The Best Disaster of My Life

The only sound I could hear was the thudding of my heart in my ears. Malicious and incessant. I peeked my head out from behind the tree I was hiding behind, glancing nervously down the aisle. So many people. And they’d all come for me and Tim.

This was supposed to be the best day of my life. The one I dreamed about since I was a little girl. But now I was having second thoughts. I couldn’t marry that man waiting for me at the end of the aisle. Yes, he was knee-weakeningly handsome. Yes, he was a doctor. And yes, I liked him. But he wasn’t the one I loved.

I was madly in love with the best man. The man standing next to my soon-to-be-husband. My best friend since preschool. Joey. But he didn’t know it.

With that last thought, I picked up the skirt of my dress to prevent tripping, and ran behind my house. I kept running until I was at the little path my dad made for me when I was little, that lead into a little clearing in the woods. Nearly hyperventilating at the thought of what I was doing, I kicked my silver heels off and sped down the path.

It wasn’t long before my dress caught on a stray tree branch, and before I knew what I was doing, I whipped past it, letting it keep the bottom of my dress. With my newly found freedom, I made it into the clearing in record time.

I collapsed on the ground, out of breath. I took in the pink petals around me, their sweet scent filling the air, just like I remembered. They were scattered across the ground and falling from the trees above me like rain. It was so beautiful.

Tears were falling from my eyes like the petals around me, running down my cheeks and joining them on the ground. I released my hair from the tight bun it was in. It lay limp and heavy from all the styling products my mom put into it this morning.

Sliding onto my back, I smoothed out my dress, even though I already knew it was ruined. I closed my eyes and let the cool breeze and the scent of the air surround me. All the memories of this clearing came back with so much power that it was almost overwhelming.

All of a sudden I heard the snapping of twigs and then a string of profanities.

“This is what I get for trying to the night in shining armor.” He spat under his breath.

My breath caught in my throat when I realized who it was. I sprung to my bare feet as he walked toward me, a concerned look on his face.

“Joey.” I breathed, a smile creeping onto my face.

“Elizabeth, what are you doing?” He asked, eyebrows raised as he closed the distance between us.

“I can’t do it.” I mumbled.

“What’s that?” He asked, cupping a hand around the back of his ear.

“I can’t do it. Okay?” I yelled.

“Calm down. You’ve just got cold feet, that’s all.” He said soothingly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“I don’t love him.” I told him. “I love someone else.” I stared down at my feet, unable to look him in the eye.

“You do?” He gasped. “Who?”

“I-I can’t tell you.” I stuttered. I didn’t want to mess up our friendship. He was the best friend I ever had.

“Why not?” He chuckled.

“Because it’s you.” I let it slip, immediately clapping a hand over my mouth.

“Good.” He replied, a smile clear in his voice.

Too confused to form a coherent thought, I looked up at him. His hand came to my face, softly caressing my cheek. His face came closer, and closer still, until his lips were on mine.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” He said after he pulled away, rubbing his thumb across my cheek to wipe away the fallen tears.

I smiled and threw my arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

“How long?” I asked into his chest, curios.