My alarm started ringing and I hurried to turn the crappy device off. I went to the bathroom and had a quick shower. I tried to keep the fact that today was the wedding from my head but that was impossible.

The wedding was finally here.

I went to my piano and sat down. I couldn’t believe it was here. The wedding was today and I would be playing an original piece I’d been on for weeks, no months! My fingers glided over the keys as I played the piece. I couldn’t make a mistake today. It was Joan’s wedding! She had been so giddy over the event ever since the proposal and I couldn’t ruin it for her by making a mistake.
Soon after nine that morning I got a little hungry so I ate a ham and cheese sandwich before going to get changed. Grabbing the music I headed out of my apartment and to the car. My black Mercedes purred to life and I drove away to the church.

Getting out of the car, I saw the church where the wedding would take place. I straightened out my suit and walked to the doors of the church.

“Hey Daniel, nervous?” My friend Thomas asked.

“Shut up,” I forced a smile.

I looked over to Alex who just glared at me, obviously jealous.

I went into the church and felt the instant cool. The whole place was decorated with white ribbons and roses. There wasn’t too much, but not too little, just enough to lighten the place up and give it a nice smell instead of the musky scent that churches usually had. Shirley, Bella’s mother, had done a great job.

I looked around and found the piano practice room. I set my bag down and tested the piano out. I then practiced until I heard a knock. I turned around and saw Jaon. She was breath-takingly beautiful in a flowing white dress that sparkled with glittering flowers. Her hair had been tied up into a messy bun that seemed just right for the wedding.

“Joan…” I whispered “You look… beautiful.”

She blushed madly at the comment. We stayed quiet for a little while, savoring the moment that, I knew, wouldn’t last.

“Daniel, are you okay?” She asked.

“I’m fine Joan,” I smiled back.

“Well… just checking. You seem a little down,” She finished.

“Joan, I’m fine. Stop worrying about me and worry about yourself for once. It’s the wedding, Joan.”

“Well… If you say so…” She picked up her dress. “See you later.”

As I heard her shoes clicking away, I slammed my fist on the piano. A jumble of notes sounded and rang throughout the room and hallway outside. How could I let this happen? Why was I sitting here? And then I remembered.

Evie, my sister, had suggested at that stupid party that I should play something for the wedding. Bella had actually asked me if I could play something and I couldn’t turn it down. If it made her happy, I would do anything.

I could hear the chatter of people outside and so I headed outside to the main hall and greeted a few people. After that I quickly tested the piano that I would be playing, which was quite marvelous, made sure it was in tune, and went back to the practice room where I continued practicing.

Eleven o’clock soon came around and the crowd finally settled down into the pews. I came back out of the room and I went to the place where I had been told to stand at last week’s rehearsal.

The march started and I stood rigid wanting to make this perfect.

Joan walked up the aisle blushing bright red, her father Mark at her arm. She saw me and gave me a small smiled. I smiled back. When Joan and Mark came before the priest, Mark left Joan and went to sit next to Shirley who had already begun to shed tears.

“We are all gathered here today…” the priest started and continued the usual statements for a wedding. Soon enough, those lines came.

“… Take Joan Christine Turner as your wife?”

“I do,” the groom replied.

“Do you Joan Christine Turner…” the blood was pounding in my ears.

I just couldn’t think anymore. This was the moment, the moment, the moment where Joan would be tied for eternity to the groom. I just couldn’t think, not so much out of nervousness or anxiety but out of pure anger. Why? Because the next lines she said, she wasn’t saying them to me.

“I do,” She replied, smiling at the groom

No that groom wasn’t me. It was George. My "best friend" was marrying Joan, tied to her for eternity…

“You may now kiss the bride,” I heard the priest saying.

The groom lifted Joan’s veil and kissed her. George kissed Joan. George Barron kissed Joan, my Joan. I heard the crowd cheering as they broke up the kiss, Joan blushing, George smiling, and they walked a few practiced steps forward. George took the microphone from the priest and spoke into it.

