Beau Brooks and Me.

The Wedding

‘Am I too young?’ I question, still playing with the red and white bouquet in my hand. I look up in the over sized mirror to see my best friends staring back at me.

‘No,’ Carly says. Sophie and Jordan shake their heads, not quite believing what I’ve just said. Alannah is quiet – definitely unlike her.

‘Alannah?’ I ask.

‘Honestly?’ I nod, wanting to know her opinion. ‘Your 23, Sydney! You should be travelling, living your life, yet here you are!’ She exclaims, throwing her hands up, her curly newly dyed brown hair bouncing on her shoulders. She’s been like this for the past couple of months. You would have thought she would have gotten over the news by now; after all we are both 23 years in age for crying out loud. I take in the white of my dress, the burgundy bridesmaid dresses, on my four best friends, and my two sisters in the corner. Jessica and Katie have grown up too fast. Jessica being almost thirteen, Katie now 17. I remember when I was 17… When I met Beau, the man of my dreams.

‘But, I love him Alannah,’ I mutter. ‘You must know this as you've been with Luke now - for how long?’ She shakes her head.

‘That’s different because I'm not getting married!’ Carly starts on my hair again, twisting it into something as beautiful as yesterday when she practiced the intricate design on my hair. Looking into the mirror I notice how I’ve change, ever since me and my family moved to Australia just over 6 years ago, I can’t help but notice I'm completely opposite to the dull and pale British teenager I once was. Now I glow and I don’t even know why. I just look like I’m glowing, beaming. Beau picked up on it yesterday just before he left our apartment to go to his old family home to prepare. I’m not too young. I’m a woman, and I should have the right to marry who I want. I wonder what my life would be like if I was still living in England. 

‘Beautiful,’ Carly says, adding the hairspray to my hair. I look up in the mirror to see she’s completed the hair part of the bride to be. My long black hair has been pulled back into a pony tail, except on either side I have a french plait, in the middle of my hair a slight quiff. I still need a lot of work done, and yesterday at the spa… Well I had to spend a whole day there. My hair is absolutely perfect and I needn't to tell her this because already she's getting compliments from all the bridesmaids, even Alannah. 

‘Wow Carly,’ I muse. She beams at her work, standing aside to let Jordan and Sophie get to work on my face. They start with concealer and foundation – light make up is only to be worn today. I wanted to go a lot more natural, to match with the gardens I was getting married in.

‘Did you get any sleep last night?’ Jordan tsks.

‘Sorry,’ I mumble. I couldn’t sleep, I mean how could I? Last night it had finally sunk in that I was finally getting married to Beau. During the past few months of planning I hadn’t thought twice about it, until last night of course. I started panicking. What if he got cold feet and decided to not get married? What if something happened to the cake? One of the dresses? I keep my head straight letting the girls do their work. Sophie's a lot better now at makeup than when I first met her, as she and Jordan have a business as makeup artists, I thought why not let them do my own for the wedding. Carly's a model, seems as if mine and Alannahs constant remarks of how perfect she was paid off, as she finally tried out for an agency. Alannah helps out in various vets; she’s always been caring towards animals, so she decided to go for that. Whereas I on the other hand, well I’m a writer for a popular magazine in Australia. Apparently having a writer with a British nationality would add something to the magazine.

‘Finished,’ Sophie says, pulling away her cosmetic brush. Looking into the mirror I always wonder why he wanted me as I am pretty average looking, except now… My lips are rosy and full, my face glowing, radiating how happy I am, my eyes are bright, lashes long, my cheeks colored slightly pink, defining my cheekbone. I look so different. Gina walks in smiling, and nodding at the work, complimenting my friends for helping me. She checks everything’s going to plan and leaves again, giving me a thumbs up.