Be Alright

Thirty-Six

Thirty-Six: Break Me & Take Me

        My leg bounces up and down and my mind wanders off as Anthony and Kaitlyn say their vows to each other. While I know I should be focused on them like everybody else is, I can't help but look around at the open fields around me. I feel vulnerable and exposed and I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen.

       Something bad doesn't necessarily mean something dangerous. Maybe it's something simple like Anthony tripping down the isle or the cake falling over. Either way, my emotions are on full display and Haley keeps asking me what's wrong.

      "Don't make me stop this wedding and get Jace on you," Haley whispers to me.

      I shake my head, not even managing to get a smile out. I usually laugh when Haley threatens me with Jace. For some reason, she has it fixated in her head that I actually listen to Jace.

     Reality is I will always do what I want, regardless of who I am with.

      "Could you at least stop shaking your leg? Your dress is riding up," Haley points out, grabbing ahold of the silky material to pull it down my thighs.

I seize the shaking of my leg, but then move to pick at my finger nail polish instead. Haley grabs my hand before I get to scratch any off, making me sigh.

My last resort is to chew the skin of my lips off, and I start chewing at the bottom left, trying to calm myself down and distract me in anyway I can.

"And do you, Anthony, take Kaitlyn to be your lawfully wedded wife?" I hear the officiant ask.

"I do."

Before he asks Kaitlyn the same question, I'm zoning back out.

Last night, Haley admitted to setting me up. She told me how she drove past Oliver's on her way to pick up lunch and nearly wrecked her car when she saw my name. Apparently it was a fairly new change, meaning he did it after he saw me at the station.

Haley tells me I should at least talk to him and sort everything out and be his friend, but I don't think I could ever be just friends with Tyler. In my head I thought I could, but deep down I know it would never work.

You can never be just friends with someone you're madly in love with.

To top it all off, I still have Jace, who I have yet to tell about the sudden name change of the most popular restaurant in town.

Everybody around me starts to cheer and clap, and I look up to see Kaitlyn and Anthony kissing at the alter. They soon begin walking down the isle while festive music plays and everyone cheers them on.

Jace looks over at me and smiles as he passes by, but I'm unable to smile back. I still can't shake my mind that something is going to happen.

"I'm glad you wore my pearl earrings, they go good with that bracelet Jace got you," Haley comments.

"It was either pearls or my hoops," I reply back in a monotone voice.

I could tell Haley was frustrated with my lack of emotions, but I couldn't help it.

Together we both walk side by side down the isle and to the tent where the reception is being held. I already knew which table was ours. Anthony put Haley and I right at the front so we could be as close to Jace and Evan as possible.

I didn't expect to see Kristen at our table, but I was glad to see her there along with McKenzie, Caleb, Kora, Will.

I take my seat beside Kristen, with Haley on my other side. I had a perfect view of the table where Jace would be when he got back from taking pictures with the rest of the wedding party.