You sit at one of the tables, resting your feet from dancing. And suddenly he's there, all suited up with a drink in his hand. It even looks as though he's got some sort of wax in his coal black hair. His brown eyes are soft, even though you know there is pain behind the façade, and he gives you a smile because he knows you've stopped breathing, seeing him. He walks over to you and sits down. You can't stop staring. He puts a warm hand on yours, resting on the table.
"Breathe, Bells," he says, his voice light.
You remember how to draw in air again but your breathing is shallow. You haven't seen him like this. All dressed up, he looks like a business man. A very handsome business man, you note. And maybe it's the champagne you've had, but you find yourself wanting to kiss him. He is still smiling that knowing smile, as though he can read your every thought.
"You wanna dance?" he asks and lift your joined hands.
You nod because you can't remember how to speak and you try to mentally shake yourself because this is Jacob, Jake, your best friend and he's at your wedding and you shouldn't be feeling like this.
He gets up from his chair, hand still joined with yours, and helps you onto the dance floor. He places your other hand on his shoulder and starts to move around with you. You notice you don't move to the music, but the beating of your heart.
Slowly you move away from the others to the shadows at the edge of the forest. And you feel his breathing fanning your ear. A shiver runs down your spine and he presses your body closer, always closer, to his warmth.
His mouth is so close to your ear as he whispers, "I had to come. I had to give it one last try." You close your eyes feeling his words vibrate against your eardrum. "I need you, Bella. Let me take you away. I want to be your man." You open your eyes again and look into his. His face is so close to yours, his lips barely an inch from yours. You have stopped breathing again and you still want to kiss him, still want to kiss him so bad. Then, in you peripheral vision, you notice your hand with the wedding band resting on his shoulder. And you look behind him, to the dance floor where your husband stand. Your eyes meet his golden ones for a brief second, then he resume talking to your mother.
"I can't, Jake. I'm sorry," you say, and you feel as though the hole is back in your chest.
"I know," he whispers. You have stopped dancing now. You break apart slowly. He takes his right hand and presses it against your heart. Then bends down and gives you a kiss on the cheek.
"I love you," he whispers in your ear.
Before he turns, you see a teardrop escaping his eye.
And then he's gone.
And somehow you're on the ground and you can't see anymore. Cold hands lift you up but your eyes are burning, your chest aching.
You hear voices but don't recognize what they're saying. You vaguely notice you are being stripped and getting new clothes put on before being led across the lawn into an awaiting car.
After awhile your eyesight seem to clear and you guess that is because you have no tears left. And suddenly you notice it. The delicate ring, not on your left, but on your right ring finger. It's silver with two small oval-shaped sapphires and a white pearl in the middle.