*Authors note: For the sake of this story, Steve's wedding will be taking place in San Francisco instead of Japan*
*if you'd like more of this story, please let me know!*
The steady chatter among guests seemed to fade as DJ sat secluded on a stool at the hotel bar downing another Old Fashioned and questioning everything.
This wasn't like her at all, and she hated herself for it. A wedding was happening and she should've been celebrating, she should be happy for Steve.
DJ had managed to get through the rehearsal dinner with nothing but pleasantries and a smile on her face. And now, the reality of what would be taking place tomorrow was finally setting in. The reality of losing her soulmate.
"Another one, please" DJ said to the bartender, sliding her empty glass forward. The bartender poured her another drink which she graciously took and began sipping.
Every so often, DJ would envision having to watch Steve marrying someone else, the finality of it all. After he and CJ share those "I do's", that would ultimately be the end of her and Steve. Sure, they had promised to remain friends, but it wouldn't be the same. It could never be the same.
She tilted her glass upwards, downing the liquor a little faster. The rehearsal dinner was an adult only event, which DJ was grateful for.
The woman had been so lost in her own thoughts that she almost didn't notice when Steve took a seat next to her.
"DJ? DJ? Did you hear me?" Steve called out to her, waving his hand in front of her face.
Steve observed DJ and to him it seemed as if she were in some sort of trance. He glanced down at her glass and noticed she was drinking liquor which she hardly ever drank.
DJ turned to face him. "Oh, Steve, Hi. I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I said..is everything alright? I mean, you're just sitting here all by yourself and I wanted to make sure you were okay" Steve explained.
DJ lifted her glass, taking another drink. It burned going down but she didn't care at the moment.
"As someone who's losing the love of her life I'm okay as I'll ever be" DJ replied. Considering she was already a few drinks in, all inhibitions and tact had all but vanished. Would she regret saying this when she sobered up? Absolutely. But for now she said exactly what was on her heart.
A shocked expression took over Steve's features. "I- I'm sorry, w-what are you saying, Deej?" He stuttered.
DJ giggled and took another swig of her drink. "I'm saying I'm still in love with you, Steve. I mean, hasn't that always been obvious?" Her speech was slurred, and she would hardly look Steve in the eyes as she spoke.
Steve was completely stunned by what he was hearing, he barely had time to process anything. "God, DJ, why? Why would you wait until now to say this? I'm getting married, DJ. I'm supposed to marry that beautiful woman over there tomorrow." He gestured towards the other side of the room where CJ sat with her family. "Why would you say this now?" The hurt in his tone and the expression on his face was evident.
"You're right, Steve. I should've told you before. I was an idiot for not telling you at the reunion when I had the chance, but I was putting your happiness before my own selfishness. I was being a good friend." DJ stared down into her glass, swirling the half eaten cherry around her drink.
"Deej, y- you should've told me. If you would've told me back then I never would've-" Steve started.
DJ stopped him before he could continue. "No. No no no. There are no would haves or should haves. You're marrying CJ and I want you to be happy. You two deserve a happy life together. So get married, have babies if you want, and live happily ever after. Goodbye, Steve." She stood up, rather clumsily, to leave.
"DJ, wait." Steve gently grasped her arm to stop her, but she pulled away and kept walking.
She walked fast, ignoring the stares of curious onlookers from the wedding party, glancing around the room until she spotted Kimmy. She grabbed her best friend's arm and leaned in close. "Take me home. Now." She demanded.
Kimmy took one look at her friend and immediately knew something was wrong. Though terribly confused, she agreed. "Alright, Deej let's get you home."
Right when they were at the door, Kimmy stopped. "Wait, we have to get Steph."
Kimmy spotted Stephanie who was already watching them at the door. She motioned for her to come on.
Stephanie got up and met them at the door. "What's going on?"
"We're leaving. DJ, uh, isn't feeling so well." Kimmy said.
Stephanie looked at her sister who seemed pre-occupied with the tile patterns on the floor. "Umm, okay, let's go then."
Kimmy got into the drivers seat of the car, Stephanie in the passengers seat, and DJ in the back.
As they drove, Stephanie looked at DJ in the rearview mirror. Her older sister had been dead silent for the entire drive so far. "DJ, are you okay? What happened in there?"
DJ remained silent, staring blankly out of the window as the flashes of light from the streetlights and various buildings passed them by.
Stephanie looked at Kimmy who simply shrugged as she continued to drive.
The rest of the ride was quiet and DJ still hadn't quite realized just how much she had changed everything a few short moments ago. Her phone vibrated, and she saw that it was Matt calling her, her heart immediately sank. That would be yet another thing on her long list of things that needed to be dealt with. She hit ignore and eventually drifted off into a drunken sleep.
