A Simple Ceremony
1178 Words
[Noel’s POV]
Nick kept to his word. When the next day comes, I’m woken early by a stylist and a beautician who immediately sweep me away in a white car that takes us to what I can only assume is the venue where our wedding will be taking place.
When we arrive, I’m led into the building and into a room that is equipped with a large vanity with a round, well-lit mirror allowing me the perfect view of what is being done to me from the natural-looking makeup that is placed on my face to the intricate updo that is done with my hair.
Once this is finished, the stylist helps me into a beautiful white dress with a lacey top and a puffy skirt that billows around my waist and down to my feet, and as I move around, small sequins that are sewn into it sparkle like the night sky itself.
“You’re beautiful,” the stylist, Lacy, announces once the whole thing is finished, and I can’t even argue with her.
Even though this was nothing like what I planned for my wedding with Hunter, which was supposed to take place two days prior, it is perfect and exactly what I dreamed of, minus the groom.
Since I was with Hunter so long, I always expected him to be the man on the other side of me, not Nick, who should have been dead and not here with me about to pledge his life to me.
“Do you have any notes?” Lacy pushes as I stare at myself in the mirror. “If there is anything not to your liking, please feel free to…”
“No,” I say quickly, tearing my gaze away and fixing it on Lacy. “This is perfect, thank you both,” I continue, turning to the beautician who hasn’t spoken a word the entire time. “You both did amazingly.”
Smiling, the beautician gives me a nod before turning and heading out of the room, leaving only Lacy and me.
“You’ll have to excuse her,” Lacy giggles. “She’s quite shy.”
Shy. I guess I could understand that. I guess it was a good thing that I didn’t attempt to talk to her while she made me up then.
“Now,” Lacy continues, clapping her hands. “Let’s get your veil on you so that you aren’t late for your own wedding.”
At her words, I feel a thrum of anxiety rush through me as the reality of the decision I’ve made finally begins to set in. Of course, it should have already done that the minute I was whisked away from Azure Moon and my abusive stepmother by Nick, or when I was being dolled up, but now that the whirlwind was settling, I was realizing after today I would be married and not to the man that I thought I would be marrying.
Are you sure about this? The small voice in the back of my head asks as I stare at Lacy. There’s no going back once it’s done.
Was I sure? Was I sure? Honestly, even now I wasn’t fully certain I was making the right choice, but I knew if I didn’t go through with this, then my stepmother and even Joelle would certainly come up with some scheme to try to take Azure Moon despite my grandfather’s wish not being fulfilled.
No. I wouldn’t let that happen. There was no way I would let them destroy everything my grandfather built. Even if protecting it meant marrying someone I wasn’t in love with.
Settling on this, I give Lacy a smile and wait as she begins to pin my veil into place so that my vision is slightly obscured by swirls of lace and frill. Only when this is done does she help me to my heeled feet and begin to lead me out of the room.
The walk to the place my wedding would be taking place is a quiet one filled with nerves and stomach churning, but when we arrive and the music announcing my arrival begins, I can’t help but feel calm.
Placing a smile on my face, I stare straight ahead as the double doors in front of me open, revealing the room, which is decorated with white flowers and banners and a single stage at the front of it where my future husband stands waiting.
“Go on, miss.” Lacy murmurs as mine and Nick’s eyes meet, and that strange sensation begins to rush through me, calming me further as somewhere deep down I realize that the man who will be my husband will truly take care of me as I took back everything that was meant to be just for me.
Nodding, I give Lacy a small smile before I begin to head inside. As I move, I ignore the gazes of the strangers who sit on the groom's side of the venue while the bride's side remains completely empty. And when I reach the stage, I continue to keep my gaze fixed on Nick and only Nick.
Our ceremony is a simple one where we exchange the usual vows and then rings that I’m shocked Nick even has, but in a way I guess I wasn’t surprised about it either. How could I be when he managed to put something like this together in such a short amount of time? If I didn’t know any better, I would think that he spent months planning this out, but that would be silly of me to believe.
Once the preacher continues with the vows and ring exchange, all that is left is for Nick and I to kiss, and when our mouths meet, the world disappears completely, leaving only Nick and me and what feels almost like fireworks going off in my brain.
Gasping in shock, I pull away, breaking our connection and meeting Nick’s excited gaze while wondering what exactly it was that was just happening.
“Later,” he murmurs as if reading my mind. “You’ll realize later when the time is right.”
When the time was right. What did that even mean, and why was he talking like he was some wise old man who knew all? It was frustrating and only made me want to question him further, but that wasn’t happening. Not when we were being whisked away to a room just to the right of the venue where Lacy waits to help me out of my wedding dress and into a simple silver dress that hugs my body perfectly.
“What’s happening?” I ask as she begins to undo my hair. “We already had our ceremony.”
“The afterparty, miss.” Lacy giggles while Nick comes up behind me and touches my shoulder, drawing my gaze to himself.
“I told you that today would be perfect, didn’t I?” He chuckles. “And you will soon learn that I am a man of my word.”
- Writer
