Author's Note: Okay, so this was just something that I threw together while I was on vacation. I'm not really sure if I like it, but I've been meaning to write it for a while, so I decided to post it (with some encouragement from my friend, Vee!) I hope you like it!
Phones were ringing, tongues were wagging
Hot gossip was flying all around town
She heard the talk, the lowdown was
The shameless color of her wedding gown
It's white
I mean really who's she trying to kid
Everybody knows the things she did
It just isn't right
Won't that be a sight
To see her wearing white
"Did ya see what she wore?!"
"Oh, I know! She looked like a ridiculous, pink, frilly mess!"
Susie and Lucy, the biggest gossips in all of West Side, New York, sat on a bench in front of their favorite ice cream shop, discussing what they thought to be the most riveting news in town.
"Poor thing!" Susie rambled on with mock sympathy. "She must've honestly believed she looked good!"
Lucy made a face that clearly said, 'I'm trying to feel sorry for the girl, but in reality I'm quite enjoying her misfortunes.' "True. She shoulda gotten three, four, even five other opinions! Especially since she was wearin' it to her own sister's wedding!" She closed her eyes and put a hand over her heart, as if wearing an ugly dress to a relative's wedding was the most horrible crime one could commit.
Susie's eyes lit up at the word "wedding" as a little piece of information she had picked up earlier at the laundromat floated back into her memory. She squealed, "Oh, Lucy! Speakin' of weddings, ya'll never guess who's gettin' hitched!"
Lucy bent forward eagerly, hungry for an scrap of gossip she could pick up. "Who? Who?!"
"Riff and Graziella!" she said quickly, putting her hands over her mouth like a little girl with a secret.
"No!" Lucy gasped in delighted surprise. This certainly was a juicy little piece of information.
"Yes!" Susie exclaimed. "I overheard Mrs. Russo talkin' to Mrs. Carducci at the laundromat. She had been talkin' to Graziella's ma at the butcher shop and she told her herself that they're gettin' married!"
"Oh, so then it must be true!" Lucy said excitedly. "Ain't it kinda soon though?" A scandalous thought struck her. "Ya don't suppose she's knocked up, do ya?"
"I ain't sayin' nothing! That's how rumors get started!" Susie grinned slyly and lowered her voice. "But between you and me, I wouldn't be surprised if she was!" Both girls began to giggled, giddy with the knowledge they now possessed.
"How are they gonna pay for it? I doubt being a Jet pays very much," Lucy continued, her voice dripping with disdain.
Susie sat up straighter, the fact that she knew so much more than Lucy making her feel superior. God, she was glad she had done her laundry that day. "Well, apparently her parents are springin' for it. She's an only child, ya know, and I hear they've been savin' up for her wedding since the day she was born!" she said with a flourish.
Lucy opened her mouth to comment when she heard a cool voice say, "Hey there, girls." She and Susie both turned to see none other than the red-head in question.
"Graziella! How are ya?" Susie grinned fakely, jumping up to kiss her on the cheek.
"Just fine. How 'bout you two?" Graziella sounded neither warm nor rude. She had known the two gossiping little toads since elementary school and, while they disgusted her, she didn't feel like wasting her precious time fighting with them.
"We're great!" Lucy piped up, mimicking Susie's greeting. She glanced at her friend nervously. Had Graziella overheard their conversation? If so, she didn't seem to be letting on.
Graziella fought the urge to roll her eyes at the practically plastic girls in front of her and glanced down at her watch. She had twenty minutes to meet Velma, Minnie, Clarice, and Pauline at Jeannine's Bridal Shop.
"Got plans?" Susie asked innocently.
The red-head copied the girl's fake grin. "Just meetin' some of my friends down at the bridal store," she answered, obviously indicating that she did not count Susie or Lucy as her friends.
"The bridal store?" Lucy asked too quickly, poorly acting as if she had no idea why Graziella would be going there.
"Yeah," Graziella said nonchalantly, not wanting to share her pure excitement with those two bimbos. "Riff an' I are gettin' married." She said it in the same tone she would use to say, "The bus gets here at 12:30."
Susie and Lucy looked at each other, relieved. Obviously she didn't know they had been talking about just that a few minutes before. Susie smiled broadly. "Oh, wow! That's wonderful! Congrats!" She looked to Lucy.
"Oh, yeah! Wonderful!" Lucy echoed, nodding her head vigorously.
