"You look beautiful, Ally. Like your mother on our wedding day," Lester Dawson whispered to his only daughter. She could see the tears in his eyes as he said goodbye to his only daughter.
He kissed her on the cheek and gave her a long hug- not easy to do with the yards of white lace engulfing her.
"Thanks, daddy. Do mind if I have a moment?"
Lester nodded and quietly left the room. Ally waited until she could no longer hear his retreating footsteps, and then walked over to the window in the small room. Looking out, down below to the patio where the ceremony was to be, she could hear the laughter of various guests, most of whom she didn't know the name of. She saw the archway of white roses she would make her grand entrance under.
She hated white roses.
She preferred yellow ones. They reminded her of the Miami sunsets.
They reminded her of Him.
Outside, the storm clouds began to gather. 'I guess that fits the occasion,' She thought.
It was almost time to go downstairs and walk down the aisle, and to be honest, she dreaded it. Ally thought she was in love, but after many arguments, she came to the conclusion that her fiancé was only marrying her out of pity. But a deal was a deal, and so ready or not, the time had arrived for her to walk down the aisle, say her vows, and make small talk with her soon-to-be brother-and-sister-in-laws.
She always thought this day would be so different. She thought it would be filled with her best friends, her roses, and her Him.
But no. He left. And He wasn't coming back. He didn't love her anymore.
"I'm sure He would say differently."
Her eyes widened and she whipped her head around to find the one person she least expected to see. Or maybe it was who she most expected, but couldn't ever muster up enough courage to say so.
Had she said that last part out loud?
"You said the whole thing out loud, actually."
She quickly and not so gracefully sprinted to the door and closed it before anyone saw who she was talking to. Once she had closed and locked it, she took a second to look him over; her ex, Austin, had arrived-dressed for the occasion-in a black suit and yellow tie. His hair was casually tousled and he wore yellow converse to match his tie.
"What. Are. You. Doing?" she threw at him, holding his gaze.
"I actually came by to see your oh-so-dreamy fiancé. Fancy that I'd run into you before seeing him." He smirked.
Her gaze faltered for a second, as she realized he wasn't here for her, and she was about to still go get married.
"Oh." She mumbled.
His face softened. Austin walked over to her and she felt his warm breath making the loose hairs on her head tickle her face. Ever so slowly he began to lean in.
His breath got heavier, her heart beat faster, and the air got thicker.
"Ally, tell me if you want me to stop…"
"i..i..can't do this." She breathily whispered. All at once, she ripped her heels off, picked up the train of the white gown and broke into a sprint out the door and down the 2 flights of stairs.
He stood too stunned to move, and then with a jolt of urgency followed her out the door, shouting her name. She was already down the stairs and out onto the semi-crowded street, but he soon caught up with her, as the large white dress made it harder to navigate the streets of the city.
"Ally, wait!" he yelled to her.
She whipped her head around, still running, and locked eyes with him. She slowed to a jog, and he ran up to her, panting but ready for an explanation.
"Austin, I…don't know what's happening anymore! First, I fell in love with you, and then you left. Dallas was there to pick up the estranged pieces and I crawled to him for comfort. Then, I thought I loved him, but realized all he felt was pity. You showed back up, ON MY WEDDING DAY,I might add, trying to kiss me, and then chased me down a street and I am just so confused, and I don't know what to do or where to go and now everybody will be mad at me and I've ruined the whole plan and-"
"Where do you want to go? Where would you feel safe?"
"I told you, I don't know. Everyone is waiting for me and I've run, for so long, I've run away, but I just can't go back…"
"Where would you feel safe?"
She paused for a moment, letting what he had said sink in. Where did she feel safe? In his arms, not that she would tell him that.
"I'll just…I don't know.