Kiss the Ground Wherever We Touch Back Down

"It's a bear"
"It's Ironman"
"It's a bear!"
"It's Ironman!"
"It's a freaking bear! What the hell are you looking at?!"
"Ironman!! RIGHT THERE!"
"Oh well the bear just went missing. The cloud dispersed!"
"Err... Ironman is still there."

Lying on the grass making shapes out of clouds. A would-be romantic scenario if the conversation did not consist of playful bickering. Odd, yes. Dysfunctional, most likely. And yet neither of them would have it any other way. Teenagers in love like. A cliche, maybe even a fantasy but it didn't matter.

"There! Right there. Picture moment!"

She squared her fingers, framing an area of the sky that was perfectly blue, a cloud peeping out of the corner of her makeshift frame.

"There's another one" he said

"Where?"

She turned to look at him and saw his fingers framing her face. She laughed, pushing his fingers away as she did so.

"You're so cheesy"

She turned away. He grabbed her waist from behind and whispered in her ear.

"Hey, I say it how it is." A kiss on the cheek and he got up.

~

That was ages ago though. She sat there watching him. She knew she was being ridiculous. After all, she was the one that ended it so why the regret now? He was smiling. THAT smile. The one that she only saw when they were together. So carefree and natural with the hint of a dimple on the side. And then the music started playing.

She looked down the aisle and saw his bride walking towards the front of the church. His smile reflected on her face. The ceremony went by in a blur and the moment they said "I do", she tried to block it out. She had everything with him. Every little detail she wanted in a guy, he had. Why she let go of all that, she could never really justify herself. But it was too late now. He was happy with her. That bride of his. The girl who was now taking her place. Holding the hand she once held, putting her lips on the same lips she once kissed. The thought was unnerving.

~

The crowd rushed out to watch the happy couple leave. She stood at the back of the crowd watching her bestfriend walk away from her. She turned before her emotions could cloud her judgment. No. It was better this way. He's happy. So she's happy. She had to convince herself that walking away would be better than confessing.

Someone grabbed her from behind. No one had hugged her waist like that since- but it couldn't be. He just drove off with his beloved wife. Wife. The word echoed in her head. Threatened to swallow her alive. Memories were engulfing her and she was slipping in and out of the past. Reality intervened and her senses were awakened. She could feel his arms around her waist, his lips against her ear, his warm breath streaming on her neck as he whispered

"Thankyou for letting me find someone like her. She's the one I'm in love with but I still love you. You're still the woman I put first and you still make me happier than most people can. Don't forget that."

A swift kiss on the cheek and he was gone.