[Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi: the Next Generation. If I did, then I'd be a very happy camper.]
[Warnings: This story contains themes that might be considered offensive to people who are rather...moral and possibly close minded. So, you know, don't say I didn't warn you.]
A river of white fabric followed down the aisle and his eyes followed the river as it ran. This had to be a sign. This had to be some kind of sign that would grant him an epiphany. The river of white continued to flow down the aisle until it met a tall black mountain. That tall black mountain was his obstacle. However, it had taken him months to be pounded with the realization that he had more than just a fascination with the bride-to-be who was loosely holding her bouquet of flowers and flashing smiles to everyone. It was more like an obsession. Normally, he would have said love if he still believed in love.
So, to him, it was an obsession. Maybe it was a phase. He had many phases back in the day. He remembered his fifth grade phase with those annoying little trading cards with the bizarre monsters drawn on them. Then in sixth grade there was The Beatles phase, where he would have given anything to meet any of the remaining Beatles. Like those phases, maybe this would just come and go. It would leave embarrassing marks that you could just stow away in your closet with your other skeletons. He could just imagine a notebook with songs hidden between class notes that were inspired by her, partly. There would be a subtle reference here and there, something the average person couldn't pick up on well. It was absolutely heaven sent that he had the gift of being good at being secretive. However, if he got too involved in the game, he tended to lose himself and get horrid consequences thrust upon him.
He was becoming a witness to an event that appeared to be written in the stars. After many complications, the complications just seemed to shatter completely and give way to beautiful opportunity. He watched them and saw how elated they were to finally be united as one under the house of god. However, marriage didn't seem all that necessary, except for public display and legal matters. If two people were in "love", why couldn't they just be together? It wasn't that complicated of a matter until you threw a diamond ring into the mix. The ring became a status symbol; you had someone with money who supposedly loved you. Those people who wanted to woo you couldn't because of that pesky little ring hanging on your finger. Your friends could marvel at how the ring sparkled or how many carats it was or how much money your spouse would be worth.
"If anyone objects to this marriage," an old wrinkle encrusted priest stated blandly as he pushed up his coke bottle glasses. "Then speak now or forever hold your peace."
He could just imagine how everyone would react if he shouted like a madman that he objected. They would stare with shocked eyes and with their mouths hanging open, ready to let a fly in. After everything had hit the fan, everyone would pass the story around to everyone and their canine friends. The story would spread from chattering mouth to listening ear. It would overshadow the news stories involving who would be their next mayor or arson inflicted on some decrepit farm house that would among tall grain fields. The story involving the bitter groomsman who objected to the marriage would be the top story among the entire town. Eventually the entire town would get fed up with hearing about what had happened this fateful July day and would tuck it in their back pockets. However, the story would get handed down over the years like a family heirloom. There would be the descendants of the witnesses who watched the event unfold with blank stares. They would keep fueling the fire of gossip, not letting the descendants of the bitter groomsmen forget about their batty ancestor.
Honestly, he couldn't care less about that.
Yet, he still stood there silently as the priest continued the sermon. He probably should have been paying attention to the sermon instead of getting lost in the realm of his own thoughts and desires. However, they seemed more important than a simple summertime wedding in sweltering heat. It wasn't as though the wedding was taking place in the scenic Sahara desert. The heat felt sweltering due to the fact that his body was encased in a linen prison where it could not breathe, but just have sweat beads form all over.
The sweat collected on his forehead as the soon-to-be married couple exchanged their vows. They were the generic vows that were recited most often at weddings. He was particularly relieved that he didn't have to stand witness to romance-filled original vows that would be in a tear jerking romance movie. However, he did have to stand witness to the tears filling up in the bride's eyes as well as the bridesmaid's eyes and various guests' eyes. She seemed to be brimming with happiness as the groom started his vows.
He felt a small tinge of jealousy overcome him as he watched. It might have been because he might not feel that happiness that the groom contained. Women didn't seem to appreciate what he had to offer; at times he didn't blame them. They didn't seem to want to give into his desires. His seemed more realistic in comparison to their storybook ideals. They wanted him to be the knight to save them from the horrific dragon. They wanted to be the princess to his charming prince. But he just couldn't do that. It didn't go hand in hand with what he wanted. And because of that, he was just a bit peeved.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride," the priest recited the last line of the sermon. He glanced as the bride and room became involved in an intricate lip lock. Again, that tinge of jealous greeted him again. It increased in intensity this time. It wasn't because the woman he was completely enthralled with was a married woman. It wasn't because she was completely happy with someone else of the male species. It was who she was happy with. It was who she was bound together for life with. It was who she was kissing. And because of those circumstances, he felt betrayed. However, the groom was completely oblivious to the fact that he had betrayed Craig. No one knew about the fascination with the bride. He kept it all under wraps. No one would know about it.
