Nineteen

Nineteen

Wedding day

"Avery! Get your ass back up here!"

The people who normally wear the title of Aubrey's best friends, but today wear the title of Aubrey's bridesmaids, continue to stand at the top of the stairs screeching at me. Sasha's weapon is a blush brush that's perfect poof matches her perfect mane of curls, while I'm afraid Brenna is a few minutes away from branding me with the curling iron curled inside her fist.

"I'll be right back," I hesitantly assure them as my feet continue to shuffle back and forth on the wooden step. I escaped my room, which has been turned into a full-blown salon, and made it halfway down the stairs before I was spotted.

"Avery!" Aubrey's towel covered head pokes over the banister. "Don't leave me with these people!" my sister's laugh is melodic as she flounces away. She's been laughing since last night, but she's happily delirious because of today's events opposed to any lack of sleep our antics left us with.

"Avery." Sasha sends me another warning when I take another step down.

"I just have to do one more thing," I say and hold up the number with my finger before dashing down the rest of the stairs. The bridesmaids' whines fall behind me as I run into the kitchen and happily slip my feet into the teal flip flops I left by the sliding glass door. "You know people are already here, right?"

The sponge in my mom's hand freezes against the counter top as her eyes dart up to mine. My mom's green eyes shrink as she squints back at me, and I immediately throw my hands up in surrender. That's all it takes for my mom to start laughing, but she still shakes her head at my comment.

"Do you know where the Christmas lights are?" the pep is back in my voice while my mom's back to scrubbing the counter.

"I think they're in the shed, but dad's outside if you want to ask him."

"Okay," I chirp as I pull back the sliding glass door. "Dad!" I yell the second the door closes behind me, but quickly turn my head to the left when I sense movement. "What are you doing?" I ask when my dad yanks his hand behind his back and pulls himself upright.

"Nothing." My dad tries, but when I begin to give him the same disapproving stare my mom gave me seconds before, he quickly flings his hand out. "Feeding the chicken."

I sweep my eyes around our small, wooden fenced backyard, but Cluckie is nowhere to be found. I open my mouth prepared to ignore the lie, but gasp when I catch my dad squishing his slipper into one of the cement stones that line a pathway to the other side of our house.

"Dad," I moan in disapproval.

"I'm sorry okay!" he flings his hands up. "I'm a fifty-year-old man, I can do what I want."

"But you quit smoking years ago." I don't even try to hide the whine from my voice.

"I did." My dad triumphantly pulls his robe tighter around himself before tightening the strings. "I just needed a little something to get me through today."

"Well, I need the Christmas lights!" I stomp my foot into the ground when I remember I'm a maid of honor on a mission to complete one last duty and can't waste time on my dad's bad habits.

"There in the shed." My dad looks at me like I'm crazy, but I quickly begin sprinting across the grass to grab them.

I wrench back the shed door, but when something comes crashing down onto the lawn mower, I immediately call out to the sneaky robe covered man again. "Dad!"

After watching my dad trample over the mess that is our shed, he finally comes back out into the light of day and shoves a tote into my arms.

"Thank you," I chirp. "Please shower!" I yell as an after thought as I dash back through the house.

My car keys jingle from my mouth as I slide past Grandma Josephine as she guards the front door. She's clutching Cluckie in her left hand while wagging her finger at Ben with her right. The poor groom has been trying to get into the house to see Aubrey for over an hour now, but my grandma is sticking to the specific instructions she was given by the bridesmaids. "No boys allowed."

I will myself not to laugh. Not only because I feel bad for Ben, but also because my keys will fall out of my mouth, and it would be a hassle to pick them back up.

"Oh, hello, Nathaniel."

I hear my grandma coo the words before I glance up halfway through my trek to my mom's car to see the best man strutting across the lawn with two plastic covered suits tossed over his shoulder.

"Hi, Mrs. James, how are you?" Nate flashes my grandma with a smile. "I've come to take the groom."

I almost laugh again at the whine Ben emits because my grandma lets Nate walk right through our front door without hesitation, but instead of coming to Ben's aid, I sandwich the tote of lights between my stomach and my mom's car to give my arms a break. I shift to the right when I realize I'm blocking the driver's door and put my knee under the tote for extra support. I reach up to free my keys from my teeth, but the tote instantly teeters to one side, and I instantly throw my hands back under it. Another hand slams against the bottom of the tote, and the keys fall from my lips when I find Nathaniel Graham crouched beside me.

"Thank you." Is my lame, yet necessary greeting.

