Run, Don't Walk

Hailey stood behind the double-doors and waited for her bridesmaids to enter with the groomsmen. To say she was nervous was an understatement. She was about to do the one thing that she thought she would never get the chance to do. Today, she was getting married. The soft melody of music rang out throughout the church and the doors swung open. Instantly her eyes connected with Chad’s, and she felt the world start to weigh down on her. Everyone stood as she entered the room, and Hailey slowly made her way down the aisle with her older brother by her side. Not once had her eyes lifted from Chad’s gaze. As she approached her husband to be, her brother turned and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek and gave a reassuring tug on her hand, before he let go and took his place next to his wife. Chad took Hailey’s hand in his. Hailey could tell by the bright smile on his face, that he was excited to begin this new chapter of his life with her. She wasn’t so sure she could say the same.

“You look breathtaking Hales,” Chad murmured as they turned to face the priest. As the priest began his speech, Hailey felt her heart sink. With every word that was omitted from his mouth, she began to tune everything out more and more. She was consumed with the thoughts that she tried to push so far out of her mind earlier that morning. She questioned herself a thousand times if this was the right thing to do. She stared intently at Chad and the priest’s voice was nothing more than a distant noise. It was as if she were simply going through the motions of everything that was rehearsed the day prior. As she looked over Chad’s beautiful features, tears began to cloud her eyes. The demons that she had been battling with all day were screaming inside her head, telling her to walk away. Telling her to not look back. Telling her that she deserved better. Telling her that she was making the biggest mistake of her life. Telling her that this wasn’t the man she should be marrying. The events that took place that morning at her home replayed in her mind over and over again. He had showed up that morning and told her that he couldn’t stand to watch her get married to some other man. He flat out told her that he couldn’t be there to support her. He was the reason she was falling apart.

Hailey was stuck. She didn’t know what to do. She knew Chad loved her irrevocably. She knew that she adored Chad. She knew that Chad was good for her. But was he really what she wanted? Did she really want to spend the rest of her life with him? Hailey honestly didn’t have an answer to either of those questions. She was so consumed in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the priest ask Chad if he would take Hailey’s hand in marriage. She didn’t hear Chad say I do. She was only brought out of her thoughts when Chad called her name….repeatedly.

“Hailey…are you okay?” Chad slowly asked. Hailey could feel a fresh wave of tears start to stream down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry what did you say?” Hailey turned and quietly asked the priest. Laughter erupted throughout the church. People who knew Hailey, knew that she tended to space out a lot. They found it quite funny that she couldn’t even pay attention on her own wedding day. But this was no laughing matter to Hailey. This was serious.

“I said. Do you Hailey Grahm take Chad Davis to be your lawful wedded husband? To have and to hold though sickness and health, through richer and poorer, till death do you part?” the priest repeated. Hailey froze in fear. She turned and looked out into the sea of people. Her heart sank even more when she realized that he actually wasn’t there. As she looked back at Chad, she could only think of him. After much debate, the time had finally come for her to make her decision. She knew what she wanted to do, what she had do to. Hailey’s breath hitched as she took her hand out of Chad’s grasp and brought it up to his cheek. Hailey had finally made up her mind.

“I’m so sorry Chad. I can’t do this.” She breathed out. She quickly grabbed the sides of her dress, and lifted them to where she could run without tripping over her feet. People gasped as she turned and ran down the aisle, and through the open doors of the church. Chad’s cries for Hailey to come back became distant as she continued to let her feet guide her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hopped down the front steps of the church. She stopped dead in her tracks when she reached the bottom. There, waiting at the bottom of the steps was none other than her best friend Kevin. He was the reason she couldn’t go through with marrying Chad. Her heart belonged to him, and it took her almost marrying another man to realize that. With tears still falling down her cheeks, Hailey ran into Kevin’s open arms. As they embraced, Hailey felt relief wash through her. Somehow, just by being in his arms, she knew she had made the right decision.

“I love you Hailey.” Kevin softly whispered into her ear as he held her tightly against his body. Hailey sniffled and rested her head on his shoulder.

“I love you too Kevin.”

“Ready to go?” he asked her. She nodded her head against his chest and slowly pulled herself away from him. Kevin opened the car door he was previously leaning on. He helped Hailey get into the car and ran around to get into the driver’s seat. He started the engine and the car roared to life. He put his foot to the pedal and drove out of the parking lot.

“So where to Hails?” Kevin asked, as they cruised down Pacific Coast Highway. Hailey simply shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know Kev, I really don’t know.” She said truthfully. Hailey honestly didn’t know where to go or what to do. What she did know, however, was that there was no turning back.