Everything’s white with tons of fairy lights hung up everywhere. I swear, it looks like someone’s dream come true. But personally, I think there’s one aspect about Colin and Lily’s wedding that just tops it all. Emory made sure there are two free seats reserved for Colin’s deceased siblings.
The guys and I got here earlier to make sure everything’s alright up here, and when Colin saw the seats, he started to cry. I can’t imagine how hard it must be on a day like this, a day he’d definitely want his siblings around.Allof them, not just one.
An hour after we’ve been up here, Colin remembers the rings he most definitely needs in a bit, but because Lily is in their apartment, he doesn’t want to go there for traditional reasons. They slept in one bed last night, so I’m not sure how logical this is, but whatever. I go anyway.
The door stands wide open when I reach their apartment, and that wouldn’t surprise me as much on a day like this if I didn’t know that Sofia and Emory spent a whole hour this morning texting in our group chat to tell us to stay away from the apartment because they want Lily’s dress to be a surprise to Colin. Apparently, Aaron would describe it to Colin in detail and ruin it. Sofia wasn’t wrong with that, Aaron would do it.
However, since Aaron and Sofia live right across from Colin and Lily, the door should be closed in case either Colin or Aaron walk past it.
Walking inside the apartment, I already hear little whimpers that sound like someone’s crying. Tears aren’t too unusual at weddings, right? But when I walk deeper into the living room and find Lily crunched up on their sofa, sobbing, I don’t waste another second to be by her side.
I’m not the right guy to talk someone like Lily into… into what? Feeling better? I listen, I don’ttalk. I can give advice but that’s all. But I know that whatever is wrong with Lily, she’ll need Colin or Aaron to make it okay, not me. Sofia, Miles, or Emory would be a better help as well. Fuck, evenLuanwould know more than me.
“Are you okay?” I ask and kneel down in front of her.
Stupid question, I realize. Clearly she is not.
“Yup,” she hiccups, pulling her knees even closer to her chest.
“I, uh… Where’s Sofia?” She was supposed to be here. Lily shrugs. “Emory?” Another shrug. Well then. “I’ll go get Colin, okay?”
I’m just about to get up when Lily wraps her hand around my wrist, stopping me. “Don’t,” she begs, her voice trembling. “Colin…” She inhales a shaky breath, then sniffles. “He’ll worry and call off the wedding. And then it was all for nothing.”
Call off the wedding? I don’t think Colin wouldevercall off this wedding. No matter what. There could be a snowstorm out there heavy enough to create snow tornadoes or something, and he’d still go through with it.
Though, there might be one thing that could make even Colin call of this wedding, but I don’t want to entertain that idea.
“Lily, what’s wrong?” I pull her up to sit, and she immediately crosses her trembling legs. At least she’s not pulling them to her chest again, right?
“It feels like I’m dying,” she cries and clutches her hand around her knees, only then do I realize that Lily is not even wearing her wedding dress yet. She’s sitting here in panties and a…oh… lacy bra that is mostly see-through. Well that’s not awkward at all.
She’s avoiding my eyes, staring past me. To change that, I force her to look at me by laying my hands on her face and turning her face into my direction. “Why do you feel like that?”
Lily shakes her head, her nose reddening with every second.
Jesus.
“It hurts, Grey.” I know she’s trying to take a deep breath but instead she’s taking small and quick ones like she’s having a… panic attack.
I know she gets them sometimes, but I was never there to experience it. The fuck am I supposed to do now?
“Everyone out there is going to look at me and think I’m ugly!”
“That’s not true.” I have met my fair share of women before, and none of them came close to Lily. That woman is effortlessly beautiful. Her brother not so much.
“I’m not good enough for Colin,” she cries, her fingers press deeper into her flesh. Either she’s about to poke right through her skin with her freshly done nails, or they’re on the brick to break off. So to avoid both, I grasp Lily’s hands in mine.
“Colin loves you, Lil.” I have quite literally never seen any guy as obsessed with their girlfriend as Colin is with Lily. If she asked him to jump off this building, he would. It’s sickening. “You’re more than good enough for him.”
She bobs her head like she’s understanding but I’m not sure she’s even listening. “Why does he want to get me so badly, Grey? I’m trying my best to get rid of him and he’s still here!”
“Who?” There’s no way she’s about Colin.
She swallows thickly, looking up at the ceiling. “The motherfucking Devil. He wants me dead. Fuck, I want me dead.”
“Lily… Are you sure you don’t want Colin here?” I’m really not cut out to talk her out of wanting to die. Lily and I don’t have that kind of relationship. Sure, I love her because she’s my best friend’s girlfriend, fiancée, wife in a few moments, any of those. And she’s cool and all, but we’re notclose.
Lily shakes her head. “No Colin.”