Nate only continues to grin up at me with the early afternoon sunlight shining in his eyes. He waits for my little smile to turn into a full-blown grin before he finally stands back up and easily takes the tote with him. "Where are you going?"

I give him a mock salute. "My final duty as maid of honor."

"Sounds fun." His eyebrows raise along with his tone.

I swipe the keys up from where I dropped them on the drive way and unlock the car before opening the side door. I go to grab the tote back from Nate, but as soon as my arms wrap around it, he tightens his grip.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm wonderful." I beam and tug at the tote again, but Nate shifts his stance.

"No, I mean, are you really okay? Because last night—"

"Everything's fine," I reassure because it's true, but then I remember who I'm talking to, and my voice lowers. "It all worked out."

Nate continues to stare back at me for an extra second, but when the small smile on my face never wavers he finally relaxes his shoulders. I turn around and place the tote in the backseat of the car before slamming the door closed and facing him in all his white t-shirt and jean covered glory.

"Thank you for asking." My voice is still small, but my keys jingle as my fingers continue to coil around them.

Nate clears his throat. "Of course."

"Aubrey!" Ben's yell echoes throughout the street, and I'm finally able to let out a laugh.

"You better go grab him before my grandma knocks him out."

"Good idea." Nate leaves me with his chuckles.

I turn back to the car only to catch my reflection in the driver's side window. I showered, so the casual attire I'm wearing is clean, but my eyes are more concerned about the giant pink curlers that are covering the expanse of my head and give me a UFO-like appearance.

"Oh well," I mumble to myself as I yank open the driver's side door and plop down in the seat.

****

My steps are cautious as I follow my parents into the church. I opted for a fat wedge opposed to a heel, but I should have opted for nothing at all. I'm only a few stumbles inside the building when I hear Mikayla's cackle of a laugh bouncing off the wooden beams. Before I can bring myself to follow the sound, I catch a glimpse of dark hair, and a light grey suit jacket.

"Well, don't you—" The words die on my lips, and I'm just about ready to drop dead when the guy wearing the grey suit jacket turns around and isn't the cracker last named guy I thought he was.

I quickly whip my whole body around in the opposite direction in hopes the words look like they were echoed along with my cousin's laughter. I fidget with the silver braided bangle on my wrist until the random guy finally turns back around in my peripheral vision. That's when I finally reach my hand up and begin repeatedly smacking my forehead. Although I try my best to avoid the purple smokey eyes Sasha made sure we all had to match our dresses, I don't keep my touch light. I bang my forehead so much that I barely hear the chuckles my not so subtle action receives before a hand clasps around my wrist.

"We shouldn't have any headaches until we've at least had a few cocktails."

My hand is slowly lowered from my face, and a smile breaks out across my lips before I can stop it. My eyes flicker up to meet the brown eyed gaze I was hoping to catch before, and the saliva gets caught in the back of my throat when a fresh shave isn't the only thing Nathaniel Graham is sporting. He's wearing a black tuxedo, with a black bow-tie, and a white button down underneath. The dark hair on the top of his head, that has grown a little bit in the past few months that I've known him, is slicked back with just enough gel to keep it in the same position he usually tries to maintain with just his fingers.

"It's the bowtie, isn't it?" Nate's lips pull together in a wince before his fingers tug at the perfectly ironed collar of his shirt.

It takes me an extra second to register his words before I'm quickly shaking my head. "No, no, it looks fine. You—you look fine." Now I'm the one wincing, but I quickly try to conceal it by reaching up and scratching my head.

At first, my itch is successful because I'm able to loosen a bobby pin that was close to puncturing my scalp, but my bracelet fails in keeping its hands to itself when it gets caught under a few strands of hair. I try not to think too much about it as I pull my arm away, but my mouth drops when a chunk of red hair falls into my face and out of the updo Brenna spent over a half hour completing.

"Brenna's going to kill me." I don't even try to hide my fear, and the chuckles I receive in response are not only immediate, but also expected, and I'm left tentatively trying to throw the strands of hair back over my head in hopes they'll land in a good spot.

"Hold on, hold on." The words are still covered in chuckles before Nate's hand falls in my line of vision. "Let me."

We lock eyes again, and I don't seem to blink as Nate twirls the pieces of hair in my peripheral vision. Nate tears his eyes away from mine only to scan them over the top of my head before he tentatively tucks the disobedient strands under one of the twists. A smaller piece of hair flies back into my face the second he drops his hand, but now we are both laughing, and I decide not to let the little piece of hair ruin the day.

