Teenage Love

Chapter 15: Marriage

I'm sitting in front of a mirror as my hair stylist braids my hair & puts it into a tight bun, leaving a few strands loose & then curling them. 

"All done," she says. I stand up, letting my white strapless dress skirt fall around me. It's poofy, but not too poofy. I look in the mirror. I look beautiful. I've never thought I was beautiful until now. Theo makes me feel beautiful, but I've never thought I was. I look like a princess. Shai squeals as I turn around to let everyone else see me. 

"You look gorgeous," she says giving me loose hug so she doesn't wrinkle or mess up anything. 

I'm crying a little bit as my mom daps the tears away. I can't believe this is happening. I'm marrying the man of my dreams today, & everything's so perfect. I hear a knock on the door as one of the dress designers opens the door.

"It's Ansel," she said. I told her to let him in. He just looks at me & his mouth drops open. Ansel is Theo's best man. 

"You look stunning," he says & gives me a loose hug like Shai did. "Are you ready? Theo's ready & everybody's outside waiting." 

"Yeah," I say trying not to cry. "I'm ready." 

"Okay," he says & heads out the door. He shouts down the hall, "Let's get this show on the road!" 

Everyone in the room laughs, & after Shai leaves, my grandpa comes into the room to walk me down the aisle. He's using a cane now, but there's no other man I'd rather have walk me down the aisle but him. I invited my dad, but he's probably not coming. 

I'm going barefoot down the aisle because it's mid-August & I don't want to wear shoes. My toes are painted white, & my tattoo is showing from under my dress. As I work my way down the aisle, I see Theo's crying a little as I stand in front of him. He takes my hands & the preacher begins to speak. 

It comes time where Theo has to say his vows & exchange the ring. 

"Katie, you are the love of my life. You are the sweetest, kindest person I know. You make me feel like I'm on top of the world. You're my lover, my soulmate, & my best friend. I'm so happy I'm yours, & I'm so happy your mine. I will love you with everything I have until the end of time regardless of what happens between us. I love you babe," he says with a shaky voice. He slides the ring on my finger, a white gold ring with a heart shaped diamond, "with this ring I thee wed." 

It comes time where I have to say my vows & exchange the ring. 

"Theo, you are my world. My everything. My lover, soulmate, & best friend. You make me so happy sometimes I've cried because of how happy you make me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you & the time beyond our lives together because heaven wouldn't be heaven without you. I love you my wonderful soon-to-be husband," I say through blurry eyes. I slide the ring onto his finger, a white gold band, "with this ring I thee wed." 

"I now pronounce you husband & wife," the preacher says. "You may now kiss the bride." 

Theo kisses me & I kiss back as applause fills the air around us. We turn & the photographer takes pictures of us & we walk onto the area where we have our first dance. We're dancing to Beating Heart by Ellie Goulding & Find You by Zedd because those are the two songs that mean the most to us. We dance slowly at first, but then moving faster. Our songs end & my grandpa takes Theo's place & we dance for a couple of songs, then Shai & Ansel join us for another dance & soon everybody's on the dance floor. 

We cut the cake, & we shove cake in each other's faces. I didn't even try to stop Theo from doing it because I was so happy I didn't care. We have dinner, & open our wedding gifts, mostly just gift cards, but my grandparents bought us a china set, & Shai bought us a box of condoms. I had to laugh but then she gave me a real gift, a snow globe with the ferris wheel Theo & I had our first picture in front of. 

"I just knew y'all's were gonna get married when I met you guys, so I bought this when we went to Chicago for this day," she says. I can see she's crying. I get up & give her a huge hug. 

"You're the greatest best friend in the world," I tell her. "I couldn't ask for anyone better." 

"I can say the same thing," she says. "But go you guys have to be getting to your honeymoon. You're hotel room & this box of condoms are waiting." She hands me the box of condoms & I just throw them to Theo. I ask her if she can take all my gifts & stuff back to our house we've recently bought that's kind of isolated. It's surronded by woods & we have a small fish pond in the back. I just knew it was the one when we went to see it. She says of course, & Theo & I run hand in hand to the limo that's taking us to the airport for our flight to London.