“…And now we have Daniel Reece, our friend, who wrote a song for us, just for our wedding,” He smiled goofily.

The crowd cheered as I forced a smile and made my way to the piano. I sighed as the crowd grew quiet.

I started the piano piece I wrote. It started out as a slow minor tune but soon picked up into a faster tempo with a major tune. I was pouring all of my feelings for Joan into the song; my sadness, my happiness, my betrayal, my hurt, my pain, my regret, everything.

I looked over at Joan who was smiling brightly at George. The sight of their happiness broke my already shattered heart. People were looking at me, and then at the couple. They were crying and smiling and… It was just too much for my pained soul.

The crowd cheered once again as I finished the song. I stood up and smiled at everyone, trying my best not to sob and break down on the spot. I then made my way to the practice room as everyone went to congratulate the newly wed couple. For their honeymoon they were going to Italy, to the island of Sicily. Joan had secretly told me this while everyone else, except her parents and George’s dad, were clueless.

When I went back out to the main hall with my stuff, I caught a glimpse of a rose bouquet in the air and it landing in a surprised Evie’s arm. She turned to Nicolas, her boyfriend, who smiled at her and embraced her.

Joan went to George again and looked into his eyes. How I envied him. I was meant to be in his place, with Joan in my arms. I was supposed to say “I do,” It was me who was supposed to be there… If it wasn’t for my mistake that night...



We were all having a party at the club. We had all just graduated with our degrees. I came into the club with my best buddies Zach and Nicolas. I entered and saw the person I had loved since my junior year of high school.

Joan was standing there talking to a girl who had been in her class.

I had loved her forever but I had been too scared to tell. I knew I was being a coward but I just couldn’t tell her. What if she had rejected me? What if we became farther apart because of me confessing my love? We wouldn’t even be just friends anymore. I would never get to talk to her again or even meet her. That was a pain that I could not, and would not risk, to bear.

But tonight that would change. I tapped my pocket where the small velvet covered box was. It was tonight that would change it all.

“Joan,” I said going to her, “can I talk to you?”

“Um, sure. Just a little later. I’m talking to Sarah,” She said pointing to the girl.

“It’s kind of urgent,” She opened her mouth to protest but I had already started pulling her away.

“Daniel! Hey! What are you doing?” She asked as I pulled her into a brightly lit hallway, “Daniel, are you okay?” she asked me as I stopped and looked around for anyone. I found the hall deserted.

I had been so nervous but I had to do this. I couldn’t’ stay in the dark any longer.

“Joan,” I began, “I’ve wanted to tell you something. I… I was really afraid to tell you this because…I was scared we’d become farther apart.”

“Daniel… It’s okay. You can tell me,” She smiled.

“Well… Joan…” I hesitated, “I’ve… Well I’m…”

“Yes?” the ever patient Joan looked at me.

Why was I being such a coward? Just say it Daniel Reece! Say it!

“I won’t be cheesy and kneel but… Joan Turner… Will you ma-” I started but was stopped when we both heard someone say her name.

“Joan!” George cried.

“George!” Joan smiled.

“Hey Joan, can I talk to you?” He asked.

“Um… Well, I’m talking to Daniel,” She replied

“It’s urgent,” He said.

“Well, I’m kind of urgent too,” I told him.

“Sorry George,” She smiled.

“But Joan…” George pouted.

“Can you go away now George? I really need to talk to her.” I said

Before anyone could saying anything else George took something out of his pocket, knelt down and said the words that had taken me so long to finally decide to say.

“Will you marry me?” he asked “Joan I’m sorry it’s here but I couldn’t wait any longer,” he said and glanced at me, briefly, and looked back at her. Joan didn’t seem to notice but I had and a flash of anger shot through me. He knew about all of this! He knows I love Joan! And the proposal!

