A/N: Complete and utter FLUFF. Hope you like(:
I sighed. Today was the day. The day my best friend gets married. The day the man I'm in love with will commit to another person. The day my world will come crashing down.
Wow, I really needed to stop being so overly dramatic. Twenty years old. I was only twenty years old. I could get over this. I could move on.
I stared into my bedroom mirror and straightened my tie. For some reason, I was extremely concerned with my appearance today. I had spent at least 2 hours on my hair, which still didn't look satisfactory, and I had contemplated stealing my sister's cover up to hide a pimple on my chin. I decided that was just kind of creepy.
I slipped on my jacket, now fully clad in my tuxedo. I was the best man, so I had to be looking spiffy. That was probably why I got up at 6am and started getting ready, right? It wasn't to, like, impress Nick or anything? No, of course not.
I brushed my teeth quickly, realizing I had to be at the church in only 30 minutes. I slathered shaving cream on my face, noticing a spot I had missed this morning. I cursed under my breath when I nicked my jaw line, causing me to bleed slightly. I pressed a tissue to my cut in effort to stop the bleeding, while simultaneously putting on my black dress shoes. I was idiotically hopping around the room, trying to tie my left show with one hand when my 16-year-old brother, Josh, came in, looking perfectly dapper in his blue dress shirt and black tie. "Dude, it's like…kinda time to go? Why aren't you ready?"
"I am ready!" I snapped, finally tying both of my shoes and throwing away my tissue. I shoved past him and flew down the stairs, wanting this day to just be over. I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, taking small sips from it to hide the fact I was using it to make my palms less sweaty. It wasn't working.
"Adam, turn off the TV, we have to go! Where's Treavor?" My mom asked me, putting in small diamond earrings while looking for the rest of my siblings. I shrugged in response, taking another sip of water. A few seconds later, my sister, Jessica, came in from the garage, dragging a reluctant Treavor in with her. "I found him in the back yard," she said with a smirk.
"Ugh, Treavor, we don't have time for this! The wedding is in one hour, you need to go get cleaned up! You're brother's going to be late!"
"Mom, I'll just drive myself," I offered abruptly. The thought hadn't even occurred to me until now, and honestly I didn't know if it was a particularly good idea, considering my whole body was shaking with nerves.
"Okay, we'll met you there at 2:30," she said, tossing me the keys to Dad's pick up truck.
I scrambled out the door, hopped into the driver's seat and sped out of the neighborhood. Part of me was eager to get to the church, wanting everything to just happen and be done, but a larger part of me had the strong desire to turn around, go back home, and climb into bed with my dog Buddy. I fought the urge as I merged onto the highway.
Soon enough I found myself in the church parking lot, staring off into the distance for who knows how long, lost in thought. I was jerked back to reality when my phone rang, playing an obnoxious song one of my brothers had probably set as my ring tone. It was Nick. "Hello?"
"Jeff, where the hell are you? I need my best man!" Nick yelled into the phone. I glanced at the clock that read 2:14. Damn it, I had been sitting here for at least 20 minutes.
"I-uh, I just pulled in. So you in a sec," I said, sliding my phone shut to hang up the call. I got out of the truck and jogged toward the side door, knowing that would lead me directly into the room where Nick would be. I found the room in a disheveled state. Thad, David, Kurt, and Blaine were all prepping themselves, trying to look as presentable as possible for theirs roles as ushers.
"Jeffie! Thank God you're here!" Nick sighed, obviously relieved. "Guys!" He addressed the other men in the room, "It's 2:15!" When they all looked confusedly at each other, Nick groaned. "Go, leave, do your job!" They nodded and quickly shuffled out the door, leaving Nick and I alone.
Nick rubbed his hands together anxiously, looking at me for reassurance. Okay, Jeff. Time to step up to the plate. Be a best friend. Do your best man duties and tell him he's doing the right thing. Tell him it'll be okay. Tell him he'll be happy.
Well, shit. I'm obviously not cut out for this job.
"Do I look okay?" Nick asked me, smoothing back his gorgeous brown hair.
I stepped up to him and tightened his tie, laying it down against his neat white dress shirt. I fixed a couple imperfections in his hair, though really to me he looked adorable as he was, and pulled his jacket taught. "You look amazing," I mumbled quietly.