Graziella looked bored. God, she wanted to get away from these losers. She was supposed to be picking out her wedding dress today. Butterflies filled her stomach at the very thought of it. "Yeah, well, I gotta get goin'."
Susie feigned disappointment. "Oh, okay. Well have fun! Congrats again!" Lucy gave similar sentiments.
Graziella turned to go, but, after a moment of consideration, looked back. "By the way, girls, I meant to tell ya that I'm touched by the fact that ya spend so much time talkin' 'bout me when ya've got nothin' better to do with your useless little lives." At the girls' shocked faces, she smirked. "One," she went on in a condescending tone, "I ain't pregnant. And two: Yes, my parents can actually afford to do somethin' like this for me. Now if ya'll excuse me, I've got a wedding to plan—somethin' I doubt you'll have to worry about for a very long time." With that, she turned on her heel and sauntered off towards Jeannine's Bridal Shop. Susie's mouth was hanging open and Lucy was turning scarlet. Graziella didn't give a backwards glance or a second thought to either of the little bitches.
She was wild, a wayward child
To put it mildly
She made her life a mess
But she was young, the past is done
Now she's in love and putting on a new dress
It's white
And it's nobody's business what she wears
Anyway the truth is she don't care
Baby, it's her life
She'll do what she likes
And she likes wearing white
As she strolled along, Graziella couldn't help but think about her past. Sure, she hadn't been what most people would call a "respectable girl," but who wanted to be like that anyway? Susie and Lucy were always considered respectable, and Graziella sure as hell didn't wanna be like them. So maybe she hadn't been the classiest girl in West Side, but she'd had fun and at least she and her friends knew most of the things people said about her were lies.
Slut. Whore. Cheap tramp. Graziella had heard it all. Why? Because she had matured early and started dating at fourteen? Because she, unlike most of the brats at school, had the innate ability to wrap boys around her finger? Or was it simply because she had dated lots of guys? If only they knew. Oh, if only they knew that, despite the many, many boys she had dated, her mind had somehow always returned to that frustrating, adorable brown-haired boy with the crooked smile that she had met the first day of high school. He, with the Jets in tow, had approached her and assumed she would just fall into his arms. Well, while she may have wanted to, she decided playing hard-to-get would be much more fun. So she had ignored him. Again and again and again she ignored him. And every time he came after her, she found a new boy to take her out. Not that she ever liked any of them. They were all the same to her: tall, handsome, boring, and stiff. Yet she continued to date them as Riff's frantic chase after her became more and more interesting. In an impulsive act of desperation, he had once even sent Baby John over to ask her out, figuring she couldn't refuse the youngest Jet. Well, she had, and then she'd gone out with Johnny Franklin.
Then one night, while she was at the movies with Peter Rivers, things changed. Halfway through the movie, someone poked Peter in the back of the head. Graziella and he had turned to see Riff, who had looked very unhappy.
""Scuse me," he had said loudly, receiving a chorus of "Shhhh!" from the audience. It hadn't seemed to bother him at all. "'Scuse me," he had repeated, looking Peter right in the eye. "Ya happen to be here with my girl!" he had practically growled.
Peter had looked at Graziella in shock. She, in turn, had grinned. Riff had finally earned the attention she had been longing to give him. Without a second thought, she had grabbed the Jet by his shirt, gave him one hell of a kiss, and whispered breathily, "See ya in school," before darting out of the theater.
Graziella smiled at the memory of her freshman year. Peter had told everyone she was an easy slut after that night, but she hadn't cared. People had been calling her a whore for months before that anyway. By that point, however, none of it mattered. She had Riff, whom she adored and who adored her right back. And no matter how many liars claimed to have slept with her, she knew that she had only given herself to that one special Jet. That was enough for her.
Thoughts of Riff sent a shiver down Graziella's spine. She still couldn't believe they were getting married! She looked down at the modest sterling silver band on her finger, the diamond chip sparkling. It may have been small, but she loved it. And the fact that he had secretly been working late nights at a local 24-hour deli in order to pay for it made it all the more special.
She happily remembered the night he had proposed. They had been crammed into a stuffy train, returning home from a trip to Brooklyn, just the two of them. Graziella, looking out the window, hadn't turned when Riff stood up, figuring he just wanted to get some breathing room. She had been startled, however, when he knelt down in front of her.
"Riff, what are ya—" she had started.
