Disclaimer: Disclaimed

AN: I was so unsure what to do with this!

Every eye widened, and every mouth hung agape. Somewhere, someone dropped their glass on the marble floor, and blood red liquid seeped into the satin shoes of Massie, Dylan, and Alicia. Dylan had frozen in a ready jumping position, even though there had been no bouquet throwing. Conner looked shocked and even slightly amused. Wait a second…why was he looking like he'd just been entertained?

"What was that?" Massie asked, looking like she'd been shell-shocked. Well, why wouldn't she have been? Claire had only said the most stunning thing she could've possibly said – unless she decided to say that she wasn't really a girl. Only something like that could've matched up to the kick in the teeth that it was.

Claire gulped and looked at all of her guests. "I said I can't marry him. I made a mistake with my life."

The crowd gasped in complete disbelief. Hadn't she just said 'I do'? Didn't those life changing words mean enough? How could she take them back just like that? Words of true love were meant only for the ones you truly loved. Did that mean she didn't truly love Conner?

"I…" Claire took a shaky breath and looked back at the audience. "I don't love him. I love someone else."

Another gasp echoed through the ballroom. But this was more out of alarm than actual astonishment. She'd been with him through college after all, who else was there to love? Why would she wait until after the wedding to announce it?

"I'm sorry Conner," Claire's eyes burned and a lump rose in her throat. It was probably the fact that she was fighting tears that stopped her from hyperventilating or throwing up on him. She put the ring back in his hand and closed it, ending it without any words.

Facing the press, Conner gave her a smile that made her think of a vampire or a werewolf. Claire considered backing away, but decided it was better to face whatever he was going to say. She'd put him through too much all of this time to just run like a coward. Claire had to face the music.

Conner closed his hands around the ring, and took a deep breath. "I was supposed to get married today." He projected his voice to the back of the ballroom, so that even the paparazzi would hear this latest twist. "And I still will. Sandra…"

The crowd parted to reveal a shocked looking woman in a golden yellow dress. The lump in Claire's throat got ten times bigger, but she reminded herself that it would be hypocritical to say anything about it. After all, she'd started the whole thing, and the press was there.

'Sandra' stepped forwards, mouth still open. "W-what?"

"Just say the words." Conner urged. Claire turned her back to him and faced the audience.

These are a few of my favorite things…

Claire took a deep breath, shaking like she was in an earthquake. "I love someone else, like I just said." She paused for dramatic effect. "And that someone else is…Cameron Fisher."

The crowd parted once more, but nobody was there. Claire's stomach somehow climbed up into her throat, and a tingle went down her spine. Nikki wasn't there either. Power-walking through the crowd as fast as her heels could take her, Claire got read to move.

Face the music…face the music…face the music…

--

Cam shoved his hands into the pocket of his dark grey suit. He missed his leather jacket so much! But, that wasn't the reason he was out in the hallway, instead of with the crowd, who'd been gasping for some reason. After the first toast, he'd slipped out, sending Nikki a text message to come with him.

"Okay, I'm here," Nikki sat down on the tacky lobby couch, and Cam sat down next to her, heaving a sigh. He sounded like this was going to cause some kind of physical pain.

"Yeah…" he stalled, reaching in his pocket. It was now or never. He took the item out and handed it to her, taking a deep breath.

"A CD?" Nikki asked, taking it. There was no cover, just a silver disc paper CD envelope. What was that supposed to mean anyway? Wasn't that what he used to do for Claire? If she saw Potential Breakup Song on there, he was going to get slapped.

"Read the play list."

There was only one song on the whole CD. Nikki scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, and squinted to read Cam's handwriting. When she saw what it said, a huge smile spread across her face.

Please Don't Stop the Music – Rhianna

"Take the CD out." Cam instructed, feeling a little braver now.

Nikki took the CD out, and saw that behind it, (somehow), had been a small gold ring with C&N engraved on it. Small rubies gleamed on it. "Is this an engagement ring?" She asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"It wasn't right before. Now it is."

"I think you already know what I'm going to say," Nikki smiled. "I remember back when I was eleven, I used to dream of this moment."

"Oh really?" Cam sounded amused. Before she could even reply, he leaned forwards, and their lips met. And things felt kind of right, until the sound of stilettos echoed into the room. Nikki broke off and gasped at her. Claire gasped to, and ran off.

"Should I go after her?" Nikki asked, looking after her with concern. One of Claire's shoes had flown off of her feet and lay before them, like Cinderella's glass slipper. Just too bad her Prince Charming had been busy with another princess.

"No, I'll go," Cam sighed. He got up and walked over, a sinking feeling in his stomach.

--

Claire leaned against a stall, letting all of the tears she'd been holding back fall. How could she have been so stupid? Planning out her entire future with a boy who hadn't returned one of her calls from ten years ago. And then even worse, she'd gotten with Conner, planning out some stupid dream where she would break up with Conner and something about a villa in England. Only half of that had come true, and Conner had easily gone and decided to marry that Sandra.

Sandra. S. The ring.

It all clicked. Conner had known that she would do something stupid like that. Since the day they'd moved back into Westchester. He knew that she'd been preoccupied with Cam all the while, and had decided to go for that Sandra. By the look on her face, Sandra didn't seem to know about it, but Claire didn't care. She hated her all the same.

"Claire?" There was banging on the door.

"Go away!"

The door opened anyway. Cam walked in, looking slightly embarrassed. Probably because he'd been caught in a PDA. Claire scowled at him, wiping her eyes.

"This is the girls' bathroom!" She snapped. He ignored her.

"What happened in there?" He asked, looking at the fichus by the door. "I heard people gasping." Claire felt her knees turn to jelly when she saw his flushed face, but it felt like a stake had been stabbed through her heart.

"Too busy with someone else? Well if you must know, I said that I loved you. I don't know why, but for some stupid reason, I thought that we'd be able to just live happily ever after."

Claire looked away and walked over to the mirror, splashing herself with water. Mascara was running down her face, and her face looked pale, making her blush look like pink war paint. She looked a mess. Some way to spend her wedding day.

"Claire, it's been years. That was when we were twelve. You ran away and never came back – you can't have seriously thought that I'd wait for you all that time, right?"

Yes!

Claire didn't answer. She just looked at her feet and sniffled loudly. It sounded dumb. She was an idiot. And now she realized it. Fairy tale endings were for fairy tales. Because in real life, there was always a sequel with new problems. And not every problem had a good solution.

"I just feel so stupid!" Claire sighed, turning away from the mirror.

"Are you going to be okay?" Cam asked softly. He reached for the door handle. Claire nodded, and leaned back on the door. "Okay." It was all over.

The minute he left, she shed even more tears.

Wasn't that disappointing for those who wanted a happy Clam ending?