Love me, London

fourteen

"Do you trust me now when I said you look absolutely stunning today?" My mother whispered under her breath as she took my hand from my lap. I flashed her a weak smile.

It had been almost a month since the last time I met my parents and the first thing they had to say to me was how pretty and beautiful I looked in my wedding dress. There was no explanation, excuses— whatsoever. Everyone went on pretending that everything would be fine. Even my three brothers, who I was positive Papa had said something to. They remained strangely quiet around me.

When the limousine arrived in front of the church, my breath hitched. Blood began to drain from my face as I took Papa's hand and we got out of the vehicle.

"This is it." I heard Papa murmured under his breath and we began to walk inside, "I have never been more proud of you, London."

"Papa, please." I bit back my tears as we took our first steps inside the church. The big crowd rose at our presence, and loud gasps filled my ears. I fixed my eyes on the peony-centric bouquet in my hand as we slowly walked down the aisle.

An orchestra playing softly in the background, I closed my eyes and imagined this to be my dream wedding with the man I chose. That we loved each other deeply and that I could not wait to spend the rest of my life with him.

"Good luck, sweetheart."

At Papa's whisper, I looked up to see we were already at the alter. Papa gave my hand to Liam where he gladly took it and Papa lightly smiled. My heart raced as I took a step up to the alter and joined Liam. I could feel his glance burning a hole in the top of my head but I continued to keep my glance down.

The officiant then began his speech through the mic. It took him about two minutes to get through the introduction and thanked everyone for coming.

The wedding didn't feel real just yet but when the officiant turned to both of us and that was our cue to begin, it finally hit me.

"...I now ask you to declare your marriage vows." The officiant spoke to us, "Please face each other and hold hands."

Liam's hand found my wrist and he gave it a small tug, forcing me to look up at him.

"Groom, please repeat after me." The officiant said to Liam, "I, Liam, take thee, London, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward...."

As Liam continued on with his vow, my eyes darted quickly across the large hall. Every square inches of the place filled with people. The guests were looking right at us with proud smiles on their faces. My parents— well, they were holding hands. Mama even got teary eyes half-way through Liam's speech and Aden had to step up to comfort her.

My heart ached at the scene.

It was a fake marriage where everybody treated it as if it was real. Nobody had a single idea just how hard it was to be me. To stand there, faking happiness and faking my love for this man who was promising his life to me.

We didn't even know each other. At least not well enough to be stand there at the alter— holding hands.

"Bride, please repeat after me." I turned to the officiant and gave him a light nod in acknowledgment, "I, London Naomi Saint, take thee, Liam Alvaro Luciano, to be my wedded Husband"

"I, London Naomi Saint, take thee, Liam Alvaro Luciano, to be my wedded Husband"

I repeated after him. One words after another.

"To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer."

"To have an to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer."