The Wedding.
*Haley's P.O.V.*
I studied myself in the mirror as Lou worked her magic with my hair, styling it perfectly yet holding my curls delicately, so as to not damage them. Lou was the only person I trusted with my hair, (endless concerts spent backstage really help you bond with the hair dresser) and she never ceased to amaze me with her talent. My hair looked absolutely gorgeous, as did my makeup. (Compliments of Michelle and Sydney.) But even though my hair and makeup was gorgeous, my expression didn't exactly live up to the standards that they had set; I looked like a fawn, frozen in the middle of a midnight lane, terrified as headlights approached nearer and nearer; which was a pretty accurate match to the fluttering sensation in my chest. No, fluttering wasn't the right word. A more accurate description would be to say that my heart felt like it had sunk and was bouncing around like a pinball machine, crashing against my ribs and breastplate in a desperate attempt to escape and constricting my lungs in the process. I frantically checked the clock, seeing that I only had ten minutes before heading out.
I studied myself in the mirror once more, my glossed lips trembling and perfectly lined eyes wide with anxiety and excitement. Despite the creamy foundation and concealer that had been applied to my skin, I knew beneath it I was sickly pale; I could feel it in the uncomfortable temperature of my face. I wasn't sure exactly why I was so nervous, I mean after all, nothing made me happier than Niall. I still remember his proposal as if it was yesterday.
We were playing in the meadow in the woods behind the house one day (Yes, twenty something year olds can play in meadows too.) when he twirled me around and held me close to him. I giggled, holding his hands in mine as I stared up into his bright blue eyes. The cloudless sky above us didn't even compare to the sight right before me. The tips of our noses grazed each other slightly, the grin staying on my lips. "I love you so much," he murmured, brushing his lips against mine.
"I love you too," I replied, almost automatically, as I closed my eyes and swayed into him slightly, the wonderful aroma of his cologne becoming mildly intoxicating.
"Like, I really, really love you." The tone in his voice sent chills down my spine, and I listened intently as he went on. "I don't just love you; I need you. When you walked through the door the first night of that fateful June, with raindrops caught in the curly wisps of your beautiful brown hair, you took my breath away. I was terrified of hugging you, because I was worried you would be able to feel my heart ramming like a drum against your chest." This beautiful confession was followed by a pause, just brief enough for us to concentrate on the steady beating of our hearts in that very moment.
"You looked so beautiful," he went on. "You always did, always have, always will. I couldn't keep my eyes off of you. It was a bit embarrassing at first, but I became less shy about it when I noticed the way you smiled and blushed all adorably whenever I would look at you." Of course, to that my cheeks warmed pleasantly; even after all the years that had passed, the boy never ceased to get that reaction from me. "I was so head over heels for you. It was quite a shock, really, seeing as how I had just met you. But there was just something about you... I know I sound cheesy, but you know how I get," he chuckled. I grinned up at him, but didn't interrupt; normally I would've denied his compliments or showered him with even more, but this sounded important, and his tone implied he didn't intend for me to say anything during this speech. That both excited and frightened me at the same time. "When I sang to you that morning -my lord you were so confused, it was adorable -and you said yes. I was like had never known a joy like that before." I thought back to the morning he asked me to be his, every detail still etched fondly in my mind; his nervousness, my refusal to believe it was actually happening, our mutual excitement. It was something I would never -could never -forget.
"Then our first kiss. God, I wanted to make that so special for you. It was so magical when it happened, and I don't know, something just...clicked. I knew. I knew that no matter what I would never let you go, because you're everything I've ever wanted." Goosebumps rose to the surface of my skin over every inch of my body at the tone of his voice as he spoke those words. "Even though we had a couple bumps, they ended up being absolute nothings. If anything, I learned from them; I learned to make sure to keep a hold on you, because you could slip from my grip at any second."
"I'm not going anywhere," I mumbled softly into his chest. I felt guilty for rudely intervening, but I had to assure him that I was completely 100% his. I quickly shut my mouth, allowing him to go on.
