Heart over Matter
In a few minutes Charles’ wedding will begin. He’s nervous and happy, like most grooms like him. He rubbed his hands together to make it warm. There are people now inside the church, his friends are now here and his teachers were at the corner laughing at each other. Nicole was still at her Aunt Rima’s house with Cheska and Nova. Everyone is here, except for Lance.
“Where’s Lance?” Charles asked his mom.
“I don’t know, haven’t you seen him yet?” Sandra said.
“No, Mom he needs to be here,” Charles said. “He’s my best man, Mom I won’t let this wedding start without him.”
“If he doesn’t like to come then let him,” Sandra said.
Charles just sighed and went back to join his friends.
* * *
Janine opened the door of Lance’s room. She and her cousins came back this morning because of the wedding. Janine saw Lance still lying on his bed with his laptop beside him while he’s working on something.
“What are you doing?” Janine asked. “Did you know what time is it?”
“It’s Saturday, no school,” Lance answered.
“Have you forgotten what day it is? It’s Charles’ wedding!” Janine scolded him.
“I’m not going,”
“You should.”
Lance sighed. The rest of his cousins entered the room. All of them are wearing their dresses and clothes for the wedding.
“Come on,” Robi said. “We’re going to be late.”
“I. Will. Not. Go.” Lance said emphasizing each word.
“Why?” Nel asked.
“It’s because I don’t want to see her in the aisle while there’s another man waiting for him at the end of it!” Lance answered. He lost his temper.
“Then you should stop the wedding,” Nel said. “If you can’t let her go then you should take her.”
“But I already let her go,”
“This is your last chance to turn it all right, to make your mistakes right. This time think about yourself, think what do you really want and for once don’t think about the possible aftermath,” Bianca said.
“For once ignore your brain and listen to your heart,” Ivan said. “It’s just a matter of Heart-over-Matter sort of thing. Choose love over the things that make you so vulnerable.”
Lance knew that Ivan was right. If he doesn’t want to see Nicole in the arms of the others, then he must not let her go. If he wasn’t able to fight for her before then this is his time to shine. He has to stop the wedding, he will stop the wedding.
* * *
Nicole was sitting inside the bridal car. It’s still 20 minutes before the wedding. Lance isn’t coming for her. It’s either she’s going to marry Charles or she’s going to be a runaway bride.
“Everything’s going to be fine,” Nova said.
At that point she wanted to believe her, but she’s not sure if she has a reason to believe. Nova gave her bouquet; it was a bouquet of tulips. The flowers had triggered a memory that made her cry.
* * *
The wedding has started. Nicole was at the end of the line while the people stare at the people who are walking in the aisle. She took a very-very deep breath. This is it, there’s no turning back. She’s going to be stuck in a life she never wanted, and it’s all because of her ‘clever plan.’
When everyone has gone to their seats and the song has ended, she started to walk. At the moment her first step was made, the piano started playing from somewhere she can’t find. It’s the music that made her smile, the music that was dedicated for her, the music just for her – Lance’s song.
She continued walking; everyone can see that she’s startled. She’s listening to the music, looking for the one who’s playing it and hopes that it’s Lance.
On the part that was supposed to be dull, the piano was joined with a violin that made the song a whole lot more beautiful, so perfect that it made everyone look up into the choir balcony. She stopped from walking and saw the man she’s expecting to come – Lance.
Nicole saw tears in Lance’s eyes, and there’s this expression in his face that tells her not to proceed into the altar. At that moment, Lance doesn’t have to say the word; Nicole is now sure that Lance still loves her. I did not fail after all, she thought. She looked back at the altar and started walking again.
On the altar, Charles saw how happy she is when she saw Lance. She has these eyes, this smile that she never gave to him. Nicole doesn’t love him, she loves Lance.
When Nicole reached the altar the music came to its end and Charles took her hand. “Do you want me to be happy?” Charles asked.
“Yes,” Nicole said.
“And I want you to be happy. And marrying me won’t make both of us happy. Everyone deserves happiness, everyone deserves true love right?”
Nicole smiled. “What do you mean?”
“I’m letting you go, Nicole,” Charles said. “I know Lance is the one who hold your heart, I don’t want to be in a one-sided-love marriage. I love you Nicole, and that’s why I’m letting you go.”
“Thank you Charles! Thank you!” Nicole hugged him. “You’ll always be a friend to me, I’m sorry if I can’t return the love you gave me.”
Nicole dropped her bouquet and pulled her veil off in her hair. Cheska and Nova went beside her and helped her to go back in the bridal car. The wedding is stalled successfully.
“Charles! What have you done?” Sandra was angry.
“I don’t want to be in a marriage where my partner doesn’t love me; I don’t want to be like you Mom. For 21 years Dad didn’t love you, not even once.”
“How dare you!” Sandra said and slapped his son in the face.
On the choir balcony, Lance and Janine saw everything. “Congratulations Lance, you won.”
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