More Than Just A Wedding Guest

Two best friends attend a wedding only to discover they both have feelings for the bride.

He never felt comfortable dressing up.

John sighed at the thought of having to attend the wedding of his distant cousin — someone he barely even knew, let alone could feel happy for.

He looked down at his buzzing phone.

[Scott Phree: Hey guys, anyone down for football tmr morn 9–11am?]

John groaned. What a thorn in the flesh, that wedding. He tapped a reply with reluctant thumbs:

[You: Sry, Ive got a wedding to attend tmr :(

Dave Doe: lolll I’m the photographer for a wedding tmr hahahaha

Dave Doe: sorry scott!

Scott Phree: No prob, next time then!

Scott Phree: Maybe y’all are heading to the same wedding!]

John chuckled, but Dave had already sent another text:

[Dave Doe: are you going to Joseph and Rachel’s wedding tmr @john? hahahaha]

Wait a minute. John grinned in disbelief.

[You: Wait, Joseph Trafford?!?

You: Are we actually going to the same wedding? XDDD

Dave Doe: wait, lemme check

Dave Doe: yeah dude! it’s Mr and Mrs Joseph Trafford hahahahaha]

Maybe the wedding wouldn’t be so bad after all.

David lowered his camera when he spotted his best friend of fifteen years through the lens.

‘Dude,’ said David, prodding John, ‘the bride. She’s stunning.’ John opened his mouth, but after mouthing a reply with great difficulty, said nothing. ‘Why, what’s wrong?’ but he didn’t wait for a reply. ‘If she wasn’t getting married today, I’d think she’s the one.’

John cleared his throat.

He grabbed a tong and helped himself to some fried prawns.

‘Bro, relax. I’m kidding. Well, not really, but what I mean is, your cousin’s a lucky guy,’ said David, winking. He picked up a cup of fruit punch beside the prawn tray.

Still avoiding eye contact, John uttered in a hushed voice, ‘That’s — that’s my crush from secondary school.’

‘Bro! Really?’

‘Shh, not so loud,’ said John, cutting him off. He glanced around with nervous eyes, but David gestured that no one was listening. After a long pause, John finally spoke. ‘We were friends, and I got rejected when I confessed.’

David pressed his lips together, trying his best to keep his laughter in. ‘So you’re still embarrassed about it?’

‘Of course not, that was so long ago,’ John shifted and started to blush.

‘Go on.’ David couldn’t help but let out a small snigger.

‘The thing is, I — I think I haven’t gotten over her.’ David spat out his fruit punch. ‘Yo, chill. Now you’re making me feel worse.’

John suddenly wore a face of shock as he pointed furiously behind David. ‘What, she’s appeared behind us?’ teased David.

Then he heard a crash and understood why.

Tables flipped, chairs flew, feet kicked and crushed white flowers.

The two friends froze in horror. What thawed them was a conversation that unravelled beside them.

‘What is happening, Joseph?’ said a woman in an elaborate white gown, sobbing.

‘Rachel, do you trust me?’ said Joseph, reaching into an inner pocket in his suit.

‘What is happening?’ she asked again, her eyes dilating with fear.

‘Do you trust me?’

‘Y — yes.’

‘Then run to somewhere safe. I’ll find you once I’m done here.’

‘Once you’re done here? — ’

Two shots rang out, silencing the whole cathedral.

‘Come on, we need to keep Rachel safe,’ said John, shaking David. But the photographer stood rooted to the spot, frozen by the sight of wisps of smoke coming out of Joseph’s pistol.

Rachel looked at John in consternation when he pulled her away by her arm.

‘Get to the car park,’ David muttered, blinking himself back to his senses, ‘I’ll drive.’

As David appeared from the kitchen with two cups hot chocolate, Rachel’s phone rang.

‘Hello? Where are you?’

‘I’m…’ Rachel looked up at the others. ‘I’m at a friend’s place.’

‘Good. Just hide there, oka — ’

‘What’s going on? Why did you have a gun at our wedding?’

‘I don’t have time to explain, the rival ga — gan…try, I’m at the gantry, going in to sort this — ’

‘Who were those people?’

‘Troublemakers. Rival business — ’

‘A rival business ruining our wedding? What company does that?’

‘Listen, I’ll explain when when I — ’

But Rachel had hung up.

The past two years had been a lie.

John shifted over towards Rachel and put an arm over the sobbing bride.

She was still in her wedding gown, and David found it a strange sight — a bride crying in a male stranger’s house on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.

Then he saw the look on John’s face.

And he thought it all the more weird.

‘Don’t lie to me, bro,’ said David, pushing a trolley. ‘You still like her, don’t you?’

‘Do you think she’ll be fine?’ John turned away to fetch a packet of instant noodles. It felt harder to breathe — he hoped he wasn’t blushing.

David narrowed his eyes. ‘Relax, bro. Scott’s on his way over.’

‘Will it be awkward between them?’

‘Can anyone be more awkward than you?’ John shook his head and smiled. David always knew how to make him smile.

But today David would take it away too.

Rachel’s face flashed in John’s mind; she looked as beautiful as ever, even after all these years. He wondered if her appetite was still as good as back when they were teens.

‘Do you think one packet is enough — ’

‘Hey, John,’ David grabbed the instant noodles John was waving and tossed it in the trolley. His face was serious now. ‘She’s through with her fiancé now, right?’

‘Yeah, I guess — ’

‘And she’s rejected you, right?’

John didn’t like where this was going. ‘Well, in the past, but — ’

‘Do you think I’d have a chance with her?’ A sinking feeling welled up inside.

That was when John knew he wanted her for himself.

This story was a response to the prompt: Two best friends attend a wedding, only to find out they both have feelings for the bride. Thanks, Bella Smith ⭐ for the brilliant idea!