"These past few years have been the absolute highlight of my life. It was like I didn't know happiness until you walked through that door. I would never change a thing, because everything about you is perfect and every moment we spend together is perfect." My cheeks tugged an involuntary smile across my face as I thought about how I felt the exact same way. It was nice knowing we were on the same page. He pulled back, his hands sliding down my arms and leaving chills in their wake and his fingers entwined with mine. He stared into my eyes, taking a deep breath before continuing. My heart clenched in response to his unusual behavior, sensing something was coming.
"I love you with every fiber of my being. No amount of rambling could ever express how I truly feel; I could go on about you for hours." I smiled at that, his crystalline orbs boring into mine. He smiled back at me. His ease quickly faltered however, making me nervous. I eyed him curiously, nonverbally questioning him as to what was wrong. But as he slowly descended to the ground, never breaking the eye contact as one knee pressed into the cushioning of the soft earth, I literally stopped breathing. My eyes widened in disbelief. "Haley, I'm never happier than during the time I spend with you," he stuttered, clearly jumpy. The clear pink in the hollows of his cheeks added to his preciousness. A small black velvet box appeared from his pocket, taking what was left of my breath away. "So please, will you do me the honor of spending the rest of my life with me?" he opened up the box to reveal a diamond ring nestled in black pillow, shining miraculously.
Tears prickled easily in my eyes, nose feeling peppery as my brain processed the words. I felt my head bob up and down vigorously, but the whole moment still seemed so surreal. "Yes," I croaked, relief flooding like a bubbling stream into his blue eyes. "Of course," I giggled, my voice shuddering with small sobs as tears of pure joy streamed down my cheeks. He slid the ring carefully onto my shaking finger. I was a bit embarrassed at my nerves, but the tremors that shot through his hands as he performed the action soothed me. He stood up and I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck, his routinely snaking around my waist. "I love you so much," I bawled into his shoulder.
"Halez?" a low voice came from the doorway. I spun around in my chair, heart hammering even harder, if that was possible. I looked around to see that everyone besides myself had left the tent, no doubt to go take their places near the altar or in the crowd. I looked up at my older brother Billy, horrified realization dawning on me: this was it. I shakily stood up, crossing the room to where my loving brother stood. He was walking me down the aisle, due to the absence of our dad. "You look great," he smiled, almost disbelieving this was actually happening. I smiled at him, unable to comprehend the situation as well. Although there was a smile on his stubbly face, there was a hint of some bittersweet collision of emotions in his deep brown eyes. "God, you're taller than me in those heels," he frowned playfully. "You're making me look bad." I giggled uneasily at his kind attempt to calm me down. He bent his arm, smirking playfully at me. "Shall we?" he teased.
"We shall," I replied shakily, linking my arm through his. We ducked through the flaps of the tent out into the pleasant August heat. My heart plummeted down into my stomach, and elevator breaking and plummeting down a dozen stories. "Billy, what if I mess up my vows?" I worried aloud. "What if I trip, or faint?" My anxiety heightened as all these possibilities shaped in my head, my body beginning to feel feverish symptoms. "Oh god, what if I throw up?" I added.
"Haley, it's not that bad," he assured me as we walked down the wide path of black pavement. The trees were lined neatly, and I could see the benches on which friends and family were seated around the bend. It still seemed almost dreamlike, the organ playing and the audience hushing themselves. Audience. That was a weird word for it. But I realized that that was pretty close to what it was. "If you forget your vows, just tell him how you feel." Billy's words of advice brought me back to reality and soothed me a bit, although the thought of expressing my very deepest emotions to Niall in front of all our friends and family -theaudience -made me feel a tad uncomfortable. We finally made it around the bend, following behind Lux by a delay of about twenty paces. Her little hands tossed light pink petals at the people seated on the benches, her adorability receiving waves of smiles. Gazes lingered briefly on the flower girl before travelling up to me.
The late-morning summer sun combined with everyone's stares heated my face and chest. Despite their genuine smiles, the attention still made me a bit skittish; I was a bit more of a wallflower. My eyes travelled aimlessly, not really taking in the faces until they landed on the bridal party. I smiled at my four best friends, my bridesmaids, and my sister Jaci, my Maid of Honor. They honestly looked amazing. I then smiled at Greg, Niall's best man, and the four boys who stood next to him. Harry threw me a wink, which eased my nerves ever so slightly. My gaze finally fell upon the godly young man who stood in the center. That was all it took for all the worry to flood out of me. His slim figure stood at the altar, his face aglow with a light much more otherworldly than the sun that filtered through the tree branches. A smile automatically appeared on my face, my incredulousness blossoming from a bundle of nerves in the pit of my stomach into a warm, tingling sensation in the core of my chest. A chorus of coos emitted from the lips of the people on the benches between the trees; they had clearly noticed my reaction to laying eyes on Niall which made me blush furiously.
