Chapter 10: When Red Roses Bloom

The words came out of his mouth before he realized they did and those piercing brown eyes turned to him. She stared at him; her mouth agape and now for a second Zick almost regretted the words that had come out of his mouth, almost. But now as he stood in this room and feeling as if the soft tan walls were closing in on him he felt reassured that she would say something back, however instead a slap hit him across the face.

Now as he held his face he watched her talk, but the flash of pain that crossed her eyes was something that hurt him even more as he tried to remember why it had come to this.

--

Zick blinked a couple of times to get his eyes to adjust to the room, his shades that had not been pulled over the night before allowing, the bright glow of the moon reflecting in off of the freshly fallen snow that covered the ground to enter his room. Picking his head up off of his desk he blinked, rubbing at his eyes before, and glancing at the clock. It read a quarter after five in the morning.

Christmas Eve morning, when he was a kid he would look forward to his day every year. He couldn’t wait for it to come because he knew that the next morning would result in presents from his family and freshly homemade pancakes. But now he couldn’t want anything more than this day to end.

Today was the day that he was going to lose Elena forever. He rubbed at his eyes feeling the tiredness beginning to build on him again, sighing knowing that he wasn’t going to get back to sleep.

After getting showered and dressed he walked over removed his tux bag from his closet as he set the thing on the bed he cast his eyes back to the desk where a single sheet of paper and a pen lay. The perfect speech that he was suppose to make for two people that he wanted more than anything to not get married today. Zick had been working all night. The speech as the best man he was suppose to give and he had promise he would make this perfect for the two of them.

One of the most difficult things he could have done, and yet, he couldn’t deny that perfection of what he had written. His eyes rushed over the words filling his head almost instantly:

I have known my two best friends Teddy and Elena as long as I can remember, and for most of the time I remembered they were the worst enemies. I would have never believe if you would have told me that four years ago these two would have ended up together. Two people that couldn’t have been more of a mismatch pair are now two of the happiest people that I know however, today proves that even the worst enemy’s can become the soul mates. I’m so happy for Teddy and Elena and I wish them nothing but the best in the future. I love both of you, with all my heart and shall nothing bring them apart.

To Teddy and Elena.

It was short, but it made his point well.

Teddy and Elena were opposite, hell if you told him five years ago that today was going to be the wedding of his best friend to the love of his life he would had called you crazy himself. He sighed lying on his bed, it was stupid. He hated it. Why did everything that came out of his mouth about the two of them sound stupid. He wanted to be happy for them. But everything about their relationship sounded forced, it was wrong and he could tell that it was. But why couldn’t she see it.

A soft knocking at his door drew his attention away from the paper and he got to his feet. Laying his speech down upon the table he walked to the door and found his younger sister Lexi stand there.

“Hey Zick,”

Zick ushered his sister inside shutting the door behind him. Lexi had made her way over to the bed and for the first time in the glow of his bedroom was when he noticed the box that was sitting in his hands.

“What you got there Lexi?” motioned Zick walking over and join his sister on the bed. A smile came to her lips as she held the small box for a minute longer before handing it over to her brother. Confused Zick looked at her but opened the box. Inside was something he had completely forgotten about a small chair and at the end of it a crystal heart.

“Lexi where…”

“I found it a couple of days ago. In the covers of your bed, I figured you might need a reminder of what you’re thinking about giving up here Zick, I mean you love Elena right, and you don’t want to see her marrying Teddy.”

“Its not that simple Lexi, I if I could just walk up to her and say I love her and know that she would say it back I would, but I’m not sure anymore. She’s a different person now.”

“So are you Zick, you aren’t that quite shy boy that you were before, mom use to tell me stories about how Elena opened you up how before you knew her you use to spend every day with her in the garden, but then you met Ellie and she helped you, she befriended you, and yet your willing to give up, give up the person that bought out the new Zick I see before me…”

“I’ve tried Lexi, I’ve really tried, I wanted to tell her that I don’t want her to marry Teddy, but every time I worried that I won’t only be breaking up their marriage, but I could be breaking up a friendship. What if she hates me? What if she resents me, what if…?”

