The Wedding
The group of alumni met to participate in the wedding party of two very dear former colleagues. They were the best in the class and one of the most popular on the huge campus of the University. The groom was tall, elegant and somewhat chubby, with a charming charisma and an outgoing manner. The bride had dark eyes with long eyelashes and pale skin that seemed not to have seen the sunlight in a long time. She didn't speak often, she just smiled shyly when somebody spoke to her.
The two were completely unknown to me, I only heard stories about them from college, as I was there in the middle of the class as a guest of a close friend of the bride.
I soon got along with everyone there, because they were getting to know each other again, since so many years had passed since their graduation.
It was the groom's idea to gather his former colleagues into a beautiful inn next to the sea the day before the wedding, which was close to where the celebration would take place - on campus, where they both met. There was plenty of drink and lots of varied food at the inn where we stayed.
We played a lot and enjoyed the warm water pool even with the cold thick rain that fell on us. It was a lively and fun night, many still remained with a young and perceptive spirit, especially the groom, whose energy was enviable! I was so drunk that I could barely distinguish the faces from the ones present and I didn't even understand why there was such a sudden fight, I just noticed that it involved the groom, but the bride was not there to witness it.
The clouds still covered the sky at dawn, but it was no longer raining. My friend and I woke up last, still hungover from the night before. Murmurs about the fight could still be heard, but we didn't pay as much attention. Everyone left early; some for beauty salons, others for tailors. I got ready there together with my friend. She helped me with my long, delicate pink baby dress and I helped her with the makeup. We spent hours getting ready and talking, we even lost track of time, since the ceremony would be starting the moment we left the inn.
The entire University campus was covered with beautiful flowers and ornamental plants, diverting attention from the huge gray blocks which modern architecture stood out from the eye. We passed a large courtyard that contained a fountain in its center, where some students chatted absently.
When we arrived at the auditorium, the atmosphere was tense. The guests looked at each other apprehensively as the priest tried to ease the tension with jokes and disconnected religious speeches.
The bride, as soon as the orchestra started to play, walked slowly on the long red carpet towards the groom, who was looking at her seriously when he noticed her angry appearance. There were no smiles or positive emotions on the faces of those present, I did not dare to ask why. At the altar, however, the bride revealed it, after saying "no" to the marriage. The priest laughed nervously, trying to contain the immense impact of her words. The groom was not perplexed and clearly controlled himself very carefully so as not to cause further uproar towards him, since at that moment his mask had fallen off and his reputation would never recover.
The guests, agitated, did not know what to do besides running, crying or calling relatives. The bride kept talking, revealing one secret after another, and in her eyes there were no tears, but the expression of the purest hatred. My friend was incredulous and could barely speak, just went towards the bride and pulled her by the arm, taking her away from that man that no one ever again would recognize. He, who was still at the altar, serious and frowning, took the cellphone of one of the groomsmen and called someone.
I was running to accompany the two girl friends, not really understanding what had just happened. The bride, panting, stopped near the spacious gym where the innumerable tables were set for the guests and the exuberant intact food. She tore off part of her dress to facilitate her escape and dismissed the waiters. The party had been canceled. Even so, I still ate a little, quickly, chewing hurriedly as I accompanied the two of them to the parking lot. Once there, my friend sat on the sidewalk to look for her car key in her indiscreet bag.
I was still chewing, leaning against a black Mercedes, when it’s door opened and two big men came out and pushed the bride forcibly into the car, preventing her from screaming. I gave them room to pass and saw them hurrying out. My friend was so terrified that couldn’t even move. I sat down next to her and offered her a candy.