*This storyline came into my head and I had to write it!!! I will still be updating my other one and am working on the sequel to Solitary Confinement!!! Hope you enjoy this one, it isn't as dark!!!!!! :) Hopefully, you like it and as always review!!!!

Chapter 1- Perfect

Picking up my mother's old earrings that I used to play with as a child, I feel happy. So happy I could burst, so happy that I think that this smile will never fade away. After putting on one of the diamond surrounded pearl earrings, I noticed I was being watched. The earring fell from my grasp and bounced and clattered against the marble counter when I saw his reflection in the mirror, when I realized who he was.

 "What are you doing here?" I couldn't believe he would come and see me before the wedding let alone ever.

"I just had to see you that is all. I had to see you before you were taken." His eyes held such longing and gentleness to them, my knees began to buckle. His gaze fills me with such love even after all this time. I realize that my hand is firmly clutched on the counter, keeping me from flying into his arms. Standing there in his tuxedo and polished, even though he wears a suit everyday, he looks amazing. I want to run over to him and embrace him, taking in every heartbeat, every sigh, and every thought.

"I didn't know anyone was supposed to be back here." I can't believe myself, I am getting married and I'm flirting with him, still. He started to come closer, but then stopped after he noticed my knuckles turn white from clenching the stabling counter.

"Sydney, we have to talk. I know I don't have much time till someone comes and finds me here and takes me away." His face grimaces letting his worry lines show. "I'm just going to cut to the chase. So, please just answer me honestly. Do you love me?"

            What? I am getting married and he walks in here twenty minutes before the ceremony and asks me if I love him. My heart sinks to the floor, hanging on the end of my long train. My mouth hangs open, unable to speak.

"I… I.. can't believe you are asking me this?" Bending down, barely because of the too-tight dress I'm squeezed into, to pick up the other earring to complete my perfect ensemble. My eyes begin to turn to ice, to prevent myself from getting hurt. I am going to get married today, no matter what Michael says or does. I mean I am just this close to having a normal, perfect life, with no more secrets and no more lies. I looked up and saw him, swaying form the pressure in his head, his eyes intently looking at me searching my façade for an answer before I speak again.

"Sydney, do you love me? I need to know or I don't know what I'll do." He is persistent and is getting louder. My eyes wander the room, afraid to meet his. I don't speak, I can't. I can't tell him the truth, because that would hurt me too much. And I can't tell him a lie, because that would hurt him too much. I keep my blindness stare on my train embellished with diamond-like stones shimmering into the sunlight from the window.

"Sydney, are you listening to me?" Yes, I hear every word you are saying. I want to scream at him, what I'm thinking; instead I reach over to the Victorian-styled chair and pick up my veil, perfect. I continue to ignore his pleas and look at anything except him. 

"Tell me that you love me or that you don't. Please just give me an answer. Please tell me and I will leave. Plain and simple as that." I stood frozen, my veil hanging stiffly in my hand, preparing to fall, even though I just picked it up with a firm grip. "Tell me!!" He was screaming. I slowly turned around in apparent distress, tears clinging on to my lashes, perfectly coated with mascara. I finally turned my gaze to his way. He stood there, helpless and lost like a child. I broke in and told him.

"I …. don't love you." I forced myself to say coolly and calmly. I fought the tears back that were pleading to break free trying to let him know the truth. My face as cold as I had convinced my heart to be, cold as ice. The veil began to slip out of my clammy hand but I caught it just in time and fastened onto it with fierceness. "I have never loved you and will never start to love you. So, I guess you should just quit your idealistic fantasies before they eat you alive." I spat out the words with pure venom. My eyes heartless and blank." Now, excuse me, but I have a wedding to prepare for. Mrs. Adams will show you the way out. Goodbye Michael. Hope life treats you well." In the pit of my heart, I wished life treated him poorly. Wished that he would never be happy. I stood there, waiting for him to say something or just to leave. Tears kept trying to break free; I wouldn't let them, no matter how much they hurt. Gazing into his eyes, a brilliant green that burned through my heart, I bit my lip, holding back the tears.

             "Goodbye, Sydney. Good luck on your wedding." His face distorted, his breaths deep and sharp, his eyes full of tears. I wanted to run after him as he turned and backed away out of the room and out of my life. I could taste blood inside my mouth, emitting from my sore lip, perfectly stained a brilliant deep maroon.  

            As he hurried his way down the winding stairs towards the oak doors, tears scratching away at his eyes, I stood alone in silence. My fingers rubbing alongside the brim of the smoothness of the ivory veil that contradicted with the roughness in my life. Over and over. "I love you; I have always and will always love you. Don't leave. Stay." I whispered the truth to nobody. I just had to hear the words out loud, so that twenty years from now, I can at least say I spoke them. I can at least say I tried to keep him from leaving, even though I hadn't. A piece of my hair fell from my so-called perfect hair-do. It wiped away some of the tears that had managed to break their way through by now. I guess I wasn't so strong after all; I had truly failed him now.

            Why didn't I say those words when he was here? My hand finally drops the elegant veil, I watch the beautiful ivory netting fall gracefully down in slow motion. Hitting the floor with a small thud, almost too small to hear, it balances on end, unsteady. Staring at the center, I watch it tumble and turn unsure of where it wants to land like a quarter spinning, I become cold and lost. Without another thought, I rush to the window, expecting to see him still there, hoping that there was still a chance for us. He was gone. Out of sight, gone. I latched my frail fingers onto the sides of the window, thinking that if I pushed hard enough he would magically appear before me.

            By the time I had pushed as hard as I could, my hair was completely out and my make-up ruined, gently streaming down my face, staining it with sorrow. A cold breeze rattled the window, startling me, taking away the little breath I had remained to hold onto. I collapsed into the shaking window, feeling the coldness sweep over my flushed face. Staring at the place where his car was, where he was, and where he will never be again, my heart turned into the ice I had forced it to become. My heart crying out for him caused a pain that I have never known before.

"Sydney?" Francie appeared in the doorway, stunned. I quickly turned my head around, frantically wiping away the tears and stained make-up. After realizing the state I am in, she took no time to inquire. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes, I'm fine. Why would I be upset? I'm getting married today." Standing up and straightening out my custom made dress, I avoid eye contact with her, still trying to keep a steady flow of tears to stop.

"Sydney, are you sure? You know you don't have to be ashamed, everyone gets pre-wedding jitters. Come on we can fix that. Don't worry, I bet he will understand he's probably having the same cold feet you have." She took my arm and led me to the parlor down the hall to re-do everything that I had messed up, no, Vaughn had messed up.

            I'm sure Matthew was having jitters, but not like these. I mean he doesn't love another woman. Calm down, Sydney. Vaughn doesn't love you and you don't love him, just breath. You love Matthew and that is all that matters today. Today will be perfect, the wedding I've always dreamed about. Walking down the hallway adorned with flowers and ribbons to the parlor, I realized that I had no choice but to marry Matthew that Vaughn was just a fantasy man that I made up in my mind, entirely. I could never love him, and will never love Michael Vaughn. He was just a silly office crush. Yes that was it, a crush. Still biting my lip, I felt more pain, not in my lip but in my heart. A gap I am sure I will never be able to fill.

"Sydney? This way." I had passed the parlor and had kept on when Francie had left me, I hadn't noticed. I looked around me and noticed I was at the top of the stairs, staring at the driveway, where had been. Just a stupid, mindless crush. Matthew. Matthew.

"Sorry, Francie, I'm just soo excited." I steered my numb body back to the parlor, all the while biting my lip.

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