10 Years

Standing in front of the mirror, Lilianna runs her hands down and straightens her emerald green dress. A wedding, that’s where she’s heading. A wedding she had only been made aware of this morning.

It was a pleasant Sunday morning. She was lying in bed, holding her book on her side as she immersed herself into the blissful world of Fairies and Demons. It was going to be disgustingly sick enemies-to-lovers tale, and she couldn’t wait to be dragged into the whirlwind of drama and heartbreak. That was, until she was rudely thrown into one of her own.

She has to attend a wedding in three hours.

Damon had, how does one even begin to explain it, simply forgotten to tell her. Don’t take it the wrong way, she loves the occasional spontaneity he brings. But a wedding, for heaven’s sake, a wedding. A holy matrimony between one of his, as he calls it, best mates, and he had simply just forgotten to tell her about it. She thought being together for three years, and living together for two, would have been more than ample time for him to grasp the simple concept that a woman needs time to prepare and make herself presentable when she is to attend such an event.

So there she was, furiously pulling outfits after outfits out of her closet. None of them were suitable attire for a wedding. When was the last time she even attended such a thing? What in the bloody world do people even wear to this sort of formal occasion? And why, just why couldn’t it be as simple for a woman, as for a man? All they needed was a suit. A black suit, and no one would bat an eye as they go from a wedding to a funeral.

At last, she found it. In the deep, dark corner of the endless pit, there was a hidden gem. The emerald green dress she wore to her prom. It would be a miracle if she could even pull it past her hip. But someone of higher power must be on her side today, because with a strained tug, she managed to slip into the dress.

And now she stands in front of the mirror, wearing the sleeveless emerald dress, realising just how much she has changed. Not physically, per say, (as she is able to astoundingly fit into the dress,) but just… changed. She no longer looks like the girl she was 10 years ago, she is now a grown woman who knows exactly what she wants. And what she wants is to go back to bed and finish that goddamn horrible piece of romantic literature.

“Lily, you ready?” her boyfriend peeks his head around the doorway and takes a second glance as his jaw drops at the sight of his stunning girlfriend. No, that is only what happens in one of those cliché romances she so loves to read. In reality, he is shouting from the bottom of the staircase for her to hurry because he is still just a giddy teenager who can’t wait to take advantage of the open bar. Lillianna huffs. It isn’t her fault she is forced to look perfect in such a short amount of time. Rolling her eyes, she picks up the daunting 4-inch heels she won’t even attempt to put on until they reach the venue and slowly makes her way down to the foyer. After all, it is his fault for not telling her earlier.

“Nice dress,” he says as she approaches him.

“Shut up,” she says, a faint smile toying at her lips.

Women, he shakes his head. He will never truly understand them and he won’t pretend to do so. But it really is nice dress.

The venue is beautiful. In the giant tent, fairy-lights hang off the high ceiling. Wooden chairs are embellished with a white bow on the back, and on top of every round table, oversized bouquets filled with pink and white roses are arranged gorgeously. A few guests are already filling out the seats and joyously chattering among themselves. And the stage, goodness, she sucks in a breath as she stands and admires. It is simple, but simply the most magnificent thing she has ever seen. The backwall isn’t a wall at all, it is a wall of roses, the most delicate roses she has ever seen.

“Wow,” she breathes out, “Remind me who’s wedding it is?”

“Benjamin and Skylar,” he replies, “Come, I’ll introduce you.”

He puts his hand on her lower back and begin leading her inside. Benjamin and Skylar… It couldn’t be, could it? She hasn’t heard from-

Chaos.

Gowns and suits flash past them as they enter the small chapel. Shouts from one end of the hallway can be heard from the other end. Guests are fluttering around, mostly with no true goal but just to be swept up in the action. This is exhilarating, she thinks. Holding Damon’s hand, she follows him up the stairs. Caught in the wedding spirit, she suddenly wonders what her wedding will be like. Damon would want to do it outdoors, and she would want it indoors. Oh, she already knows they will have a field day with this and she can’t wait.

Upstairs, he knocks on the old barn door. It swings open.

“Damon!” a man with a head of beach blonde pulls Damon into, what they call, a man hug. Where, first, they put out their hands for a firm handshake, and then they pull each other into a hug where they clap the other’s back as forcefully at they can. Men. She shakes her head and smiles in politeness. As they pull back from each other, the blonde man puts his hand towards her. He looks up and his eyes widen.

Composing himself, he says, “Benjamin, nice to… meet you.”

“Lilianna,” she tries to give him a genuine smile and shakes his hand.

Benjamin. Benjamin Bishop. It really is him.

“Did you find it alright?” Benjamin asks as he invites them in.

She doesn’t know what to think. She has heard of Benjamin in the last ten years, of course. She knows he’s an auditor in a big firm but she had no idea he is engaged, let alone, getting married today. Wow… This is just… insane. She’s happy for him, really, she is. But 10 years. She hasn’t talked to him in 10 years. That’s almost the same amount of time she had known him. They were best friends once upon a time, why didn’t she think to contact him in 10 years?

“…do you do?”

Lilianna feels someone nudge her and looks over to Damon and then Benjamin.

“Me? I…um, I work in marketing,” Lilianna says nervously. Why is she nervous? He’s just an old classmate.

“Oh that’s cool,” Benjamin nods. He feels awkward as well. Should he tell Damon that they know, no, knew each other? He doesn’t want to lie to him…

Lilianna knows people drift apart. But Benjamin and her, maybe they shouldn’t have. It wasn’t like anything big happened between them. They just… stopped talking. They graduated and they never talked again. That was it. Maybe their friendship was only supposed to last through middle school and high school. She’s heard so many people fall out with their high school friends when they go to college. They discover new things and new hobbies and they realise how different they are from their each other. Still, some part of her tells her that if they really tried, they could’ve stayed friends, and she wouldn’t be at his wedding this way.

Benjamin turns to her, “Your dress is nice.”

Oh god, her dress. She’s wearing the dress she wore when she went to prom with him. As a friend, obviously, but he must think she’s weird.

“Thanks. I, uh, didn’t have anything and Damon here, forgot to tell me about this until this morning,” Lilianna playfully pokes Damon on his shoulder.

“Jeez. I’m sorry okay?,” Damon says jokingly. Benjamin laughs, and Lilianna chuckles. Soon, all three of them are giggling like little kids.

Damon finally managed to pull himself together, “Okay, we should probably go. We’ll leave you alone to get ready now.” Damon and Lilianna begins standing up and making their way out the door.

“Good luck,” Lilianna smiles.

“Thanks,” Benjamin lingers at the door, “Hey listen, would you guys like to get together sometime soon?”

Before Damon could speak, Lilianna has already replied.

“Sure.”