hidden | ethma

epilogue

the day is perfect.

bright rays of sunlight pierce through fluffy white clouds and the air is warm on my skin. nerves and excitement flutter within me as i stand next to my father, waiting for the ceremony to commence.

violins begin to play and i watch violet, elizabeth, and perla walk down the aisle, their dresses pale pink and their flowers light purple. i see my mother and some of my old friends sitting in the rows, along with many of my coworkers.

i can't see him from here, but i know he's up there, waiting for me. i suppress a smile as my father looks down at, pride in his eyes.

"ready?" he asks, pulling my arm through his.

i nod, smiling. "ready as i'll ever be."

a new tune begins on the violins, and my father and i stand at the beginning of the aisle. everyone rises as we slowly make our way down the aisle, rose petals strew on the ground where we walk.

i see the smiles on everyone's faces, my mother beaming the widest. i look at all of the best men, standing in their black suits. nate, bryant, zeke, levi, max, and grayson stand with their hands clasped in front of them, looking proud. they all smile and nod to me as my father and i stop to the altar.

my eyes move to ethan.

he looks like an angel, his pink lips up in a radiant smile. his eyes seem to drink me in as he offers me his hand.

i look at my father, who leans down and kisses my cheek before nodding to ethan.

"take care of her," my father says quietly to ethan.

"i always will."

my father nods to ethan, giving him a proud slap on the back before going to sit beside my mother.

my fingers lace through ethan's as i stand across from him, my heart beating fast. he wears a black tie, just like he knows i've always liked.

"you may be seated," the minister says and everyone sits back in their seats, a hush falling over the room.

i'm too excited and nervous to pay much attention to what the minister says, my eyes not leaving ethan. he smiles back at me.

"ethan and emma, you have prepared vows, i believe,"

i turn to receive the small slip of paper from elizabeth when my eye catches on someone standing at the end of the aisle.

black suit, menacing smirk, dark eyes, scarred face.

alec winks at me, reaching into his jacket.

my throat is dry and i can't speak or move, my limbs frozen in place. he points the silver pistol at the altar, but it is unclear who he is aiming at. i want to scream and do something, anything, but i can't. i hear the gun cock and a bang, screams and uproar filling the room.

but when i look at ethan, he's looking at me, his eyes wide and urgent, his voice calling out my name. he's not hurt.

i look down at myself, just in time to see my white wedding dress stain with blood; the red spreading from my abdomen to cover the entire dress, and the pure white turns to deathly crismon.