The wedding

The wedding was about to start really soon, in a quarter of an hour. The bride was nervously checking her reflection in her mirror. Elsie stood at the doorway, staring fixedly at the bride's gown, champaign-coloured, ruffled at the sleeves and flowing at the back, emphasising the curves and delicate features of a woman about to be whisked off to the most important event of her life. She would not have been here, if given a choice. Kristelle had been adament on Elsie's presence at her cousin's wedding, saying they needed her expertise on the wedding decorations, despite the fact that the decor of site had already been seemlessly planned beforehand. Rich orange and butter yellow roses in bouquets had been placed atop every table. The passion radiating was glaring, almost hurtful to the eye but one could not deny how gorgeous and glorious the outdoor event was.

Elsie knew, Kris was merely attempting to elevate her mood after what happened. A wedding would act as a source of hope and rejuvenate her spirits. What Kris did not know was the significance of this site. It was not technically where they first knew each other; they were just strangers then, repelled from their own circles, and subsequently hitting each other head on.

Elsie had been waiting for Bri. The chilly winds were biting into her, yet she remained motionless. Ordinary onlookers might have thought she had been frozen stiff in the cold. However, Elsie's mind was swirlling so vigorously her thoughts could have churned those heavy metal wheels and generate enough heat to warm an entire bathhouse. She was going to be severely reprimanded by her boss. Bri had said to meet at seven. Pushing aside her proposal drafts and scattering meaningless lined drawings onto the hideously stained carpet, she had grabbed her faded grey canvas bag and hurriedly made her way to Luvton. The work was to be finalised by the morning, but no matter, she would get them done through the night. Her boss would not dare fire her- no one else would be willing to take up a job with such inhumane working hours and unpleasant office conditions.

Glancing at her watch, the hour hand was inching towards ten and still Bri was nowhere to be found. She let out a sigh, digging her hands deeper into the pockets of her windbreaker and lifting her head, a motion akin to moving a rusted armour. She was realising how dark it was, the blackness swallowing the air greedily. Her heart plummeted as it dawned upon her, too late, that she was never going to arrive. She made her way out of the park, noting that the foilage so fresh and inspiring in the day had put on an eerie mask. It was then that she noticed Raye, of course though at that point she hardly knew his name. He was staring up at a tree with an expression she could not fully place, or in any case, could not clearly make out in the dark. What striked her was this sense of sorrow so overwhelming it broke past her own indifference she set up around her as a fence when it came to dealing with guys. Afraid that he might have sensed her presence, she looked down and quickened her steps.

She was not even sure if he noticed her. Therefore, their 'meeting', or what Elsie would rather think of as a friction did not cause sparks to fly, contrary to romanticised typical fairytales. Their subsequent attraction to each other was gradual, creeping upon them so slowly it was almost suffocating, each drawn like moths to the aura of mystery around each other, and at the same time recognising a hint of something distinctively familiar in the other body.

The wedding had proceeded smoothly with both families of the bride and groom clearly satisfied. Raye was glad for both parties but he was also impatient to leave. His job was almost done. He had already interviewed the groom's parents prior to the wedding and this day was just for him to get some snapshots to enhance the article. An outdoor wedding was rare in this small town. It should be well-received and his editor would be pleased.

Elsie had to drag Kris aside and inform her that they had to take their leave. The air of cheeriness and constant exclaimations of congratulations were bearable initially but now they seemed to be toppling her emotional stability. Scanning through the crowd in search of Kris, her eyes suddenly locked with another pair of dark brown ones.

What are you doing here?

Why can't I?

The two spoken sentences crystallised and hung in the air. A moment of silence ensued as both took in each other's presence. Then, as quickly as it happened, it vanished.

Elsie was hurt. Of course, she had no right to question his rights. She had forgotten her place at that moment.

Raye knew his tone might have caused Elsie to mistake it as defiance yet he had to disguise his own mixed feelings in seeing her here. Reality tugged at Raye as he forced himself to break away and he made his way out of Luvton Park as swiftly as he could, fully aware of her intense gaze on his back, the same one he had felt on that fateful day a long time ago.