The Wedding

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Being with Charlie St. George was like magic. The butterflies took permanent residence in Alex's stomach, his cheeks tired too often from smiling so much. His life felt as if it suddenly had meaning again, as if his path was no longer dark, but lit brightly with happy memories, his future like a beacon of hope, calling out to him as he continued to walk forward. Being with Charlie St. George was a real life fairytale, a soppy story Alex hated to admit he was a part of, but the pair really did have movie love. It was blinding, deafening and all consuming, the kind of love that Alex believed he once didn't deserve.

As he stood hunched over the mirror, his shaky hands looping his button perfectly into his suit jacket, he shook that feeling away. Today was a day where he'd let his happiness win, his heart flutter, and his mind relax. Today was his wedding day, and underneath his nervous demeanour and worrisome eyes, he planned to enjoy it.

This was just the beginning of the fairytale, not the end.

"Well don't you look handsome." He turned to face Jessica, her expression soft and emotional as she entered the hotel room. His groom party had spent the night in the venue, keeping up with tradition, as both Alex and Charlie vowed to stay apart until the wedding.

If he was being honest with himself, Alex had regretted that decision, his anxiety now at an all time high, exasperated by the fact that his calming crutch wasn't their to ground him. He let out a nervous chuckle, gulping back the lump in his throat as he saw his best friend approach him, arms flailing outwards for a hug.

"You look beautiful Jess." He whispered, falling into her embrace, as she brushed down his fluffy hair with her fingertips. "I'm shitting myself Jess, I don't know if I can do all of this." He pulled away, letting out a wobbly sigh. "I-In front of all those people."

"Hey, hey, Alex you've got this okay?" Jess placed her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them as she mimicked calming breath sounds. "When you're up there you'll forget about everyone else." She reassured. "Just focus on Charlie. Look into his eyes and think about the rest of your life." She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead, her hands cupping his dainty cheeks.

"I'm so proud of you Lex." She added, earning a grateful nod from someone she now thought of as a brother. "After everything you've been through, all the shit life has thrown at us, you deserve this day Alex, you deserve to be happy okay?" She felt herself well up, smiling sadly as she wiped a stray tear from Alex's face. "Let's go and get him Lex." She beamed, holding her arm out for him to loop.

This was it. He was about to get married. He felt as if he was going to laugh, cry and throw up all in one second. All he could picture were Charlie's eyes, those beautiful blues waiting for him at the alter. He could do this.

He barely registered his mum, dad and his best man, Zach, running up to meet him as the pair reached the lobby of the hotel. In fact he could see half of his family piled into the foye, all beginning to make their way outside to the gardens, a quaint little venue made up of white wood chairs, pastel coloured flowers and a sculptured alter, littered with tiny green leaves. It was understated, natural but beautiful. Perfect in Alex's opinion.

"Oh my baby boy, you look so beautiful." He was pulled from his thoughts as his mother embraced him, her tears desperately trying to not soak his suit jacket as Bill joined the pair of them, his hand comfortingly on his son's shoulder. "You ready for this son?" He smiled calmly, his voice soothing Alex as he relaxed into his father's embrace. "We'll be here all the way, there's no need to be nervous."

"That's easy for you to say Mr Standall." Zach chuckled, shooting a cheeky wink at his friend over his dad's shoulder. "You're not the one signing your life away to St. George." He teased, walking forward to loop his arms around Alex's shaky shoulders.

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