It was midday on May 15 when he came into the Bride’s Room. He was your best friend so naturally he did what all best friends would do. He told you that you were beautiful, but not to let it go to your head. He asked if you were nervous and you shake your head no because this is supposed to be the happiest day of your life and no one knows you are getting cold feet. He tells you that you are an absolutely beautiful bride and you should be excited to start the rest of your life. You nod and try to accept that this is your life now and you’re going to be happy. He hugs you and kisses your forehead. When he leaves he tells you not to trip walking down the aisle. You chuckle, but only a little because he is your best friend and if anyone is going to make you nervous before your wedding it’s him. Now you are sitting alone in the Bride’s Room thinking about how handsome he looks in a suite, and how his eyes sparkle under the sunlight. You think about how being is his arms feels more like home then your tiny cottage house ever did. You think about how beautiful your life with him would be and how beautiful your children would be. You think about all the memories you have shared. The endless laughter, and how he is always your shoulder to cry on when you have no one else. You wonder if anyone would notice if you left now. Ran away. Didn’t walk down the aisle. Didn’t get married today. That’s not fair for your husband, or his family, or yours. You think you might be happy if you marry him, but you fear the love you obviously share just won’t be enough. It won’t light a fire in your soul or make your heart flutter the way it does when you’re with him. He’s your best friend. He’s always been your best friend and you’re in love with him, but he’s not in love with you. So you let your daddy walk you down the aisle. You stare, lovingly, into your fiancée’s eyes, who, in a few moments, will be your husband. The preacher gives the “speak now or forever hold your peace” speech. You look at him. Your best friend. Your eyes begging him to stand up and fight for you. He just smiles because he is so excited for you. He doesn’t stand up. No one does. After that, you can’t really hear anything anyone says, until the preacher asks you for your vows. You look down at what you wrote about the “love of your life,” and you can’t hold it in anymore. You let out a cry. Everyone assumes you’re so stricken with love and happiness. So he stands up and recites the vows for you because you can barely speak. You look at him and he knows you’re unhappy, because he has seen that look before several times. He sits down anyway, knowing there is nothing he can do now. Your fiancée recites his vows. He loves you. This makes you cry harder because you know you can never love him the way he deserves. You get to the “I dos.” Your hands are shaking. This is it your last chance to get up and walk away. You hear your name followed by “as long as you both shall live?” You pause for a second. Look at him, then your fiancée. “I do,” you say, but the words taste like vinegar coming out. You are pronounced man and wife. It should be happily ever after, but it’s not. He knows. He knows you don’t want to be married. So he does the only thing he can. “I’m sorry, I’m not in love with you.” And even though it breaks your heart, you think now it’ll be easier to be happy, but you’ll never know that he lied.