Nick smiled. "Thanks." He tugged at his tie nervously for a minute before I caught his hand in mine. I took a deep breath. I can do this.
"It'll be okay," I said, squeezing his hand. "You'll…you'll be happy." I said as convincingly as possible.
Nick took a shaky breath. "I'm doing the right thing." He didn't say it as a question, but he said it so uncertainly that it practically required an answer, so I nodded slowly. "Brittany's really pretty," I managed to get out. He nodded in return, swallowing hard. I let go of his hand and pulled him in for a hug. One last hug. One last hug before Nick was entirely someone else's.
Kurt popped his head in, interrupting our moment. "Show time," he said with a grin. Nick reluctantly pulled away, staring into my eyes. His breathing quickened, and I could practically hear his heart racing. "We gotta go."
"I'll be right by your side the whole time," I said with a smile. He nodded, walking to the church, ready to take his place on the altar. I can do this. I CAN do this.
We ran into Brittany in the back of the church, who squealed and told Nick to shut his eyes because it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride before they were married. I suppressed a snort when I saw her; she was the epitome of slutty. I honestly didn't see what Nick saw in her, but then again I didn't see what Nick saw in any girl. I've always been too busy liking him to notice his girlfriends.
"Boys, get on the altar!" She screamed. "If this wedding is screwed up because of either of you, I will NOT be happy."
Bitch.
Nick and I made our way to the altar, pausing to say hi to some relatives on the way. We made it just in time as the wedding march started playing and everyone took their seats. I can do this. I can do this.
I can't do this.
Brittany made her way down the aisle after a few bridesmaids and her maid of honor. I glanced at Nick, expecting him to be crying or at least smiling at the sight of his bride. Wasn't that what grooms normally did? Instead he looked like he might vomit. He caught my eye, and I threw him a reassuring wink. I was pleasantly surprised at my acting skills; I was pretty good at not showing the fact that I was dying inside.
"We are gathered here today…" Blah, blah, blah. I zoned out, not wanting to hear the mushiness of the couple's vows. I did, however, zone back in when there was a long silence, and the crowd started murmuring. "Nick," I heard Brittany hiss through her fake smile. "Say 'I do.'"
Nick looked around, panicking. I only had a couple of seconds to register what was going on before he flew out of the church, leaving an abandoned crowd, a confused minister, and one hell of an angry bride.
"Nick! Nick, wait-stop!" I yelled, following him all the way outside and down the church's steps to the bus stop, where I found him pacing back and forth, on the verge of tears.
"I can't-I can't do this," he said frantically, running his hands through his mussed hair. "I can't marry her."
"Um, okay…okay," I said, pretty much at a loss for words. "You don't have to."
"I know," Nick said slowly, nodding his head in thought. "I don't love her."
"You…wait, what?"
"I don't love her," he repeated, locking eyes with me. "Jeff, I'm an idiot."
"An idiot?" I questioned, thoroughly confused. He edged his way closer to me, never leaving my eyes. "And a jerk."
"A jerk," I echoed, my heart beating faster as he got closer.
"And a coward."
"Coward," I breathed. Still closer.
"And I'm crazy in love with you."
I searched his eyes before realizing mine had fluttered shut when his lips had touched mine. Wait, his lips touched mine? Nick's KISSING me?
He broke apart too soon for my liking, and leaned his forehead against mine. "I'm sorry for being a jerk and literally taking 4 years to do that."
"I guess that just means we have some catching up to do." Nick grinned widely and threw his arms around my neck, connecting our lips again. We broke apart on account of a disgusted pedestrian who told us to "get a room." I laughed giddily, finding it surreal that this was actually happening.
"You think we should go back inside and tell everyone the wedding is off?" Nick asked, looking dreadfully towards the church. I eyed my truck that was only a few feet away. "Or we could take a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas," I suggested.
"That does sound awfully tempting," he laughed. "But how 'bout we just go back to my place?"
I nodded, grabbing his hand and running towards the car. I sped out of the parking lot, never letting go of Nick's hand. "Hey Nick?" I asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Hey what?"
"Are we like…boyfriends now?"
"I wanna be if you do."
"I do.
…
"Hey Nick?"
"Hey what?"
"I'm crazy in love with you, too."