After all this time.

"You don't have to do this."

"I know, But I want to."

"No you don't."

I turned, you look horrible. But you still had that glow about you.
We hadn't spoken in months, not since I made the announcement.
But here you are today. In sweats and those ugly nike shoes you're so fond of.
I always, secretly, loved that about you. The loyalty you had for those shoes, it use to make me smile. Truthfully, it still does, but if you knew that you'd know I was still in love with you.
I looked up at you, you where staring at me with a stubbornness. One that I knew wouldn't go away, not unless you where convinced that I loved him, and not you.

"You're wrong. I do love him."

"Do you? Because your not rushing to get me out of here. So you can get back to you wedding day."

Tears weld up in my eyes. I shut them right and turned away. I couldn't smear my makeup not right now.

"Just get out. I don't love you anymore."

"Really? If that's true then prove it. Let me watch the ceremony. And if you can still say 'I do' then I'll know you love him and I'll never bother you again."

I look at him, should I do this? I don't trust myself to say I do, if he's in the room. But if u don't he'll know I'm lying.

"Well? Are you going to invite me to your wedding? Or are you going to face the fact that after all these years apart we still love each other."

I shut my eye tight again. "Fine."

He smirked, and left the room. I looked in the mirror, what am I doing? Why do I have to be so stubborn? Can't I just accept that our love might still exist, even after high school. My maid of honor comes into the room.

"You ready sweetie?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I mumble to myself.

*************

As I walk down the aisle, I can't help but glance back at him. He's staring at me with a sad expression.

"You look beautiful." I turn my head back around at the sound of my future husband.
He smiles at me as the preacher talks. Though I can't hear anything over the pounding of my heart. My palms are even shaking a bit.

"And do you take this man to be your lawfully wedding husband?"

I freeze, say I do, say i do, say I do, I keep chanting in my head.

"Um.... I...." I stop again. I can't say it, I look out over the crowd. I see him, he looks so hopeful, like he knows I won't say it. But I have to, I've come this far I can't leave the alter.

"Is something wrong?" I hear my fiancé whisper
I look back at him.

"I... I... I can't." He looks shocked, everyone does.
I run out, I run into the first room I see.

A few minutes pass before I hear my family looking for me. Someone almost opens the door I'm behind. But the they stop, and suddenly turn around to look somewhere else.
I wait until I can't hear anything before opening the door.

"What was that? I thought you loved him." I almost screamed when I heard his voice behind me. "Everyone's looking for you. You should probably go tell someone you're okay."

I turned to look at him. " but I'm not okay, i don't love him-" he snorts
"Yeah you made that pretty clear when you bailed earlier."

"I know but, I can't be with him."

"Why?"

"Because I don't love him."

"Why?!" He yelled it this time. Making me jump, I had to tell him the truth.

"Because I love you!" I started to cry. But instead of dining off again, I ran to him.
He embraced me like he use to when I would cry.

"I love you too. And this time I won't leave." I smiled through my tears because I knew now that after all this time, we still loved each other. And that would never change.

Author's Note

Please excuse any poor grammar. I hope you enjoy.