Something About You

Twenty Eight. January, 2018.

The second time Niall gets to stare at Isla from the altar at a wedding, it's because their best friends are getting married. This time, they're both up there—Niall's the best man and Isla's the maid of honor and this feels so right compared to last time, so much more complete. Just like last time, Niall knows he should be looking at the bride but it feels impossible to keep his eyes away from Isla for more than a few seconds at most, to do anything other than think about what it might feel like, one day, to watch her walk up the aisle toward him.

They get to walk down it together, at least, arm in arm behind Mully and Emilia once they say their vows. Niall's a little surprised to notice that he can hardly see through his tears, that every time he blinks the sight in front of him gets blurrier and blurrier, enough that he's actively thankful to have Isla guiding him along. Over the music and the roar of Mully and Emilia's guests in the pews, Niall can hear Isla sniffling too, and when he clears his vision enough to look at her she's watery-eyed and emotional, clutching her bouquet to her chest desperately.

Niall knows this moment isn't about them, but he can't help himself. They exit out onto the stone steps of the church, flower petals fluttering through the air, and this feels real, just for a second. Isla, her hair blown back with the Irish wind, tears in her eyes, a boundless smile on her face. If he squints just right, this moment could be theirs.

He wants it to be.

--

'Finally, if there's one thing Sean and Emilia taught me,' says Isla, holding her champagne glass in the air. Every eye in the room is on her, and Niall feels like he's bursting with it, a combination of pride and protectiveness. 'It's that love will always find you. I've had a complicated, twisted love story of my own, and all along the way I've looked up to Sean and Mia. There've been moments where I was jealous that things worked out so perfectly for them, and moments where I looked at them and felt an acute sadness, a longing, a twinge of third wheel.'

Laughter, from Isla, and the crowd. Emilia blushes scarlet, and Mully looks smug. 'But, above all,' Isla continues, 'watching Sean and Mia's love story has shown me over and over again that love has its own way. I'm a pretty logical person, most of the time. I'm a lawyer, I like facts, and I like reason—but I also like to believe that the Universe has a plan for us all. I think Sean and Mia are living proof of that. When two people are meant to love each other, to be together, the Universe will conspire to make it happen. Maybe the Universe will make one teenager move halfway across the world, to a whole new country, to meet the person they're meant to be with. Or, maybe, the Universe will bring two people back together after half a decade apart, because they're meant to be together. The Universe has a plan, Love has a plan, and I think Sean and Emilia are a perfect, beautiful, flawless result of that plan in action.'

'Mia, Sean, my two best friends in the entire world: I love you. Thank you for showing me what love is, what love can do, what kind of love everyone on Earth deserves. I think I speak for everyone here when I say I'm absolutely, unbelievably delighted for you. Congratulations, and I'm so, so excited for whatever comes next.'

Smiling, Isla wipes at her eyes with her palm, champagne glass still raised. 'To the Mulhollands,' she says, holding the glass higher, tipping it back for a drink as the rest of the wedding repeats after her. Around them, the hall bursts into cheers, and Niall wills himself to stop crying.

--

The night speeds by them, a blur of sweaty bodies on the dance floor, of roaring laughter and raised pints. Mostly, Niall remembers Isla: her cheeks flushed with alcohol, her hand brushing against his as she passed him her shoes to hold while Emilia pulled her away to dance, the wet brush of her lips against his cheek, the tendrils of brown hair curling around her ears. He remembers her delighted gasp when they cut the cake, her muffled sniffles during the first dance, her head resting on Niall's shoulder as Emilia's dad gave his speech.