"It's time!" Mikayla sings the words long before it finally is.

It's only when I'm standing at the back of the line does the reality of today finally hit me. My eyes remain glued on the people standing in front of me. We are all in uniform. Plum dresses perfectly aligned with black tuxedoes.

All the guys are sporting grins, bowties, and have lavender flowers poking out of their suit pockets, while all the girls are sporting grins, updos, and are holding purple, patterned flower bouquets. The only thing that separates me from the line is my one off the shoulder strap, while the other bridesmaids have two.

The wooden doors have yet to open.

Mikayla stands at the front of the line and keeps throwing funny faces my way any chance she gets. Although the final perk of maid of honor is the fact that I'm walking out last, I still feel like I'm on the verge of puking my literal guts out, since I've been saving my appetite for the three-course meal that will be prepared later today.

The first octave of the organ makes my spine go rigid, but I keep in sync with the people in front of me as I coil my arm around the tuxedo covered arm beside me. I attempt to swallow my nerves as my brain begs me to smile just as the tuxedo shifts beside me, and a warmth falls over my ear.

"If you go down, I go down, okay?"

I turn my head to the right as Nate straightens back up into his own personal space. I nod in response to his words, but he doesn't let me go back to throwing all my worries on the poised people in front of us. Instead, he flashes me with his grin, and that's all it takes for my worries to fly through the wooden doors that are flung open in front of us and a smile to fly onto my face.

Once Nate and I step into view of the two-hundred and two guests, my conscience begs me to run in the opposite direction, but once again, the wedges on my feet prevent me from living my life to the fullest.

A nudge to my right arm is what finally makes me step forward, and I try to keep my gaze on the priest standing with his arms spread at the altar. When the organ music continues to drown out all my sanity, my fingers clench around Nate's suit jacket covered arm.

Halfway down the aisle, and I realize my face has been carrying wide eyes opposed to a smile. The second my eyes land on my mom, though, my smile is instant, and she captures the moment on the cellphone in her hands. Then, I find myself laughing the rest of the way down when I catch my grandma trampling over other guests just to capture her own picture. I can't decide whether she's trying to get me, Nate, or both.

I find myself missing Nate's warmth when we finally part ways, but as we both take our place on either side of the priest there's no way I can possibly miss his gaze.

The music changes as everyone rises from their seats, and I send Nate a funny face before turning to watch my older sister walk down the aisle.

My dad's face is tinted red which means the closet cigarette didn't stop him from crying, while the veil covering Aubrey's face does nothing to shield her smile.

My sister's eyes finally glaze over the second she reaches Ben's side. Ben's face is also red from the few tears he shed, but once the veil is lifted away from my sister's face, Ben leans his forehead on hers, and they both trade the widest of smiles.

****

"Introducing, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper!"

The bridal party and groomsmen outline the newlyweds' pathway into the circle of guests piled on the dance floor waiting for them. Everyone's clapping, cameras are flashing, and the music is pulsing the atmosphere with a steady beat.

Although my cheeks hurt from smiling, especially after spending an hour posing in front of professional cameras, Aubrey and Ben's smiles never falter as they dance their way into the room.

Even though my sister spent the time going over decorations and planning, I think she's too excited to even care about the outcome.

The bouquet of purple patterned flowers resting on each table are a little too big, and may inhibit conversations, but they are still beautiful. I also don't think everyone took their place cards walking in, but the embossed pieces of paper with gold lettering still rest as labels for each table number as well as the entrée menus.

Everything seems perfect, and that's perfect enough for me.

The music slows down, and Ben jokingly dips Aubrey as an introduction to their first dance as a married couple. Although everyone stops hooting and hollering, everyone quietly remains in the circle around the couple, only momentarily getting their views obstructed by the photographers.

I find myself lightly swaying along to the slow song while my gaze remains on the happy couple. I try to read their lips when they begin discreetly whispering in each other's ears, but a quiet squawk steals my attention. I freeze in my position silently praying I imagined it, but I end up whipping my head around just in time to see Cluckie scurrying out from underneath a white table cloth with a black bowtie wrapped around his neck. I internally curse my grandmother for not only giving him the bowtie, but also the invitation.

I watch as Cluckie's legs continue to fly across the floor, but when he emits another squawk, I finally slide out from my place on the dance floor to complete my now true and final task as maid of honor.

Get rid of that chicken once and for all.

Cluckie stops in the corner of the room and begins pecking at the tie wrapped around his neck. His beak tugs at the cotton material, willing it to come off, while I will him to stay put as I take slow deliberate steps towards him.

