24. A Love Story Rewritten- Final Part

Note: This story is purely a work of fiction and every word written was inspired by the hope of connecting with you and knowing that you took the time to read and reflect on their experiences fills me with joy. Your time and attention mean the world to me, and I’m honored that you chose to immerse yourselves in the lives of these characters.

At the altar, he stood, heart racing like fire,
In a hall full of blooms, yet lost in desire.
His eyes scanned the crowd, searching for one,
An empty space where Sarah’s light shone like the sun.

Hazel, so radiant, glided in white,
But shadows of doubt dimmed the joy of the sight.

Mia, his anchor, stood firm by his side,
Her gaze filled with meaning, a friend as his guide.
With a breath deep and steady, he summoned his truth,
“I’m sorry, dear Hazel, I can’t follow through.”

In a bar lit with laughter, Sarah waited alone,
With Aiden beside her, yet her heart felt like stone.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears brimming with pain,
“My heart belongs to another, a love that remains.”

Shawn stood at the altar, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. The grand hall was filled with flowers and friends, but all he could focus on was the empty space where Sarah should be. His gaze darted through the crowd, searching desperately for her familiar face, the one that had haunted his thoughts since forever.

The crowd erupted in whispers and gasps of admiration, but Shawn’s focus remained solely on Hazel. She was beautiful, yes, but in that moment, the reality of what was happening weighed heavily on his heart. A bead of sweat trickled down the back of his neck as he tried to quell the storm of confusion and regret swirling within him.

When Hazel reached him, her face glowing with joy, he forced a smile, but it felt heavy on his lips. He turned to Mia, who stood off to the side, her arms crossed, and a concerned look etched on her face. Shawn could almost hear her silent plea, urging him to reconsider, to fight for what truly mattered. She gave him a subtle nod, a spark of encouragement that ignited his resolve.

With a deep breath, Shawn glanced at Hazel and then addressed the gathering crowd. “I’m sorry, Hazel. I can’t go through with this.”

Gasps echoed through the church, and he could see confusion wash over Hazel’s face. “What do you mean?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“I’m so sorry,” he continued, his voice breaking. “I thought I was ready, but I can’t marry you. Not when my heart is somewhere else.”

Mia stepped forward, her demeanor shifting from shock to protective. “Everyone, please! Shawn needs to get on a plane to New York,” she announced, her voice steady despite the chaos around them. “It’s important.”

The crowd erupted in murmurs, but Mia held her ground, her eyes never leaving Shawn’s. “You need to do this, Shawn. For yourself,” she said softly, her loyalty shining through the turmoil.

Turning back to Hazel, he whispered, “I’m so sorry.” He felt a weight lift off his chest, even as sadness pooled in his heart. “I truly wish you the best.” And he spoke from his heart before taking off.

As he hurried down the aisle, the reality of his choice crashed over him. He was heading toward something he had always wanted, something worth fighting for. He needed to find Sarah, to chase the future he’d almost lost. The plane to New York awaited him, and with it, the chance for a love that had always lingered in the back of his mind.

Hazel stormed off, her white dress trailing behind her like a storm cloud. You could see the anger and confusion flickering in her eyes, but there was something else, too—a strange calmness, as if she understood, deep down, that this wasn’t meant to be.

Mia stepped forward, her expression a mix of sympathy and resolve. “Hazel, I’m really sorry for all this,” she called after her, her voice genuine. But as Hazel turned and gave Mia a sharp nod, there was a glimmer of understanding. “I’ll be fine,” she replied, though her tone was laced with hurt. With that, she disappeared through the church doors, leaving a heavy silence in her wake.

As the chaos of the wedding faded into the night, a quiet stillness settled over Mia. Shawn had departed shortly after, catching the first available flight, and he should be landing any moment now. She took a moment to breathe, then quickly typed out a message to Sarah, her fingers dancing across the screen. She wanted to check in, to see how her friend was holding up after the whirlwind of events. When Sarah replied, Mia’s heart raced at the mention of a bar downtown in New York, her voice light and carefree.

“Oh, and Aiden is here too!” Sarah added, a hint of excitement in her text with the extra smiley emojis.

Mia chuckled to herself, a mischievous smile forming. She deliberately omitted the part about Shawn canceling the wedding and landing in New York just moments ago. That was a detail she wanted to keep under wraps, at least for now. Sarah was in for quite the surprise, and Mia couldn’t help but feel a thrill at the thought of their reunion.

“Sounds like a fun night!” she texted back, feigning casualness. “You’ll have to fill me in later!”

