What A Beautiful Wedding: A Short Story

The Bride

    It's June 12th. My wedding day.
    It's finally happening and I can't feel anything but sad. I'm not sure about the man I'm about to marry anymore. If you had asked me who I wanted to promise forever to the day he proposed to me, I would have said, with absolute certainty, him.
    But as I stand here, in front of the mirror, in my wedding dress, I don't want to be here. I don't want to walk down that aisle. I don't even know this man. I don't know the name of his first pet, I don't know how many houses he's lived in, I don't even know how what his Junior prom date's name was.
    How could I have said "yes" to him?
    I could run. I could walk right out of here and never see him again. As I'm standing here, I feel completely comfortable with that.
    What's worse is that my best friend probably isn't here. If he were here I could...
    This is all his fault. If he had just kept his feelings to himself, I wouldn't be thinking like this. Or at least, I wouldn't be thinking like this right now. If I wasn't doubting my fiancé today, I would be long after I say "I do." Then it would be too late.
    Or maybe if no "undying love" had been confessed, I wouldn't be scared to marry a man I barely know. Maybe I would be happy to get to know him as his wife.
    Things were said, though, and no one can take them back.
    "I'm sorry," He had said.
    "How could you do this to me."
    I was so angry. He had his chance to be in love with me and ruined it because he was scared. We decided we could be friends, but then once I was with a man who wanted to be with me forever and wasn't afraid to say it, he had to ruin it.
    Coward.
    What's worse is that I think I'm in love with him too.
    I know him. I've known him practically all my life and to be with him would be so easy. If I just ran into his arms and never doubted anything ever again.
    How can I be thinking this way? It's my wedding day. There is a perfectly wonderful man waiting for me at the end of that aisle. I can't abandon him. I can't run away. I promised him this the minute I let him slip that engagement ring on my finger.
    So I have to pick up the front of my dress and walk out there with my head held high. My mother looks absolutely radiant, I am so happy she can give me away today. Everyone and everything looks beautiful and this will be a good wedding.
    My wedding will be good, no matter what happens.