*please read author's note at the end*
Calum's POV
"You ready, man?"
They sit on the couch, all dressed in matching tuxes, watching me pace the room. The three best men looking at me worried.
"Woah, Cal," Luke stands up, grabbing me by the shoulders and stopping me in place, "You're going to end up all the way back to Australia if you keep pacing like that." He probably was right, I needed to stop worrying.
"I know, I know. I just--I don't want to screw up," I say letting out a deep sigh.
"Calum," Michael laughed, "Let's be real for a second. Out of everyone in the band, you out of all of us are the second person to least likely to screw up on their wedding day."
"Whose the first?"
"Ashton," Luke and Michael say in unison.
"Yeah, and even if you do mess up, Skyler is still going to love you no matter what, Cal," Ashton adds, "Besides, Skyler is probably doing the exact same thing right now." We sit there in silence before bursting out laughing.
"Yeah, never mind. Forget I said that," Ashton giggles, "Cal, you're screwed." I sigh,
"I'm glad you guys are here with me right now," I admit, "I don't know what I would do without you three."
"We're always here for you, Cal," Luke assures, "Even when we have some rough patches, we're still here."
"Who would've thought that Calum would be the first one to get hitched," Ashton chuckles.
"I honestly thought it would be Michael first."
"I'd be first to do what?"
Skyler's POV
"Alright, alright, let's get moving ladies!" Joy beams excitedly entering the room as she comes around the other side of me to gather up my dress. I take a look in the full length mirror one last time, and smile.
"Aw, honey you look gorgeous," Joy gawks, resting a hand on my bare shoulder of my sleeveless dress. I smooth the lace fabric of my dress, and look at how the sweetheart neckline pulls the whole look together.
"Thank you, Joy. Mali, wasn't wrong about this dress," I laugh, admiring the piece.
Calum and I decided on having a somewhat small wedding on a secluded beach in Malibu, only inviting the people that mattered to us most. But I soon realized that I wouldn't have anyone walking me down the isle to give me away. Not my mom, not my dad. My family left me.
Looking around, I spot Mali and asked her to go grab the one person I could think of. She nods and disappears, coming back moments later.
"Sky, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine," I breath, "I just need to ask you something."
"Anything, love."
"Ashton, can you give me away?" I look up at the tall boy and he smiles, hooks his forearm with mine and kisses my forehead.
"I'd love too, Sky."
My curled blonde hair, whirls around me in the ocean breeze as Ashton and I take our place at the end of the isle. Mali and Zoe are already standing to the left of the alter in their powder blue bridesmaid dresses, while i shift my gaze to the right side seeing Michael and Luke in their clean, black tuxes.
Standing directly in front me, I see the only person I've ever and will love with his jaw dropped at the sight of me, and can't help but tear up as I begin to walk down the sandy isle.
"Holy Shit!" Calum blurts out loud, making people laugh or gasp at his use of language and I can't help but laugh as well. We finally reach the end and I look at teary eyed Calum before hugging Ashton and placing a kiss on his cheek.
"I love you, Ashton," I whisper in his ear, "Thank you."
"Alright, everyone may be seated," the priest begins, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to join the hands of Skyler Davidson and Calum Hood. Now you've both written vows, correct?" We both nod, then motions for me to start.
"Calum Thomas Hood, there was not a day that went past where I didn't miss you those past 4 years you had left and gone on tour," I begin, looking Calum straight in the eyes, "But I think the distance only made me realize how much more I needed you with me."
"Calum, you were the first friend I made and soon became my best friend. You were there for me in my darkest moments and there in the greatest. I may have not realized then, but now I see how much you have loved me. And I'm here to say that I love you so much, Cal, it hurts."
I pause, as tears fall on the crumpled paper in my grasp, and feel a hand brush them off my cheeks. Looking up, I see Calum smiling as he nods for me to continue. I swallow,
"I guess that's why I became so broken when you left, because no one was there to hold me in their arms or break into my room in the middle of the night when I had bad dreams. You were the safety pin, Calum, that held me together in the end. And damn, am I lucky because I ended up finding the love of my life 7,000 miles across the world who just so happened to be my best friend."
"I love you too, Sky."
"Calum," the priest nods his direction and Calum clears his throat,
"Um, alright. Sorry, it's just—Damn, Sky you look amazing," I blush, giggling at his nervousness, "I don't know how I can top that but I guess I'll start now."
"Skyler Davidson, after all these years I still don't know your middle name," the guests laughs.
"Rose," I tell him.
"Rose? Okay, Skyler Rose Davidson, those four years were the worst four fucking years of my life because you weren't there to spend them with me. I trapped myself in these walls, only coming out for shows or interviews, not talking to the boys—"
"Yeah, no shit," Michael coughed from behind, earning a glare from Calum before he continued,
"—Or coming out to eat, and I guess the only good thing that came out from being confined those few years was the fact that it gave me a drive to write all these songs. And not just any songs, Sky. No, these were all written for you, and I was hoping that you would get the message somehow." I feel my heart clench at his words, knowing that I was blind to see the message behind all of their chart topping hits.
"I love you so much, Skyler, more than you know, and every day I spent with you, only made me find myself falling harder and harder ever day. I just couldn't help but to fall in love with you, and everyone saw it too," Calum looks at his family and towards the boys, before turning back to me smiling,
"Everyone that watched us grow up together knew that we were bound to be together. It sounds cheesy, I know, but you could ask anyone in this room and they'll say the exact same thing."
It was true, we heard it constantly. In high school, we were always mistaken for being in a relationship. We were also voted favorite couple at the time Calum was dating someone else.
Our parents wanted nothing more than for us to be happy, and I guess that's why they pushed our friendship so much.
"And everyday, I wonder how I got so fucking lucky, waking up to a gorgeous girl in my arms, how I get to hear her laugh, see her smile, and of course, kiss her lips. That day of the concert, was the best day of my life because I had my girl back in my arms again, and this time I wasn't going to let you get away. I made a promise to myself that day, Sky," Calum says, looking at me with the utmost admiration, "When I dedicated that song to you, I promised myself and now I'm promising you, that no matter when or where, I'm promising you that no matter what, I will always be Beside You."
the end.
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Ohhhhmyyyygodddd. Guys.
Beside You is officially over. I cannot describe in words how much this book has meant to me, and how much you guys, the readers mean to me as well.
You are the ones who've lifted me up on my bad days with the wonderful loving comments, and make me want to continue writing.
I can't thank you enough for the many opportunities that have opened up to me because of all of you and I'm honestly so excited to work on so many more new projects.
Thank you all for the love, support, and all the new friendships I've made,
- Amber xx
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