Walk Me Down The Aisle
It was a beautiful autumn season at the wedding day of Danni's friends. She got up from her table to refill her glass of champagne, and as she walked past the head table, she saw Scott sitting there. They exchanged polite smiles, but didn't talk much. Danni had seen Scott before, but had never really talked to him. She knew he was an actor, but chose to keep quiet about it, because she wanted to get to know the real person behind the fame. Over the weeks, they started to enjoy each other's company, and seem to still seeing each other at weddings. Scott never knew that Danni was a writer in the movie industry, and Danni never told him. She enjoyed the anonymity of being able to observe him without him knowing who she really was. One day, while in their hiding place, Danni opened up to Scott about how she was feeling. She told him that she had developed feelings for him over the passed months and wanted to explore a relationship with him. Scott was hesitant at first, because of his past heartbreak, and wasn't sure if he was ready for another relationship. But with Danni's persistence and patience, they started seeing each other and fell in love. They had a whirlwind romance filled with laughter, passion, and adventure. Danni was happy, and she felt like she had finally found her soulmate. She loved him so much that she decided to write a book about their love story. It became a bestseller and the spotlight was on them. But then something happened that she never saw coming. Scott was disappointed about the book, and his father was filled with anger towards her. Scott felt like his privacy had been invaded, and he became distant from Danni. She tried to reach out to him, but he wouldn't respond. She felt like she had lost him forever. But doon reconciled but it was too late. Years went by, and they were both at a mutual friend's wedding again, with their own partners. They locked eyes from across the room and smiled with the idea of their past. They didn't exchange words, but they both knew that they were happy in their own lives. Danni looked over to her companion and felt thankful for everything she had. She still loved Scott, but she knew that they were just characters in each other's stories now. She realized that sometimes, life doesn't go as planned, and the person you thought was your happily ever after, wasn't meant to be. But she was grateful for the memories they shared, and for the love that had filled her heart for a time. As the night went on, Danni realized that sometimes, the best love stories don't have endings that make sense. And sometimes, the best love stories are the ones that you hold in your heart forever.
Chapter Sixteen
I went to see Don and Vanessa at the gym, I didn't hang back any longer, and as usual, they were both dismayed.
"You and Scott could have been fine if you had just been honest about your job," Don expressed worryingly. "Don is right, Danni. I wish you had brought up that you actually knew him as an actor. Why did it take you so long?" Vanessa preached me with concern.
"I genuinely wanted to truly know him for who he is, beyond his public image and hidden secrets," I stammered, realizing my mistakes.
"And?" They both said it in unison. "To be honest, I wrote a story about our short encounter," I said, surprising them both.
"What? Are you serious, Danni? Does he know about this?" Vanessa questioned. "No, he doesn't have a clue. He really shouldn't be the protagonist in my story, Van. It should be the guy who looked after me to my room during your bachelorette party when I got drunk," I reasoned and confessed.
"Don't you realize that Scott was the one who saw you that night? Scott was the one who took you to your room, Danni. Scott was the man you were with and were searching for," Vanessa revealed with a smirk.
Why hadn't I discovered this from Scott right away? Why did I need someone else to inform me of his role when, all along, I was with him? I had tried to find the man who helped me that night, but I was oblivious because my attention was focused on him.
I can't help but wonder over the unfortunate events that unfolded during our last conversation. Is there still a chance for me to express my gratitude or even extend an apology? However, the fear of the worst possible outcome looms over me when we meet again—the chance that he might despise me. I don't want our relationship to lose its significance and meaning if we were to end up severed because of my actions.
As fate would have it, Scott and I found ourselves face to face once again at a wedding, the third one we coincidentally attended. It was in that moment that I came to find out the reason behind our frequent encounters, not entirely surprised - Scott was a close friend with my boss' movie producer friend. In this interconnected small world, it seemed inevitable that our paths would cross in an event filled with people whose sole purpose was to turn stories into cinematic masterpieces.
Despite our history, I intended to keep our familiarity hidden, unwilling to stir up any more complications after the fallout from my confession of love. The memory of David's wise words lingered in my mind, "Maybe you deserve some respect from yourself." I didn't want to disappoint him any further, or taint the image I had worked so hard to uphold.
Feeling suffocated by the weight of our shared past, I mustered up the courage to approach my boss, who was engrossed in conversation with his friends. Nervously, I leaned in and whispered, "Mitch, can I leave and go home now?"
Hoping for a reprieve from this uncomfortable situation I added, "I'm sorry," displaying a smile for his friends. "But something urgent has come up with my family." my request spilled from my lips, with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. "Funny how family problems always seem to pop up at inconvenient times," Mitch then responded sarcastically, turning his back on me to join his friends and nod.
I couldn't entirely blame Mitch for his frustrations now. My boss had every right to be sarcastic with me. After all, I had made rash decisions in my personal and professional life, fueled by the pain of a broken relationship. I had been so convinced that my ex-partner was the one for me, ready to commit my life to him. But spending time with Scott had opened my eyes to the bigger picture, making me question the expectations I had placed upon myself.