I Do / S.M/ ( sequel to Strings) *On Hold*

Chapter 18 Finding The Dress

Zoë POV

Today I'm wedding dress shopping, and I' m freaking out. I scroll through dressing on my computer trying to narrow down what style I want. "Someone's up early." I turn to see my fiance coming downstairs and for someone who just woke up, he looks really hot. 

"What?" He asks before yawning loudly."You look good," I say and blush instantly. He rolls his eyes and sits next to me kissing my cheek quickly.  "I'm looking for my wedding dress today and I'm freaking out." 

"You're going to look good in whatever you put on." He replies resting his hand on my thigh."Ball gowns are a no because I'd trip over them," I  mumble as i scroll through the endless photos. He rests his head on my shoulder and looks at the dresses. "Can I go?"

"No," I reply.

"Why not?"  He pouts. "The groom isn't supposed to see the brides dress until their wedding day," I say closing my laptop. "Fine, who are you taking to look at dresses with?"

"Sophia  and my mom..." I list off. He nods lifting his head up and turning on the TV and smiling to see that hockey is on. "When are you getting your tux?" I ask. "Um, Thursday."

"Your taking Niall aren't you?" I ask he nods smiling. "Skye will probably want to go, she doesn't care about dresses anyway."  I get up to make some coffee and try to plan out my day in my head. " I've said this a million times but, this is really happening, I'm marrying my best friend." He says. "You are, and my vows to you will be so sappy,"  I set a mug under the coffee maker and wait, my eyes on Shawn watching TV. "Mine will be worse, can we do a competition of who's vows will make the other cry?" He asks. "No cause you would win." I get my mug and take a long sip before putting it back down and scream a little. 

"What?" He asks turning his head to look over at me fanning my tongue. 

"Too hot!"

"Well, it's coffee Zoë." Shawn chuckles turning back to the tv.  "Well, I'm going to get ready," I say and go up to our room to get dressed.  I throw on some clothes and wash my face and hear my phone chime and see a text from my mom. I text her back quickly before getting my purse. 

"Hey, Skye is home."

"Okay." He replies eyes still on the game. "In case you forgot and went somewhere."  He turns to look at me and half-smiles. "You look good."

"Thanks, I'm off to find a wedding dress," I say giving him a quick kiss before I'm out the door. 

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I walk into the shop and feel my heart begin to race as the reality of me getting married sets in. "Do you have an appointment?" The woman behind the desk asks as I wander over to a ballroom dress. "Oh yeah sorry, I was just admiring that dress over there." The woman raises an eyebrow. "It's twelve, thousand dollars." She says coldly and I feel my heart skip a beat.  

"O-oh w-wow." I stutter.

"You seem awfully young to get married she says eyeing me over and I feel myself shrinking a little. She types my name in the computer as I glance around and now regret coming to such a high-end dress shop but Shawn insisted. "Zoë!" I turn to see Sophia and relax a little. The two of us look around the shop. The dresses are gorgeous but the price tag is way more than I want to spend, but I should splurge on what I want sometimes... right? My mom arrives a few minutes later and I begin trying on dresses.  I try on my first dress and look more like a flower girl than a bride.   

"Do you have any dresses for shorter brides?" Sophia suggests. The woman shakes her head.  I go back into the dressing room feeling defeated as I put my clothes back on. "Hey, we can look somewhere else okay?" Sophia says once we walk out of the shop. "Y-yeah," I mumble and feel the urge to cry.   "If it's okay with you I think I'm going to head home," I tell Sophia once I reach my car. She nods and gives me a hug. "I'll call you tonight okay hun."  My mom says "Okay." I watch her get in her car and drive away as I try to shake away how discouraged I feel by not finding a dress. 

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I shut the door behind me and drag myself into the living room where Shawn is on the couch on his laptop. "Did you find a dress?" He asks. I sit next to him and shake my head. 

"Why the long face Zo?"

