New Humptston

8:00 AM

A wedding is a special day for every person who has found the one they want to spend their lives with. It was a dream come true for every man and woman in love. In this small chapel in the small town of New Humptston, William Alexander Welton's dream wedding with the love of his life made him the happiest man on earth.

Warren was sweating like a pig near the altar, patiently waiting for his bride. He was nervous since the beginning of the ceremony. Clark Davyd Dawson, his best man, and best bud was constantly talking beside him. Even if his thoughtful friend did it to ease his nerves, he wasn't attentive. His eyeballs were glued on the door where the bride would enter for her bridal march.

"Clayd shut that mouth of yours. For heaven's sake. I can't concentrate." Shayn complained as he moved close to the grand piano.

"Tch. Just start pressing those keys, Shayn. You bastard." Clayd retorted.

The moment Warren was anticipating began when the first note of the song for the Bridal march resounded. The piano's sound was the only noise that covered the place as it was played by his bandmate since high school, Shaun Maynard Taylor. The music continues as Shayn presses the keys. However, no one enters nor walks down the aisle.

"Where is the bride?!" Someone from the audience shouted.

Warren could hear the inaudible whispering of the people. The tensed wedding organizer was walking briskly towards the groom.

"Where's Mary?" Warren asked the organizer the moment he stood in front of him.

The man shook his head. 'T-the b-bride is not coming.' The organizer whispered to the groom's ear.

"What?!" Warren seethed.

"S- she was not in her suite this morning, b-but we found this.' The wedding organizer's shivering hands presented a folded paper and a small red velvet box. 'I will take care of the guests and explain to them what happened." The organizer said, then left.

Logan and Karina, Warren's parents, who sat at the front row bench rushed to Warren's side. They looked furious but tried to conceal the outburst.

"What's going on?" Warren's dad inquired.

"Warren, what's happening? Where's Mary?" Warren's mother asked him.

"Why? What happened?" Clayd asked.

Warren turned to Clayd.

"I'm not getting married today." He said in low volume, but enough for them to hear. "She ran away." He added as he crumpled the note with the ring, making a fist.

The piano released the wrong notes the moment Shayn heard Warren. Clayd's brows shot up. His mouth dropped.

"Mom, Dad. We should talk about this somewhere private. People are watching." Warren suggested.

Logan sighed, then patted his shoulder. "Good idea, son. We don't want to cause a scene here. It's all a disgrace already."

When all the guests left, except the bride's parents, they proceeded to a small convention near the church.

"I am sorry about this, Logan, Karina. We are trying to contact her, but she's not answering," Mary's dad said.

"How could you not know where your daughter is?" Logan asked with a trace of anger.

"Logan." Karina rebuked him.

"Sorry." Logan stood, turned his back, and then inhaled deeply.

"Where did she go?" Karina asked Warren. 'She gave a farewell letter to you, am I right?'

There was a moment of silence. Everyone waited for a reply, but Warren was deep in his thoughts. He was debating if he would chase after Mary or not. Then he realized there was no point in doing so.

"Son?" Karina asked, then tapped his shoulder.

Still, she was ignored. Warren stood, fixed his coat, and filled his lungs with air before he opened his mouth to make a statement.

"Let's leave Mary alone. She already made her choice. She realized that she won't be happy with me that's why she-," He paused to swallow the lump he felt inside his throat. "-that's why she left me. Thank you for coming."

Warren could not face anyone. He left the room then walked briskly towards his car.

"Hey, dude. You're not going anywhere." Shayn called out, stopping him to enter the car's door.

"What are you doing, Shayn?! Let me go!" He grunted as he resisted Shayn and Clayd's hold.

"Hey, man. You are not going to kill yourself!" Clayd asked in a panic.

"I won't kill myself, stupid!" He groaned.

Clayd looked at Shayn, waiting for a confirmation. Shayn shrugged, and then they removed their hands from Warren's arms.

"Let's go back to the Harriden City at Ferdie's," Shayn said.

Clayd shook his head. 'That is not a good idea. Warren is annoying when drunk. Besides, he's the weakest drinker of all.' He complained.

"Isn't that great? When he becomes annoying, carry him like a dead person and throw him in the river." Shayn said.

"Not funny," Warren said. "Let's go. My treat." He said as he grabbed the car's door.

"I'm driving. I don't want to die yet." Clayd said as he grabbed the car keys from Warren.

Traveling back to the city. Clayd yawned while staring at the road.

"Hey! What if we listen to some music?" Clayd suggested.

"Yeah, that's a great idea." Shayn agreed. "But, can I pick the music?" He asked.

"No, you can't. The driver gets to pick the music." Clayd said as he manipulated the radio controls with his other hand.

Shayn raised his hands for surrender, then stared at the car window again. The moment Clayd switched on the radio, music played through the speakers.

"You told me you love me.

Why did you leave me alone..."

Clayd thought that Cry Me a River by Justin Timberlake was not a good choice of music with a broken-hearted man inside a car. So he changed it to the next station.

"Since you've been gone..."

Another heartbreak song called Since You've Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson played by the speaker made Clayd change it to another station. They could feel the awkward atmosphere inside the car now.

"Makes me feel I can't leave without you

It takes me all the way.

I want you to stay..."

The song Stay of Rihanna made it even more awkward. Clayd grunted as he was annoyed, then switched off the radio. While Shayn was biting his lips to stop his laughter. Clayd gave him a deadly glare before he returned his gaze to the road.

They reached Harriden City at noon. Their car is parked near a small bar with flickering lights that says Ferdie's. Warren headed straight on a stool at the counter. The smiling bartender slash owner slash Ferdie was cleaning glasses when he greeted the moody Warren.

"Why so early?" Ferdie asked. 'You have a wedding, right? What happened? Didn't get to the honeymoon?' He asked jokingly.

"Shut up, Ferdie. Just give him a whiskey on rocks." Shayn said.

He made an O shape in his mouth. "Sorry, dude. Here." Ferdie said as his big hands placed the glass on the countertop.

Warren silently stared at the crystal clear glass.

"Did you ever wonder why Jace is not around?" Warren asked that he break the silence.

"Because he told us that he will be busy?" Shayn stated it as a question, unsure if it was the truth.

"Jace ran away with Marriane Fay. He lied-," No. That's not the right word. "They lied to me!" He boomed, then slammed his fist on the countertop.

Clayd's face became furious. "Jace?! That snake! We're sorry about this, dude."

"Relax, guys. There must be an explanation about this." Shayn said calmly.

Warren scoffed. "There's no explanation for this, Shayn. She said she was in love with Jace. Not me."

There was a long silence. Warren leaned his elbows on the counter and ran his long fingers through his hair, ruining its well-combed condition.

________________________________________

The morning was like hell.

No wedding night.

No breakfasts in bed.

No laughter of newlyweds.

Just bloodshot eyes and a headache

He woke up without memory after the conversation with his groom's men and best man. He was so drunk that he didn't realize he was brought home by his friends.

"Good morning, Sir. The package was already delivered." Edgar Laslow, his secretary, stood upright across his bed.

Warren realized Ed's presence was a sign that it was time for him to wake up. He grunted as he rolled on the bed.

"Wh- what package?" He asked as he massaged his throbbing head.

"A letter and an engagement ring you told me last night to send to Ms. Weiver's home, Sir."

"What?!" He yelled as he glanced up at his secretary, looking at him innocently.