Love, Winter (an AJR Fanfiction story)

37. Ryan

"They'll probably stop fighting soon." I say, but Winter shakes his head.

"I seen small disagreements between those two. This looks seirious."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." I say, but now I'm starting to doubt myself.

"What are we gonna do?" Winter asks.

"Just... think if something happy, okay?"

   Winter nods and closes his eyes.

   I do too.

"It's actually happening!" Jack beams, "My brother is gettin' married today!"

   It's been two months since the proposal. Me, Jack, and Adam wanted to spend some quality time with each other, but it spend it somewhere near 6BC Botanical Garden, the place where me and Ally are getting married.

   We decided to walk around the city, but spend the night at The Gatsby Hotel. Not good rating, but like I said, we were spending more time in the city than the hotel.

   All of us are wearing our suits, standing in front of a mirror. Adam to my left, and Jack to my right.

"You ready?" Adam asks.

   I look over to him. I think about everything that led up to this point. To here.

   I smile and reply, "Of course I'm ready."

   Jack checks his phone, "Good, 'cause everyone's ready."

"Everyone?" I ask.

"Yeah. Everyone. Mom, Dad, Emma, Mac, Austin, JJ, Chris, and a few of Ally's friends."

   Oh yeah. The invitations and RSVP-ing. I can't think straight.

"I heard that Ally's parents would be there too." Adam says, "Are they not invited?"

   Jack checks his phone again.

"Nope." He says.

   I sigh, relieved.

"We gotta go." Jack reminds us as he's walking towards the exit of our room.

   We leave the hotel, and get into Jack's car.

"You ready?" Adam asks me again.

   And I replied the same thing I did before, but I'm not as nervous, unlike the last time I said it.

"Of course I'm ready."

   The scene itself is beautiful: a large altar decorated with flowers of all kinds, and below is a little brick pathway, with rows of chairs beside it. I look at dad, who will be helping us say our vows. I smile nervously.

"How do you feel?" He asks.

"Excited."

"How excited?"

"Very."

   I look around me, seeing Austin JJ, and Chris wave to me from their seats. I laugh and wave back.

   Emma and Mackenzie are chatting across the wooden platform that was made. I don't know who made it, though.

   Adam and Jack are behind me, chatting about how happy they are for me.

   Everyone becomes silent when they see Ally walk down the brick isle: she's wearing a long, white, sleeveless dress and holding just one pink rose in her hands.

   I feel myself turn red, for the millionth time.

   A large nervous, but excited, smile forms in her face.

"Wow." I whisper to myself, "Wow."

"Hello everyone." Dad announces, standing in between me and Ally, "I bet all of you are just as excited as I am."

   Everyone starts to giggle.

"Quoting Deanne Laura Gilbert: the words 'I love you' mean that you except someone for who they are, and that you don't wish to change them for someone else. It means that you don't expect perfection from them, just as they don't expect perfection from you. The words 'I love  you' mean that you'll love and stand by them, even through the worst of times. It means that you love them even when you're in a bad mood or even too tired to do the things you want to. It means loving them when you're down, and not just fun to be with."

   Me and Ally's fingers interlock, and I feel the adrenalin rush inside me like crazy.

"Ryan." Dad says, "I want you to repeat after me, okay?"

   I nod.

"I, Ryan Metzger," he says.

"I, Ryan Metzger..." I say, and look into Ally's eyes, becoming lost in them.

"Take you, Allyson Oakland,"

"Take you, Allyson Oakland," my hands start to shake, but Ally's smile calms me down.

"To be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward,"

"To be my wife," the word itself made me start to tear up a bit... 'wife'...  I continue, "to have and to hold from this day forward,"

"For better or for worse, for richer, for poorer,"

"For better for worse," I squeeze Ally's hands, "for richer, for poorer,"

"In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; until death do us part."

"In sickness and in health, to-" I pause, trying not to cry in front of all these people. Ally mouths, "It's okay" to me, and  I continue, "t-to love and to cherish..." I look around noticing my friends and family, and Ally's friends, and... Grace. Shit. She's sitting next to two older people who I don't recognize, who I assume are her parents.

   I just try to shrug it off and put on a smile, "... until death do us part."

"Very good, Ryan." Dad grins, "Your turn, Ally.

   Ally says her vows, and I could tell she was way more nervous than I was.

"It's time to exchange the rings, folks." Dad grins.

   I go first, slowly placing the ring on Ally's finger, taking my time, and taking in the moment.

   Ally goes next, small tears streaming down her face as she does so.

   I keep on glancing at the three uninvited people sitting in the back of the crowd. They notice me and give me dirty looks.

   That was the only thing about the wedding that I didn't like.

"I am very happy to announce Mr. and Mrs. Metzger," dad says, grinning ear to ear, "Ryan, you may now kiss the bride."

   I wrap my arms around Ally and rest my lips on hers. Everyone around us starts clapping (probably not Grace and her parents. Grace never liked me in the first place, even before the fight. I don't know why.)

   Everyone keeps applauding, which makes Ally laugh and cry at the same time.

"YAAAAASSSS!!!" I hear Mac shout, which makes me and Ally laugh.

   Ally wraps her arms around my neck.

"Wow." She whispers to me.

"Wow." I whisper back.

   She giggles and kisses me.

   I look to where I expected Grace and her parents to be. They left.