As she put her phone down, Mia felt a sense of anticipation bubbling within her. The pieces were finally falling into place, and she couldn’t wait to see how it all unfolded.

Sarah was already tipsy when Aiden stopped by, his arrival prompted by her earlier invite. She turned to him, her heart heavy, and offered an apologetic smile. “I’m really sorry, Aiden. My heart is in another place, and I can’t move forward with you.”

Aiden nodded, his expression warm but understanding. “I get it, Sarah. I just wish you wouldn’t run away from what you truly feel. Acknowledge it.”

He pulled her into a comforting hug, and she melted into him, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I just feel like everything is so shallow without him,” she sobbed, her words tumbling out. “I miss Shawn, and I wish I had never left him.”

Aiden held her tighter, letting her emotions flow. “Sometimes, things happen for a reason,” he said softly. “Whatever is destined will find its way, and maybe this is where you’re meant to be.”

Shawn entered the bar, the dim light casting a warm glow around the room. His gaze locked onto Sarah and Aiden as he stood behind them. The air felt electric, charged with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. He narrowed his eyes slightly at Aiden with a subtle nod, who met his gaze with an understanding nod. Aiden quietly excused himself, sensing the gravity of the moment unfolding.

Now, it was just the two of them. Shawn took a deep breath, grounding himself amidst the whirlwind of emotions. “I love you,” he said, his voice steady yet imbued with vulnerability. The words hung between them, heavy with meaning. “You’ve been the reason I’ve loved the color green, yet I could never bring myself to wear it since you left. That colour only made sense if you were by my side”

Sarah slowly turned to face him, her expression shifting from surprise to something deeper, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. She trembled, caught on the brink of a floodgate bursting open. All the moments they had shared, the years apart, and the weight of what could have been rushed back to her, flooding her mind.

“I thought you were gone for good,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

He paused, searching her eyes, as if trying to bridge the thirteen years that had separated them. “No matter what I did, you never left. You’ve been woven into the fabric of my life.”

As he spoke, Shawn’s heart raced, each confession spilling out like a long-held secret finally freed. “And when I saw you, it felt like my heart exploded. Thirteen years apart, and nothing has changed. If anything, it’s intensified a hundred-fold. I don’t know if it’s just love, but it’s something more than stars aligning and it’s real.”

Sarah stood there, her breath hitching in her throat as his words washed over her like a tide. With each syllable, she felt the years of regret dissolve, replaced by a fierce hope that ignited in her chest. Her posture steadied, but her hands trembled, caught between disbelief and the overwhelming weight of truth. She bit her bottom lip, struggling to find her voice, once she heard him pour out his heart.

Then Sarah’s voice broke the silence, laced with disbelief. “But what about the wedding?” The question hung in the air, heavy with implications.

Shawn’s expression shifted, the weight of reality crashing down around them. “It hit me while I was waiting for Hazel at the altar,” he admitted, his eyes searching hers for understanding. “I realized I would never be able to love her the way she deserved. It felt so unfair—to her, to you, to me.”

“I couldn’t go through with it. I couldn’t stand there, pretending everything was okay when my heart was still yours.” The gravity of his decision settled between them, a heavy but necessary truth.

Sarah’s heart raced, caught in the storm of emotions swirling around them. “So, you really chose this? Us?”

He nodded, his gaze unwavering. “I had to. I couldn’t keep running from what I truly felt. It was time to be honest, with myself and with you.”

For a moment, silence enveloped them. All that existed was the weight of their shared history and the possibility of a future. Sarah felt tears prickle her eyes, a mix of relief and fear battling within her. “And what if it’s too late?”

Shawn stepped closer, the warmth of his presence igniting hope in her heart. “It’s never too late for what’s meant to be,” he whispered, conviction lacing his words. “We’ve already lost so much time, but we can’t let that dictate our future. I want to fight for us—if you’re willing.”

As Sarah searched his eyes, she saw the sincerity there, and for the first time in years, she felt the walls she had built around her heart begin to crumble. “I want that too,” she whispered, her voice trembling with both fear and exhilaration.

Meanwhile, if Mia had caught wind of this heartfelt reunion, she would’ve been doing somersaults—literally. Imagining her brother finally confessing his feelings, she would have somersaulted right into the bar, probably knocking over a few stools in the process. “About time!” she’d shout, arms flailing. “I thought I’d have to hire a skywriter!”

But for now, in that moment, amidst the noise and chaos, they both knew this was just the beginning.