Before You Say I Do

On Wednesday, Dakota somehow convinced me to go out to this club with them. It's where a bunch of Americans go and she wanted to see what was so awesome about it. So, I put on some clubbing clothes and went with them. Turns out the club was this open mic place where a bunch of people, from all over, would sing, or read poetry, or really just do anything up there.

We took seats somewhat near the front and the waitress brought us our drinks. The people going up on stage weren't bad. They could be better, and they definitely aren't famous or anything, but it also wasn't some crappy karaoke place. Katelyn and Nick came to join us and even Katie was enjoying the music. It was really a great night.

Finally, it was starting to get late and no one wanted to go up on stage. The D.J. Scanned the room and his eyes fell on mine. Oh no.

“hey guys! Look it here, we've got Juliana Richards in the house!”

“oh no, no, no, no.” I mumble to myself. Dakota was grinning and Katelyn looked at me, worried.

“come on Juliana, why don't you give it a shot?”

“I don't think so.”

“I recall you saying in an interview that you played guitar.”

damn, why did I have to be so popular? I stand up, “one song, and I'll need a guitar.” I walk up to the stage with the cheering crowd and the DJ handed me a guitar. I took a stool and sat it in front of the mic.

“okay, this is called “You're Just What I Need,” by Rufus King.” I tell them and start strumming the notes. I decided to change the tone of the song to more soft and slow instead of the original rock. I close my eyes and start singing.

Yeah...
you got me to feel all those butterflies inside
In your locker I would hide
The truth, it's only you I see
And you're just what I need
I'll bring you flowers everyday
Just to roll you in the hay
Well I'm feelin' fine, I'm right on time
I know I'll get my way

And you're just what I need
And you're just what I need
Not everything works as it seems
Is that so hard to believe
Hey!


I continue to sing and then strum a couple last notes and open my eyes. The crowd went crazy, asking for me to do another. I smile and just when I'm about to say yes my eyes stop on someone who I wish I could forget. He was standing in the back and started to turn to leave.

It was now or never to sing my song for him to hear. And even though it was still just a rough draft, it was better than nothing.

“okay guys! I guess I can do one more. This one I wrote myself.” Adam paused, his back still to me, “It's called 'Before You Say I Do' and well, it's about my ex.” I didn't need to have him facing me to know that Adam gulped. Though, with those last words of mine I did see him turn around and stay.

I strum the notes again, this time keeping my eyes on Adam while I sing.


Broken promises
you start to wonder 'what if?'
would you still love me?
If I didn't run away?
hold me high above the sky
baby don't let me go
and you don't let me go

Before you say I do
remember back to me and you
let's rewind and tell the truth
I'm still in love with you
think that over
before you say I do

you picked me up
saved my life and stuck around
you were my knight in shining armor
and without you I wouldn't know
what love is
or who I am now

Before you say I do
remember back to me and you
let's rewind and tell the truth
I'm still in love with you
think that over
before you say I do

no one told me how this would be
would we stay together
or is it just some summer fling?
Was it all just some dream?
Or was the truth reality?

Before you say I do
remember back to me and you
let's rewind and tell the truth
I'm still in love with you
think that over
before you say I do

When we started out
I thought you were obsessed
with that tiny little car you call Betsy
but then in Paris I tripped and fell
for the last thing
for the first thing
for the only thing I want to be with

before you say I do
remember back to me and you
let's rewind and tell the truth
I'm still in love with you
think that over
before you say I do

just keep this all in mind
while you're at the alter changing lives
remember what I have to say
and everything in between the lines

Before you say I do
remember back to me and you
let's rewind and tell the truth
I love you
and you love me
Remember us
before you say I do

Broken promises
but you don't seem to mind
it's not like it's your heart that's on the line
hold me high above the sky
baby don't let me go
and you let me go
you let me go..
broken promises...


I set the guitar down next to me and get off the stage as quickly as I could. Everyone was clapping and loved it but I didn't think I could hold back the tears any longer. When I got to my seat I looked behind me and noticed that Adam was gone.

“wow.” Dakota says. I give her a weak smile, “I mean, seriously girl, you can sing!” Katelyn, Nick, and Finn all stare at her, “what?” she asks, confused.

“honey, did you listen to the song?” Finn asks.

Dakota laughs, “of course I did. I saw the lyrics in her room.” she starts to mumble them and her voice got quieter and quieter as it hit her, “oh.”

