped his arm around me as well.

After waiting at our terminal for a while, Zack and I were finally able to board the plane for our flight that would take about 16 hours. We got comfortable as we waited for the plane to take off and not long after it did Zack and I fell asleep. Thankfully we both slept most of the flight and were only awake for the last couple hours. After we had finally landed and got off the plane we stopped in a little coffee shop on the way to baggage claim. He and I both got coffee and a muffin for while we waited for our bags. Soon after we got our bags and grabbed a taxi to take us to the house that we were renting for our honeymoon. When we pulled I couldn’t believe how beautiful the Italian home was!