My heart caught as Billy's arms slipped from my grasp and he leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. "I love you, Halez," he whispered in brotherly praise. I smiled at him, though my eyes begged him not to leave me. He smiled sympathetically at me, but took a moment to shake Niall's hand before taking his seat in the front row next to Bobby and Maura. Niall flashed me his beautiful smile as I walked up to him, and I reciprocated the gesture, albeit shakily.
"Hey," he whispered with a grin. I struggled to suppress a giggle from bubbling from my lips.
"Hiya," I croaked out in a hushed reply. The pastor cleared his throat, smiling at us slightly as he kindly reminded us we were in front of some hundred people. He was one of Niall's mom's friends, and we had talked before; he was actually really nice. Yet I still blushed, smiling to myself in more than slight humiliation as Niall chuckled at me quietly. The only thing that kept my eyes from nervously flickering around the spectators was Niall's captivating, playful perusing.
His lips parted as he began to speak. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, on this happy and joyous occasion, to join Haley Ramiel Watson and Niall James Horan in holy matrimony." I smirked at the words, for some unknown reason finding them amusing. Niall gave me a questioning look, which made the giggles even harder to contain. I glanced over his shoulder to find Zayn scolding me playfully with his golden eyes. I gave him a quick look, which I prayed had gone unnoticed by the onlookers, before looking back at Niall. We smiled at each other in casual lovingness as the pastor continued. He went on, but I couldn't concentrate on his words. I knew it was quite possibly the worst time to be distracted, but I found myself lost in the cool depths of Niall's beautiful orbs. I counted all the shades of blue, losing track as I always did when I attempted the task. Before I knew it, Niall's mouth was opening. I focused immediately, not wanting to miss a word that fell from his intensely desirable lips.
"Haley, I still remember the first day I met you," he began, his voice shaking the slightest bit. No one else could probably tell, but I could. I smiled at him lovingly, taking his hand that wasn't occupied with holding the microphone, squeezing it supportively as he went on. "You walked through the door, your hair wet with rain, which I later learned was because you felt umbrellas were over-rated." He paused to smile at me as low chuckles chorused all around. I pulled a face at him, giggling lightly as he returned it before launching back into his speech. "But that's just one of the many cute little quirks you have, and those are what make you who you are; what make you the beautiful, perfect, amazing girl I fell in love with. It really wasn't hard at all. You had me from the start, really. And ever since then I haven't doubted my feelings for you once. Because I knew, Iknow, that it's you, and only you. You're the only person I've ever been able to envision myself with, and it's just so amazing that it's actually happening. You're my princess, my angel, my world, and my captive. Which I say in an entirely loving way," he added, making me giggle knowingly. "I love you more than you will ever know, no matter how many times I try to get you to understand. You're the thing that wakes me up in the morning -which is hard to do, trust me -and I feel so incomplete without you. Life without you would be so dull, so I'm very excited to spend the rest of it with you." By the time he finished, I had tears in my eyes and everyone around us was sighing as well. I smiled at him, my heart rate increasing to a rate that seemed almost dangerous.
