The Way We Could Have Been.
Chapter One: I Can Hear The Bells.
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or any of these characters they all belong to Fox and the very lucky Ryan Murphy.
Author's Note: Hey guys, I know I haven't written anything in a year. But I am back with fresh inspiration and hopefully a story you'll enjoy. Please review and you'll make me smile for days!
The Bride was glowing, she knew that was what everyone had to say but for this particular Bride on this particular sunny Ohio afternoon the statement seemed to match perfectly. She wore a long ivory dress that fell to the floor and hugged her curves flawlessly, it had one shoulder going over her dark skin which was beaded with shining crystals and small fabric petals and at the hem of dress was a floral embroidery design that you could only notice upon the closest of inspections. The Bride carried a bouquet that consisted of an array of colours and exotic flowers with pink orchids and pure lilies and pitch purple lavenders and she grinned an a thousand watt smile as she glided down the aisle towards her soon to be husband. Childhood Sweethearts, that was the term that had been used throughout the day as the guests described the Bride and Groom. They discussed how they had been in love from the moment they met and that it must have been fate because they so clearly belonged together. And in reply to all these perfectly described comments all Rachel Berry could do was smile ever so bitterly in return.
The wedding of Mercedes Jones and Sam Evans was beautiful; no one could fault them on it. They had chosen a beautiful Plum orchard in the middle of Spring and as they kissed each other as Husband and Wife the slight breeze that had set upon them carried pink blossom over the beautiful couple. The guests had applauded and relatives cried and smiled with pride as Mercedes and Sam looked lovingly into each other's eyes.
"So freaking charming." Santana Lopez muttered next to Rachel as she hitched her red dress dangerously high up her thigh. Rachel nodded in agreement and bitterly looked over her shoulder at another couple a few rows behind them.
"Will you stop looking at them!" Santana said again, pulling at Rachel's arm to get her attention back. "You're starting to look needy!"
"I just don't understand why Kurt didn't tell me about them. I mean, I speak to him every week surely I should have a right to know." Rachel muttered angrily and more to herself than to Santana who had already heard this speech twice today.
"Listen to me Berry; it's been six years since you last saw him. Of course, he's going to be seeing people. What did you expect? Just try and enjoy tonight and stop looking like Barbra Streisand has died okay? Besides you look hotter than the skank he's with anyway." Santana said with a wink at her best friend. The last part made Rachel smile, it was what she needed to hear after seeing the dark haired man with a beautiful normal sized blonde the moment she walked into the wedding.
"Thanks Santana, shall we follow everyone to the reception?"
The Reception was in the same orchard that the Ceremony had been; the guests simply had to follow a small gravelled track into another field where a huge, white tent was set up with several round tables and a slow jazz band were playing as people entered. Rachel and Santana found their seats soon enough and to Rachel's relief they were not on the same table as the dark haired man she was doing so well to avoid.
"Looking good Princess!" Came a voice from behind her half way through the celebrations. The party was in full swing as people danced to the band that were playing, laughed and caught up with old friends. Rachel looked down at her lilac coloured silk dress that reached just above her knee. She turned round and looked at Noah Puckerman giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you Noah!" She smiled and agreed to a dance while Santana laughed with Mercedes and talked about all the planning that had happened for this very day.
After a while, Rachel excused herself and sat down on the small round table she had been seated at for dinner. Her feet ached and she wondered how inappropriate it would be for her to slip off the cream heels she was wearing.
"Hey". Rachel looked up immediately, knowing the gruffness in the voice all too well. Having it conjure up so many memories that she had attempted to block out for so many years.
"Hi Finn". She tried to smile as normally as she could but she just felt awkward. Being back in Ohio and seeing everyone from Glee Club, celebrating the love of a couple that weren't her and him. It was all too much for her and if she was honest, the moment she saw him she wanted to turn around and book the next flight back to New York.
"Can we maybe talk?" He asked his brow furrowing slightly at the situation because surely all this wasn't right. This wasn't how it was meant to be. This wasn't what he meant when he broke up with her, he wanted her to go to New York and to find herself, to become the star he knew she was. He didn't think this was how they would end up though. Six years later and all he had to show for their teenage love was a suit that he never wore to his wedding and an engagement ring she sent back.
"I guess so." Rachel agreed, getting up and following the tall, dark haired man outside into the beautiful Ohio sunshine and the unknown.