DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN WOWP OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS.
Chapter 5: Love Is A Fickle Friend
July, 2013:
"So this is pretty fucked up, huh?" She throws out cheerfully as she turns on her side to face him.
He makes a loud hissing noise in response and turns to her with a tortured look in his eyes. She shrugs and yawns, stretching out a long, bare arm from under the covers. In spite of himself, his eyes skim across the contours and curves of her body, now swathed in a thin white blanket that barely covers anything. He suppresses a groan and feels a burning sensation in his throat, like an insatiable thirst for-
She stretches out a long, pale finger and caresses the side of his face, an uncharacteristically soft expression on her face. He simply stares at her, caught off guard, unsure of how to respond to it-to any of it. Somehow, however, her stroking seems to calm and relax him; he finds himself no longer hyperventilating but just drinking in the moment. It feels like forever.
(A small part of him wishes that were true.)
He closes his eyes then, shutting off all his senses except the feel of her warm, gentle hand touching his face. Try as he might, he just can't bring himself to think about everything that's wrong with this. He just wants to be. It's an almost visceral feeling and he finds that he just can't get enough. A faint smile flits across his face and he stretches out his own hand toward her face, cupping her cheek and rubbing it with his thumb.
His eyes shoot open when he feels the wetness. He freezes as he takes in the sight of his little sister gazing up at him with wet eyes, tear tracks glistening down her face.
"…A-Alex?"
Her face crumbles at this and he feels a bolt of panic streaking across his chest as the realization of how much he's probably damaged her hits him (because Alex never, ever cries.) All he wants now, in this moment, is to take away her pain and make it his own. He hates himself for wanting (and craving) her so badly and yet, not being able to give her anything in return. And the irony of it is that, with Alex, it's always been take, take, take. For once, however, it seems like the tables have been turned and he's just not quite sure how-
"I love you."
It astounds him how utterly sure and certain she sounds, the words loud and clear, despite the tears clouding her vision and clogging her throat. His vision blurs a little as well and he fights back the choking feeling in the back of his throat. He closes his eyes and pulls her in, scooping her into his arms and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
"I'm so sorry, Alex. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
(He spends the night crying into her shoulder and apologizing into her hair.)
"I-I don't know what to say, Justin."
Her eyes are wide, with hidden ecstasy and open uncertainty.
"I love you, Cami."
He smiles at her encouragingly, looking straight into her eyes as he says this, to show her that his words are true.
(A tiny voice inside his head tells him that it's more for his sake than hers.)
Her gaze softens and she visibly relaxes. She squeezes one of his hands and leans in to kiss him. He smiles in relief as their lips come in contact. She leans back and stretches out her hand for the ring, giving him a shy grin;
"…Yes, I will marry you."
(And there's just a little less joy than he's actually supposed to feel.)
"If any person here can show cause why these two people should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace."
(It takes everything in him not to turn and look.)
"…in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer…"
(He feels like his lips have been stuck together with super glue.)
"…for better or for worse for as long as you both shall live?"
(It feels like he hasn't blinked even once since the start of the ceremony.)
"With this ring, I thee wed."
(He almost drops the ring because his hands are so sweaty.)
"With the power vested in me by God…"
(She looks stunning in white; like an angel sent from heaven.)
"…you may now kiss the bride."
(He finally breaks and turns to look at her.)
His mom is sobbing into a napkin and everybody is congratulating him and shaking his hand. He smiles back and gives all the right responses. Cami's small, warm hand is securely placed in his and her eyes are shining with happiness.
(Except…it's not her blue eyes emblazoned in the back of his eyelids right now.)
He catches a glimpse of a pale pink skirt and a sheet of dark hair disappearing around a corner. He nearly stumbles and falls but manages to catch himself just in time. He enters the limo with Cami by his side and sinks into the leather seat and closes his eyes. He feels tired, and something else, which he supposes is happiness, for they say your wedding day is a day you'll never forget.
(But he knows he'll never forget the look in her eyes.)
A/N: Oh. My. God.
I am sooooooo sorry for the super long delay in updating! I just started college a month ago and it's been kinda hectic. I would be lying if I said I didn't have any free time, because I did. But the problem was that I had neither the mood nor the inclination to write anything. :|
Anyway, please forgive me, everyone. I've been feeling so guilty about not updating so I finally pulled myself together to write this chapter. I will sincerely try to make the next update faster.
Also, this was written super speedily and hasn't been edited yet, so my apologies if it's kinda crappy. Hope it doesn't suck majorly.
See you all soon. Real soon, I promise! Bye! R&R please!