Chapter 33 I Do （Jake Cries）
I Do (Jake Cries)
I wake up, wondering why Allison’s snores aren’t drilling my ears, and then I remember we’re not currently speaking. Eye rolling and scoffs are the only interactions. This should be over by now, I mean, Thursday has already passed, and it’s Friday, the day of the wedding. This “fight” is stupid.
“Riden, West. Sunny morning, isn’t it?” I ask, grabbing a piece of bread.
“Why are you mad at each other again?” Jake asks with his mouth half full.
Allison and I look at each other and remain silent. Even though we’re behaving like five-year-olds, we don’t ever break our trust in each other.
“Because Madelaine is stubborn.” Allison spits out, not revealing anything important.
“And Allison is dramatic and delusional.” I spit back.
“Who slept in the other room? Ah, that’s right. You. Who’s dramatic again?” She questions, not seated anymore.
“Do you think that I could bear my best friend sending me disdainful looks and sounds?” I raise my voice, anger boiling in my skin.
“And do you think I like to do so?” She asks back, appearing angry, but her voice does not go as high as mine. “Do you think I could bear seeing my best friend’s heart being shattered because she is too stubborn to see the truth?” She returns in the same tone.
Jake and Riden feel like they shouldn’t be hearing this conversation. I can see it by the way they are looking at each other and the way they shift nervously in their chairs.
“But it’s not your job to worry.” My voice lowers, almost whispers.
“Like it’s not my job to worry about you having a breakdown in a freaking castle?” She asks broken and betrayed.
“H-How do you know that?” My eyes widen, and I turn to the one person who knew. “You told her?” I say, my voice cracking.
Jake’s posture turns straight, and he looks at me worriedly.
“It slipped. I-”
“It doesn’t matter.” Allison interrupts. “Every fucking time I try to talk about your mother, you won’t open up! And then you go and open up to a boy you couldn’t even stand at the beginning of this summer?”
Jake agrees, pursing his lips and head going to the side, siding with her argument.
I let that sink in. It is messed up.
“I’m sorry.” I sincerely say to her. “I’m sorry for not opening up to you; you are one of the most important people in my life, but I can’t be sorry for not believing something you do.” I shrug, sighing.
Riden gets up and drags West outside, giving us space. Like a reasonable person. Now, Jake made a face that screamed the investment he was having in our fight. Like he was looking for something in between the lines.
“I’m sorry, too.” Allison says, looking down. “I can’t force you to believe it, even though it’s really obvious-” She stops as soon as she sees my stare. “Right. I just think you deserve more than you set for yourself.”
“I know.” I start to smile, and she looks up, and she starts to smile too. She rolls her eyes and then throws he arms around me, squeezing me like those grandmas who take your air out of you.
The ceremony is going to be at 5 PM, so I have three hours to prepare, one hour remaining for us all to hang out.
So, after that hour passes, the boys leave for Jake to get ready, and the chaos in the household begins.
I shower before the others realize they have to get ready, so I am now taking my time getting ready.
“Brandon, I swear to god I’m going to turn on the cold water!” My sister’s shouts can be heard through the hallway.
Allison and I laugh, and then she proceeds to do my makeup.
“So, a makeout session on the couch, huh?” Alls says, raising an eyebrow.
My hand freezes, and the Chapstick stops with it.
“The kids were doubting our thing, and they already had seen us kissing, so we had to raise the bar.” I explain, trying not to smile.
“How was it?” She smirks.
“It was… Fake. He put his thumbs over my mouth. But my first kiss was very real.” I sigh and start to trail off. “I wish he were a bad kisser, and he didn’t have good taste in music, and he didn’t sing, and he didn’t have that hair and those dimples and those eyes…”
“And we’re smitten. Again.” Allison cuts in reasonably.
“You’re right.” I close my eyes. “I’m not ready for the reception. That’s the place where I’m going to have to be all in love.”
“I say, enjoy it while it lasts.” She says, widening one eye in front of the mirror, putting on mascara.
