Traditions
Chapter 2: I Lay My Love On You
"Hitomi?! Earth to Hitomi! Hello? Is anyone in there?" asked the very nervous bride as she waved her hand in front of the spaced-out bride's maid.
"Huh, what? Oh, I'm so sorry Yukari. My mind just drifted off. What did you say?" replied Hitomi slowly. She was so caught up in her daydream about Van that she had completely tuned Yukari out while staring contently into her morning coffee, which was a chocolaty-brown just like Van's eyes.
"I was saying that I think I should've have gone with the zippered back because these buttons are taking forever to do up. Think about how long it'll take Amano to undo all of these. There must be at least a hundred of them and you're not doing much to help staring into that coffee of yours. If you're not going to drink it then give it to me," blurted Yukari so fast that it was almost impossible to understand.
"I don't think you need any more coffee, Yukari. You're already talking a mile a minute, if you drink anymore you're going to..." before Hitomi could finish her sentence Yukari had grabbed her coffee and gulped it down. "Hey, that was mine!! I don't think I've ever seen you this nervous before."
"Nervous, why would I be nervous? Except for the fact that my best friend and bride's maid isn't in her dress yet. Why would a bride be nervous on her wedding day?!" exclaimed Yukari as she waved her arms in a panic.
"Yukari, it's only 9AM. I have 2 hours to get dressed. First we have to get you ready," replied Hitomi as she picked up the veil.
"Oh, Hitomi! I'm so sorry. It's just that everything seems to be going so fast. One minute we're out shopping and now here I am getting married. What am I going to do once I'm married? You can't always be there for me. I'm OK. I'll be all right, right? I've made it this far. Calm down, Yukari. Amano will be there to help you through things when Hitomi isn't around."
"That's right, Yukari," sniffled Hitomi as she placed the veil on top of Yukari's red hair. "You'll always have Amano there for you."
"Oh, don't cry Hitomi. I'm the bride. I'm the one that should be crying. Please. If you start then I'll start," said Yukari as she held back the tears in her eyes.
Hitomi nodded and then hugged her friend. She smiled and then left to go get ready herself. As Hitomi walked down the hall she started to think. What was she going to do once Yukari moved out with Amano? She would be left alone. It wouldn't be right to tag along with Yukari and Amano all the time. They would be newlyweds and she would be like a third wheel. It was already embarrassing enough when she went along with them on dates but now they would be married. She needed someone to be with but the only person she wanted hasn't spoken to her in over six years. 'Oh Van!'
When Hitomi entered her room, she walked over to the window and opened the blinds to take a good look. The sun was high in the cerulean sky shining brightly and there wasn't a cloud in sight. It was such a beautiful day. Absolutely perfect for a wedding. Hitomi hoped that her wedding day would be just as nice. But who was she kidding? She wasn't getting married anytime soon. First she would have to find the one she loves. 'Oh Van where are you? Why haven't you come to see me or contacted me?' Just then Hitomi saw something out of the corner of her eye. Sticking her head out of her window she saw a white feather floating in the wind. At first she thought is was Van's but then she realized that it wasn't. It wasn't as large as one of Van's feathers but it was just as white. The small feather drifted peacefully through the air and Hitomi watched it until it was out of sight. Hitomi sighed as she sat down on the chair in front of her dresser. She was thinking about Van too much. It wasn't healthy and she knew it but she just couldn't help thinking about him. What if he's already married to someone else? He is a king after all. But it seemed like he wanted to tell her that he loved her when she left. She couldn't hear his last words even when she relived the moment in her dreams. Did he want to say, "I love you."? Just then she noticed the time on her alarm clock. It was already ten o'clock! She only had an hour left to get ready for the wedding and she still needed to take a shower.
"Oh no!! Yukari's going to kill me if I'm not ready on time!!!!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"We are gathered here today to join these two people in holy matrimony…" started the minister. Yukari and Amano's wedding ceremony had just begun and everything was going well. Hitomi had got ready in record time with ten minutes to spare. Now she stood next to her best friends as they were taking their vows. It was so beautiful. Yukari was wearing a strapless white wedding dress that wrapped around her body nicely to show all of her curves and Amano wore a white suit. Hitomi herself was wearing a sleek dusty blue gown that had one-inch wide shoulder straps and a lace drawn back. As Hitomi watched Yukari and Amano exchange wedding rings, she found herself suddenly surrounded by darkness. When she looked around, she was no longer in the park where Yukari and Amano were holding their wedding ceremony, but instead she found herself on the roof of a palace. Studying the environment more carefully, Hitomi recognized it as being the Royal Palace of Asturia. 'Am I back on Gaea?! No, I can't be. There wasn't a pillar of light. Is this a vision?'
