Always The Bridesmaid

The wedding was all set to go. There was no time to waste. She knew the timing was wrong but she hoped to God that Michael Sanchez would give her the love she deserved. Throughout Sandra Morgan's life, she was always second best at everything, never the first. From winning second place in her spelling bee, to winning the second prize on Jeopardy!, to having her boyfriends date her sister, Lisa, luck was never on her side. Well screw the rules! She thought to herself. I'm going to have Michael Sanchez to myself.

She looked around. The bride and groom weren't together yet. So Sandra snuck inside the groom's side of the house. She walked past her parents, Bob and Flo Morgan, then the bridesmaids, and finally to the groom. There he was. 5'11" tall, his gorgeous light brown eyes, and looking sexy in his suit. Suddenly, he saw Sandra in the mirror.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm here to tell you that I love you and want to spend the rest of our lives together. Debbie isn't the woman for you. I am. And I know it's a cliche for someone to ruin the wedding before the bride and the groom get together, but I don't care. Please tell me I am not your second choice."

"Sandra, I'm sorry. But this isn't going to work out. You need to leave."

"No, we belong together." Sandra pulled out a gun and handcuffed Michael to the bed holder.

"What the fuck, Sandra? Where in God's name did you get a gun?"

"Texas. I told you, Michael, I'm tired of being second best at everything. We have chemistry; forget about Debbie. She could have had any other man in the world. Why did she have to pick you? I was the one who crushed on you first."

"You're acting childish, Sandra. I love Debbie because she's kind and considerate. And I don't think--

"Shut up!" Brak! Sandra had hit him in the head with the gun.

"Fuck, that hurt!"

"Don't make me kill you. Do you have any idea how it feels to never be in the spotlight? To never get something you deserve to win?"

Michael opened his mouth to talk, but then closed it. He felt it was best if Sandra let out all of her rage first. "I always loved you. I used to wish that you would fuck me and not your whore." She pulled the safety off the gun. "I'm going to ask you one more fucking time. Why her?"

"She's special. She's kind, loyal, and honest. I don't know what else you want me to say."

The door opened and Debbie was there. "Hon, where are you? We're supposed to be-"

Debbie froze. "What the fuck is happening? Why are you handcuffed to the bed? Who is this?"

"I'm the bridesmaid that gets the Prince Charming, bitch. Say goodbye, Cinderella."

Bang! The crowd downstairs came upstairs and saw the bride down, blood coming out of her chest.

When Sandra saw her parents, she pretended to be shocked and disgusted with herself. "Oh my God, Mom and Dad! I think someone shot Debbie. We have to get her to the hospital. The wedding has been cancelled."

With no hesitation, the parents and the rest of the party guests grabbed the bride's body. Actually, it was Bob Morgan who carried the bride. When everyone else was downstairs, now it was Sandra's chance to kiss Michael. When she did, it felt like Heaven on Earth.

Meanwhile, Michael looked at her in authentic disgust. "You're a monster, Sandra. I can't believe you shot my soon-to-be wife. You do realize that you're going to be arrested for attempted murder right? Or does that not fit into your 'second best' fantasies?"

"OK, here's what we'll do. We'll tell everyone that I tried to get rid of the gun and that it accidentally shot off."

Michael was silent for a long time. A few minutes went by before he spoke. "Well, we also have the option of telling the truth."

"And say what to my parents? 'By the way, Mom and Dad, the gun didn't go off accidentally. I shot the bride all by myself.'"

"It's your choice, but you deserve to live with the guilt."

"Well, let's get inside the car."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Oh, sorry."

***

The next day, everyone who appeared at the wedding was in the hospital. Debbie was in a bad coma. Doctor Mary Watson came out of her hospital room with a solemn look on her face. "I'm sorry, everyone. We did everything we could, but Debbie didn't make it." Everyone started crying. Michael hit his head against the wall, his fists held against his eyes, tears streaming down his face.

This was his worst nightmare and the pain was only starting.

"Are you the groom?" Michael looked up and saw Sandra's parents.

"Yes, I am. I'm sorry to tell you this, but your daughter is responsible for this."

"What?" Sandra's father exclaimed.

"Somehow, she snuck past all of the wedding guests, handcuffed me to a bed, and killed my Debbie. She was going on and on about how she was tired of being second choice to everything in life. "

"Goddamnit! Where is she now?" her mother asked.

"I don't know. I think she went to get something out of the vending machine."

"Let's go."

Bob and Flo were torn apart from this malicious situation. How could their own daughter be a psychopath? Their daughter was kind, caring, and sympathetic to those in need. But there she was, getting a pack of Peanut M&M's.

"Sandra Gail Morgan! Is this true? Did you really kill the bride on her wedding day?" Flo was now crying and filled with anger.

Yet, Sandra was as cool as a cucumber. "I didn't want to be second choice. Michael is meant to be with me."

"You're missing the point. You're now going to jail for murder. That's a serious offense. You could get life in prison!"

"So what? I'm tough. I can handle everything. I'll be an inspiration for women who felt they would second choice their whole lives."

Her parents froze; they realized they raised a monster.