Misguided

The One with the Runaway Bride

K a t i e

It was just another typical day in the coffee shop that me and my group of friends hang out on a daily basis. My old roommate, Jennifer, and I were listening Michael tell us about some ridiculous dream he had, while Luke, Michaels roommate, was up at the counter flirting with some girl. It was a Friday. Everyone had finished their work day and getting ready for the short weekend ahead.

The door opens, and in walks my brother, Harry. He was clearly upset about something, with his eyebrows furrowed and a scowl playing on his features. Michael stops talking about himself, and looks to his friend with concern.

"Haz, what's up?" I ask as he plops down in a lone chair.

"Delilah and I are arguing again." He informs us. "Hell, all we've done the past two years is argue. It's awful. And with Jameson around now, we don't yell at one another like we did before. It's just whisper yells and hate filled stares. I hate arguing with her, especially in front of our baby."

"Why're you two still together?" Mike asks him. "You don't talk things out when you argue, you haven't had sex since you found out she was pregnant, you've tried everything to make your marriage work out."

"I still love her." He lets out a frustrated sigh and runs a hand through his curls. I lean over to him and pat his knee, giving him a sympathetic grin.

"Don't worry too much about it, Harry." I say. "Do you wanna hear about Michael's dream where he was a girl genie?"

"Girl genie?" With that, the two boys start discussing how he felt when he was a girl in his dream. Luke joins us once more, and brags to Jen about not just one but three girls phone numbers that he got just now.

The place is filled with chatter, that is until a girl bursts through the doors wearing a purely white wedding dress. It makes everyone shut up, and takes me aback when I see who's wearing the dress.

I get up from my seat and walk over to her, where's she's now trying to get information from the workers.

"Nicole?" I call out. She's quick to spin around, and smiles once she sees me.

"Katie!" She cheers, giving me the quickest hug. "I went to your building to see if you were there, but there was this weird man who told me you might be here. And you are!"

"Yeah, I'm here." I give her my best smile then gesture for her to sit down. "That's some fancy clothes you've picked out to wear just so you could find me."

"Oh." She forces a laugh. "I, uh, was supposed to get married today. But I just had the sudden realization ten minutes before I was supposed to go out that I don't love Liam, the guy I was supposed to marry. And now my dad is going to cut me off, I'm not going to get married to Mr. Doctor so I don't have a place to live or any money, and I was just wondering if I could stay with you for a few days. You're the only person I knew who lived in this city, and-"

"The only person who wasn't invited to the wedding?" I inquire, interrupting her before she ran out of breath to speak.

"I was hoping that wouldn't be an issue." She blows out and pouts her lips, tucking some hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry that I haven't really kept in touch like I should've. I just didn't assume you'd want to come, because I remember how much you hate going to weddings and having to pick out a present for people."

"That's very true." I nod. "You can stay with me for a while until you get on your feet. C'mon, I'll take you up there now, and we can get you a change of clothes."

-

The majority of us are on the couch after Nic has changed her clothes. She's talking to her dad on her cell phone, explaining what's going on in her head, while everyone except for Harry is sitting around the TV watching whatever the hell Luke picked. I'm glancing between my brother, who's pacing between the kitchen and living room, and my old childhood friend who's distraught as she's close to tears with her father yelling in her ear. I can't help but to feel some sympathy for her, even if she's the one who ran out on that guy.

It's not long after when she hangs up the phone and sits in one of the chairs at the dining table, burying her face in her hands as whimpers come from her. I let out an inaudible sigh before getting up and taking a seat beside her, rubbing her arm sympathetically.

"What am I gonna do?" She whispers in-between sniffles.

"Well, you're going to stay here. Obviously." I can tell I'm being a smart aleck when it's not needed, but I can't control it sometimes. "You'll get a job and stay here until you get on your feet. We'll all help you out as much as we can." By now, everyone has gathered around us, and Michael has taken the seat beside me.

"I barely have any work experience, Katie." She informs us.

"That's why you start at the bottom." Jen states. "Like, at a fast food restaurant or something like that. Work your way up."

"We'll figure out tomorrow, okay?" I send her a hopeful smile. "You've had a rough day. You probably just want to rest and be alone."

"I'd actually enjoy the company." She says. I don't want to be alone right now."

"Then we'll sit around and talk with you." I glance to everyone, and they all pull up a chair. "Also a great time to learn some things about everyone."

"Okay." She smiles for the first time today. "That sounds great. Thank you all."

-

A couple hours pass, and it's just Nicole and I now. The last person to leave was Haz, since he was dreading going home. I knew how much he hated going home just to argue with his wife then go to sleep and wake back up to do it all over again. She was such an amazing girl when they first met, and now she's just the exact opposite.

"So," Nicole begins as we both sit down on the couch. "your brother still looks amazing."

"What?" I inquire, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. "He's always looked like that?"

"I know." She smiles slightly, staring down at her fingers as she messes with the ends of her hair. "He's always looked that good."

"Have you always thought my brother looked 'good'?" I ask.

"Well, yeah, for as long as I can remember." She nods, blushing from embarrassment. "I just didn't ever tell you because I thought it would be extremely weird if I told you while we were in high school."

"You should've told me anyway!" I playfully push her and she sends me a smile. "I could've set you up."

"Are you kidding me?" She gives me a look as if I'm crazy. "He's way out of my league, and I'm the biggest idiotic dork of all time."

"Shut up, Nicole." I shake my head, rolling my eyes. "If you knew him like I do, you'd realize how much you two could get along. He's a much bigger dork than you are, I guarantee it."

"You know," she begins, adjusting her position on the couch. "dork is slang for penis."

"Oh my god." I can't contain my laughter, as I throw my head back in amusement.

And I can't help but to think back to when we were in high school and Nicole would tell me these jokes with puns in them, and I'd laugh at them until we fell asleep at two in the morning. And I realize how much I've missed my best friend.