Don't Say Anything

55. The Wedding

Will's POV

There is a whole list of people from California that I never wanted to see again, and at least half of them are now in the same room as me. If it weren't for Jessi, I would be comfortably sitting in my bedroom right now, not worrying about a thing. Instead, I can't stop tapping my leg and running my hands through my hair.

"We're sitting in the back," I whisper as we enter the church. Jessi just nods as I walk to the last row of benches.

"At least sit on the end so we can see," she says stopping me from walking further down the row. That's the whole point of being in the back. I don't want to see this. There was a part of me that knew this would happen, but I desperately hoped Leah would come to her senses. I wonder if she ever will.

"Do you see anyone you know?" Jessi asks sweetly.

"Yeah, too many people."

"Do you want to talk to them?"

"I'd rather not." 

She's testing my mood. I know I probably look like a stressed out mess. I'm just trying to avoid any situation that would cause me to send someone to the hospital.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I reply slowly relaxing. "When is it starting?"

The sooner it starts, the sooner it ends.

"Any minute now."

She scans the room, and I do the same. I see annoying family members, friends of Leah's that are just using her for her money, friends of Leah's who just feel sorry for her, and a bunch of strangers who must be related to Ethan. The only person I care about is my uncle, and I don't see him anywhere. He must not have an extremely persistent girlfriend to drag him here. Lucky bastard.

"It's absolutely gorgeous, isn't it?" Does she really expect me to answer that? "I love all the flowers they have around the benches and alter. I think I might end up stealing one."

She seems so happy. I can't help staring at her as her wide eyes take in the venue. I don't give a shit what the place looks like, but Jessi seems completely intrigued. This is what helps me remember why I'm here. I'm here for Jessi and for Leah. The rest is all excess bullshit. In the end, for some reason, my presence here will make both Jessi and Leah happy. I might as well suck it up and try not to look miserable.

"Would you really steal a flower?" I ask her.

"No," she says with a shy smile. "But they are gorgeous."

I reach across her legs and pluck a flower off the side of the overly decorated bench.

"Will!" I laugh at her reaction. They're not going to notice one flower missing, and I don't care if they do.

I break off most of the steam and then slide the flower into her hair.

"It looks even more gorgeous on you." She's turning me into a cheesy romantic guy from a damn chick flick. At the beginning of this school year, I never pictured myself in the position I'm in now. I never once thought that I would have a girlfriend and I'd be doing anything to see her smile. It's strange to think about how much I've changed. I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but I'm just going to say that it is.

The next thing I know, Leah is walking down the aisle. I pretty much tune out the whole ceremony. It's just a bunch of rehearsed words said again in front of a bunch of people. Weddings are pretty selfish when you think about it. The couple calls everyone they know to come down and celebrate a repeated promise that is almost always broken. It's just a bunch of commercialized crap.