When I'm a foot away from the fidgeting chicken, he finally snaps his head up, and meets my gaze. His gold beady eye stares back at me for a quick second before he's on the run again, and I can't help but follow. I'm once again cursing my wedges for inhibiting my movements, but I'm also blaming my dress for my lack of momentum.

The bobby pins securing my updo are shaking, my boobs are a few clomps away from falling out of my strapless bra, and my thighs are chaffing, but I keep my gaze locked on the crazy chicken running a few feet ahead of me. I chase him two laps around the dance floor and zig zag around the circular tables all the while everyone except the staff is cooped up around the dance floor admiring the newlyweds.

"Please!" I hiss when my hands skim his feathers for the fifth time.

I haven't gotten this much exercise in years. My heart is pounding, my breathing is heavy, but the music continues to echo from the DJ's speakers, and carts of food continue to squeak past me. I almost trip over a chair leg as Cluckie dashes ahead before he slips under something white.

This is the third time he's snuck under a table, and each time I've tried to beat him to the other side. This time, I decide to go for plan B. I decide to dive head first into the table as I stretch my arms out underneath the table cloth. Instead of finding feathers, though, I find myself diving right into a three-tier chocolate mousse wedding cake.

A squawk makes my head fly back up, but it's too late.

My eyes may be covered in icing, but that doesn't stop me from seeing that I gained everyone's attention. The lights that dimmed with the bridal party's entrance are slowly turned back on, and the DJ lowers the music, so I can't possibly miss the gasps that echo throughout the room when everyone finally absorbs the damage.

I quickly swipe at the icing coating my eyelids, but as I continue to blink away the cake I only find more cringes. I wince not only because I feel sticky and wet, but also because of the appalled looks resting on my parent's faces as they stand five feet away on the dance floor with the rest of the guests. There's a chunk of icing stuck in my nose, and I'm itching to scratch all the icing away from my skin, but I don't have time to dwell on my discomfort as the crowd parts, and Aubrey and Ben make their way through the gap hand in hand.

I immediately squeeze my eyes shut unable to bear the disappointment that will cover the smiles.

I can already feel it.

With each click of my sister's heels against the wooden dance floor, as the couple edges closer and closer to the crime scene. People murmur and whisper while I continue to cower into myself in attempt to hide from the disaster, even though that's impossible.

I am the disaster.

I know the couple has reached my side the second the whispers stop, but I still don't move. I still don't breathe as the silence continues to hang in the air.

I reach up and swipe at my eyes again before finally turning to see Aubrey's hand doing the same thing to the disheveled cake. My sister stares down at the chunk of icing on her hand before she stuffs it into her mouth.

"Mm." Aubrey doesn't even try to conceal her moan before turning to her new husband. "That's good."

Ben smiles down at her before swiping at the icing with his finger and mimicking Aubrey's moan. "That is good."

"We did good." My sister smiles up at him, and the adoration is written all over both of their faces.

The scraping of a plate makes everyone's heads whip to the right to find Nathaniel Graham standing there at the edge of the long rectangular table. He reaches for a silver fork before he turns and shrugs at the gawking crowd.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting myself a piece."

His words bring back the laughter and smiles, and me and my cake splattered appearance are finally forgotten by the two-hundred and two guests. Luckily, some of the staff members don't forget about me, as I'm guided over to the tables on the opposite edge of the dance floor and am handed a big chunk of napkins. I tentatively swipe at the cake remnants lining my chest, while forks continue to clink against plates.

They say you are what you eat, but I don't think I'll ever eat cake again.

I grab a new napkin off the table before reaching up to wipe at the buttercream frosting still coating my face, but before the napkin can even reach my cheek, someone else's finger beats me to it.

"Who needs a piece when I have you?" Nate hums the words as he licks the icing his finger stole from my cheek.

My mouth opens on the rebuttal that automatically wants to fall from my lips, but as the sugar continues to stick to my skin, and a chunk of icing falls from my hair, all I can bring myself to do is halfheartedly shrug in agreement.

When my sister's laughter fills my ears, my eyes land on my shoes, and I decide I'm going to count my steps to the bathroom. I hear Nate's plate go clattering down on to the table beside me while I count one, two, before two warm hands squish into my icing lined cheeks, and a pair of lips fall on mine. It's a brief cloud-like connection that feels gentle and warm, and tastes a little like chocolate mousse.

