Skylar looked at their mirror image in the big mirror. They were in a side room of the church, her and Baron, waiting for him to get married. She was his best man. They had been friends for years so it felt natural for him to pick her as his best man. They were both rocking royal blue suits with off white shirts and black bow ties. Her short, plum dyed hair had been slicked back to give her a more masculine look. Something the bride had demanded if Baron absolutely had to have a woman as his best man.
"You look good," he said. "The suit matches your eyes."
She moved her eyes from the mirror and up to him. He didn't look happy at all. She knew he wasn't. He didn't want this marriage at all. His girlfriend Mandy was pregnant and he had been pressured from both his and her family to go through with this wedding before she started showing. Skylar was probably the only person in the world who knew the truth. That Baron had been planning to leave Mandy before this pregnancy happened.
"You don't have to do this," she said.
"I do," he sighed. "It's the right thing to do."
"But you won't be happy," she said.
"Who's ever truly happy with their life?" He asked.
Suddenly she couldn't go on any longer without letting him know how she truly felt. She had kept it within because he was dating Mandy. She knew she shouldn't do this on his wedding day but it was now or never. She couldn't deal with never. She grabbed his suit jacket and pulled him down for a kiss. To her surprise he actually kissed her back. They were lost for almost an entire minute before they broke the kiss. There was a geniune smile on his face. Something she hadn't seen for a while.
"I'm in love with you," she said.
"I'm in love with you too," he said. "I have been for so long. I was gonna leave Mandy because of how I feel for you, but then she got pregnant."
"Don't go through with this. Don't do the so called right thing this time. You're gonna end up miserable and resentful," she said.
He grabbed her hands, lifted them to his lips and kissed both of them. The smile was no longer to be found on his face. She knew she had lost him for good in that moment.
"I have to," he said.
"Okay then," she nodded. "Let's get you married."
She was going to stand by his side today and pretend everything was fine. Tomorrow she would remove herself from his life entirely. She couldn't stay around the man she loved and longed to be with, watching him ruin his life more and more for everyday he stayed with Mandy.
A knock sounded on the door. They knew it was time. They left the room and headed out to the church. Baron went to stand ready in his spot while the guests started coming in.
"Crap," he whispered. "Can you go help my grandmother?"
Skylar looked down the aisle at the old lady struggling to walk. Everyone passed her without offering help. She hurried down the aisle and gently grabbed the old lady's arm. They had met several times before.
"Let me help you, mrs. Corbin," Skylar said.
"Skylar, dear," mrs. Corbin smiled. "How lovely to see you. Does that mean my grandson has changed his mind and will marry you instead?"
The old lady had a grin on her face. Skylar loved Baron's grandmother. She seemed to be the only one in his family on his side in all this mess.
"I'm his best man," Skylar said.
"What a shame," mrs. Corbin shook her head. "That tramp doesn't deserve him. She only wants his money. I don't even think she's actually pregnant."
"I don't know anything about that, and we probably shouldn't talk about that today. It's Baron's day. He needs our support. Let me help you to your seat," Skylar said.
"Here is just fine," mrs. Corbin pointed at a bench. "I don't wanna sit up front watching him throw his life away."
"As you wish," Skylar said.
Skylar helped Baron's grandmother down on the bench. Two women talking on a bench nearby caught her attention. She moved a bit closer to listen in on their conversation.
"I can't believe Mandy actually went through with this lie. What is she gonna do when Baron realizes she's not actually pregnant?" One of them asked.
"She's gonna tell him she miscarried. Don't worry. Mandy knows what she's doing. She's gonna be pregnant for real soon enough. He won't divorce her," the other said.
"All this for a man," the first one sighed. "I don't get it."
"She felt him pull away so she figured out how to make him stay," the other one said.
Skylar felt anger like never before. She spun around on her heel and marched out of the church while the final guests made their way inside. She crossed her arms and waited. The car finally arrived and Mandy stepped out with her maid of honor Sonya. Mandy's red painted lips curled up in a sinister smile when she saw Skylar.
"Shouldn't you be inside?" Mandy asked. "You know, behind Baron where you rightfully belong."
Sonya snickered at those words. Skylar saw red. She had never felt so angry before. This woman was about to ruin Baron's life, and Skylar wasn't going to stand for it. She balled up her fist and planted it straight into Mandy's face. Mandy went down and to no surprise started howling in pain.
"You're so fucking dead!" Skylar screamed.
