Hi everyone, this is my second fanfiction and a prompt from monkeygirl872 "Could you please make a fanfic about Wemma based on the Broadway version of Wedding Singer. Mainly using If I Told You and Grow Old with you." This story is roughly based on the wedding singer but I'd given it a bit of a twist… No, there aren't any zombies or vampires. Unfortunately. Or there might be… You'll have to read it to find out! (And it's also up to you! Your reviews mean a lot; they keep me focused, give me inspiration and just generally make my day! And I'm more than happy to fill your prompts so let me know if you have any ideas you'd like to see on paper (or on computer screen), I don't bite so feel free to message me even if it's just for a chat! Anyway I'll stop rambling now, here's the first chapter. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think, don't be shy! :)
She was the kind of girl, who hid in the sidelines, inhibited by fear of the light so she stayed in the darkness. She longed for adoration but feared the passion that burnt in a lovers gaze. So she convinced herself she was perfectly content to be nothing more than safe. Fearful of the risks she'd have to take to get home again. Realising before most there isn't much difference to a man, alone in a crowd, to a man stranded on an Island, the silence is enough to kill both. One person can make a difference, if they're the right one. Solitude can be taken, when silence is replaced by a lover's song. So she waited, for that one person who would take away her pain, who would melt her heart, waiting in the darkness for someone who'd show her just how beautiful life could be.
Emma's POV
"I'm proposing to Terri." Will's expressive eyes told me everything. They always did. He idolised her, adored her; worshipped her. But he didn't love her. He was in love with the idea of love, that was all, or at least that was what I told myself. It made it easier to hear. He showed me the ring; so delicate and elegant, a band of graceful white gold, finished with a single sparkling diamond; simply beautiful. But it would have looked better on my hand. I hated myself for thinking it, I should have been happy for Will, and yet I was so selfishly jealous, I was meant to be his best friend, and yet I was so much more than that. And Terri was less- less than Will deserved. I was too, I wasn't denying that, but how can you get better than the best, greater than perfection? No one was worthy of such perfection, but true love was.
She was alone the day they met. She always was. He hadn't noticed her before. He wondered how, she defiantly stood out from the other girls. He was sure she wasn't in his year; she looked so much younger; so tiny and fragile. Somehow, the pretty blue dress she wore was untouched, unwrinkled, unblemished. Her auburn piglets were perfectly sculptured- immaculately formed; the bows blue to match her dress, even her tiny shoes were blue, with little blue bows that matched the ones in her hair. He smiled to himself, and ran over to where she sat.
Emma's POV
I looked up when I saw him. I'd seen him before, many times. It wasn't hard to notice him, not when he was so... Confident. I wished I was like that. He was so fearless and knowing, it was like he had the whole world figured out. I barely understood my parents and they were all I knew. Will, I think his name was. Fine- knew his name was, was a lot bigger than me, with a cheeky smile and messy brown curls. I knew if I ever got close enough his eyes would sparkle. He approached quickly; unfazed by the idea he might slip and fall, straight onto the muddy ground, he ran eagerly, happily. I wished I ran like that, I wished I was daring and joyful. He stopped running when he reached me. He had a chin dimple- it was worse than I'd thought.
"Hi, I'm Will, what's your name?" He asked cheerily, a permanent smile etched into his features, his blue eyes sparkled, I knew they would. I looked up, forced a smile. "Hi. I'm Emma." I mumbled shyly, looking down timidly when it seemed fit. Will didn't seem at all fazed my awkwardness. My lunch on the other hand... "What's with your grapes?" He asked; pointing towards the grape I was cleaning vigorously. I glanced up, blushing furiously "I'm just making sure it's really clean." I muttered defensively. He nodded, sensing my change of tone Will moved on, "Would you like to play tag with us?" he asked kindly, nodding over to a group of kids running in the playground. "No... No. I mean... No, thank you... I'm happy here..." I tried to smile but it turned out as a grimace, too shaken by the idea of running around in the playground, in the dirt, surrounded by unclean people, in the dirt."Ok." He smiled, oblivious, and sat down by my side. I flinched, out of habit, but he didn't notice; no one ever does. "You've got really big eyes." He stated proudly. "Um, thank you?"I responded, trying to think of an appropriate reply that made me sound normal. "Kind of like Bambi... Has anyone ever told you that?" Will mused "No. No they haven't..."
