#calludia

The corners of her mouth upturned faking a smile. “Yeah, I’m perfect.” That’s what she wanted to be able to say with sincerity; this was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. She could tell Soren didn’t buy it. She dropped her facade. “Alright. I’m not fine.”

Soren frowned in confusion. “What’s wrong? I thought you loved him.”

He was right: she did love Callum. But marriage to him was another story. She sat down, momentarily not caring if she wrinkled her dress; she needed some way to calm down. This level of commitment was hard to come to terms with for her, even if she was sure it couldn’t go that badly. It was just… no relationship other than with Soren had gone right in her life, and she was afraid she would somehow mess up this one as well.

Soren sat down next to her, exuding his usual air of overconfidence, with a hint of empathy. “Claudia, I know you’re nervous, and I understand. But I know for a fact that you won’t mess this up; if anything Callum will do that for you.” He snickered, trying to cheer her up in the way he knew how.

Thankfully, he succeeded. Claudia smiled slightly, seemingly gaining back her confidence. She stood up, careful not to catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror, and stepped toward the door. “Okay. I’m ready.”

Callum was nervous as he waited outside for the wedding to start, hoping Claudia hadn’t bailed on him. He wrung his hands together anxiously, a habit that had never succeeded in calming him, but he did nonetheless. He could really use a helping hand.

“Callum? You alright?” He heard a bright, familiar voice from behind him belonging to his best friend.

He looked relieved as he replied. “I’m just a little nervous.”

She chuckled– she hadn’t expected anything less from him. “Don’t be,” she tried to console him, but she still wasn’t very well versed in human interaction like this. “I’m here.” Those few words spilled out of her mouth, and she shut herself up, hoping that they didn’t sound too familiar, that they didn’t give any harbored feeling away.

Luckily, Callum was just as clueless as always. “Thank, Rayla. I think I’m mostly just worried that she’s not alright. I’ll feel better when I see her.”

Rayla felt her heart break in two; out of jealousy or longing, she didn’t know which, but knew the pang in her chest had no platonic explanation. “I’m sure she’ll be beautiful.” As if she ever weren’t. She stopped herself from preemptively imagining Claudia in her dress and her heart sped up even faster than before. “Now, I hope you’re ready. It’s almost time.”

Callum nodded knowingly as Rayla walked away to take her place in the audience, which was even more crowded that he had anticipated. Fortunately, he wasn’t alone for long before he heard his bride from behind him, adorned in the whitest clothes that he agreed didn’t fit her. She was beautiful nonetheless, her beauty shining through the manufactured shell of the white dress, and he felt as though he would collapse. He was entirely smitten.

Soren stepped out from behind her and followed the same route as Rayla did to the crowd, leaving the two alone for a few seconds before they both had to walk down the aisle. They shared a quick kiss that made them both unimaginable euphoric. “Did you have peanut butter for lunch?” Callum asked. He could smell it on her breath. They laughed in unison, and the last of their anxiety faded away. This felt right.

They called Callum away, and Claudia watched from the back as he walked down the aisle, only tripping once. She giggled to herself at the scene until she finally heard the organ start to play; it was her turn now. She made sure not to trip like he had, and gracefully floated along the floor– like an angel, Callum thought, rather than her usual witch-like look– and even the large audience was completely speechless.

Even as the officiant read through his lines, the two of them were too mesmerized by each other to notice. Claudia made a note to look away from her father, pretending he wasn’t even there. Callum, on the other hand, looked at him briefly, catching a glimpse of pride on his face that made him sick. He reminded himself; they weren’t doing this for him, they were doing it for each other.

“Should anyone here present know of any reason that this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

The two were broken from their trance as they heard gasps from the crowd: Rayla had stood up, only to immediately sit back down.

‘I won’t do this to them’, she thought, knowing it was selfish to want to break this up. They were happy together, and wasn’t that what she wanted for them anyway? All eyes were still on her, anyway, though. She wished she could go back and never stand up. Head in her hands, she muttered to herself, angry at how irrational she had been.

Callum only blinked, speechless and staring in her direction. Why would she stand up at such a time? He hoped this marriage wasn’t hurting her in some way. Was she worried their marriage would overshadow the friendship she had with both of them? He wanted to talk to her, but the officiant continued his lines, and interrupted his thoughts.