5This story just popped out in my head as I was listening to Just a Dream by Carrie Underwood and one thing led to another. I was thinking about how someone was left and the altar and thought, what if something happened to someone and there began the start of a chain.
I'm sorry to all the ARftD readers. I know, I'm supposed to be working on it but I'm just not in the mood to. I'll try to see if I can squeeze some juice from my muse.
Anyways, read and review? That would make me so happy. This is actually a one-shot but if you really want me to continue the REVIEW. (If you like it of course) Actually, even if you don't I don't really mind. Just let me know what you think so I can make it better.
Forgive Me Not
"Sheryl! It's time to go! The guys are waiting for us!" Sheryl hiked up her white, sleeveless, wedding dress and climbed into the limo in excitement.
This was the day she had been waiting for ever since their fateful meeting six years ago. Matthew was everything she had ever wanted; her knight in shinning armor.
She had almost squealed with anticipation the moment he got down on his knees. After 3 long month of planning, today was a big day. There was nothing that could put a damper in her mood.
"Honey, I just want you know that I'm proud of you." Grant Tresdale, her father grunted, staring out the window. It looked like he was keeping tears from spilling. Today was the day he had always hated yet loved. His daughter would finally be married and start a family of her own but he'd have to hand her over to another male.
The Tresdales were very territorial. Sheryl smiled that the day where her father and Matthew had first met. Grant was sizing Matthew up, trying to intimidate him. Matthew had stood his own ground and even returned a stare for a stare. That was one of her most stressful days. She had been scared that her father would disapprove.
Sheryl felt tears of her own well up in her eyes. Her father had always been there for her. Her mother had died of cancer when she was only six. He was the one who had cooked, cleaned, and housed her. She leaned forward and kissed her father's forehead.
"Mother's proud," She whispered to him, looking at him in the eye, "Proud of the both of us."
Grant was usually a strong man but today, he just let his emotions take over. The tiniest amount of liquid could be seen coming from his eyes. There but not seen.
"I know, I know." He patted her hand.
The limo came to a halt.
"Let's go honey, I still need to give that fool a year's worth of lectures if I'm gonna hand him to you." Grant grinned, the same one that had stopped and made her mother do a double take and call in love.
"Oh daddy, I love you." She gave him a hug before she stepped out of the car.
Their wedding took place at the town's local church. It was mid autumn when the leaves had turned a lovely dark orange-red color. Fire colored trees surrounded the church. The church itself was a magnificent pearly white. Its towers stretched into the sky. At the top, there was a single bell that had never been rung.
There was a legend, that it only rang when in times of misfortune, to give hope the people.
The outside of the church was empty save for the leftover conversations of the guests as the filed into the church.
Giving her father her hand, the both of them stepped onto the petal scattered carpet.
Inside, the guests were not calm at all. They were fretting over the whereabouts of the groom. He was nowhere to be found.
Everyone was accounted for save the bride and groom but the bride was soon to arrive.
Could he have gotten into an accident? Was there some kind of problem that they weren't informed of? There was the possibility that his absence was intentional…
No, that wasn't possible. He was very devoted to his soon-to-be wife. Yet, that option haunted the back of every guest's mind.
There was a knock on the front doors. The bride had arrived.
Like in the movies, she entered with elegance, poise, and beauty. Her dark hair had been let loose in wild curls. She was dressed in a sleek white wedding dress that was sprinkled with tiny green beads that made her dress sparkle with a green glow and her small waist was emphasized with a light green sash.
She was gorgeous. She was every guys dream. Yet the guy she had chosen was not here. This she noticed for his was the first face that she had searched for. Not finding it, she turned her questioning gaze to her fiancé's best man. He gave her a worried look and shrugged his shoulders.
Despite her other's absence, she continued her walk down the aisle. The organs played the customary wedding song but it seemed…sad, empty.
Sheryl's head lowered itself. It was embarrassing, walking when he wasn't here.
All of a sudden, the church doors opened and Sheryl looked up in joy. Her delight faded as she saw that it was just a random guy. Not her fiancé.
"Well, isn't this nice." The guy drawled. "Matthew was lucky. The key word being was."
"What do you mean?" She was confused. Jason was going to be here. He said that he would.
"Sorry to be the one to say this but he's gone." He leaned back onto the closed mahogany doors, arms crossed.
"We were so saddened when we learned that he had run. You know how long we spent looking for him?" Here the guy signed and examined his finger nails. "Then there was this sudden spring of luck. He decided to show himself and get married. Married! Of all things."
Pushing himself off, he made his way to Sheryl. When he got to her, she realized just how tall and fit his was.
Sheryl narrowed her eyes and took a step back. He was too close to her comfort zone.
"Where is he? You know where he is, don't you?" She snapped. Today was supposed to be perfect.
"Don't rush me. So," he continued, "he decided to get married and you wouldn't believe how big our boss' eyes were when he found out who Matthew had decided to get married to. It was like Lady Luck her self decided to retire and give us all her luck. We intercepted him right before he got here you know? But he decided that marrying you wasn't worth losing his life and ran for it. You must he so sad." He said, with mocking sympathy.
"What do you mean 'who Matthew had decided to get married to'. We are perfectly good for each other. And what, do you mean that he ran. Something must have happened. " Sheryl took a menacing step forward. She knew Matthew was really high up in society though they never talked about it. But, she was a good catch too. Not to be cocky but she owned a business worth millions that she had built from scratch herself. And there was the other thing. Matthew wouldn't run. Something must have happened, she repeated to herself.
At this point, the guy grinned and took a step forward. A flash of light came from his hand; light reflecting the glass of a tranquilizer dart. Without giving her time to react, he expertly stuck the dart in her arm and caught her as she went numb.
A numbing roar filled her ears and the guests gave outraged gasps. The loudest one being her father.
Before she blacked out, the guy whispered cruelly into her ears the words any woman in love hated to hear.
"He knew I was coming and what would be happening. But he ran. By the way, Of course you two don't fit, because my dear, you are worth so much more than him."
Then the black hole swallowed her.
In the church at the same time she went unconscious, the guests began to get up and attack the trespasser. As they did, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at the crowd.
"No one moves. It's best if you forget about her. You'll never see her again. She's not going to die or whatever shit's going through your head. We'll take good care of her."
And in flash, he was gone; the guests left staring at the now empty spot and the priest praying and crying to the cross.