The Real Wedding

Rachel's POV

Her hand was up. In the air. Not holding her bouquet… but up…

People gasped and started to mumble and talk. Demitri's expressionless face had turned into a surprised state.

Elizabeth's mom stood up and looked at her in terror and anger, "Elizabeth, what do you think you're doing!?"

Elizabeth turned around and looked at everyone.

"I'm sorry… I can't do it." She said weakly. "I don't want to anymore… I want to marry someone who loves me. Not just me loving him. It's true… I worked hard and I did everything to get here. In this wedding dress and standing next to him." She said as she looked at Demitri. "But… I realized just now how stupid I was." She said with a painful smile. "Rachel… I hate you. With a burning passion… more than you can ever imagine… but if it isn't you then there is no Demitri. He's not alive without you… he's not here. He's somewhere else thinking about you." She said as she looked at me.

I sat there speechless as every eye turned to me. The one girl that I had really hated and thought of as a true spoiled bitch was doing this…

Then she turned to Demitri, "Demitri… I really did like you. When you gave me that warm smile of yours, it made me happy and I just fell for you more and more. But now… when I look at things, it's obvious who you're meant to be with." She wrapped up her apology sort of speech and looked out at everyone.

"I'm sorry everyone for making all of you guys come out, but if you wait just a moment… there will be a ceremony!" she said enthusiastically.

Then she walked over to me and grabbed me. "Come on…" she said plainly.

"Wait… where are we going!?" I said as I ran behind her.

She ran into a room where all these ladies were cleaning up all their belongings.

"Everyone, I want you to make her into a gorgeous princess within fifteen minutes. Understood!?"

Everyone's' eyes went frantic as they started to unpack and everything and started to run over to me.

"Wait, what's going on!?" I said as I looked at Elizabeth.

"You're going to a wedding." She said flatly. "I still hate you. A lot… I'm only doing this so I don't finish up here looking like a complete idiot." She helped the other ladies prepare me. "And I'm also doing it because I really do like Demitri, and I want him to be happy…"

I stood there… Was this the same Elizabeth White Delaney as the one that spilled coffee on my dress, always picked a fight with me, and tried to make a fool out of me?

"Don't think my feelings for you changed." She glared at me. "You're still a bitch to me and a pain in the ass."

I laughed. "Same for me…" I said, but I added on, "But thank you…" I said as a tear fell down. "You don't know how thankful I am…"

"Just don't screw up your vows or trip while you're walking down the aisle." She smirked.

"Thanks." I said with a slight.

I was going to a wedding. My wedding. With Demitri… The dress that I wore was even more beautiful than the one that I had wanted to wear for mine. It was a strapless white that had a sash around the waist with a white rose settled on the side of it. Then the rest of the dress flowed downward with a long train. The dress brought out my figure perfectly.

Then the ladies had quickly redone my hair so it wouldn't just be up halfway, but all pinned up to the center from the sides so that it will all flow down my back. The barrettes that pinned up my hair had little mini roses in them. Then the makeup that I had put on at home had been redone more professionally and there was more. I slipped on the white heels that had roses attached onto them. I was given a bouquet and everything was ready… I looked into the mirror… and there was a bride. Getting married…

"Why is everything… roses…?" I questioned.

"It was Demitri's idea." She said as she straightened out the dress. "I think that even though he had to go to a wedding, he wanted a part of you in it…"

Demitri did know that I loved roses…

"Elizabeth…" I looked at her, "Thank you so much…"

"Whatever…" she said as she opened the doors and led me to the grand entrance. "Hold on a second. Let me announce you in." she said with a plain and friendly smile. A smile that I thought would never come from someone like her.

"Please, everyone… take your seats again!" she said in to the microphone. Everyone looked at her and sat down back in their seats. Some were a little grumpy and others were a bit confused.

"Now, I would like to introduce the groom: Demitri Anderson." She smiled, "And of course, the beautiful bride: Rachel Brink." She said as she extended her arm and hand towards the grand entrance.

"Please, the lovely bride and groom." She said and everyone stated to clap and cheer.

Then she looked at the pianist as a signal to start… and the wedding march started… all over again…

I stood there, not believe what was going on… but then a lady from before gave me a slight push to walk. "Go on…" she smiled happily.

"Thank you… All of you guys…" I thanked all of them. Then I turned back around and started to walk down the aisle. And at the end of the aisle… I saw him.

The groom. Demitri Anderson. The love of my life… the one that I had wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Even thought we were only in college… I knew we'd be together forever… and I knew he thought the same.

I looked at his face. His expressionless and dead face had lit up into a grand smile filled with amazement and happiness…

I smiled at him as a tear rolled down my cheek.

"You look beautiful…" He whispered as he took my hand and took me up the steps.

"You look handsome, too…" I smiled at him.

Then we both looked at the priest and when the objection was asked. No hands were in the air… the vows were said. The rings were exchanged. And so was the kiss…

It was official: I was Rachel Anderson.

Confetti was popped, horns were blown, there were flowers flying and silly string all over… Demitri lifted me up from the ground and walked down the aisle with me in his arms.

He leaned in his forehead against mine, "I love you…" he said quietly, "I love you so so much…" he said as he pecked my forehead.

"I love you, too… more than you could ever imagine." I said as cupped his face in my hand and pecked him on the lips.

At the entrance of the hotel, he put me down while he was still kissing me and he embraced me as he deepened the kiss. Then everyone from inside came out and surrounded us in cheers and more confetti.

Demitri pulled back slowly and looked at me with sparkling eyes and a huge smile, "Shall we continue this tonight…?" he smirked.

"Demitri!" I said as I blushed and shoved him away with a laugh.

"Haha!" he laughed as he picked me up and twirled me around in the air. "I'm so happy right now… I can't even describe it…" he said as he put me down and enveloped me. "And you know what…?"

And of course I would respond, "What…?"

"My parents approved of you." He said.

"Really?" I said with eyes wide.

"Well, they didn't stop the wedding did they?" he said as he softly kissed my lips.

"I'm glad they didn't…" I smiled as I returned the kiss. "I wouldn't have been able to live without you…"

"I told you, didn't I?" he looked at me. "You're stuck with me until the day you die." He smiled his sweet smile that captivated all my being.

"Whether I like it or not, right?" I said with a slight laugh.

"Of course!" he laughed with me and kissed me again. "Ever since we first met… it was you… all along, it was you."