The time of the reception was dawning near. He glanced over at the bride who was glowing in white satin and sheer white lace. Her lacy sleeves met the satin body of the dress that had a modest plunging neckline, if that was at all possible. She looked almost angelic, an angel who had yet to receive her wings. And her blonde hair that was piled up on her head just added to the ensemble. However, he had the fear that somehow his secret would be unearthed and everything would erupt into absolute chaos, confusion, and anger. He had witnessed those ramifications of his actions before and would try with the most effort put forth possible to ensure that this possible event couldn't be put back to back with the whole Ashley- Manny fiasco as some double feature. So, the secretive behavior that had led to his previous downfall was being used once again, but for his advantage this time around.
He made his way out of the sprawling church and to the limousine filled with the other groomsman as well as the groom. He shouldn't be jealous of the groom; it would just complicate the whole fascination matter more so. This whole situation was too bizarre to begin with, not to mention immoral. The last thing he needed was animosity flowing between himself and the groom.
Congratulations were passed from groomsman to the groom and from the best man to the groom. The best man seemed to be offering the most amounts of congratulations to the groom, saying about how the complications only made their relationship stronger and other similar comments. Craig offered the occasional comment to the conversation that now had changed to about the honeymoon. However, the conversation ceased when they arrived at the reception hall. Craig mindlessly adjusted his tie and stepped out of limousine and was met by a soft breeze. Everyone was beginning to file into the reception hall for the after-wedding party.
His mind floated back to the first time he had met her, it was at a wedding about three years ago. At that time, he had been attempting to "be polite", or so he said after he had been yelled at for trying to be suave. And now here she was, having her own wedding along with a musically filled wedding reception. How positively wonderful.
Wedding receptions or any other large gatherings seemed to be a breeding house to reminiscing from the past. He could just envision the conversations about the Zits and their one hit wonder of a song. It had been drilled into his head several times by Joey. Joey would start strolling down memory lane while making a bad musical out of the whole ordeal. Craig could recite the song on command, though he would have probably chosen gouging his eyeballs out with rusty metal forks over that.
Everyone had filed into the reception hall to their appropriate tables. Since he was a groomsman, he sat with the rest of the wedding party at the table that addressed the rest of the guest. Even though he was a bitter groomsman who was jealous of the groom and under the bride's spell, he still sat at that very table. He would have tried to move a bit closer to the head of the table; however everyone had their own little place to sit at with their names on them. Oh well.
The dinner began with Mr. Simpson standing up to propose a toast, as the best man would do in a traditional wedding. With the wine glass in hand, he began the toast. "I'd like to propose a toast to Joey and Caitlin," He started as everyone intently watched him. "We all knew that this would happen, we just didn't know when." Everyone let out a small polite laugh. "But I do wish them a happy marriage that will last their entire lives. And remember...everybody wants something they'll never give up!" Snake started to sing one of the lines of the infamous song before quickly stopping himself. "Anyway, here's to the best years of your lives, guys. Cheers."
The toast was made before the guests started to dig into their dinners and have many small conversations that merged into one loud uproar. While everyone was fading into their conversations, Craig sat there still in time while eating his chicken. He sat there tearing apart the white meat while wanting her. He hated not being able to do anything about this because everything would go amuck. Everything would be torn apart into scraps because of one inane desire.
However, that was only if anyone knew about it. No one needed to know about what happened between a seventeen year old high school senior and a thirty something year old anchor woman. People were too entangled in their own private affair to notice it, until it became the hot topic for discussion at the local hair salon. Until then, it would under wraps and no one would find out.
"Now, let's get this party started with the bride and groom's first dance," the rather gawky looking disc jockey bellowed from his station. "Let's start with one of my favorites, 'Crush' by Dave Matthews Band. Now let's get the happy couple out there!"
Joey quickly got up from his chair at the head of the table and gave Caitlin his hand to help her up in a gentleman like manner. Craig couldn't help but glance in that direction for longer than he should have. However, the good thing was that this staring could be interpreted as him still shocked that Caitlin and Joey were finally married. This was the impression that a good percentage of the wedding party was under.
As Dave Matthews sang out the first line of the song, they started there walk to the dance floor, which was interrupted by Craig tapping Caitlin on the arm.
"I forgot to say this before," He started casually before breaking out into a toothless smile. "Congratulations, and I really mean it." He did mean it. Or maybe he didn't. Probably. Probably not.
Joey smiled, "Thanks, Craig."
"Thanks," Caitlin grinned happily.
"Oh, anytime," Craig replied. They walked onto the dance floor to share their first dance. Craig looked up at the taunting ceiling that rambled on and continued to tease him. It told him where he was, what he was doing here, and what was going to happen after he left. However, he made a deal with the teasing ceiling. If you wanted something badly enough, you'd put forth enough effort which would enable you to get it.
Or so he hoped.