"Will ya marry me?" he had blurted, pulling the ring out. Just like that. No speech, no nothing. Just 'Will ya marry me?' Graziella had just stared at him. Everyone else on the train had stared at her. She was speechless. Not only had he just asked her to marry him, he had done it in front of all those people! Riff had never been one for publicly declaring mushy feelings, yet here he was on a crowded train asking her to spend the rest of her life with him. God, she loved him.
"Yes!" she had screamed, throwing herself at him and kissing him passionately. All of the passengers had clapped, just like in the movies, and Graziella had felt like the most special girl in the world.
The red-head was jarred out of her happy thoughts by a voice crying, "There ya are!" She looked up, her eyes taking focus for the first time since she had left Susie and Lucy. She had unconsciously walked right into Jeannine's Bridal Shop. Her best friend, Velma, was the one who had spoken. Behind her were Graziella's other friends, Minnie, Clarice, and Pauline. Graziella smiled at them. They were all Jet girls as well: Vel was happily in love with Ice, Riff's lieutenant; Clarice found her perfect match in Big Deal; Minnie was so close to absolute happiness with Baby John, she could taste it; and Pauline, well, Pauline was a different story. Beside the girls, tapping her foot impatiently, was Traci, Jeannine's assistant who would be helping the girls with their dresses.
"Am I late?" Graziella asked.
"Yes. By fifteen minutes," Traci said briskly. Clarice made a face behind her and Graziella stifled a giggle. The assistant clucked her tongue and continued, "The maid of honor and the bridesmaids were all here on time. One would assume the bride would have the same courtesy."
"I'm really sorry," Graziella said hurriedly. She had a few choice words for this Traci, but decided against saying them.
"Come along," Traci said in a professional voice as she pulled them back into the dressing room. The girls couldn't help but giggle in excitement. Traci looked annoyed.
"Oh, Graz, you look gorgeous!" Minnie cooed an hour and a half later. It was the sixth dress the bride-to-be had tried on and the first one that felt right.
"You do, Graz! Absolutely stunning!" Clarice chimed in, staring in wonder at the dress. It was beautiful. The top had a ballet cut with a tight bodice that hugged her curves perfectly. It was covered in strategically placed crystals that sparkled in the sunlight. The skirt poofed out around her. It was covered in beautiful tulling: simple, yet elegant. The veil was a crown of tiny white flowers. The material that flowed down matched the skirt of the gown and was covered in tiny crystals identical to those on the bodice.
There were tears in Velma's eyes. She walked up and squeezed her friend's hands. "It's perfect, Graz," she whispered. She was right.
"I'll take it!" Graziella said brightly, turning towards Traci.
Traci allowed herself a small smile. "With the veil, it will be $300," she said.
Graziella sighed in relief. It was a lot of money, true, but it was cheaper than she thought it was going to be and would fit into the budget her parents had made for her. "Sounds good," she replied, stepping down to take the dress off.
"Lucky girl," Pauline said, a trace of envy in her voice. "I wish my parents had saved up to give me a wedding like yours."
Clarice punched her arm and whispered, "Shut it."
Graziella wasn't fazed. She was used to Pauline. And even if she hadn't been, she was too ecstatic that she had found the perfect dress to be upset. "Okay, girls. Time to get your dresses!"
After four hours of searching, trying on, taking off, and searching again, everyone finally had their outfits. Graziella had decided on a lovely shade of powder blue as the main color for the girls' dresses. Velma, as the maid of honor, had a strapless, floor-length gown that accentuated her blue eyes. Similar to Graziella's dress, it had a slimming bodice. The silky skirt, however, fell straight down. Minnie, Clarice, and Pauline had matching knee-length dresses with thin straps. A darker blue ribbon tied at the waist. All together, the girls's dresses came to a total of $700. Giddy with excitement, the five young women walked out of Jeannine's Bridal Shop, their purchases in hand.
"Oh, Graz, this is so exciting!" Velma cried, taking her friend's free hand.
"I know!" Graziella gushed, smiling widely. She glanced back once in the direction from which she had come. For a brief moment, she thought of Susie and Lucy and the other girls from school and what they would have to say about her wearing white. Screw it, she thought. I love my dress.
