Avery
I don't know how long I've been staring into the mirror. What I do know, is that I don't recognize the person staring back at me.
My brown locks have been left down in lovely loose curls. My lips painted with a lovely shade of rosy pink, my eyes have been enhanced with a "lovely fairy look" as Olivia called it. To me, it just felt extra. To be honest, everything felt extra. So unlike me.
But I was told this is how it had to be. The bride of Hayden Knight could not be looking ordinary.
Yupp. That's right. I am getting married today.
To Hayden Knight.
My best friend Shelly marches into my dressing room and stops dead in her tracks as she looks me over.
"Oh my god A, you look stunning" she breathes out, her eyes as wide as saucers.
I smile warmly at her, not trusting myself to use my voice.
I met Shelly in business school, when I was sitting in the cafeteria, reading a book and keeping to myself as usual, when she plops down at my table and starts complaining about this boy who she apparently knew liked her but he wouldn't do anything about it.
I smile fondly at the memory. The poor boy had to swear that he only liked her as a friend before she dumped her vanilla milkshake all over him. And then made him give her 10 dollars for making her waste a perfectly good vanilla milkshake.
I tear up slightly at the memory. Everything was so perfect back then.
"Oh my god, A what's wrong?" She asks worried.
"No no it's nothing, I am okay, we're okay" I say but my best friend knew me better than anyone else and she doesn't push it anymore. Something that I've always admired about Shelly. She knew exactly when to give you space and when to smother you with kisses.
Shelly was my Maid of Honor, something that Olivia wasn't happy about. But I knew I needed someone today to be there for me and not gush about Hayden the whole time. And trust me, I love Olivia, but she sees little beyond ones looks and that's one thing I cannot handle today.
Shelly helps me up straightening my dress to make sure there weren't no crinkles and I sneak a glance at the mirror again searching for some familiarity with my reflection but there was nothing. I felt Completely blank.
Mom and Helen come into the room too, both with tear filled eyes. They've taken care of the entire wedding right from the venue to the cake to deciding the 5 meal course that's to be served to the guests and even my wedding dress.
"Oh doesn't my daughter look heavenly, Helen" mom gushes and Helen was so teary eyed that she could barely nod.
My dress was exquisite to say the least. It had a beautiful floral trail but sat tightly at my waist with perfect fitting over my torso. It's detailing and embroidery was beyond perfect and it sorta had a very light pinkish tint to it. It would look lovely with the ring which too had a lovely rose quartz detailing.
My dad walks in and barely throwing a glance at me he says
"It's time."
Shelly nods at me softly one more time and then hurries out to take her place with the rest of the bridesmaids. Mom and Helen look at me fondly one last time and leave too.
My dad walks over to me and I am hoping, praying, that he says something to me. That we share a beautiful father-daughter moment, that be hugs me and he finally looks at me with pride but he doesn't say or do anything.
I latch my arm around his and we walk out of the room to the great hall. Just before the massive doors open, I hear my dad say, ever so softly;
"You be brave, Avery. You may not understand it now but one day when the time is right you will. Until then, be brave." He says not looking at me.
My eyes widen at that. I have never heard him sound so defeated. I look at him and I knew then, that this was all I needed. A glimmer of support and I would be fine. I will be brave and I will look after myself. For my dad. My best friend when I was a kid. The man who raised me and took care of me.
At this moment I felt nothing but gratitude for him. Whatever happens next, I will never forget what he's done for me. What my dad has done for me.
I don't know what happened over the years but I do know that emotion never went away. And for the first time I took pride in my name. I am Avery Marshall and I have got this.
But this moment of pride was over as soon as it began for I knew I had to take up the Knight surname. I bit my tongue to prevent myself from weeping like a little kid.
The doors open wide and I momentarily stop breathing at the site before me.
The halls were huge with the most exquisite decor and on either side of the aisle, were seated at least hundreds of guests if not thousands. All of whom, I was sure, were extremely prominent in the business world.
As we start walking slowly down the long aisle, a beautiful melody fills the room as everyone stands up. Everything is in slow motion and every single thing was beautiful.
I look at the raised platform where Hayden stood, next to his best man; whoever he was.
My breathing became shallower just at the sight of Hayden.
He looked much sharper than he normally does, dressed in an all black suit. His suit, jet black and his shirt and tie a lovely matte black, and looking at him standing in all his glory I could see why girls worshipped the ground he walked on and why Forbes referred to him as the sexist man alive three times in a row.
Dressed In his complete black suit, Hayden Knight looked exactly how he was like as a person.
Dangerous and sinfully beautiful.