Everyone looked to me expectantly, and I gulped slightly. How was I even supposed to know how to speak after that? I quickly collected myself and began speaking, preparing myself to tell exactly Niall how much I loved him. Right in front of just about everyone we were even remotely close to. I took a deep breath and began. "I remember the first day I met you as well. I made a really lame joke about your Free Hugs shirt, but you laughed despite the fact that it wasn't funny at all. That was when I knew I liked you." I was relieved when everyone, including Niall and even the pastor, laughed at that. Once the chortles subsided I went on. "When you smile, I smile," I winked, referencing our little system. The sparkle in his eye told me he knew exactly what I meant. Not that I thought he wouldn't -we still say it all the time, because it's still true. "You truly don't know how much you mean to me," I gushed honestly, the prickling feeling behind my eyes returning. "You've stayed with me through so much, and there were times I wouldn't have blamed you for leaving, and you don't have any idea how grateful I am to still have you." We both knew what events I was referring to, the water in his eyes confirmation of that. "I love you so much. You taught me what love really meant. You also taught me how to love not only others, but myself as well. You taught me how to laugh and, most importantly, how to fit three Oreos in my mouth at once." We smiled at each other as I lightened the mood, everyone laughing with us. "I'm very excited to eat plenty more Oreos with you in the future, and I absolutely can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I really can't picture myself with anyone else, and I'm so glad that I don't have to. You're the highlight of my life. I love you." I blinked rapidly a few times to block any leakage of tears as I finished, Niall's lashes reciprocating the gesture. The pastor acknowledged that I had finished and went on doing his thing.
"Niall, do you take Haley to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to her as long as you both shall live?" he recited. My heart thumped like a rabbit's foot at the traditional words. I had been staring into the hypnotic cerulean of Niall's eyes, but my gave travelled down his face as his soft, rose petal pink lips parted and the two most amazing words I had ever heard sang from his mouth.
"I do."
"Haley, do you take Niall to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to him as long as you both shall live?" the pastor repeated, now eyeing me through his spectacles. A huge smile spread across my face without my consent as I made it official.
"I do," I confirmed, finalizing the ceremony without one single hint of doubt or hesitance in my voice and heart. Niall smiled back at me dazzlingly, taking my breath away just as he always did.
"Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife," the pastor concluded. "Niall, you may kiss your bride." He didn't hesitate to use the permission he was just granted, carefully caressing my face in his hands and bringing his lips down to meet mine. His lips were soft and smooth and gentle, a beautiful contrast to the texture of his hands which were lightly calloused from years of guitar playing. I didn't mind though; it was actually a nice feeling, and I had grown used to it.
As he lips retracted from mine and applause rang from all around us, hoots coming from the bridal party and the boys, realization dawned on me. I was his. I was completely, entirely, legally his. And he was legally mine. I smiled at him, my chest feeling pleasantly constricted. The blue in his eyes seemed to drown out all of the sound around us, and as his eyes connected with mine, I knew he was just as amazed and ecstatic as I was.
We were married.
* * * *
I laughed at Greg's remark, his shoulders shaking slightly as he chuckled as well. Someone cleared their throat and I smiled as Niall appeared next to us. "Mind if I cut in?" he asked politely smiling at us.
"She's all yours," his brother winked, letting go of my waist and handing me over to Niall. I waved goodbye to Greg as he set off to find a new dance partner before I wrapped my arms around his little brother's neck; my husband'sneck. I still hadn't fully wrapped my head around that yet, but I liked the way it sounded.
"Hello," I smiled at him as he placed his hands lightly on my waist, warmth spreading through my midsection. It was the middle of the party, and everyone was out on the dance floor.
"Hiya," he grinned back. We both laughed a little, remembering the exchange we had at the altar; we had just recited it basically, except with a switch of roles. "How are you?" he inquired, searching my face and eyes. I lay my head on his chest, sighing contently.
"Never better," I answered truthfully. "And you?"
"Absolutely perfect," he replied. I smiled at his words, tightening my grip on him ever so slightly as he pulled me in closer to him. "Lou and Julia are dancing together," he informed me, nodding over in their direction. I automatically looked to where he had just gestured to, a smile instantly gracing my face as I laid my eyes on the two. Just as Niall had said, they had their arms around each other and were laughing at something Louis had said, just like old times. Louis had just broken up with his girlfriend, Eleanor, so it was nice to see him smiling again, especially like that.
"So are Harry and Megan," I told Niall as I caught the two flirting out of the corner of my eye. I swear, those two were never happier than when they were together. I looked back to him to find his gaze over my shoulder, his smile faltering as his eyes chilled from a warm Caribbean color to a frosty shade of tundra. My brow furrowed in worry in confusion, but I understood as soon as a silky voice sounded over my shoulder.
