From Clingy to Independent- He Thought I Needed Him Until He Realized I Didn’t Chapter 09
My alarm went off at five in the morning.
This time, it wasn’t the two of us dragging
ourselves to early–morning study hall. It was for
Autumn’s wedding.
She still looked like the same hopeless
sleepyhead from morning study hall back in high
school, her head nodding lower and lower. If the
makeup artist hadn’t been holding up her chin, she
probably would’ve smacked straight into the table.
I unwrapped a piece of candy and popped it into
her mouth.
Her eyes were still closed, but she somehow knew
it was me.
“Jenna!”
She turned around and grinned at me, her eyes
bright.
“You’re here!”
That smile was exactly the same as it had been
when we were seventeen, the same look she’d
given me during a break between classes when I
had secretly tucked candy into her desk.
If she hadn’t been wearing a gorgeous wedding
dress, it would’ve felt like the next second we’d
both pull out our worksheets and start grinding
through problem sets together.
It felt like only yesterday we were still stressing
over math.
And now she was getting married.
My eyes burned, and my vision blurred almost
instantly.
“This bouquet was actually meant for you.”
Autumn pointed at the lily–of–the–valley bouquet on the makeup table and let out a sigh.
“I thought you were bringing a plus–one, and then I
could toss it to you…”
So that was why Autumn had kept reminding me again and again to make sure I brought someone
to the wedding.
She blinked at me.
“I’ll be the only one taking the plunge into the
graveyard of marriage. You stay safely out here.”
I laughed through my tears.
The groom leaned in, looking at her with shining
eyes.
“Baby, if you’re willing to jump into the graveyard
with me, that just proves you really love me.”
The two of them leaned against each other, laughing and teasing.
It was only then that it truly hit me that my best friend was getting married.
That light, happy feeling I’d had for her was suddenly replaced by a strange nervousness.
By the time we got to the hotel, I was even more on edge.
I slipped outside to the covered walkway for a breather.
I had barely steadied my breathing before I turned around and ran straight into someone familiar.
It was Adrian.
“You said before that Autumn’s wedding required
a plus–one.”
He walked up to me like nothing was wrong and
brushed the loose strands of hair away from my
forehead.
“I took the day off for this.”
Then his tone shifted.
“When are you coming home?”
My expression turned cold.
“Today is Autumn’s most important day. I’m not going to get into this with you here. Whatever you
have to say can wait until after the wedding.”
Adrian pressed his lips together and stepped aside to let me pass.
The ceremony began smoothly.
During the vows, the officiant asked the groom to say something to the bride.
He took the microphone and looked at Autumn.
“You’re the most independent and strongest girl
I’ve ever known. You carry everything on your own,
and you handle everything beautifully.”
His eyes were a little red.
“But today, I want to make you a promise.”
“From now on, with me, you don’t have to be independent all the time.”
“You’re allowed to say you’re tired. You’re allowed to be vulnerable. You’re allowed to hand your problems over to me without worrying.”
“I want to be your harbor, not just scenery you pass by.”
“I want you to lean on me more. I want you to need
me more. I want you to text me more.”
“Wanting to share your life with someone is the
highest form of romance. I want you to feel like
you can tell me anything instead of silently
carrying it all by yourself. Every time my phone
lights up, I want it to be you.”
Thunderous applause broke out across the room.
In the middle of that sea of people, I spotted Adrian at a glance.
He was leaning against the doorway, staring absently at the groom making his vows.
Then, as if he felt it, he looked up and met my eyes from across the room.
Just like the first time I saw him in high school.
At the opening assembly, he had turned around the same way through a crowd and caught my
eye.
But this time, there was none of that old
racing–heart feeling left in me.
There was only calm, with no other emotion left at
all.