"Will, come over here!" We both turned to the source of noise. Terri. She was the most popular girl in school, even then, in elementary school. She ran over to where we were sat, her golden locks fanning out like a cape; a gorgeous, yellow cloak. "What are you doing talking to her?" Her blue eyes blinked rapidly. She had such beautiful blue eyes, like perfect indigo sapphires. "Terri are you ok? Do you have something in your eye?" Will asked innocently, "I was just asking Emma is she wanted to play with us." Will told her smiling kindly, so innocent and gracious. "Of course she doesn't want to. Now come on we're playing kiss chase." Terri hid her hatred with perfect blue eyes, a pearly white smile. Will grimaced "I'm fine, play without me. I want to talk to Emma for a bit." Terri glared at me, but Will didn't seem to notice, he never saw the bad in people. When she'd left he turned back to me. "I don't like kiss chase, girls are icky... You're ok though..." He smiled at me kindly. To young and naive to realise the reason for my widened doe eyes, flushed cheeks. One day he'd just be too naive.
From that moment on we were best friends, inseparable, adorable and clueless. Opposite, given, but we made each other complete, the problem was that Will didn't know he was broken.
Have you seen Titanic Emma? I shook my head, allowing red waves to fall from my shoulder. We were sat in the park we'd played in as kids, but at twelve we decided we were too old to play. On that particular summer's night of our fourteenth year we sat for hours talking long into the night. Untouched by the frosty draught that fought with the falling summer sun. I was more than happy to sit sweetly in Will's alluring presence, I preferred talking anyway, I was always fearful I'd fall into the mud, slightly less so in Will's presence, I knew he'd catch me if he could and the panic attack that was sure to come was almost worth Will's comfort and attention; almost, but not quite. I was thankful Will never questioned the picnic blanket I was adamant to brining to every time we simply sat on the soft grass. So I sat carefully, cautiously, on my mat, occasionally brushing invisible creases from my immaculate yellow dress. As near to blissful as I ever was, treasuring the only joy I knew. Dreaming of the day I'd find complete gratification.
"It's way too racy." I blushed feverously and looked away from Will's teasing gaze. "It's romantic, Emma." I heard the smile in Will's words and turned to catch the fleeting grin, perfectly lopsided. I sighed as I tried not to swoon so obviously, which was painfully difficult when he was looking at me like that; alluring and innocent, tempting and naive. I couldn't help my words, "What's love like?" I asked with wide eyes and crimson cheeks. Will didn't know, I knew that, he knew about as much about love as I did, which was less than nothing. I just wanted to hear his definition seeing as mine was simply: "Will." He gazed at me curiously, trying to read my dreamy childlike expression. Even if we didn't know it we were still children. So far from adulthood, so far from love, still I scarcely understood my parents, I hardly understood myself, and yet I knew Will better than anyone. He may have been my definition of love but I wasn't his. " Love is building a fire when the furnace breaks, love's carrying someone around when their arthritis gets bad, it's giving someone your coat when it gets cold, getting them medicine when their tummy aches." I nodded, as if I understood. I smiled at his dreamy gaze, his boyish grin that would never change; absorbed by his honest adoration for the mystery of love. I hoped one day we could discover love together. Rewrite the definition as one.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" I asked Will one day. "I want to be a wedding singer." He told me defiantly, I tilted my head in confused awe. "I can't think of anything better than getting to sing, which I love, having fun everyday and seeing people who are so happy and in love, who've found the one they want to grow old with.. Somehow making that perfection something more... Being part of something so beautiful and special everyday... That's the dream, Em. Being part of something special makes you special, right?" "Right." I nodded, smiling; he was more perfect than I knew. So dreamy and hopeful, he was the part of me that never existed. I wished I could be so optimistic and confidant. It must have been nice to feel safe, to be protected from reality with hopeless faith. Instead I didn't dream for the fear of waking up. He dreamt of perfection... I feared such beauty, because I knew I couldn't bare it if I lost what was flawless, it was better not to know, it was safer not to dream. One day he'd show me more than perfection, more than flawless beauty, one day there'd be so much more; love, in its truest form would dare to overwhelm every idea of perfection prior to the end of childhood.
"That's great Will, I'm so happy for you." It should have been me.
He was the kind of boy who didn't understand the meaning of her flushed cheeks, widened adoring doe eyes. He was the kind of boy who taught his best friend what love is when he didn't know himself. He wasn't one to wait; he had his whole life figured out. He was the kind of boy who could take away her pain, who could melt her heart. He was born with the gift of sight; he saw what so many couldn't, many too blinded by greed and hate. Few blinded by fear of the light. Those afraid would stay in the darkness. But Will, he wasn't that kind of boy. Instead, he'd take centre stage, waiting for that one person visible in the crowds of thousands; that one member of his audience who'd never change; his biggest fan. He waited to show her how beautiful life was, to share his sight with the fearfully blind. But first he'd have to see what was right in front of him.
If you've seen The Wedding Singer then you'll know that the characters met at a wedding, but I thought I'd change it a bit and make them childhood friends instead. Thank you for reading I hope you've enjoyed it so far, please let me know what you think in a review!