"May I step in?" I spun around, smiling into the familiar royal blue eyes that matched the deep voice. Chase's black curls were much shorter now, a tamer version of his teenage mop that would hang in his eyes. I had invited Chase, as we had made up and even talked sometimes via Facebook and such, and honestly he was a much better person. Niall had been hesitant to agree, being the over protective lover he was, but I had insisted. I looked back to Niall, silently pleading for him to let me.
"Of course," he replied, forcing a smile as he left. I whirled back around to Chase, smiling at him once again. He returned it kindly, flashing his incredibly straight, white smile.
"Hey," he said, looking down at me from his towering height. The height advantage he had on me was still a bit intimidating, but I was comfortable with him. "So how does it feel to be married?" he asked with one of his famous, heart-melting winks. Not that it had any effect on me.
"Amazing," I breathed in awe, still not completely processing the whole thing. He chuckled in response to my still dream-like state, making me blush in slight embarrassment.
"Yeah, it's pretty great," he agreed with a nod of his curly head.
"Aww," I cooed mockingly, giggling as he stuck his tongue out at me. At first it was difficult to believe that the same guy who had treated me so poorly was now a loving husband, but I had grown to be extremely happy for him and Brittany.
"He really does love you. You know that, right?" he whispered, catching me off guard with his sudden seriousness. I thought about his statement a bit more, processing his words before nodding slightly. It was incredibly elating to know that other people could see Niall's love for me. I still didn't understand how I was so fortunate. "And it's not too hard to tell that you love him quite a bit as well," he smiled at me teasingly. I smiled down at my feet, a bashful heat rising to my cheeks.
"Good," I mumbled almost incoherently, so quietly I wasn't sure if he heard or not.
"You guys really do deserve each other." I smiled up at him, but as I looked into his royal blue eyes I found them studying me, an unreadable expression on his face.
"What are you thinking about?" I asked curiously, wondering what was going on behind those icy azure curtains.
"I'm mentally kicking myself in the ass for making someone as caring and... innocent as you feel that way," he answered without vacillation. My heart flipped in my chest, my jaw clenching slightly at the touchy subject. He looked into my eyes, the hurt and shame clear.
"It's fine," I began to say, waving it off as nothing.
"No it's not," he protested, causing me to bite my lip and look up at him with wide eyes. "I know you forgive me, but I don't know why." I shook my head, not really having an explanation either. He looked over my shoulder before leaning into my ear, his strong cologne over whelming my senses. "I think your husband wants you back," he whispered, his breath hot on my neck. I smiled at that: your husband. I also shook my head at him, grinning at him as a cocky smirk played across his face. He may have not been a dick anymore, but that sure didn't stop his flirty instincts of pulling playful stunts such as whispering seductively into a bride's ear on her wedding day.
"You're dumb," I giggled as he laughed.
"And you're stupid," he winked before sauntering away. "Congrats, babe." Seconds after his departure, I was spun around into a much more comfortable embrace. I smiled at Niall, loving our similar heights and the natural ease of looking into his beautiful eyes.
"Hey, love," he whispered, leaning in and meeting my lips with his. I smiled into the kiss, giggling mentally at the knowledge that it was half to ensure that I was his.
"Hi baby," I replied, wrapping my arms around his neck and once again placing my head on his chest. His black suit jack had been taken off, so now his torso was clad only in a white button down, the top two buttons undone. His single layer made the embrace even warmer and the thrumming of his beating heart even more pronounced. I smiled to myself, enjoying to the lulling beat. I had smiled a lot that day, but hey, you're supposed to smile a lot on your wedding day, right? I closed my eyes, more than content with the knowledge that I was right where I wanted to be and right where I planned on staying for the rest of my life: in Niall's arms.
A/N***
-deep breath- AWWWWWW!! They're married! And everything is settled with Chase! And Louis and Julia are talking again! And Harry and Megan are reunited! Wasn't that just dandy?? I thought so ; 3
Also, I'm sorry, but there's not gonna be a third.LONG SOB LETTER WILL BE POSTED TOMORROW SO DONOT GO ALL ENOTIONAL JUST NOW I KNOW IT HARD BUT KEEP IT TOGETHER!
Kthxbyeee♥
z.
---
Instagram; @http.oceanbreeze
---