I was already at the door when Gab called me. I turned my back and saw her smiling with tears in her eyes. She immediately hugged me.
"I hated Aae, but what he did today." She lost her words. So did I.
I have no words to describe what he did for me. It was beyond what I expected.I somehow hated him.
I hated him because he sacrificed himself for my happiness. I hated him because a part of me wanted to stay, yet I know that the love I have for him would never complete us.
I hated him for ruining the wedding. I hated him for creating chaos between our families and the audiences. I hated him for making me a runaway bride. I would probably be the headline on the business page tomorrow, but who cares?
I hated him. I hated him for everything. But, when I looked at him standing at the altar with a smile on his face, I lost the hatred in my heart.
I realized that no matter how much I hated him, I hated myself more than him. I hated myself for not being able to give back the love he offered for me without asking in return.
I hated myself for making both of us miserable.
I realized that it was our own decisions that would make us miserable. It was always our choice that would determine tomorrow.
I removed my veil and threw it on the side for me to clearly see my parents, my friends, and Aae. I ignored everyone's existence and focused my eyes on him.
I smiled at him before bowing my head to express how grateful I was. I prayed that soon enough, he would find the girl who would love him more than he could.
"Do you know where to find Zack?" Gab asked. I shook my head. I should have asked him. Where would he go?
"I don't know where to find him, but he left his car," Chad surprised me with his presence. He told me he won't be able to attend my wedding. "Hi, Zee." His dimple appeared on his cheeks.
"You talked to him?" Gab replied. "Where is he?"
"I did. He wanted to watch your wedding," Chad pointed out the bodyguards. "But he knew worse could happen, so he left his car for you along with the house he built for you." Chad waved the key. "And a letter for you."
I grabbed the letter as I pleaded, "Help me find him."
We stepped forward as the bodyguards lined up in front of us, ready to pull their guns.
"What?" I cried in frustration. "Are you really going to pull the trigger if I run?"
I surveyed the place. I wondered what I looked like in their cameras as the flash continued to catch the situation. They should pick the best picture for my headline tomorrow.
Gab and I were about to remove our heels to run when my mother called me. "Zee."
For the first time, there was no anger in her voice when she asked, "Do you love him?"
"With all my heart," I quickly replied as soon as I met her gaze.
She nodded as she smiled. "Are you going to be happy with Zack?"
I nodded. "Beyond happy." I wiped my tears and bit my lower lip. I was tired of crying, but my tears won't just let go.
"You don't know how much trouble you gave us," she sighed. "You're making our names the headline of the business page tomorrow." I was surprised when I heard my mother chuckled.
"Well then," she called my butler. "Gather your contacts. Locate the only man who'll make my daughter the happiest woman in the entire universe." She smiled at me.
My father winked at me, and for a second I thought my brother was standing beside him.
"Thank you," I ran to hug them. I cried when I felt the warmth I longed for. My brother would definitely be happy watching us above.
It took a minute before the butler told us, "He scheduled a midnight flight to Boston."
"Go on," my mother nodded to give her blessing. "Just make sure you'll come back with a genuine smile on your face, my daughter."
I bowed my head before running to meet the man I've been waiting for all my life.
Gab kept on calling Zack's number while I decided to read the letter on the way to the airport.
My Katie,
I have witnessed countless dawns and dusks from different places, yet I couldn't call them beautiful. I have seen hundreds of cities and countries, still, I couldn't call them beautiful. However, they are indeed beautiful.
Do you know why I couldn't find the beauty in those things or everything? It was because I realized that things were beautiful when you were with me. Things made me happy because I was with you.
I've been flying non-stop, trying to find a place where I could finally settle. But every time I found a place to live I couldn't find my heart because it always yearned for you. You are my home, Katie. You are my sunrise in every sunset. You are and will always be the person who keeps my feet off the ground.
You are the semicolon at the end of every word.
You are my best friend with a semicolon at the end. Funny, how I liked those words before, but I came to hate it.
You told me semicolons were written because someone doesn't want to end the sentence because there's something beyond what had been said.
No, Katie. I no longer believe in you. It was a lie.
Our story told us that semicolons were made because we were both afraid to end our friendship. Semicolons were written at the end of the word best friend because even though we know what's after that, we never took the risk. Semicolons were put there not because we wanted to continue, but because no one was brave enough to start another story. We put it there because we thought it would save us. you should realize now that semicolons left us hanging - waiting for nothing.
