Hanging By a Moment

The week had passed slowly, making the wedding even more excruciating for me. I was ashamed of myself. Embarrassed. I did not want to see Landon. I didn’t want to walk out into the church and announce the wedding was off. Why did that have to be my job? I was already humiliated enough. And it hurt so badly because I liked Landon, a lot and he didn’t like me enough to marry me.

Right then I was sitting in the dressing room at the front of the church, my wedding dress cascading around me—the ring Landon’s mom picked out weighing down on my finger as it was a colossal rock. I sat on a cushioned chair, the minutes getting closer to when I would have to make the announcement.

I turned in my dress, still sitting, and looked into the crystal glass vanity. My red hair was in curls, like it was at the dinner party. My fragile hands were folded, my nails a soft pink.
The dress was off white, a vintage floral pattern on the skirt. I of course didn’t pick it out. It was my grandmother’s who was ecstatic that I was marrying Landon (which of course that wouldn’t work out in the end. My grandfather was also happy about the arranged marriage—and my mother was just happy I’d be going to college.

I sat there, thinking I was doing this for everyone else and not for myself. I sighed and stood up, smoothing my hands over my dress when the door opened. I assumed it was my mom, telling me that the ceremony would be starting.

“Yes?” I asked, turning around my red hair moving all around me.

“Hey.” It was Landon.

“Go away,” I snapped.

“No,” he replied walking over to me. I tried to move but he blocked me.

“I’m not doing this right now,” I said. “I have to go announce the wedding is not happening, that your family spent all this money for nothing, that Landon doesn’t like me whatsoever.”

“You know that’s not true,” he said.

“Which part.”

“All of it.”

“All of it?” I crossed my arms, looking down at the sparkly ring.

“I want to marry you.”

I scoffed. “Shut up.”

“No,” he said. “I want to marry you.”

“Landon,” I sighed. “I don’t have time for this.”

“Harley, I’m serious. I broke up with Arianna. I like you.”

“Seriously Landon, stop it.”

“Stop what? Harley, I want to be with you. For the rest of my life.”

I sighed once again and tried to move around him but he stopped me, pulling me into his arms. My head lay awkwardly on his chest.

“How many times do I have to repeat myself?” He asked as I pulled away.

“However many times until I believe it,” I replied.

He sighed and looked around the room. He was wearing a tux. He was thinking of a way to make me believe him.

“What do you want me to say? I’m telling the truth Harley. I want to marry you!”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t do this because you have to, Landon.”

“I’m not,” he protested.

I licked my lips and tugged at my hair. I knew the ceremony was getting closer to starting.
Landon pulled me by the waist forward so I was in his arms. He then leaned down and whispered in my ear, “And here is my heart, which beats only for you.” He was quoting Paul Verlaine.

I moved my head from his chest and looked up at him. He moved in closer and his lips brushed against mine, wondering if he should. I was hanging in the moment with him, curious. “Just kiss me already,” I said after a minute had passed.

He chuckled and kissed me, his lips tingled against mine as they danced in sync with mine. I smiled into the kiss, as it was everything I could ever imagine in a kiss.

Could I really already love him?

“I love you,” he whispered against my lips sending me shivers.

I could.