<\/p>\n
I adjusted the straps of my satin white bridesmaid dress, trying not to fidget as I stood at the altar. The Lakeside Manor garden looked magical\u2014rose petals, fairy lights, golden sunlight\u2014but I couldn\u2019t shake the knot in my stomach.<\/p>\n
“Stop fussing, Kate,” whispered Tina. “You look gorgeous.”<\/p>\n
I forced a smile, but my eyes went to Jason\u2014my best friend Aisha\u2019s fianc\u00e9. Something was off. His smile looked fake, and he kept rubbing his left wrist.<\/p>\n
As the bridal march began and Aisha appeared, radiant in ivory lace, I saw it again\u2014Jason rubbing his wrist. A flash of irritated skin and black ink peeked out under his sleeve. A name. Not Aisha\u2019s.<\/p>\n
Cleo \u2764\ufe0f.<\/strong><\/p>\n Cleo\u2014our old friend. The one Aisha had left out of the bridal party on purpose. And now she sat in the second row, smiling like she knew something we didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t let this happen.<\/p>\n \u201cWait!\u201d I shouted.<\/p>\n Two hundred heads turned. Aisha looked confused.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but you can\u2019t marry him,\u201d I said and yanked up Jason\u2019s sleeve, revealing the fresh tattoo.<\/p>\n Jason stammered. \u201cIt\u2019s a joke\u2026 henna\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n But I\u2019d seen real ink before.<\/p>\n Cleo stood up. \u201cLet me explain,\u201d she said, revealing her own matching tattoo. \u201cJason came to me last night. He said he had doubts. We got drunk\u2026 and got tattoos. He said Aisha was sweet but boring. That her family\u2019s lake house was the real prize.\u201d<\/p>\n The crowd gasped. Aisha\u2019s face went pale. \u201cIs it true?\u201d she asked Jason.<\/p>\n He stayed silent.<\/p>\n She took off her ring and dropped it. \u201cTurns out you\u2019re not worth a damn thing.\u201d<\/p>\n She turned to the crowd. \u201cThere won\u2019t be a wedding today\u2014but there will<\/em> be a party. Enjoy my freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n Cheers erupted. Jason stood frozen. Aisha\u2019s dad called out, \u201cMy money, my choice.\u201d<\/p>\n Later, in the bridal suite, Aisha cried quietly. \u201cI should be devastated.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou feel how you feel,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n She sipped champagne. \u201cI think I stopped loving him a while ago. I just didn\u2019t want to admit it.\u201d<\/p>\n “You wanted to believe in him.”<\/p>\n “I wanted not to be alone.”<\/p>\n “That’s not stupid. It’s human.”<\/p>\n We changed her out of the wedding dress and rejoined the party. Laughter returned. Dancing resumed. We kicked off our heels and sat on the dock.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d she said. \u201cFor today, and always.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d do the same for me.\u201d<\/p>\n As for Jason and Cleo? They were stuck with those tattoos\u2014permanent reminders of everything they\u2019d lost in one stupid night.<\/p>\n Aisha, though? She was finally free to start over. And that was worth celebrating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"