"It's about time!" my grandma hollers from her place across the room, and Nate pulls away just enough for me to watch him attempt to lick away the leftover icing on his lips.

I feel the judgement in people's stares once again, but this time I'm too preoccupied to care.

All I'm focused on is the brown-eyed guy standing in front of me and the way his sheepish cake smeared smile matches my own.

****

I feel more like myself as I reenter the reception hall after spending a good half an hour in the bathroom. My face is not only cake-less, but also make-up less. My hair is down, and the curls are bouncing in every direction. And even though every few steps my dress keeps getting tangled in my toes, I still happily toss my wedges under the bridal party table and pick up a drink instead.

I take one gulp of water before Mikayla shouts my name from the dance floor. She's the one who not only helped de-cake-ify me, but also is now beckoning me onto the dance floor with just a crook of her finger. I take another big sip of water before running over to her and allowing myself to not only dance away my worries, but also the leftover wet stains lining the top of my dress.

The DJ fulfills his purpose as he continues to pump not only pop music, but also rock, electric, and even jazz music through the air. I get hip-bumped by my grandma more times than I can count before she convinces Mikayla to start doing the same. I get swung and spun around by both my parents. Ben pulls me in for a jazz dance to prove the lessons he always tells me he took when he was little. I jump up and down and belt out to all the throwback pop songs with Aubrey, Brenna, and Sasha.

I'm exhilarated, but breathless by the time a slow song croons into the room and lulls all the couples to their feet. I plan to follow my cousin off the dance floor, but my tired legs stumble around the plum chiffon material I'm covered in. The quiet laughter I emit at my lack of coordination is mimicked by some deeper chuckles before two hands clasp my waist, and I'm gently pulled back into a warm chest.

"Gotcha," Nate whispers the word before slowly turning me around to face him.

He also looks more like himself now that he's discarded both his jacket and bowtie, and untucked his white dress shirt from his pants. The content is written in the curve of his lips as his right-hand slides around my hip while he gently uses his other hand to nudge mine up into the air. I'm a little too distracted by the few hums he emits while he slowly interlocks our fingers together before my spine goes rigid. Nate pays no mind to my sudden discomfort, and instead uses the hand he has resting on my back to gently coax me closer to his chest. His amusement only grows when my feet stutter against the wood floor beneath us in my attempt to resist.

"I'm not good at this," I blurt out when we begin to slightly sway.

"And you think I am?" Nate's teeth are now showing as he continues to smile down at me.

We continue to gently sway along to the slow jazzy tune while my head ping-pongs between Nate's brown eyes and the couples around us. I see my parents, then Nate's brown irises. I catch my sister laughing at something Ben whispers in her ear before I catch the dip of Nate's eyelashes as he blinks.

"Stop," I finally hiss.

"Stop, what?" His amusement never wavers.

"Stop—" I hesitate before the hand I left halfheartedly resting on his shoulder flies into his face. "Stop looking at me like that."

The chuckles vibrate from his chest. "Like what?"

My eyes fly around the dance floor again as I open and close my mouth before I finally clamp my lips shut and cast my gaze on the floor. The tip of Nate's shoe shifts right to the edge of my dress before I feel his nose graze my temple.

"Avery James," he whispers the words as a low lyric to encase the soft melody surrounding us, and it only takes a few more seconds before I'm finally lifting my eyes back up to meet his.

A harsh chime against a wine glass startles some space back between us.

"Time for the speeches!" the DJ bellows into the microphone before he receives a whisper from one of the waiters. "Oh! And dinner is served!"

"Oh no, my tree," I gasp.

Nate is laughing at me again. "You're what?"

"I forgot," I lamely say as I take another step away from his warmth.

"Your speech?" his amusement returns.

"No, of course not." I laugh as I take another step back, but my smile remains when Nate still doesn't let go of my hand. "I'll be right back." I reassure him before reluctantly pulling my hand away and dashing to find the waiters that reluctantly helped me earlier today.

****

After devouring some chicken and tearing up at some of the speeches given by my parents, Ben's parents, the bridesmaids, the groomsmen, and the best man, it's finally my turn.

I stand up with the microphone in my hand, but I reach for Aubrey's hand opposed to the tall glass of champagne in front of me. "If you don't mind, I would like to take my speech outside."

My sister's eyebrows crinkle in confusion, but she only laughs as I continue to pull her to her feet. We get a few steps away from the table before I'm looking around my sister to address the curiosity resting in Ben's hazel eyes.