"The woman were extremely rude and made me feel like I was too broke to even walk in the store. None of the dresses fit cause of my height and..."

"You're not even that short," Shawn says.

"It's okay I know you wanted me to go somewhere special and get something extravagant and fancy but... I'll just get something from a bridal shop near town." I sigh deeply and feel him resting his head on my shoulder which eases my stress a little. "I can't wait to marry you." He murmurs his a blissful smile on his lips. "Me either," I whisper.

+A week Later+

I nervously walk into another bridal shop on a snowy Monday morning.  I look around the shop and relax a little as a woman walks over to me. "Hello, is there anything I can help you with?" She asks cheerfully. "I'm looking for a wedding dress, and preferably something that isn't too long."  She nods smiling. "We have a lot of petite dresses right this way." I follow her to the other end of the shop to a whole section of dresses for shorter brides (so there is hope after all)

Once my mom and Sophia arrive I begin trying on dresses, as  I begin trying them on and feel much better about the whole thing than I did last week.  "Zoë you ready?" Sophia asks as I zip up the dress. "Yeah." I open the door and walk out of the dressing room nervously. "What about this one?" "You look like an actual princess,"  My mom says beaming. "Really?" I raise an eyebrow and look down at the princess dress I'm wearing. "I'd also say a mermaid cut would look good on you too." Sophia suggests."

"My next dress is a mermaid cut and then the one after that is a shorter dress," I reply inching my way into the dressing room.  I struggle to get out of the dress I'm in for a good fifteen minutes before trying on my next dress. I slide it on and stare at my reflection for a minute and tear up. I really can picture me marrying Shawn in this dress and the idea brings a smile to my face.  I make sure it's zipped up before opening the door. Sophia looks up from her phone and her jaw drops her phone sliding out her hands. "This One!" She squeals. "You like it?" I laugh she nods. "It fits you beautifully, oh my god Shawn would love this." She says. "Mom?" 

"It's beautiful Zoë."  She says. "So this is the dress?"

"I would say yes, but the train is it too long? Remember your getting married outside at a summer camp." My mom points out. "Right... hmm, I mean the other dress is short like my prom dress and has lace, it's cute but doesn't scream wedding dress," I reply and look at myself in the 360-degree mirror.  "Stick with this one," Sophia says. "Okay." I run my hands down the front of the dress and am in awe. "You have to take it off Zo." Sophia jokes. "I know." I murmur.  I go back into the dressing room and change and go check out. After I get my dress the three of us go get lunch."So do you have the wedding party planned out?" Sophia asks over lunch. "Yeah, I was thinking you and Shawn's sister would be bridesmaids."  "And the location?" My mom asks. 

"Already booked it's in the mountains in Colorado, it's really pretty," I say showing my mom a picture. "Sounds good, the big day will be here before you know it, my babies getting married."I roll my eyes. "Mom stop," I whine. Sophia laughs.

Three hours later I get home to find Shawn on the couch on his laptop. "What are you up to?"

"Looking at tuxes."

"You could get one made Mr. rockstar." I  sit down next to him and look at the page. "That's a good point." He mumbles to himself. "Pick a cool pattern," I suggest and look over his shoulder at the page. "I'm just seeing what they have before I go try on tuxes Thursday." He rests his head on my shoulder and smiles. "You sure you want to be stuck with me for the rest of your life?" He asks. "I do." I press my lips against his, my  eyes fluttering closed "Do we know all who's coming yet?" He asks pulling away. 

"I sent out the invites to our maybe list yesterday so I should hear back soon, in fact..." I check the mail to see if any of my invitations have been returned and see three. "We have a reply from Sophia and Beck, although she told me they would be there when I saw her today, and one from Niall, and Cameron, okay progress!"  Shawn gives me a thumbs up. "Did you find a dress?" He asks. "Yes, and no you can't see it but it's beautiful." He smiles. "I wasn't worried that it wouldn't be." He says.