Maid of Honor

Prologue - The Night of September 5th

 Every night of the past six years Adrian Sullivan went back to the same dream. The memory of that September night. The air had just started to cool from the summer, and the sun would set earlier. Adrian often found himself on the roof of his home, looking towards the city lights of Manhattan. He lived just outside the city but could see the luminous glow at night. He spent many evenings on the roof, and ever since he could remember it was because he wanted to be alone. However, recently he hasn't minded her company.

"Figured I'd find you up here." Vinny said as she sat down next to Adrian and rested her head on his shoulder.

Adrian wrapped his arm around her. "Figured you'd come find me."

"I always do."

The pair just sat there in silence until the sun completely disappeared and the breeze turned cold. Adrian knew that Vinny hated the cold, but for some reason she didn't want to leave. That's when he should've known, but he didn't even consider that it wasn't the cold that was bothering her. The longer they sat there, the more Vanessa's demeanor changed. By the time they went inside, her hands were shaking, and it wasn't because of the cold.

Back in Adrian's room, Vinny leaned in and kissed him. The kiss was longer than usual, and Adrian could tell Vanessa didn't want to pull away, but he didn't know why. He knew he should've said something, should've asked her what was wrong, but he thought it was all in his head. There was only one thing he could think of to tell her.

"I love you," Adrian whispered as Vinny started to walk away.

Vinny turned back for a moment. She managed a small smile, but you couldn't miss her hands. "I love you too." The words are warm, but her voice was icy cold. With that she left his room, and his house. Adrian could swear that he heard her start crying as she left.

That was the first, and last, time those words were exchanged between the two. That was the last time Adrian saw her deep green eyes, her soft lips or her sharp features. Ever since that September night, he still hasn't looked at a picture of her. That was the last time he was truly happy or at peace. Vinny was truly beautiful in every conceivable way. She was that person that you know you wouldn't be the same without them.

For the past six years, Adrian has woken up from that dream nearly every night, but he didn't have a roof to go up to anymore. New York only reminded him of his Lost Love, so now he lives in Boston, trying to restart, but there's only two things that he's ever known for certain: that he was in love with Vinny Veronese, and no one knows what happened to her on the night of September 5th.