However, it wasn't a very long sleep, because soon enough she heard tapping on the glass of the backseat window.
"Deej, get up. We're home." She heard Stephanie say.
DJ sighed and stumbled her way out of the backseat. Kimmy and Stephanie both saw her struggling and helped her into the house.
"Hey Jimmy. Thanks for watching the kids. Are they asleep?" Stephanie said when they got inside.
"No problemo, Steph-o. And yep they've been out for about an hour now." Jimmy replied. He noticed DJ, seeming completely out of it as she clung onto Kimmy and Stephanie for dear life. "Is she alright?" He questioned.
"Yeah she's fine. Just not feeling well." Kimmy answered, despite the fact that it was now quite obvious that she was drunk.
Before anymore questions could be had, Kimmy promptly took DJ upstairs to her room.
"I'm good, Kimmy. I can take it from here" DJ said with a smile once they got to her room.
"Alright, Deej. Get some rest. See you in the morning for the wedding" said Kimmy before she left.
DJ felt that familiar pang in her heart at the mention of the word "wedding". She got herself out of the dress she was wearing and buried herself in her covers, sleep soon took over her and her worries briefly faded away.
The next morning, DJ went through the motions of getting ready. She got the boys up, made sure they were fed and got dressed, then she got herself dressed.
The events that unfolded the night before were now a bit of a blur to DJ, but the uneasiness she felt and the splitting headache from her current hangover was an indication that it couldn't have been good.
All she really remembered was being at the bar at the rehearsal dinner, talking to Steve, and then leaving with Stephanie and Kimmy. The details, however, were all a blur.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Stephanie knocking on the bathroom door. "Deej?"
"Come in" DJ replied as she continued curling her hair.
Stephanie walked in, closing the door behind her. "Hey, are you okay? You had us really worried last night"
DJ's eyes widened and she put the curling iron down. "Worried? W-why were you guys worried? Oh god, what did I do?" She was now in a bit of a panic.
Stephanie placed a hand on her older sister's shoulder. "Calm down, Deej. We just assumed maybe you had too much to drink. Do you not remember anything that happened?"
DJ thought hard, trying her best to piece together the faded memories of the previous night. "I remember I was drinking and then I was talking to Steve and he tried to get me to stay but then I left with you guys.."
Stephanie thought for a moment. "Okay..do you remember what you and Steve were talking about?"
The older woman had an inkling, but she wouldn't dare utter these thoughts to her sister. "Not really, no" She said.
"Well, I'm just glad you're okay. Now let's finish getting ready, don't wanna be late!" said Stephanie.
DJ managed a smile. "Right, of course"
Later that day, Matt arrived to pick up DJ for the wedding.
"DJ, Matt is here!" Stephanie called out to her from the bottom of the stairs.
After putting the final touches on her makeup, DJ came downstairs.
"Wow, you look amazing" said Matt.
"Thank you" DJ responded, greeting him with a kiss. She wore a strapless peach colored floral dress and white dress sandals with a platform heel. She wore her hair down and slightly curled.
"And no offense to the bride and groom, but I'm pretty sure we're gonna be the best looking couple at this wedding" Matt added.
DJ forced a smile to fight the urge she had to roll her eyes at this.
Matt was DJ's ride to the wedding, the children staying behind to ride with Stephanie and crew.
They got into the car and headed to the San Francisco Mint, the venue where the wedding would be taking place.
For most of the ride, DJ listened to Matt going on about whatever came to mind, mostly about himself and the progress he was making at the gym. While normally this irritated her, it was a welcomed distraction from her thoughts of Steve and what may or may not have been said at the rehearsal dinner.
Matt turned the radio down to complete silence and looked at DJ. "You've been pretty quiet. Everything okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." DJ replied a bit too quickly.
"Okay just making sure" Matt said, turning his attention back to the road.
This was pretty typical of Matt, DJ thought. Whatever she said, he just took it for what it was and never questioned anything further.
Steve, on the other hand, could read her like a book. He wasn't one to let things go if she were upset, instead he was the type to do anything in his power to put a smile on her face again. Stop thinking about Steve. He's getting married today, DJ silently reminded herself.
Guests were beginning to arrive as they pulled up to the venue. DJ and Matt walked hand in hand inside the building. From the outside, they looked like the perfect couple, but on the inside, at least for DJ, there was a storm of emotions brewing within in her that she was trying her hardest to keep at bay.
"Matt? I need to go to the restroom. Save me a seat inside?" said DJ. Matt nodded and she headed down the hall in search of the nearest restroom.
As she was walking, she let out a small shriek as someone grasped her shoulder out of nowhere. She quickly realized it was Steve.
"Steve! You scared the living daylights out of me! What are you doing out here?!" DJ said, placing a hand on her chest.
