The Cupid Contract

Chapter 1

This was it. My dream was becoming a reality. Ever since I was a little girl, I'd dreamed of getting married at the Franklin Park Conservatory. The gazebo and fountains were enough to make any little girl swoon. Soon I'd be walking down the aisle to my perfect man, becoming his wife.

My best friend, and Maid of Honor, Chelsea, was helping me with the finishing touches on my veil as my mom made sure the zipper on my dress was fully up. My other two bridesmaids, Theresa and Brittney, were giggling as they did their makeup and clicked champagne flutes. Perhaps the few of us had had a little too much to drink at this point. Seeing as Steven was most likely drinking and smoking with his boys, it was only natural the girls and I had mimosas. Though, the orange juice had run dry hours ago.

Mom had originally complained that I was getting married somewhere, as she considered, cheap. I couldn't help it. Ever since I'd come here on a school trip in elementary school, I knew that this was the place. Of course, Mom had to complain about me going to public school. We could afford private schools, but I wanted the social interaction. Luckily it got me my group of girls that would be standing by my side.

I met Chelsea in middle school. We bonded over stupid boys and music, with a secret love for puppet shows. Theresa I had met later in life, going through a rebellious phase unbefitting of an 18 year old heiress. Then, lastly, I met Brittney while working at the bank; another thing Mom complained about. At 23, I was happy learning the ins and outs of finances; family wealth advisor be damned.

Soon it was time. The wedding coordinator, Alisha, knocked on the dressing room door to signal everyone getting to their places. Our photographer, Rachel, took a few last candid shots of the girls and I hugging and laughing, and we made our way to where the real photo spot. The groomsmen seemed a little uneasy, but I chalked it up to them being hungover or still drunk. That's what they get for having a bachelor party the night before the wedding.

I was smiling and having the time of my life. Everyone was throwing flower petals at me to get good pictures, at one point I was picked up by all the groomsmen and held on my side. There was even a picture where all the girls glared at me from behind their bouquets; the photographer said she wanted them to look jealous.

Finally the girls took pictures with the guys and I stood over by a door to get a shot holding hands with Steven. Only, Steven wasn't there. I peeked my head around the corner and couldn't find him anywhere. John, his best man, cleared his throat.

"He, uh, probably had to p*ss really quick. It's nothing. We can get some pics of you two after the ceremony." He said with a nervous chuckle. Yup, definitely still drunk. I nodded and went back to the middle of everyone for one last picture where they all pointed to me and smiled as I held up my ring to show it off.

"Alright, everyone! Places! Your guests are already seated and the DJ is ready to play the music." Everyone rushed to get into the right places while my flower girl and ring bearer were placed in front of my dad and me. Alisha tapped on her headset and held up her hand.

"On my count. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1." On 1 she pointed to a worker on either side of the doors and they opened. I could already hear Cannon in D playing softly in the room as my girls walked down the aisle with the groomsmen they were assigned to.

Finally Chelsea and John linked arms and walked out the doors, followed by my flower girl and ring bearer. As I sucked in a breath I looked up at my dad. He smiled down at me and kissed my cheek.

"The limo is out front, Man-Man. I can still get you out of here." I felt tears brimming my eyes as he used the nickname he'd given me as a toddler.

"No, Daddy. This is what I want. I'm ready."

"Ok. Just hold on to me." He said as he slid my veil over my face. Then we turned and started our way down the aisle as an instrumental of A Thousand Years began to play.

Everything was as I'd imagined it. The fountains by the window were on. The fairy lights were twinkling along the staircase. It was absolutely perfect and I was suddenly brought into the memory of how Steven and I came to be.

I was in downtown Columbus, dancing at one of the many nightclubs there were to offer, when I bumped into a cute guy as I wiggled myself toward the restroom. He had blue eyes, colored black hair, a hooked nose, and some facial hair growing in. Definitely someone my extremely tipsy self was interested in.

After I came out of the restroom, I went to find Theresa when I ran into him again sitting at the bar. He told me he'd come that night because his highschool sweetheart left him out of nowhere and he just needed to get away for the night. I sat next to him and let him vent his frustrations; he was very hurt over the situation. Apparently they had been together for years, making him older than my 21 at the time self.

Before I knew it, we were on the dancefloor together and I was grinding into him. He tilted my chin up and we kissed. Everything fell into place at that moment. We began dating, I moved into his condo with him, and after a few months he proposed. There was no denying his proposal was corny, doing it at a restaurant that had no meaning to us with "Will you marry me?" written on the dessert. Of course I said yes. How could I not? I loved him. Now here we were, finally getting married.

Slowly I looked around, beaming over the memories of my true love and our story that brought us here. But when my eyes fell to the end of the aisle, he was missing. His groomsmen were tugging their ties from their necks, nervous, and my bridesmaids were glaring at them. What was going on?

When we reached the end of the aisle my dad kissed my hand and went to sit with Mom. Maybe this was a prank. Any minute he'd come out the side door and laugh that I thought he vanished on me. Then John looked over at Alisha and did a cut motion, she sadly nodded and spoke into her headset. The music stopped.

"Amanda, there's no better way for me to say this. I'm sorry. Steven isn't coming. Kacey showed up last night. He left with her. He didn't come back." John said to me, still looking uncomfortable.

It felt like my heart stopped beating. Steven had left me at the altar for his high school sweetheart. How could he? I turned around and ran from the room, tears streaming down my face. As I burst through the doors, I collided with a hard surface.