All of a sudden, Hitomi heard a familiar voice. When she turned around to the direction of the voice she was started to see Van sitting there. He was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt with a red vest that had the crest of Fanelia embroidered to it. Van looked so different now. He was much taller, broader, and older looking. Hitomi was speechless. The young teen-aged boy that she had left six years ago was now an attractive, more mature man. All she wanted to do was run up to him to hold him and to have him hold her back, but she couldn't move. 'Stupid vision. Why can't I move?' Then she saw him take out the pendant that she gave him and closed his eyes. He was making a wish and she could hear his thoughts.
'Hitomi, if you get this message, please come back to Gaea. Please come back to me.'
'Oh my God!!!!! He wants me to come back!!!' Just as abruptly as before, Hitomi once again found herself watching Yukari and Amano's ceremony. Hitomi could feel that her cheeks were warm and must have been a deep pink. She couldn't help from smiling. The man that she loved with her entire body and soul wanted her to go back to him.
"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride." Amano had barely lifted the veil when Yukari jumped up and kissed her husband. She was really excited. After a very passionate kiss, Yukari gave Hitomi a great big hug.
"I'm a married woman now, Hitomi!!!!" squealed Yukari jumping up and down like little schoolgirl.
"I know!!! I'm so happy for you!!!" Hitomi squealed back.
"Are you OK Hitomi? Your cheeks are all pink!!"
Blushing some more, Hitomi replied, "I've never been any happier!! Come on, we've got party to go to!!"
At the reception, Hitomi had a wonderful time. She was laughing and joking with all of her friends. It had been a long time since Hitomi had felt so good. Yukari and Amano were happy and now she and Van would be happy. Everything was finally working out the way that she wanted them to.
"OK!! OK!! Before we get to the first dance, there is the ever-important bouquet toss. All right single gals, get your behinds out here. Are you girls ready? May the best girl win!!!" shouted Yukari as she tossed her bouquet into the air. The mass of flowers were sent up like a projectile and arched along the path of an upside-down parabola moving in slow motion. Screams were heard as the crowd of girls lunged for the bunch of red roses. Gradually, the bundle of flowers fell on to the sea of hands grabbing at it, bouncing a few times as it surfed the pokes and punches made at it until it landed gently into Hitomi's waiting hands.
"I caught the bouquet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed Hitomi as all of her friends surrounded her to give her congratulatory hugs. This has got to be the happiest day of her entire life so far. And there were plenty more waiting for her as soon as she went back to Gaea. She couldn't wait till tonight when she got home so that she could use the feather that Van had given her to return to the one she loved. Hitomi felt as if nothing bad could ever happen to her again.
Just then, the music began and Yukari and Amano were having their first dance together as husband and wife. Little by little, the rest of the guests also began to dance on the dance floor to the songs that Yukari and Hitomi spent weeks choosing for this special occasion. There was one particular song that Hitomi felt a deep connection with and it had just begun playing. She closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift off about going back to Gaea and Van as she listened to I Lay My Love On You.
*music…*
Just a smile
And there's no way back
Can hardly believe it
But there's an angel calling me
Reaching for my heart
I know that I'll be okay now
This time it's real
I lay my love on you
It's all I want to do
Every time I breathe I feel brand new
You opened up my heart
Showed me all your love
And walked right through
As I lay my love on you
I was lost in a lonely place
Could hardly believe it
Holding on to yesterday
Far, far too long
Now I believe it's okay
Cause this time it's real
Hitomi opened her eyes and looked up at the velvet sky. 'I wonder where Gaea is? It would look so beautiful on a night like this. It doesn't matter. The next time I look up into the night sky I'll be looking up at the Mystic Moon. I can't wait to see you Van!'
I never knew that love could
Feel so good
Like a once in a lifetime
You changed my world…