Those Chances We Missed

XIII

TRICIA's POV

"Armstrong!" Someone yelled.

I turned to where the voice came from and I saw my friends standing across the street, waving at me. Earlier this morning, I got a text from Sky asking me to meet with our friends around 6:30pm for the fitting. I agreed and got out early from work. I smiled and waved at them as I crossed the street.

"Hi. What is up?" I asked curiously when Tee put her arms around my shoulder and Georgina tapped my back.

"Today, is your lucky day, sis. You're going to fit for your wedding." Tee said jokingly but with a dreamy voice. She even wiggled her eyebrows on me but there's a hint of bitterness in her face, which I'm sure she intended to do.

Cassey had a look of pity on her face and I groaned. I was supposed to say something when Lyssa and Georgina turned around and when I turned too, I saw Sky entering the shop, who, I noticed, is downhearted. But I didn't say anything because I didn't want to put something on spotlight.

"Hey you guys.., It's fascinating to see all of you are here just to fit for my wedding." -Sky

"Nope. I'm here to mock and tease you in case your life decisions failed." Georgina proudly said but of course, we know she's just playing around. She's playful like that.

"I'm here to, you know, just go with the flow, guys." Tee said in a joke too and we all laughed at our friend's quirkiness. But I appreciate that they're acting like this so it wont feel awkward for me.

"Well, I'm here but I'm dying to leave now so I could have spent time with my boyfriend today, you know." Lyssa pretended to complain and Sky rolled her eyes on her.

"We told you to bring him along so we could meet him too." Cassey answered.

"Alright kids... now let's all behave so you can all get this started." Sky said as called she the coutures in the shop to get our measurements for the dresses.

. . . .

It's already been about two hours and everyone is still flipping through the pages of the brochures and I still haven't found a style of that would fit my style. Cassey and Georgina have already gotten theirs and they decided to have the same cut of gowns, more like identical styles as a matching couple.

I looked behind me and I saw Sky looking at her wedding gown mindlessly which is displayed in one corner of the room where we are all sitting. She still seems down though and I wonder what's going on in her mind right now. Everyone is in chaos with choosing and fitting but she stayed silent and I get worried, so I got up from my seat and took the empty seat beside her. She didn't look at me.

"Hey." I started and only then she glanced at me.

"Hey."

I stayed silent for a few moment too because I don't know what to say. I'm trying to avoid awkward situations with her but this seems like it. Can you imagine being in a place, fitting a clothes for you to wear on the wedding day of someone you love but the plot twist is, she's marrying someone else.

"Are you okay?" I asked when I saw her head dropped down and she started fidgeting her knees.

"Yeah. I'm just... nervous. I can't believe I'm getting married in few months. I mean, of course I once thought of this day but I don't know, it's taking too much of my energy after all the things I have to arrange for this event. I'm just~"

"Tired?"

"Yeah. And it's funny." She said with a laugh that sounded more like annoyance than joy.

"Funny? How so?"

"You know those things you saw in movies? Like how the bride gets all excited about the wedding and all the preparations? It's fake. I'm not complaining but I feel like things have been weighing me down lately. It's a different kind of tired. Though Nico's so helpful and all but I don't know. I'm having this strange feeling."

"Well, real life is far from movies or any fairytale of some sort. I'm sure you're aware of that. But at the end of the day, no matter how we gets tired, the person whom we are gonna take this journey with is worth everything. Right?"

She never answered, instead she looked at me with her tired eyes and I felt like I wanted to wrap my arms around her and tell her that things will gonna be okay. I don't know if she's feeling overwhelmed or what but it seems like something is bothering her.

Suddenly, we heard a strumming guitar.

"Gwen, put that down, we have customers here. You can play your guitar later honey." Said the woman who's been assisting us. "I'm so sorry, my daughter thought no one's here. She likes to play guitar and sing her heart out when she gets bored." She added.

"It's alright Julie. You have no idea how much of a bunch of singers we have here in the room." Said Tee. "Lyssa, Georgina, Tricia and Sky are all blessed with golden voice while I just only have a voice. Nothing more." She joked.

"Really? Wow."

"Yeah. We used to jam in our campus group where there's tree shades and they would make it a mini concert." Tee reminisce and all of us ponder to that memories for a moment.

"You guys really are so close huh." The couturier smiled at us and looked at the young girl who's just outside the room where we are. "I used to play guitar too and jam with my daughter but I got busy with work and I barely have time to play with her so she just entertained us here whenever we're free."

"Hey Trish, why don't you play some songs for us since Tee reminded us of the old time? I kind of miss jamming with you." Said Cassey as she turned to me.

"But it's been a while since I hold a guitar. I'm too rusty I think." And it's true. God knows when was the last time I hold and play a guitar.

"It doesn't matter. Rusty or not, you owed us a lot so mind if you show Julie here what I'm talking about?" -Tee

I was about to protest and make an excuse when Julie called her daughter and told her to lend me her guitar. My friends cheered and I glance at Sky who has a small smile on her face. But for a split second, I frowned because normally, she would be cheering along with them. There's really something about her silence.

Julie's daughter came and handed me the guitar and everyone turned their attention on me. I'm a little hesitant about it because I don't know if I could still remember something to play. But suddenly, a specific song came in my mind. Realizing it's lyrics, it perfectly fits with everything between us right now.

So I composed myself as I started picking up the tune of the guitar.
Before I started playing the song, I took a deep breath and look at Sky who's already had her eyes on me but her expression is blank.

I started off, singing the part of the song that goes;

We never got it right
Playing and replaying old conversations
Overthinking every word and I hate it
'Cause it's not me
And what's the point in hiding
Everybody knows we got unfinished business
And I'll regret it if I didn't say this isn't what it could be...

It's Back to You by Selena Gomez. Because the more it sinks in to me the idea of Sky getting married, every decision I made becomes a regret and if I could really get a chance to take the risk before, I would take it no matter what the outcome would be.

Then I skipped the bridge of the song and went to the part where I found it as my personal message to her.

I wanna hold you when I'm not supposed to
When 'you're' lying close to someone else
You're stuck in my head and I can't get you out of it
If I could do it all again
I know I'd go back to you
I know I'd go back to you
I'd go back to you
I'd go back to you
What was there, wasn't sure
But I'd go back to you
I know I'd go back to you...