"I need to talk to you. Right now." Steve responded. His tone was a little harsher than usual, lacking the usual warmth it possessed especially when talking with DJ.
He pulled them into a nearby supply closet, closing and locking the door once they were in.
"Steve wha-"
He cut her off. "We need to talk about what you told me last night, DJ."
DJ's heart began racing, her worst fears confirmed. "What exactly did I tell you?"
Steve eyed her incredulously. "Are you serious? You don't remember?"
He didn't wait for a response as it dawned on him that she had been drinking quite a bit. "Well, let me refresh your memory for you. You may have mentioned, oh I don't know, that you're still IN LOVE WITH ME."
DJ felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her, she kept her balance on a shelf that stood nearby. "Steve, I am so so sorry. Just forget that I said anything. Go out there and get married. Please."
Steve moved closer to her. "Deej, how can you expect me to forget something like that? You pretty much turned my entire world upside down. It's all I can think about. I haven't been able to sleep. I'm running on four red bulls right now!"
Steve's phone began buzzing in his pocket. He checked it and it was his best man, CJ's brother.
"You should go, Steve. People are waiting on you. CJ is waiting for you." DJ said softly.
Steve rubbed his temples, sighing in frustration. "Damn it, DJ, I can't go out there."
"Steve, you have to, you-"
Steve closed the space in between them. "No. Don't you understand? I can't go out th- I can't go out there because...I feel the same way. I'm still in love with you, DJ. I love you."
DJ's blue eyes widened and tears threatened to fall. She shook her head. "No, Steve, you don't have to say that just because I did. I dropped a huge bombshell on you and it messed with your head. You love CJ and you're gonna get married and-"
"Donna Jo, stop! I know my own heart and what my heart wants is you. I was only fooling myself thinking that I could ever love someone as much as I love you. You're the one, Deej, you always have been. You always will be." Steve confessed, taking both of her trembling hands into his.
DJ searched her mind for the words to say. This had to be a dream, it just had to be.
"Oh, Steve, what are we doing to do?" DJ cried.
Steve thought for a moment. He gently squeezed DJ's hands as he held them. "We, uh...we need to get out of here."
DJ's expression went serious. "Are you saying we run?"
Steve nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead. "That's exactly what I'm saying."
DJ looked down, quickly weighing her options and realizing there weren't any that would end well for all of them.
She took a deep breath. "Okay. It's you and me, let's do this."
They walked hand in hand out of the cramped supply closet and as they walked they were greeted out in the lobby not so warmly by the majority of the wedding party, sans CJ.
"Where were you guys? What the hell is going on?" Stephanie said.
Steve looked around as everyone waited for some sort of explanation, his anxiety was suddenly through the roof. "I'm sorry, but...there isn't going to be a wedding today. My heart..my heart belongs to DJ. I- I'm sorry. Tell CJ I'm sorry.."
And with that, Steve grabbed DJ's hand once more and the two of them ran out of the venue as fast as they could. As they ran, they could hear shouting behind them. DJ could specifically make out the sound of Matt's voice calling her name. She wiped away her tears and kept running.
As they ran to the black rental car that Steve and CJ were originally going to drive to their honeymoon, DJ felt this strange sense of freedom and exhilaration, like this heavy burden had been lifted from her soul. She was free.
Once inside the car, Steve took out the keys and started up the ignition.
DJ, relieved at first, suddenly went into a state of panic. Her breathing became rapid and she was shaking. "Oh my lanta...we really just did that. I just ruined your wedding! Steve I'm so sorry! I'm a wedding ruiner. I'm a wedding ruiner and a home wrecker!"
Steve began rubbing DJ's back to calm her down. "DJ, sweetheart, calm down. Breathe. It's okay. I'm here now. I'm with you and it's going to be okay.."
"No it won't, Steve! I just ruined everything.." DJ cried.
"Baby, no, you didn't ruin anything. I mean, yes, CJ's wedding day is ruined, but I'm glad you told me how you really feel. This will change everything for the better, you'll see.." Steve assured her. "Do you trust me?"
DJ nodded. "I trust you."
Steve smiled. "Good."
And with that, DJ boldly proceeded to do what her heart was desperately aching for. She cupped Steve's face in her hands and kissed him with a deep passion she never even knew she possessed until then.
It was their first kiss since their second first date two years ago, but as amazing as that kiss was, it couldn't compare to this. There was so much yearning and desire in this kiss, like nothing they ever felt before.
The pair pulled apart, clinging onto each other and attempting to catch their breath as they studied every detail of each other's features.
"Drive the car" DJ uttered breathlessly, a smile curving upon her lips.
Without another word and without looking back, Steve started the car and quickly sped out of the parking lot, and essentially into a new beginning of the rest of their lives.