“It's okay. You have your blonde moments.” everyone laughs, “anyways, was it good or not so good? I just wrote it last week so I don't know...”

Katelyn was first to speak up and it wasn't to answer my question, “he was here, wasn't he?”

“who?”

“well, let's see...we've got two choices here, there's Jon and then there's Adam. Now, who would be the most likely...” she pretends to think about this, “oh! Adam!” she puts her finger up as if she just found the answer. Sometimes I feel as if that girl mocks me too much. “what do you mean who?!”

“yes he was and no he isn't here anymore. But it doesn't matter, that song was just for fun, I didn't really write it about anyone.”

Nick spoke now, “you're trying to convince us that a song titled 'before you say I do' that you wrote a couple days after you found out that the guy you love is getting married isn't about that specific guy?”

“that's exactly what I'm saying.” I lie. Really, I just didn't want to talk about this.

“your lying talents have decreased significantly.” Finn says as a joke

“good. Now, can we please drop this? I was actually starting to enjoy tonight.” and we do drop the subject for now but I'm sure when we get back to the apartment that's going to be different.

When we got up to leave someone stopped me. It was a guy probably in his thirties. He was in more of a business suit and somehow I just knew what the next words out of his mouth were going to be.

“yeah?” I ask.

“well, I”m with Lantor Records (a/n totally made the company up) and you're exactly what we're looking for.”

“I'm what you're looking for?”

“well yes. You're young, beautiful, have a great talent, you have a kid, and you've got two boyfriends. Just enough drama, but not too much.”

I raise my eyebrows at him. “first off, I am young and beautiful and I do have a great talent. It's called baking. Yes I have a child but no I don't have two boyfriends. And if you haven't noticed, the media has already screwed with my life enough for me to tell you that I'm not interested.”

I don't wait for him to say anything in return because I really didn't want to stick around this club any longer. I just wanted to go home and sleep. I catch up with the group outside the club and without a word we climb into the car and drive back to the apartment.

Instead of sleeping though, I got onto my computer, wondering if Adam would be on.

He was and he instantly started a conversation with me.

Lost in Love: you haven't been on in awhile.

Rainy Day Girl: I do have a life outside of talking to you.

Lost in Love: aw, darn. I really thought I was it.

Rainy Day Girl: so, you seemed eager to tell me something.

Lost in Love: I think I have issues.

Rainy Day Girl: and you just found this out?

Lost in Love: who in their right mind would marry someone they hate?

Rainy Day Girl: surprisingly, that number is pretty high.

Lost in Love: I'm getting married in less than a week and she knows nothing about me.

Rainy Day Girl: I doubt that's true.

Lost in Love: and I almost slept with my ex last week.

Rainy Day Girl: I'm just going to take a wild guess and say that didn't go over too well.

Lost in Love: she stopped it and got mad at me and we had a fight and then she left and yeah. That's pretty much what happened.

Rainy Day Girl: Well, think about it positively. You didn't have sex with her.

Lost in Love: but I wanted to.

Rainy Day Girl: But you didn't. That's all that matters really. Now, I have a question for you.

Lost in Love: should I be worried?

Rainy Day Girl: no. and you don't have to answer if you don't want to.

Lost in Love: fine, ask away.

Rainy Day Girl: Are you Adam DiGerlando?

Lost in Love: Before I answer I want to know why you think that.

Rainy Day Girl: Because I saw a picture of him with Juliana Richards and her daughter on T.V. and they were talking about how he was getting married soon and cheating on his wife blah, blah, blah. Anyways, your profile says you live in Italy and you also mentioned once that your ex was a wedding cake baker. I'm just curious, I won't tell anyone.

Lost in Love: yes.

Rainy Day Girl: I must say, from what I've seen of your fiance, she's a real bitch. I'd choose Juliana over her any day.

Lost in Love: thanks, you're helping so much.

Rainy Day Girl: if you hate her so much, why don't you just cancel the wedding?

Lost in Love: Because, I just can't do that.

Rainy Day Girl: well then, I don't know what to tell ya. Life sucks?

Lost in Love: So, you know my name but I have yet to know yours?

Rainy Day Girl: Some things are best left unknown.

I log off the site and shut down my computer.
Two days to go and I was still surviving. I could get through this, right?