Oh, Calamity!

Saturday, Luna picked me up bright and early at my apartment to get downtown to the dress shops before they all opened. It was just before 7 am on a Saturday, and needless to say, I wasn’t happy to be awake.
“Can we at least go get coffee first?” I whined.
“Jesus, you’re as bad as Rian,” she mumbled. “No time for coffee. We barely have enough time to swing by and get May and Cass, much less an energy break.”
“What’s the big deal, anyway? I mean, I get it’s your wedding, but this isn’t Black Friday or some shit,” I mentioned.
“You’re right, it’s not. But it’s something so much worse than that,” she commented.
“The fuck? What could be worse than Black Friday? People die on that day!” I replied.
“It’s the beginning of bridal season, Nora. We have t be there early so we can get proper help and not be massacred. Do you understand?” she questioned.
I gave her a blank look. “Sure, whatever. But the sooner we get this done, the sooner I can go home and take a nap.”
“Oh, honey,” she said. “We’ll be lucky if we get home before late this evening.”
I groaned. “I hate you.”
“No you don’t!” she said in a sing-song voice.
Soon, Cassadee and May were all piled in the car and we were speeding off to the best dress shop in Baltimore. We crowded outside the front doors, and I was surprised to see that Luna was right about bridal season. We were first in line, but there were a lot of people lined up behind us, giving us evil stares. The Bridezillas were out to get us, but I knew Luna was going to give them a hell of a fight in return.
At 7:30 sharp, the doors opened and we filed into the shop quickly. Inside, it was all plush and foofy, countless dresses on racks lining the walls. Sparkling chandeliers hung from the ceiling, brightening the tiny store. Not to mention, this was only the prom dresses. The bridal showroom was on the next floor up.
A finely dressed woman came up, asking us what we were looking for, and then escorted us upstairs. She kept an intense gaze on us as we looked through the dresses, pressuring us to make a choice.
As I sifted through the racks of white, my mind began to wander. Back in highschool, Luna and I would go the dress shops and look at wedding dresses, planning our futures. She knew even then that she was going to marry Alex, but I was convinced I was going to end up with Jack. Oh, how wrong I was.
Cassadee came over to me shyly, shifting on her feet awkwardly. “Nora? Are you okay? You look lost.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just...not so good at this whole wedding thing,” I lied.
She paused. “Well, the reason I ask is...I mean, I want us to be friends, like I am with the others.”
I smiled at her. “Don’t worry about it, Cassadee. I already consider us friends. Besides, after this wedding, you’re gonna be so sick of me.”
She giggled slightly. “Aw, don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re a joy to be around.”
“Well, thank you. That means a lot,” I said.
May came up to us and slung an arm around my shoulders, nearly knocking me off balance. “Hey there Maid of Honor. I want your opinion on this dress...”
She pulled me away to an opposite corner of the showroom. “Uh...should you be asking Luna her opinion on her own dress?”
She stood in front of me, arms folded expectantly. “That was a front. Anyway, you and I need to have a serious talk.”
“What about?” I questioned nervously.
She sighed. “We need to talk about Jack.”
I almost choked on my own spit. “Jesus, why?”
“Do you still love him? At all?’ she wondered.
I had only recently discovered that I still had feelings for Jack, and I wasn’t about to tell his own sister and personal confidant that. “I love him as a friend, I’ll give you that. But romantically? No. Jack and I are history, and we’ve both moved on. Why do you care, May?”
“Because I don’t think Jack is really happy with Robin. He should’ve just stayed with you. I mean, he sure acts like he still loves you,” she confessed.
Her words hit me hard, but I played it off like it wasn’t a big deal. “What’s done is done. You can’t change the past.”
I heard Luna squeal from across the room. “This one, guys!! This is the one I want!”
We all crowded around her, looking over the dress she was holding. We shoved her into a dressing room and made her try it on, gasping when she emerged. “Wow...” I said. “Alex is going to faint. You’re gorgeous, Luna.”
The woman that originally helped us took Luna aside to discuss alterations, and I sat down in a plush chair with a huff. I really wished May hadn’t brought Jack up, especially when I had already been thinking about him.
“Nora,” Cassadee stated, interrupting me from my thoughts. “Rian just texted me...he was wondering if you and Will could go on a double date with us tonight.”
“I don’t see why not,” I replied, pulling out my phone and shooting my boyfriend a quick text. He soon responded, agreeing to the date.
A few hours later, the wedding dress and all of the bridesmaids dresses had been picked out and set to be tailored to fit each one of us. Luna took me home and thanked me for all of my help, and then I got ready for my double date, which I was honestly excited for. I could focus on Will this time, with no Jack interrupting. Besides, Cass and Rian were the most drama free people I knew, and they would make the night enjoyable...at least I hoped...

Notes