Skylar jumped on Mandy but had no idea what to do since she had never been in a fight before. Her hand was throbbing from the punch so instead she grabbed Mandy's shoulders and just started shaking the blonde woman. Someone grabbed her around her waist and pulled her off the screaming bride.
"What the fuck is going on?" Baron asked in her ear.
He pulled her away and around the church while whoever else had come out of the church helped Mandy. Baron pushed Skylar up against the church wall and stared at her.
"What the fuck, Skylar? I know you don't like her and that you think I'm making a mistake, but it's my life to live and my mistake to make. You don't get to interfere like this," he said.
"She's not pregnant," she said.
"What?" He asked.
"I overheard a couple of her friends talking. She's not pregnant. She lied to you to get you to marry her. She's trying to trap you, Baron. Please, you gotta fucking believe me. I've never lied to you," she said.
Tears ran down her face. His face turned into one of stone. He clenched his fists and unclenched them again. Then he walked away without a word. She followed behind him, not knowing what was about to happen. He walked over to Mandy who was crying over her dirty dress and her hurting cheek. When Mandy saw them, she started crying even harder.
"I demand you get rid of that psycho bitch!" Mandy pointed at Skylar.
"Are you pregnant?" Baron asked.
"What? Of course I am. How can you even ask that?" Mandy asked.
"Prove it," Baron said.
Mandy wavered. She was clearly searching for the right words.
"You saw the test," Mandy said.
"Take another one in front of me," Baron said.
"I'm not gonna pee on a stick in front of you," Mandy sneered. "What did this bitch tell you?"
"It's not about her. It's about you and me. If you're pregnant, you'll have no trouble proving it to me," Baron said.
Mandy crossed her arms in defiance.
"And if I refuse?" Mandy asked.
"Then I'm not going back into that church," Baron answered.
Mandy's jaw dropped. She knew she was cornered.
"Fine, I'll prove it. Tomorrow," Mandy said.
"I'm not marrying you unless I know for sure you're pregnant," Baron said.
"Skylar, this is your fault! Fix it!" Mandy yelled.
"Fuck you," Skylar said. "I heard a couple of your friends talk in the church about how you set Baron up for this. You're not pregnant, bitch. Fucking admit to it."
The two women that had been talking inside the church had made their way outside. Skylar pointed at them. One of them hurried back inside. The one that seemed to have had a conscience bit her lip and nodded.
"She's not pregnant," she said quietly.
She turned around again and hurried back inside the church before anyone could ask her anything. It didn't matter. Everyone was staring in disbelief at Mandy.
"Fine! I'm not pregnant!" Mandy yelled. "But I love you, Baron. We belong together. Skylar is turning your head. You don't need her in your life."
"I love her!" Baron screamed.
"Get over it!" Mandy screamed back. "It's just puppy love! She's fucking useless! I'm a real woman! She's a fucking man in disguise!"
It was true that Skylar wasn't particular feminine but Baron loved that about her. He loved her short, plum dyed hair. He loved that she never wore makeup or heels. He loved that she preferred shorts over skirts. He loved that she rested in herself and didn't give a fuck about what others thought about her.
"The wedding's off," Baron said.
"You're leaving me for that thing?" Mandy asked shocked.
Skylar walked towards Mandy again. She didn't have a plan. She just wanted to get up into Mandy's face and tell her a thing or two. Baron grabbed her around her waist before she got that far and started walking away with her like that.
"No!" He said firmly.
"I'm not gonna hurt her. I'm just gonna talk to her," she said.
"I said no," he said.
He carried her to her car that they had arrived in and finally put her back down. He had his back against the church and the guests. His broad frame was shielding her from everyone. He placed his hands on her cheeks and smiled at her.
"I love you," he said. "You fucking saved me. I love you even more for that."
"What are we gonna do?" She asked.
"I just walked out of my own wedding for you," he chuckled. "The least you can do is ask me out for a drink."
She let out a laugh and nodded.
"How about dinner at my place instead?" She asked.
"Deal," he grinned.
He leaned down and kissed her. They heard Mandy start wailing in the background again. He smiled against her lips and slowly pulled away.
"I think it's best if we get out of here," he said.
"Oh, you think?" She chuckled.
"Take me to your place. She'll probably burn half of my stuff tonight but I don't give a fuck. I just wanna be with you. Tomorrow we can go save whatever she didn't destroy," he said.
"You're in luck. I'm suddenly in need of a roommate. I don't have an extra bedroom so we have to be creative with sleeping arrangements," she said.
"Lucky me," he grinned. "I'll take it."