I had the urge to punch him but didn’t for the sake of Joan. She was blushing madly and stuttering over her answer. Yes or No. I was hoping she’d choose the latter but my hopes diminished as she replied.

“Yes!” She squealed “Oh my god George! Yes! Oh. My. God. George…” and George slipped the ring on her finger.

The ring had a small decent sized ruby on a silver band. The sight of the ring on her finger was… was painful, utterly excruciating. I couldn’t bear it any longer and as Joan squealed off to tell her friends, and Jacob followed her footsteps to go tell his friends, I slipped into the bathroom. As I slid down one wall I could feel one hot tear slide down my face. It was over. She was his. I had lost my true love and with that I had lost my whole life.



As I remembered the pain I felt that day. I suddenly remembered the small green velvet covered box in my inner jacket pocket. I took it out and saw my own ring. The ring had been my grandmother’s and it had been passed down to me. I put the small thing in my hand and it glistened in the sunlight.

“Daniel!” I heard behind me. I looked and saw Evie and Nicolas. “Did you see that? I caught the bouquet!” she squealed

“Great song,” Nicolas commented

“Yeah! It was so romantic.” Evie smiled

“Yeah…” I replied

“You coming to the party?” Nicolas asked

I considered this and was going to say yes when I saw Joan. She was in George’s arm as they were still surrounded by a group of people. She looked happy and content as she replied to their many thanks.

‘No. I have to go somewhere,” I replied instead

“Oh… okay.”

“Daniel!” Evie said taking my hand and prying it open. She saw the ring and looked at me. How did she find that? “Oh my God! It’s so pretty! Are you going to propose to someone? Who? When? Where?”

I immediately thought of that night again and looked at Joan. She was giggling and smiling and blushing at George and the group. If I had been a little quicker…

“Daniel?” Evie followed my gaze and gasped, “Daniel! Oh Daniel… I’m sorry.”

“About what?” I asked snapping back to reality.

“About Joan… and the ring… What happened?”

“I was gonna… and then that… he just…” Evie looked at me, pity in her eyes, “It’s okay Evie. I have to go.” I said putting the ring back in the box and into my jacket pocket.

“Daniel…” Evie softened. Evie seemed to know everything and this was no exception.
Nicolas seemed to have caught on and patted me on the shoulder. “Sorry man,” was all he said

Evie and Nicolas walked off and I started exiting the building. I had walked a few yards when I heard her voice.

“Daniel!” Joan cried

I looked back and saw Joan’s expression and knew at once Evie had told her. With my back towards her, I continued around the main altar.

“Daniel!” she called out again. A few people looked in my direction. Her voice was quite distant probably because of her dress. I looked back and saw Joan walking in her white dress, trying not to trip. I took out the ring again and fingered it in my hand. I continued down the aisle of pews until I was at the middle.

“Daniel! Stop! I’m sorry! I didn’t know what you were doing! Daniel, please! I’m sorry. Let’s go back to the others!” She said stopping a few yards behind me
I didn’t reply.

“Please Daniel…” she said taking another step, her heels clacking on the marble floor

The ring shone brightly as I raised my arm, the ring directly in the path of the light. Joan gasped as she noticed what it was. I took one more glance at Joan, standing at the first pew holding her dress, then at the ring and back again. I sighed and my decision was made. The ring dropped from my hand and fell to the floor, making a sound in the church. I then continued walking out of the church.

“Daniel!” Joan screamed running after me again, the dress dragging her behind. Joan suddenly let out a small yelp and I looked behind again. She had finally tripped and was on the floor clutching her dress with one hand, and holding my ring with the other. George’s own ring was on her finger, shining bright red in contrast to my white. I sighed again and turned back. Joan would be okay, she would be just fine. The worst that could happen was a slight bruise to her leg. I continued walking leaving my last moments of happiness and the woman I still loved, and would love forever, behind only a picture of her in my mind, her beautiful face and the white of her wedding dress.