Now, I am giving you options for the last time.
If you want to end our story with a semicolon, ignore this letter and be happy. You have my blessings.
If you want to end it with a period, you'll find me where it all started. I'll be waiting until the sun rises from the east.
You would forever have my heart, Katie.
Love,
Your guy in maroon jersey jacket
Zack
PS: If you read this letter days after your wedding, you will never see me again so please don't live miserably.
"Chad," I called. I folded the paper before turning to them. Gab was trying to call her contacts to find Zack at the moment, but it's no longer necessary. "Pull over, I know where he is."
"Are you sure?" Chad replied.
"Yes," I nodded. I've never been sure in my life, but I was always sure about Zack.
I know he would keep his promise, he always did. So, I was not surprised to see him standing at the arch with his hands inside his pocket.
My heart jumped when I smelled the familiar scent of mint. I couldn't contain the happiness in my heart that I started crying.
"Zack," I muttered, enough for him to head. I could sense he stopped and wasn't even sure if he would look back. "Do you know how long it would take for me to reach your heart again?" I asked as I remembered the first time I met him.
I heard him chuckle as he slowly turned his back. He brushed his hair and tied it with the scrunchies I gave him. There were tears in his deep gray eyes as I met them. "A line from your playlist," he replied.
"I can live without you," I started and we both sang the next line. "but without you, I'll be miserable at best."
We stared for a second until laughter filled the air. He slowly walked towards me as he stared at me from head to toe.
"Did you expect this?"
He shook his head. "Aae promised me he would make you happy, but I never expected this is how he would do it."
I agreed. Aae was so brave that I would always pray for a girl brave enough to fight for him.
Zack stared at me, and I thought he would say something nice but, he's not my Zack if he didn't come up with silly thoughts.
"You look like a white lady in your gown," he teased me.
I rolled my eyes. "You look like a mess," I teased him back. I pointed out his eyes. "Guess you've been crying a lot because of me." I joked.
"Coming from you." He raised an eyebrow.
I rolled my eyes and he laughed. I felt nostalgic as we stood next to the arch of our old school. The stars were glittering up the sky and the light of the moon showered its blessing upon us.
My brother from above was surely watching us. Thank you brother, I know you prayed for my happiness.
"Honestly, you're beautiful in your wedding dress." He scanned me again until his eyes fixed mine. "But you'll be more beautiful if..." he paused.
"What?"
He licked his lower lip before biting it. "If you let me stay in your life forever."
I know I was already old enough to feel butterflies in the stomach, but swear at that moment my world seemed to stop.
"Baka!" I rolled my eyes. "You never left." I sobbed with laughter.
"I promise I would never leave you again even if you ask me to," he swore.
"I would never let you leave again," I replied.
"I'm ending our story with a period to start another." He crossed the distance between us. "Let us watch the sun as it rises from the east and sets in the west every day." He kneeled down and pulled out a semicolon ring. "Marry me, my Katie."
"Do I get to have a pack of banana milk every day?" I chuckled.
"So, that's the only thing you want from me?" He pouted.
I shook my head as he wore the ring on my finger. He placed his lips at the back of my palm and stood to kiss my forehead. I closed my eyes to feel his lips against mine.
"Oh, I also want," I paused to tease him.
He frowned, "What do you want better than me?"
"You are not better. You are the best," I said, which made his eyes glowed under the moonlit. "I want you to meet my parents not as my best friend, but as the man who will become the father of my children." I took his hand. "Let's make our story the headline in every business page," I winked.
"Do I get to have a talent fee for every picture of mine that will be posted?"
"We can arrange that," I laughed. "How much is your talent fee, Captain?"
"Hmm," he placed his free hand under his chin. "A french kiss for every picture," he smirked."Baka!" I scowled.
I was about to say something when he left me speechless, "Your happiness, Katie."
"You are my happiness, Zack." I kissed his cheeks.
"I forgot to include this in my letter."
"What?"
I melted when he said, "I love you, Zeekie!" But pouted upon hearing my name.
"Whatever, I love you, Zacky!"
We both laughed.
Our hands swayed as we walked from the place where our love story started.
I told you, Zack is my best friend;
Let me end it with a period now.
Zack Jersey Mendoza Zendaya is my best friend.
Don't worry, because there's another story after the period....
People may never know what's after, but we promise not to be Miserable at Best, and this time I swear I mean it.