“What if you save her from the worst mistake she could make? I mean don’t get me wrong, Teddy’s a nice guy but I wouldn’t see their marriage last longer then a year, they just don’t seem right for one another, Teddy’s to hard headed and Elena’s to sweet. They just don’t fit.”

“Sometimes the heart makes matches that the head just can’t understand Lexi.”

Alexia sighed softly rising to her feet leaving the box on the bed and turning to reach the door, however she paused as her hand rest on the handle. “I just want you to think about it Zick, I don’t want to see my brother heartbroken his whole life just because he didn’t take the chance on something that meant to much to him.

She opened the door without another word and walked out of the room. The door shut snuggly behind her and her receding footsteps where heard down the hallway. However Zick turned to the crystal necklace that was in his hand. He had forgotten about the thing in the chaos of this last week and now that he was looking at it a small tear slid down his face.

He held the necklace up by its chain and watched at the crystal necklace twisted back and forth glittering in the light of the room. He wanted nothing more then do what Lexi had told him, he wanted to tell her that he loved her, he wanted to tell her that she should marry Teddy, but what kind of friend would that make him.

“A lonely one.” He muttered. He placed the necklace back into the box and placed it on the desk alone with the speech he had written for the wedding. He had only one more day to make up his mind, he could either he could go though with the wedding and watch the woman he love marry some one else, or risk their friendship.

--

A soft knock was heard from his door and he quickly rose to his feet walking over to the door and opening it. Alexia stood in the door, still in her pajamas, with a small frown on her face. “Teddy’s here Zick he’s waiting for your downstairs.”

Zick nodded returning to his bed and grabbing his tux bag before heading out the door. Giving Alexia a small hug to which he received a small, almost as if she was saying that she was sorry, kiss from his sister he began his decent downstairs.

Pausing half way down he realized he had left his note cards on his desk. Groaning softly he turning around he quickly return to his room and made his way to his desk snatching his cards up.

He was about leave when there he saw it. The necklace that was meant for Elle was sitting on top of a pile of his stuff. Taking it off his desk he pushed it into his pocket and sighed before turning to walk out the door again.

Going back down the step he noticed that Lexi was standing there waiting for him, along with Teddy and his parents. Zick swallowed hard but brought a smile to his face.

“Hey Teddy good morning.” Replied Zick

“Here,” he replied handing his some coffee which he quickly accepted. He took a sip of the warm liquid and as it splashed against the back of his throat he greatly accepted it. It was refreshing. “Come on were going to be late.”

Zick paused, what was wrong with Teddy, he was in an awful bad mood for the day in which he was getting married. However Zick didn’t bring it up. The front door was open and he bid goodbye to his parents and sister a hug to all of them and followed Teddy down to his car parked in their driveway. It was a cold, the snow was fresh on the ground and you could see your breath among the cold air of the morning.

“You ready to go?” asked Teddy walking over and opening the driver’s side door, Zick nodded opening his door on the other side and the warm air of the car hit him like a wave. He it felt good and as he got into the car he sighed. It was going to be a long morning.

The drive was nothing but silence as they made their way to the church. Old Mill road was a long and winding road that was a lovely drive in the fall when the leaves would change and dance across the road in the wind. But it was even lovelier in the winter, when the snow was falling and drifting across the road. It was being in a snow globe, a very sad and depressing snow globe.

Pulling into the church seconds later, Zick reluctantly pulled on the car door handle the door swung open. It was a lot colder down by the church then at his house and he found himself shiver as he wrapped his jacket tighter around himself wishing he has his coffee again to keep him warm. They made their way inside the almost empty church and without a word Teddy disappeared.

Zick, however, looked around the church. It had been decorated hours before and low soft lacing of white graced the pews. Soft flowers that Zick knew wasn’t of Elena’s taste were now everywhere and people making the final touch were there. Zick however felt a pain hit him. How could he let this happen? He was going to let Elena marry Teddy.

“Zick.” Called a voice next to him.

Zick turned noticing that Teddy was waving him over to the changing room and Zick’s grip tighten on his tux bag he slowly and reluctantly made his way over to where Teddy was standing waiting for him.

--

Zick slipped off his jacket and shirt before tossing them to the couch in the room and slipping on the final elements of his attire. His nibble fingers made quick work of the tux white shirt, and after slipping on his jacket his sighed softly looking at the tie, the last thing laying in the tux bag.