She does have a point, but there’s a flaw in enjoying. Because if I enjoy it, I might think it’s real and mutual, therefore, I can go from liking him to falling for him. And we don’t want that. We would want it if he fell for me, too. But, I’m the cheap thrill, not the real deal.
I shrug, not revealing my thoughts to Allison.
After that, I straighten my hair and put on the usual jewelry.
Just as I’m about to dress, Allison glues me to the chair and puts on more makeup.
Between laughing and singing, we finish up, and I put on my beautiful dress.
We are ultimately ready to go downstairs, where some people already are.
As Allison goes down the stairs, I hear male voices. Jake. I take in a deep breath and remind myself that I can do this. I can control my emotions, been doing it for years, only a couple more days won’t hurt me. More.
I hesitantly put my right foot on the step and then slowly go down the stairs. Jake stops talking when he looks at me, because the only words that can get out of his mouth aren’t even words.
Goddamnit. I look away, my cheeks the same shade as the dress.
“Beautiful…” He breathes out, and I almost didn’t hear it.
But when Allison mutters something to him, I definitely don’t hear it either.
He’s wearing a tux, and I swear Hopelessly Devoted To You by Olivia Newton-John started playing.
It’s like a never-ending staring contest, seeing who budges first. Turns out my brain was frozen, and I was just on autopilot going down the stairs, so I continued, and when I got to the last step, I tripped over.
Steady arms catch me just in time. My heart doesn’t understand the difference between tripping and dying, so it’s beating crazy.
This fall could’ve ruined my dress, my makeup, or I could’ve broken something.
Sometimes I hate being clumsy, but as I’m holding onto his arms, I couldn’t be happier for it.
He gets me on my feet, still not releasing me, and his intense gaze turns into a mocking one.
“Now Brown, falling for me this quickly?” Jake speaks, his signature smirk wearing his face.
I smirk back but only to mask the panic that was building inside me, because I have a feeling that at the end of this day, he’ll be right.
“Jake West, that is the most predictable pun you have ever made.” I crack up, his arms still around me.
“I try my best.” He winks, and I shake my head, smiling.
“If you two are done over there, you kind of have a wedding to attend.” Riden interrupts, his face screaming the humor he found in the situation.
Jake coughs, looking away, and I get out of his arms.
When we got to the church, it was just like I imagined. It’s simple, but with white everywhere and enough decoration. Ribbons on the benches, flowers everywhere you could possibly fit them, and a ton of well-dressed people.
We sit down in the third row and wait. Not much time later, the church is packed, and Patrick is already at the altar.
His red hair is all neat, and his brown puppy eyes practically shine.
His whole face is light, and his freckles almost seem to be dancing with the smiles he gives every other second.
The doors that lead outside open, and an even more gorgeous Linda steps in, her father supporting.
She slowly walks over to the top, and the ceremony starts.
This is quite boring. I lay my head on Jake’s shoulder, and I’m this close to falling asleep when the priest asks, “Vows?”
My head shoots up, and Linda and Patrick look at each other, beaming so widely, then Patrick speaks.
“I didn’t prepare anything because I’ll have every single day of our lives to say that I love you, and remind you why I married you. And for the record, it’s because you’re awesome.” He softly looks at her eyes, and her face melts.
I look to my left, and Jake’s eyes are watering.
He moves his hands and rubs his fingers against his eyes, then blinks a few times, making the watering stop.
I gently rest my head on his shoulder, slowly, as if our bubble could burst if I moved too quickly.
His head shifts above me, and I feel his lips rest on top of my head.
For a few seconds, I close my eyes and let this be real.
Jake then lays his chin on top of my head, and I smile, content.
That’s when I hear a scoff behind us. Amanda.
Of course. He ever so slightly smirks. He did it for her.
And supposedly, I did too. We hear clapping and see the bride and the groom walking down the aisle, scrunching their noses at each other and goofy smiling.
I totally forget about what happened a second ago and clap as hard as I can with everyone, containing every bit of emotion I can inside.