The Wedding Project 💍

'Perfect' - The Bride (@EverythingIsNothing)

Anna squinted her eyes, trying to discern who sat there. Has to be Sera. I wouldn't mistake her hair anywhere. Smiling a bit more, Anna couldn't help but remember the way her friends used to tease Sera about her wildly curly red hair, play with makeup, and joke around with hair products that nearly took their sight out with one flip of a wrist. What wonderful times high school held.

Ellie came into view, hands behind her head, fashioning her brunette strands into a classic updo. "Everyone but Susan. I haven't seen her, actually."

"She's got her dress, though," Bridget stated from somewhere Anna couldn't see. A few confused hums agreed. "Her dress is missing from the rack in the ensuite."

"How do you know she has it?" Sera asked, stepping behind Beatrice to admire her work.

Bridget explained, "She probably wanted to do a quick change—"

"Sorry I'm late! I...I slept in." The familiar voice sent prickles down Anna's spine. Susan hadn't fled the island. So, I haven't lost two friends. Everything is fine. Still, Anna's heart sank with the thought of her sun hat loving long gone friend in mind.

"More like slept with..." Izzy murmured under her breath. Her words drifted through the air but never touched the other girls' ears.

Footsteps thundered behind Anna. Once again, she resisted standing from her position. Instead, she peered into the mirror ahead, watching a blur of pink and brown dart into her view and to the window.

Izzy stood almost childlike before the hotel window. From what Anna could see, her face was nearly pressed flat against the glass with her palms in an equally disgraceful position. At least no one can see in. Anna knew her father ensured there was a one way mirror film. He had clicked all the details into place, including the adjustments to her room and the special breakfast of (insert food) the chef served only for her.

"And the peeps have arrived!" Izzy called. Her voice trilled like a songbird, harmonic yet loud enough for all in earshot to clearly decipher.

Her five friends gathered at the window. Bridget stood furthest away from the spectacle, Ellie close beside her, while Izzy and Sera took a front row seat. Susan opted for a spot at the center of their small peeping circle, simultaneously allowing her a good view and enough room to multitask. She edged onto her tiptoes, detangling her shoulder-length black hair and clearing her taupe skin of any blemishes without removing her gaze from the window.

"Holy moly frijoles." Izzy's mouth went agape. "Look!"

"What? What are you all looking at?" Anna asked. She squirmed in her seat, patience wearing thin. As if on cue, Beatrice spritzed Anna's hair in hairspray, letting her free. For a moment, Anna wondered if her mother was completely oblivious to the commotion.

Susan leaned forward, forgetting her half done hair and makeup job. "You've got to be kidding me."

By the time Anna's bridal party parted for her, the guests had disappeared, leaving only the boring landscaping Anna must have seen at least a dozen times at other hotels.

"Who did you see?" Anna queried the group.

"Brown hair, obnoxious sun hat, cocktail dress." Bridget eyed Anna. "I think you know who it is."

Anna paced back from the window. It couldn't be her, right? But it has to be. There's only one person Bridget would describe like that.

Turning on her friends, Anna could finally look at the group properly. All of them wore the flowing v-neck she had picked. The dress was one she had seen while scrolling on the internet and had insisted her father have a designer replicate the dress in the photo.