He's all nerves when he sees her
As far as he's concerned
She's an angel
In white
He just can't believe that she is his
What a crazy miracle this is
Who she was he don't mind
'Cause on their wedding night
She'll be wearing white
Today was the day. Riff fidgeted at the altar. Today was the day he promised to be with Graziella til the day he died. A few years ago, he woulda considered getting married something for saps. Only sissies agreed to being stuck with one dame for the rest of their lives, right? He used to think so, til he met her. When he first saw her, he figured she was nothing more than a good lookin' chick—someone to keep on his arm. It surprised even him how angry he'd gotten when she'd had the nerve to turn him down. He figured it was just hurt pride. He'd get over it. Then she'd started going with Matt Riley. And then Patrick Mahon. And then Anthony Vitole. The list went on and on. Every time she went with someone new, Riff found it harder not to knock his lights out.
And so, when he had seen her and Peter Rivers going to the movies, he'd followed them in. He'd sat by passively as they shared popcorn and she laughed at his corny jokes. When he saw the creep trying to put his arm around her, however, he'd lost it. He shocked even himself when he referred to her as "his girl." But the real surprise came when she had crushed her lips to his own, leaving the leader of the Jets dumbfounded. The rest, as they say, was history.
Now, just a few years later, Riff was standing at the altar of the Church of Saint Gregory the Great, tugging at his tie nervously. He felt completely out of place in the church. If it had been up to him, he and Graz woulda been down at City Hall that morning in a quick, ten-minute wedding. But, even if she would never admit it, this meant everything to Graziella. Saint Gregory the Great was the church where her parents had gotten married and where she had been baptized. So, Riff had agreed to the church wedding.
The Jet also felt strange in the fancy schmancy suit. It was weird knowing that everyone was here for him and Graz and that there was gonna be some kinda big party after the ceremony. Riff remembered how furious he had been when Graziella first told him that her parents wanted to take care of everything.
"I can take care of my own damn weddin'!" he had yelled.
"I know ya can!" had said an exasperated Graziella, hands on her hips. "And my parents know ya can! It's just, they've been savin' up for this my whole life! It'll make 'em happy! What's so bad about that? Please, babe," she'd finished innocently, cuddling up to him and kissing his cheek.
Riff had looked down at her in amazement. He was weak, he knew, but he couldn't bear to make her unhappy. So, he had agreed to let her parents pay for everything.
He looked out into the pews. The wedding was supposed to start in ten minutes and everyone was beginning to take their seats. Hardly anyone sat on Riff's side of the church. There were the Jets, of course, then Tony's ma and pop, and then his brother, who had shown up with some trashy looking floozy. Oh, well. It was a surprise he had come at all. There was hardly room to breathe on Graziella's side, however. The pews were packed with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, distant relatives, and family friends. Riff knew he would have to make nice with 'em all at the reception. He was not looking forward to it, but it would put a smile on Graziella's face, so he would deal with it.
Suddenly, the doors to the church opened wide and music started to play. Riff gulped and looked to his left. There stood Tony, his best man, and Ice, Baby John, and Action, his groomsmen. They grinned supportively at him and Tony slapped him on the shoulder. They turned to see Graziella's ma walking up the aisle, accompanied by her godfather. They were followed by Clarice, who smiled brightly at Big Deal when she passed him. He, in turn, grinned broadly. Next up was Minnie, who, innocently thinking she was being discreet, waved happily to Baby John. The young Jet blushed deeply. Pauline followed, strutting up the aisle and smiling seductively at any guy who happened to catch her eye. Then came Velma, who walked at a dainty pace up the aisle. She winked at Ice when she reached the altar. He smiled lovingly at her.
Everyone turned when the music changed and Graziella appeared on her father's arm. The girls smiled and the boys couldn't help themselves from staring. Riff's breath caught in his throat and he got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. She looked incredible. The dress truly was perfect. Something about it made her fiery hair and emerald green eyes shine and her ivory skin look like silk. A beautiful smile played across her lips as she walked up the aisle—a smile he knew was meant only for him.
After what felt like an eternity to Riff, Graziella and her father finally made it up to the altar. She kissed her dad on the cheek and he turned and shook Riff's hand before going to sit with his wife. Riff took Graziella's hands in his own as the priest began the ceremony. As he spoke, all Riff could think about was how lucky he was to have her. He couldn't even begin to count the number of times girls from school had called her a slut or a tramp, or how many guys had claimed she had been with them. God, they were so fuckin' wrong. She was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. She's an angel, he thought to himself. An angel who looks like a million bucks in white.
She'll be wearing white.