Zick was horrible on ties. Always had been and still was. Snatching up the tie he glanced around the room. Teddy was gone, most likely soliciting among family members. Zick sighed almost giving up on the tie and tossing it back in the bag when something caught his eye. The necklace he had put into his jacket pocket this morning was now sitting sprawled out on the couch before him.

Snatching up the necklace he felt a sad smile come to his face. Picking it up by the chair he let the heart on the end twist back and forth letting the reflecting glow from it sparkle across the room. He sighed after a second letting the arm that was holding the necklace sag and he place the necklace in the pocket of his tux pants.

Snatching up his tie again he sighed make his way out of the room, who knows maybe Lexi would be able to tie his tie for him.

--

Zick was trying making his way; unsuccessfully back to the groom’s room. Lexi had been able to tie his tie for him but she had to leave him after getting called away by Lay and his parents leaving Zick to fine his way back alone. But after taking a wrong turn in this huge church was now lost.

Turning down another hallway Zick sighed. Nothing in this hallway looked familiar, just a bunch of tan walls and brown doors in this stupid church.

Zick was about to turn around when suddenly the door next to him had something on it that caught his eyes, a small white sign on the center of the door reading: Bride’s Dressing Room.

Zick almost couldn’t believe it. Right before him was a chance, a chance to talk to Elena before she did something she might regret. Zick was about to raise his arm to knock, but paused, could he do this. What if this was what Elena wanted? A life, a life with someone that did actually love her, a life where there was a constant there, someone who was willing to stick by her and not just let her go.

But then Zick remember, he remember back to that night in the car when he had heard Teddy and Lay together, and he felt his blood boil. Before he even knew it his hand had come into contact with the door.

Knocking on the door Zick waited for a few seconds, however when he received no response he entered the room. He had to tell her. Before he left the person that he loved more then anything in the whole world slip away from him forever.

In the middle of the room was a large u-shaped mirror, the back of the mirror was facing him and Zick took a deep breath, he was going to see Elena in her wedding dress. He walked over to the mirror and before he could even say a word he paused glancing at the reflection in the mirror. That wasn’t Elena.

“Lay?”

Lay gasped turning around looking at Zick. All words left Zick as he stared at Lay in that wedding dress, but at the same time a wave of relief hit him. What was happening here? Why was Lay in the wedding dress and where was Elena.

“Lay, what’s going on here?”

Before Lay could even say anything another voice entered the room. The voice of the woman Zick though was going to leave him forever. Elena.

“Lay are you almost ready, the wedding’s going to start…” Elena paused as she came around the mirror and came face to face with Zick. Zick’s heart was pounding in his chest as he glanced upon Elena. She wore a short blue bride’s maid of honors dress; her long red hair was cascaded upon her shoulder while only a soft white ribbon rested upon her head holding the rest of her hair back.

All the people in the room didn’t say a word to one another as the second slowly clicked by, Zick however was the first to break the silence. “Ok, what exactly is going on here, because last time I check you” he replied point to Elena who was softly biting upon one of her brand new manicured nails. “Where the one getting married.”

“Zick…” began Lay stepping forward but Zick moved away from her.

“You’re letting them get married two, and you damn well know that you’re helping Teddy cheat on Elena here, how could you do that to her, you’re suppose to be Elena’s best friend you’re suppose to be the one that Elena could trust could depend on and here you are…”

“Zick!” began Elena trying to stop his rant

“Letting her get married when you damn well know he’s been send all this time with you, with your kiss, and dinner dates and all of your I love you too’s.” continued Zick “That’s shows what kind of person you are Lay, and its not the good kind.”

“Zick!” replied Elena again as the tears stared to fall down her face and Lay’s at the same time. But Zick wouldn’t listen.

“Damn Elena I though you could have seen what was right in front of your face because if your gullible enough that you can’t see that Teddy’s cheating on you then…”

The words came out of his mouth before he realized they did and those piercing brown eyes turned to him. She stared at him; her mouth agape and now for a second Zick almost regretted the words that had come out of his mouth, almost. But now as he stood in this room and feeling as if the soft tan walls were closing in on him he felt reassured that she would say something back, however instead a slap hit him across the face.

