Iron Pen Winner - Margaritas and Weddings by @tellingmelies

Iron Pen: tellingmelies

Challenge Date: April 3
Time Given: 30 minutes
Entries Received: 10

* Original, un-beta'ed version.

I stood outside the church, wringing my hands together. This was a stupid idea. What the hell was I thinking? Well, I knew what I was thinking. I was in love with him. So desperately in love with him.

The bell above the church chimed, 4:00pm on the dot. A man in a black tux began to close the doors, waking me from my fretting. I quickly ran up the steps and slipped inside right before they closed completely. The air-conditioned room was a welcoming change from the blistering heat outside and I took a few moments to cool down and catch my breath.

"Miss, are you here for the wedding?"

I looked up and saw an older man peering at me above the rim of his glasses, standing before the next set of doors which I assumed led into the chapel. He looked confused, like he was unsure of what to do with me. I glanced down and realized I was wearing jeans and Led Zeppelin t-shirt – definitely not wedding attire.

"Miss?" the man asked again.

I was about to turn around and run out, never looking back and just live my life knowing that I let the best thing I've ever had slip through my fingers. I had even begun to turn back towards the main doors when I heard my best friends' voice in my head and I was suddenly back in our earlier conversation.

~A few hours earlier~

"Bella? Did you hear me? Edward's wedding is today."

I looked everywhere else but where she was sitting. I knew about the wedding, of course, but I was still in shock. Not my Edward. I swallowed my margarita trying to think of something to say.

"Well, it's been a year," I choked out.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that shit," she said, flipping through her tour book of Japan.

"What do you want me to do Rose?"

"Be honest with him. Look, he told you that he loved you and wanted to spend the rest of his life with you and you just bailed. And don't pretend for a second that you don't regret it. I know you."

I glared at her and downed my margarita, signaling to the waitress for another. "And I ask again, what do you want me to do? He's getting married. You want me to just bust in there shouting 'I object!'?"

"That's exactly what I want you to do," she said flippantly. My mouth fell open and I just stared at her. "What? Don't act like that thought isn't appealing."

Two margarita's later, and that thought was very much appealing. I stood up suddenly, throwing my chair back.

"I'm going to go!"

"Good girl!" Rose shouted, toasting me with her glass. "Ganbatte!"

I paused mid-motion. "Huh?"

"Ganbatte! It means good luck or something like that." She held up her book. "Gotta get the language down if my work wants me to actually do any business there." I shook my head, grabbed my jacket, and hi-tailed it out of there.

~Present time~

That's how I found myself here – completely sober since I ran the six blocks to the church. The old man must have gotten tired of waiting for me because he was nowhere to be found. This allowed me to quietly open the door and sneak in, taking a place somewhere toward the back. Minutes later, the doors reopened and the wedding march began. I didn't even look back, my eyes instead trained on the beautiful man standing up at the alter.

Edward.

He looked perfect, not that I was surprised. And he was smiling. He looked happy. All of the sudden I needed to get out of there. My heart rate was picking up and I was pretty sure I was going to start hyperventilating. Something to my right caught my eye and I turned seeing his future bride for the first time. I couldn't stop the tears that came to my eyes. She was just a perfect as he was. I was a fool.

I waited until she had passed by me completely before trying to escape, mentally hitting myself for even listening to Rose. But of course I was me, and the three margarita's I had earlier didn't help my poor coordination and my foot caught on some pink poofy thing and fell flat on my face, taking down a flower pot with me. The music cut off abruptly and I heard commotion as people turned in their seats. I wished I could sink through the floor, but I began to push myself up, my face burning.

"Bella?"

I froze.

"Bella? What…what are you doing here?"

I turned around into a sitting position and found myself staring into those deep green eyes that I missed.

"I-," I began, not even knowing where to begin. But staring at him right there, right in front of me, I knew I had to saw it. "Edward, I'm so sorry. You know this isn't like me, I'm not this type of girl. But I had to come. I had to let you know. I lied." His brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Edward, what the hell is going on?" his bride-to-be was standing behind him, her hands on her hips.

He held up a hand to silence her, never taking his eyes off of me. "Bella, what do you mean 'you lied'?"

My eyes flitted from the two of them, settling on Edward. "I lied when I said I didn't want a future with you. I was scared and everything was moving too fast and you were too perfect. And part of me didn't want to believe that you wanted me – no, couldn't believe. I've regretted it every day. And I know that this is horrible timing, but I was with Rose and there were margaritas, and that's just too much information. But I love you. I love you so much and I just had to tell you. But this is not right and I shouldn't be here."

I stood up quickly, brushing my hands on my jeans. Edward stayed bent down on one knee, looking at the ground. His bride-to-be was glaring at me and I couldn't blame her. I backed away, heading toward the door.

"Umm, sorry everyone. Carry on," I mumbled before turning and running out of the church.

The moment I was outside, I collapsed onto the nearest bench and burst out into tears. I was an idiot and know half the town knew it, and if Edward had any feelings left for me they were probably negative. I pulled my knees to my chest and just cried until I felt empty.

"Bella?"

My head snapped up at the sound of a voice. A voice that I knew couldn't be here.

Edward was standing before me, his tie loosened and his jacket slung over his shoulder. He slowly reached up and with the pad of his thumb wiped away my fallen tears. He smiled down at me and that smile took my breath away. It was our smile, the smile that he only showed me.

He held his hand out to me. "What do you say we get out of here?"