Big Day: A Max and Fang Story

This was it. Today was the day. I was finally getting married. Yes, I was only eighteen, but still. No one had rejected my decision to marry Fang.

Now, I was in my room, getting ready. My bridesmaids (Nudge, Ella, and Angel) were helping me to get the dress on. The flower girl (or flower dog, I should say) was Akila. The ring bearer was Total. Downstairs, everyone was waiting. The seats were filled. I was so nervous, so afraid that I would trip in my fancy heels or rip my dress. This was only the second or third time I'd worn something like this. The first was Total and Akila's wedding, so long ago. I had been fourteen then.

I hadn't changed much since then - by that I mean that my appearance pretty much stayed the same. I hadn't gotten any taller, I had stayed skinny, and my face had only changed in minor ways. My boobs had gotten bigger (a plus that I hadn't expected.) I had let my hair grow out so that it reached down to my belly-button.

"Okay," Ella said. "We're finished. God, you look so beautiful, Max."

"Really?" I asked, afraid to look in the mirror. Angel nodded. All of the issues between us were gone. She was older now, and that meant much more powerful, even if she was only eleven. Nudge was fifteen. The flock was still together and happy. We had found a safe house to live in, and we hadn't been attacked in four years. My mother and Jeb always kept a close eye on us. Our house was guarded with an invisible high-powered force field that blocked anything from coming in. We had remained safe for the past four years, and I hoped it would stay that way.

"Look in the mirror, Max," Nudge said. "Gosh, Fang's gonna love you. Everyone's gonna love you. You look amazing! I wish I was getting married. I mean, not now, but when I'm older. I want to have a dress just like yours. It's so pretty, Max! Thanks for letting me design it - it's perfect for you."

Same old Nudge. Chatterbox as always. I smiled at her and turned around to look in the mirror.

I gasped. It was. . .it. . .it didn't even look like me! I mean, it was obviously me, of course. But it looked like a completely different person. My dark brown hair cascaded down my back in beautiful curls, stopping just above my belly-button, and my bangs swept across the left side of my face. I wore a beautiful circlet of diamonds, which the veil was attached to. The veil was long, reaching to the floor. The dress itself was the most beautiful, of course. It was long and flowing, made entirely of white satin. There was a belt of diamonds just below my chest that matched the circlet on my head. I looked young, but still so mature at the same time.

"Wow," I whispered. "It's. . . ."

"So, incredibly beautiful," Ella said. I smiled and nodded.

"Honey, you look amazing," my mother, Dr. Valencia Martinez, said as she entered the room. There were tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Mom, please don't cry," I begged. "The last thing I need is for this to be a tear fest." She laughed. "Same old Max," she said. She fanned her face with her hand. "Oh, I just can't believe you're getting married! I'm never going to see you again."

"What? Of course you are, Mom. You can still visit the house every day. We'll still spend Christmas and Thanksgiving with you."

I went over to hug her, but she stopped me. "No, no. You'll wrinkle your dress."

I huffed, and hugged her anyway.

"Max, it's time! Come on!" Nudge took my arm and led me downstairs. Akila would walk the aisle first, a basket of flowers in her mouth. Don't ask me how she threw the flowers, because I honestly have no clue. Followed by Akila, Angel would walk down the aisle on the arm of her brother, the Gasman. Then Nudge would go with Iggy, the best man. After her, Ella would go with Dylan. Yes, Dylan. He was still with us. He knew better than anyone that Fang and I would never be apart. He knew that we were together, and that would never change. He had accepted that a long time ago. He still cared about me, but as a sister more than a love interest.

My mother had already taken her seat in the front row. I refused to let Jeb walk me down the aisle, because I still didn't trust him, so I would go by myself. I clutched my bouquet of white roses tightly as I watched Ella and Dylan reach the end of the aisle. The wedding march started. I took a deep breath, stood up nice and tall. . .and stepped through the tent.

All eyes turned to me.

But I only had eyes for Fang.

He was standing at the end of the aisle, wearing a black tuxedo and looking irresistibly handsome. He hadn't changed much either - same height, same face. He was still the same old Fang.

The love of my life. My soulmate. My heart. My best friend.

He was smiling at me as I walked down the aisle towards him. Everyone was smiling at me. But only that one smile mattered the most.

When I reached the end of the aisle, I resisted the urge to just throw myself into Fang's arms. I didn't pay attention to what the pastor was saying. I don't think he did, either. The entire time, even when Total trotted down the aisle with the rings, we couldn't take our eyes off of each other.

It was only when Fang said, "I do" that I actually paid attention. Those two words made my heart melt.

Then it was my turn.

Amazingly enough, tears came to my eyes.

"I do," I said immediately after the pastor finished speaking. Maybe it was a little too soon, because there were some laughs from the audience. It was a small wedding - just my mother and Jeb, some of my mother's friends, the scientists from Antarctica and Hawaii. Yes, even Brigid Dwyer. I was still careful around her and Fang, but she knew that Fang was mine. We had actually had a talk once about it. She had seen how much we loved each other, and she supported us in our decision to marry. It still amazed some people that we were only eighteen, but they supported us, all the same.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the pastor said. "You may kiss the bride."

Without thinking, I threw my arms around Fang's neck and smashed my mouth against his. Applause roared through the room. Fang slipped his arms around my waist and lifted me up. I didn't want to break away from him. I wanted to stay there, forever.

But I knew that I would have plenty of time for that. For the rest of my life.

Because it was official. Fang and I were married. We belonged to each other, and nothing could ever change that.

Nothing.

The after party was a blast. My favorite part was the traditional dance with Fang.

"You're so beautiful," he said quietly to me as we swayed back and forth. I smiled. "When you walked down the aisle. . .you took my breath away."

I rested my head against his chest.

"I love you," I whispered. He lifted my head to kiss me.

"I love you, too," he replied. "More than anything."

I smiled as he kissed me again.