Now as he held his face he watched her talk, but the flash of pain that crossed her eyes was something that hurt him even more as he tried to remember why it had come to this.

“TEDDY’S NOT CHEATING ON ME!” Yelled Elena at the top of her lungs, the room got deathly silent after that. “Damn it Zick, can’t you see that there is more here then meets the eye or are you too wrapped up in your assumptions that you can’t see beyond that.”

“I don’t…”

“No you don’t. Stop talking for a minute and let me talk.” She replied poking him hard in the chest and he fell into a near by chair. “I’m not marrying Teddy, hell I don’t even like Teddy, no offence Lay, this whole thing was a scam set up by all the people you see in this room plus your parents and sister.”

“A setup?” replied Zick

Elena was crying by now but she didn’t wipe them away as she continued to yell at Zick. “You were too stupid to come after me when I left, I know what you wanted to tell me that day you left me left for college and yet you never said it. I know I took the whole wedding thing too far but I think it was my way of getting you back for all those years that you hurt me. But Zick despite all that I still love you, and I still feel that way I felt for you that day I left for Boston. But I just figured you didn’t.”

Zick just stared at the woman before him. This was a setup. They had played with his emotions that he was still harboring over Elena and used them to trick him. Zick got up without a word and left the room.

Elena watched him go, the door being slammed loudly behind him and for a second neither of them did anything. But before Lay could say anything to Elena a sob escaped her lips and she fell to the ground crying loudly.

“What have I done, I’ve ruined everything with one quick swipe and now Zick will want nothing to do with me anymore.” Cried Elena her arms wrapped across her chest trying to comfort herself but failing miserably.

“Elena,” replied Lay softly kneeling down the girl’s level, “If anything this is all of our faults, we encouraged you, Teddy, Lexi; all of us did this to help you. None of this is your fault.”

“But what am I going to do now?” asked Elena “He probably won’t speak to me, not after this.”

“I’ll tell you what you going to do,” replied Lay pulling the girl to her feet. “You going to do what he didn’t do for you, you’re going to go after him.”

“What…but the wedding…”

“This is more important then the wedding, this is your life Elena, this is your shot to prove to Zick that he still means the same to you as you do to him. Teddy and I both understand, besides it’s not like I can’t find other people to stand in. This is your time now and I want you to go. Now GO!”

Elena didn’t need to be told twice. She snatched her jacket off the couch in the Brides room and quickly threw it on herself before walking out of the room after Zick.

--

Zick didn’t know how long he had been walking around. The snow had long stopped falling but the chill still hung in the air. His breath was coming out in short puffs but the tears that were falling down his face were almost freezing in place causing him to rub at his red eyes constantly.

They were playing him, playing his emotions and everything, his friends, his sister, his family, even Elena. He sniffled again, how could they do this to him? Zick shiver softly, his legs growing tired and this damn tux wasn’t much warm Zick sighed coming to rest on a cleared stairwell.

The streets were silent as Zick sat there. Sniffling and freezing out in the snow and the cold on Christmas Eve. The sun was almost starting to set into the night sky and Zick glanced at his watch. It was almost 5:00 Teddy and E…Lay were probably married by now. Celebrating with all their and in turn his so called family and friends.

Shoving his hands back into his pockets of his pants to keep them warm his hand bushed against some and he pulled out the item in there. The necklace. Every fiber of his being wanted to take the damn thing and toss it out into the street, but at the same time he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He just stared at it.

The minutes clicked by as he just stared at the heart twisting on the chain. Now the snow was starting to fall again gracing the ground with a small layer of powder, Zick shivered shoving his hand back into his pockets.

Getting to his feet he sighed. He wasn’t more then a half and hour from the house, if he started walking now he might be able to get home before 9 tonight. Zick sighed softly starting to walk.

“Zick!” cried a voice and he paused. Was that Elena?

Zick slowed but didn’t stop walking. After a few more second Zick heard it again and this time he turned around. “Zick! Wait!”

Elena was running towards him. She was still dress in the blue dress that she wore at the wedding and a short jacket wrapped around her body. Zick sighed looking at her and when she came up to him she paused trying to catch her breath.