I wondered if it was normal for the groom to look so dangerous and vicious in his own wedding. But again, I knew it wasn't normal for the bride to feel so absolutely terrified.
We were almost halfway down the aisle when I feel my dad squeezing my hands softly three times. And it took everything it had in me to not break down right here, right now.
Three squeezes. His way of saying I Love You.
I was 9 when he taught me this.
**
I was crying because Olivia had been teasing me how mom and dad loved her more than me since she came first.
After an entire day of hiding out, My dad then came to my spot in the garden where I was sulking and said,
"I am not very good at expressing how I feel, little Aves, but I love you more than life itself. You're the blessing I don't deserve, a gift too good to be mine. So everytime, daddy's all worked up and he's not able to tell you what He truly feel for you, remember this" he said firmly; taking my hands in his and squeezing them gently three times.
"What does it mean?" I say giggling at him, beyond happy to have his time and attention.
"Three squeezes little Aves, it means that I Love You, always remember that" he says his eyes brimming with tears.
I throw my arm around him and whisper into him softly, " I will always Love you too, Daddy"
**
As the memory comes rushing back to me, I bite my lip not knowing how much longer I can go on without crying.
We've now reached the end of the aisle and just as my dad was about to let go of my hand, I grab his hands tighter.
"Avery" he hisses out me, his face going red that I'd dare to resist going up to Hayden.
Before he can snatch his hand away, I squeeze them too. Once, then twice, and then for the third time.
I love you too, Daddy. Always.
He looks dumbfounded like he was expecting me to throw a tantrum and run out of the beautiful hall and back to my freedom. His eyes filling with the same emotion I hadn't seen for ever as he realizes what I am doing and what I am ready to do. He clears his throat and I finally let go of his hand; turning towards the beautiful specimen of a human being waiting patently for my moment with my dad to be over.
Hayden bends down slightly, extending his hand. I stare at him and then his extended hand and ever so slowly place mine in his.
He closes his hand around mine and helps me up.
The minister who's officiating the wedding, my wedding, goes on and on about love. We exchange rings and I feel relieved on having my beautiful ring back on my hands. I slip a simple engagement band around his ring finger that Helen chose, and if my hands were stable and not shaking wildly it's only because Hayden was holding them.
"Do you Hayden Xavier Knight promise to take Avery Hailey Marshall as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day to the rest of your days, for richer or for poorer, in happy times and sad times, in sickness and in health?"
"I do." He rolls out, his voice as smooth as ever.
"Do you Avery Hailey Marshall promise to take Hayden Xavier Knight as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day to the rest of your days, for richer or for poorer, in happy times and sad times, in sickness and in health?"
My breathing hitches, and my vision starts blurring. My insides going haywire and I realize I have yet to respond when Olivia and Shelly slowly nudge me from behind.
I immediately snap out of my trance and stare at Hayden who looks angry. And that alone freezes me to death.
If Hayden looked dangerous before, he looked absolutely lethal now.
"I do." I croak out, as his grip around my hand tightens; my voice coming out uneven and raspy not nearly as smooth as his was.
"You may now kiss the bride." The priest says.
Hayden grabs me by my waist and yanks me closer to him. His eyes holding a murderous glare for my hold up earlier. His death grip on my waist tightening as he leans in.
I brace myself for the contact, my body visibly shaking for what's about to come. My first kiss. I couldn't breathe. I was terrified.
This is not how I imagined my first kiss to go. Hell this is not how I imagined my wedding to be.
But his lips never touched mine.
His perfect lips peck me at the side of my lips and I am sure it looked like we were kissing from the outside but in reality he had just softly placed his lips next to mine. My eyes widen as I realize what just happened.
"Congratulations! I now pronounce you Man and Wife." The priest finally says as Hayden and me break apart from each other.
And the entire hall goes wild, cheering and clapping as the whole of media snaps away incessantly.
And with each step that I take waking back down from the aisle my arms linked with Hayden's as everyone cheers us on, my heart falls heavier and heavier as I take in what just happened.
I am married. To the dangerous Hayden Knight of all people.
May lord have mercy on me.
******
HEY GUYS!!!
I hope you absolutely LOVED this chapter.
This one was a particularly emotional one for me to write but I am still so happy with the outcome!
Also the picture attached above at the beginning of the chapter, is Hayden's wedding suit. <3
And yayyy Avery and Hayden are Finally MARRIED!!! WOOOHOOOO!
Anyways what do you think happens next? Hang on tight for the next update!
Please keep voting and commenting, I love to read what you all have to say about this!
Much much love!
Xxxxx