If I Really Knew You || Calum Hood (completed)

the end

"I can't do this," I said as I looked at Luke from the mirror.

"You can perform onstage to thousands of strangers, but you're freaking out about this?" Luke walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Shut up," I scoffed, rolling my eyes, "this is different."

I looked back into the mirror; at my tie, making sure it was straight; at my tux, making sure there was no lint; my hair, making sure every piece was slicked back. I noticed my hands clenching and unclenching in my reflection and made an effort to stop it.

"Seriously Cal," Ashton spoke up, "You shouldn't be nervous at all. This is gonna be like, the best day and night of your life."

The boys collectively created a chorus of whoops and howls, but their excitement only made me want to kick them all out of the room more. But who was I kidding. I couldn't kick them out, I needed them more today than I ever had.

Suddenly a familiar, short, blonde woman barged through the double, white doors on the far end of the room. "Mr. Hood," she said expectantly, "Are you ready to take your place?"

I tried to speak, but no words came out.

"He is," said Michael, knowing my current anxiety.

"If you'll all follow me then, we can get this show on the road."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

I watched my friends walk through the doors in a single file line. One deep breath. In, out. Everything will be perfect. And with that, I started through the doors. The walk felt like a thousand miles, but seeing my friend's faces at the end made it easier. I found my place and waited.

Suddenly the organ started playing and the doors I had just walked out of opened. At first I couldn't see her. Young cousins walked down the isle leaving flower pedals in their wake and then her brother, Steven, followed, holding a pillow with two small pieces of jewelry upon it. Next, her friends came all dressed in light pink, like the sunsets. Aly, who had just returned from a service mission in China. Sarah, who had been dating Luke, officially, for the past six years. A few more friends, Cassidy, Becca and Melissa who she had met throughout our travels. The girls lined up across from my boys, Luke clearly blown away seeing Sarah all dolled up. I laughed to myself as the organ died down.

And then, I saw her.

Her hair was curled and almost sparkled in the lights of the church. As she walked, I noticed crystals embedded in her hair. A long veil trailed behind her, with a beautiful tiara that topped it. The dress fit her better than anything I had ever seen her in. Tight and slim to her body until her hips and then flowing onto the ground behind her. Her delicate hands were wrapped around the bouquet. I felt as though I was falling in love with her all over again. With every step she took, I remembered more of our life together. The first time we met in the airport, the ice skating date, watching the sunset with burgers and fries, blasting the radio while driving down the highway, spending days with her aunt and uncle, playing video games with her brother. Missing her, texting her from the bus, singing every song at every show with her in the back of my mind. Seeing her on the side stage, running into her arms, spending nights awake and talking instead of sleeping so we could see each other for the most amount of time we could get. I felt a something cold on my face and with bringing my hand up to wipe it away, I found that I was crying. And by the time my eyes finally made it to meet hers, I saw that she was crying too.

Her uncle took her hand and gave it to me. "You've already shown me that you'll protect my little girl no matter what," he said, his voice cracking in the slightest, before taking his seat next to her real parents who had taken time off from saving the world to be here for the day.