“Elena what are you doing here?” replied Zick. “Shouldn’t you be at a wedding?”

“Zick wait I need to talk to you.”

“No I think that you said all you need at the church.”

“But Zick you don’t…”

“You played me Elena. You tricked me and made me believe that you were getting married to pretty much get back at me for what I did to you. Elena I can’t believe you.”

“Zick. I’m sorry, this really wasn’t my intent. Please, just listen.”

Zick glanced at her, frozen tears were starting to fall down her face and Zick sighed feeling guilty. “Fine,”

“Zick, when I heard that Teddy and Lay were getting married they automatically asked me if I could help them, Lay wanted me to be her maid-of-honor. I agreed of course, but after I while Lay kept telling me that Teddy hadn’t found a best man yet.”

Elena was shivering and Zick felt a pain of worry wash over him. At least he had pants on but Elena was wearing a dress in the middle of a freezing winter night, Zick pulled off his tux jacket and wrapped it around the girl before him. Elena blushed softly pulling the jacket around her before smiling.

“Thank Zick.”

“No problem.”

“Anyways, um…I kept suggesting that they use you, since I knew that you and Teddy despite your problems were friends at one time, and you would most likely agree to be the best man.”

“I feel like you want to say but though.”

“But…they kept not wanting to use you in the wedding…because they knew about…what had happened between us…they didn’t want to bring up bad memories for me. But I…I told them to do it.”

“Ellie…” began Zick

“But the idea about tricking you didn’t come till later, I mean it wasn’t premeditated against you. Lay had the idea. She wanted to help me…and I mean I shouldn’t have gone along with it Zick. I’m so sorry…I just wanted…I just wanted you to know that I’m not going to wait around forever for you to make up your mind…and I…

Zick couldn’t believe it. He moved forward and quickly met his lips with Elena.

Elena couldn’t believe it, Zick was kissing her, after everything, he wasn’t mad at her anymore and now she slowly wrapped her arms around her body.

The two of them stood in the middle of the falling snow together, their soft lips meeting together, not only a momentum of passion, but the shared love and longing that they still held for one another after all these years.

When Zick pulled away he held Elena in his arms and smiled softly.

“Elena, your right, I did wait, I didn’t want to express my feelings for you even after I found out that you were married because I wanted to be happy for you. I wanted to be happy for you but I couldn’t. I was suffering and I couldn’t bring myself to make you unhappy if you were happy.”

“Zi…” began Elena but he cut her off.

“And even after I found out that your getting married was fake I couldn’t even bring myself realize was true because I was afraid that that it wasn’t true. I didn’t know what to do. So I got mad and I left.”

Elena felt the tears fall down her face but Zick continued.

“I love you Elena, I always have, and I hope I always will be able too. Here I want to give this to you.”

Zick pulled the necklace out of his pocket and smile leaning forward and putting it on the girl. When he pulled away Elena’s fingers went to the necklace around her neck and smile.

“Zick…thank you.”

“I bought that forever ago. I was going to give it to you the day you left but I wasn’t sure about my feelings before, but now I am…I love you Elena.”

Elena was cry by now full tears falling down her cold face.

“Zick I love you too.” Replied Elena.

--

Teddy and Lay stood before a group of people. Lay was waving to the group as she was about to get into the limo and Teddy was standing next to them her a large smile present on her face.

People were around the limo waiting for Lay to throw her flowers and she turned to the crowd. That’s when she noticed them. Zick and Elena standing together a smile on both of their faces, she smiled brightly.

“Should I throw it?”

“Yeah!” responded the crowd.

Lay turned around and closed her eyes before tossing the flowers of her head. People’s hand reached up and soon it landed in the hands Elena.

Lay turned around to see who had gotten the flowers and smiled when she noticed who was holding the flowers. She smiled before getting into the limo wave to the people. Teddy entered seconds later and the door shut.

Lay appeared through the sunroof a second later waving to Elena and Zick as the Limo drove away. Elena and Zick stood there for just a moment watching the limo disappear before turning to one another.

“Happy Christmas Eve Ellie.”

“I love you Zick.” She replied softly and the two of them met in a soft kiss.