"You can come, too." I nod my head in his direction before turning to face the other two-hundred and two pairs of eyes. "Everyone's invited!" I laugh at all the bewilderment I see before turning back to my sister.

"Where are we going?" my sister asks as I continue to walk her to the exit on the side of the building.

Ben trails beside his bride while a crowd slowly begins to trickle behind the white of my sister's gown. I continue to smile while my sister continues to giggle, and I nod in a "thank you" to the attendants that hold the glass doors open for us.

We only take a few steps out onto the perfectly cut green grass before Aubrey stops in her tracks on a gasp. I turn and follow her gaze as it remains on the big oak tree in the center of the landscape. The tree is wrapped in Christmas lights and stands like a star in the middle of the dark sky.

"It's not as big as the one on the side of the road, but—"

My sister cuts off my words by giving my hand a squeeze. "It's beautiful." Her awe coats the words, and the lights from the tree dance in her eyes before she yanks me into a hug.

I continue to hold my sister's hand as her, Ben, and I stand directly in front of the tree. Although everyone's eyes are on me, I keep my gaze on the couple beside me because they are the only ones I really want to hear my words.

"Now I could go on and on about how perfect these two are for each other, but everyone already knows that. That's why we are all here!" my lips quiver at the few laughs I receive before I continue. "But instead, I'm going to make this quick, and remind you guys"—I use Aubrey and I's conjoined hand to gesture to her and Ben—"why you are here." I pause again, but this time to inhale a deep breath. "This all started with you two, and at the end of the day, nothing else matters, but you two. Not the legally binding paper represented by the rings on your fingers, not the dress your wearing, or whether the food was good today, even though it totally was." I gain a little more laughter, and it only furthers my momentum. "Before today, it was just you two, and your choice to stay together, even when one of you burps, or farts, or has terrible morning breath. And as these days soon become years, I want you guys to remember that you held on to each other long before there were rings on your fingers. Oh, and that I love you guys, too." My dad's snort echoes above some of the mumbled laughter, but I only raise my imaginary wine glass into the air. "Cheers to the bride and groom."

****

Both professional pictures as well as selfies are taken in front of the unprofessionally lit oak tree while the DJ continues to try and move the party outside.

I'm sitting on the grass next to Mikayla and my grandma when another slow song begins to pour out of the speakers. I cackle out another laugh at the crazy picture my cousin and I take before a hand falls in front of my face.

"Let's try this again." Nate's smile is sheepish for not only the second time tonight, but also for what seems like the second time ever, and I immediately smile at the thought.

The excited squeak Mikayla emits beside me immediately transforms to laughter when my grandma's hand latches onto Nate's outstretched hand first.

"Sounds good to me," my grandma hums the words as she allows Nate to pull her up.

"Josephine!" I hear my mom yell as she stands a few feet away with my dad.

My grandma laughs. "I'm just kidding, I just needed help getting my old ass up." My grandma rubs her hands down Nate's dress shirt covered arms before winking at me over her shoulder.

"I'll dance with you, Grandma Josephine," Mikayla says and throws me the same wink before standing up and dashing away.

"I guess you're stuck with me." I throw my hands out and snort now that I'm the only one with my butt still on the grass.

Nate's smile is back as he extends both his hands out. "Who said that was a bad thing?"

I decide to respond by placing both my hands in his, and he easily pulls me to my feet before using only his left hand to guide me to the new unofficial dance floor trickling out from the DJ's large speakers. We fall back into position and begin to sway along with the rest of the couples. We share a few more blinks of our eyelids before I chuckle and pull away.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. It's just not me." Although either way I can't dance, I'm better at jumping around than awkwardly swaying.

"I can accept that." Nate nods back at me before he curls his fingers into upside down rock and roll signs, and juts them out from side to side while shaking his hips.

My laughter echoes over the soft music playing, and even stops the couples around us from swaying, but I quickly slap a hand onto Nate's chest when he still doesn't stop.

"What?" he feigns innocence, but he quickly grabs my arms when I continue to laugh and begins swinging me around.

We both continue to fast dance to a slow song until it ends and a faster paced one takes its place. Aubrey and Ben are quick to come up beside us, and soon I'm surrounded by my favorite people dancing like a crazy person.

So, maybe it's not about how it happened.

How I chased a chicken into a wedding cake, tripped over my feet more times than I can count, snorted like a pig at random times, helped my sister plan her wedding, kissed a cracker last named guy, and still have no idea what I want to do with my life.

Maybe it's about the fact that it happened—life happened, and it's an entire photo album worth of memories that I can hold onto . . . forever.