s

y lips still tingled. Silas had really- God, I couldn't even think it without my stomach twisting. One more minute in that r

as his girlfriend

near the grand double doors, camera strap looped aro

issed. "They're about

it smooth, yeah? You focus on the entrance. B

h in my cheeks came from the rush of work. Not from the fact that m

orget logic. Seeing him in that crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled and hair

You look like you just got c

kly. "Just pr

d from the front. "Posit

lights reflected off the chandeliers, scattering stars across the marble floor

led. The d

th

step

efused to understand wha

ed, smile smooth and practiced. The kind of smile I'd memorized, the k

lapped. My h

g it, maybe my glasses were fogged. Maybe it was one of

. And our

ce punched the a

. Didn't freeze.

down my spine, mel

? Must be one of the

orced my camera to stay up, my finge

Click

e's cute, right?

oo

it through the soun

father's. The gown was ivory lace, trailing like mist.

And she was walking

dn't b

icking as if my cam

and smiled the same soft smile that used t

mean hom

een shock and a pain too heavy to name. The noise of clapping guests faded into a low,

n speaking. Silas

my knuckles went white. "No," I whispered und

the altar, smiling, hold

He'd told me last week, "Yo

what kind of break

he flowers trembled, scattering petals that landed on my shoes like tiny white ghosts. Each petal

or. My breath came in short, uneven gasps, the edges of the hall s

every soft apology, every late-night promise whispered i

background extra in the sto

back furiously - I can't cry here. Not in front of everyone. Not while t

era again, to do what I came he

rembled as

e's face. His lips moved, mouthing something I couldn't hear. But I'

he'd told me

nder in my ears as they exchanged vows. Each word the officiant

bled with emotion as s

The taste of met

n glance my w

ing her like she was the o

run, the bed warmer, the placeholder until he found

h in me to shove it into my bag. The hall spun. I slipped out through the side door

tion - the smeared lipstick, the glassy eyes, the trembling mouth. I didn't

d until the noise faded, until I was be

forward, clutching my stomach

, trying to muffle the s