Chapter Text
Flashing cameras, forced smiles, fancy champagne. Drew knew it all, this experience, while more painful than the others, was nonetheless still the same. His relatives, whom he didn’t see very much, chirped away in their seats. In the front of the garden, on a stage, stood Drew in a white blazer. He felt his nerves pick up as the traditional wedding music started. A woman with blonde hair and pink streaks started down the aisle. Her hair was pulled back into a low bun, wispy bangs cradling her face. Her dress was a simple but extravagant ball gown. On her face sat an unbridled smile. It made his stomach curdle. Her lipstick was too bright, too warm, her eyes were too green, perhaps not green enough, her hair was the wrong shade of blonde, it was just all wrong. Everything about this was wrong. Drew couldn’t help but frown. He hated his own bride.
Alongside Zoey was her mother, a tall brunette lady with playful eyes. She wore a long, sleek dress, similar to the one his mom had worn to their engagement party. The sound of her heels, combined with Zoey’s, made his heart stop. The typical ‘here comes the bride’ melody echoed in his ears, not bothering to stop short for his brain. His head hurt like hell, his limbs felt weak. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t move, he couldn’t even speak, he felt trapped. He turned his attention to the girl who was now standing right in front of him, her smile was pretty, but it just wasn’t right. It didn’t feel genuine.
A preacher, whom he had never noticed before, started speaking. “We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments and to cheris…” Drew quickly tuned him out, looking out onto the meadow behind Zoey. A soft-spoken voice called out, breaking Drew’s concentration.
“I do.” A smiled spilled into her words. Her eyes sparkling with determination and slight carelessness. All eyes were on Drew, his mother gazed at him with expectant eyes. Her gloved hands sat directly atop each other. His father, who was in the seat directly to the left of her, started up at him with something that seemed like…acceptance?
Behind my parents sat my close relatives. My aunt Carine clutched her velvet handbag, a stern look of distain filled her face. Her burgundy dress held nicely against her plump figure, her corkscrew coils were styled into a neat bob. My cousin, Millicent sat next to her, boredom written all over her face. Her usual hot pink bob was pulled back into a nice ponytail, her bangs swooping to one side. She had on a short dark purple dress, matched with all black wedge heels. Black pearls adorned her ears.
The preacher turned to Drew, excitement lighting up his eyes. “And you, do you take this lovely woman as your wife? For better for worse? Through sickness and health? Will you love and cherish her till death do you both part?” His question hung in the air, Drew’s lips trembled. Truth be told, he was so, so terrified of marrying this woman. Yes she was beautiful, but it wasn’t what he wanted, he wanted someone like-
Millicent stood from her chair and quickly strut into the yard behind Zoey, heading towards a car. Carine scoffed at her impolite manner before turning her gaze back to Drew. The car door opened, and a purple haired man stepped out of it.
Him.
Drew turned towards the preacher, then Zoey, then his family and soon to be family. He took a deep inhale before speaking.
“I don’t.”
Zoey’s smile paused, his mother gasped, Carine, for once in her miserable life, had grinned. He locked eyes with Milly, and at that moment he knew. She had done this for a reason, that man, he wasn’t just anybody. He was an escape, a way out. It was all up to Drew if he would follow through. After all, he was the one and only person who could change this.
His mother stood up abruptly, startling Drew in the process. “What do you mean? I don’t? What kind of sick joke are you playing Andrew?!” Her mouth twisted into a deep scowl, her eyes narrowed, and her arms crossed against one another. “You think you’re so funny? Let’s see how funny it is when I disown you.” A few relatives gasped in response, Drew stayed quiet, not bothering to respond. He looked over at his father, his mouth knit into a straight line.
His legs moved before his mind could catch up, suddenly he was sprinting towards the car parked across the road. His feet slammed into the ground with every step he took. He gauged the distance between him and the car and deemed it as about 40 feet. Milly leaned onto the car, her arms crossed over one another, a smug smile tugged at her lips. She looked past Drew, and onto the meadow, only to see Drew’s mother, Drew’s father, and Zoey’s whole family chasing him. She cleared her throat before saying anything.
“Yo big D, you might wanna hurry up and get in!” She yelled, prompting him to run even faster. Drew’s legs and lungs burned but he didn’t care, he had to get away, he had to leave, he needed to escape this hellhole like he needed air. 7 minutes pass, and he finally reaches the plum colored sedan parked on the side. He jogs over to the passenger side of the car, hastily snatching the door open, before slamming it closed. Milly drags herself off of the car, and starts to drag herself into the car. The familiar man in the front seat booted up the car, an exasperated expression on his face.
Then, Drew finally hears the man’s voice while he tells off Milly, something about dragging her feet, he couldn’t tell you even if he tried. His voice was velvety, smooth, like it had rolled off the tongue nicely and hit the harsh ground when it stopped. It wasn’t deep, no, not all, it was more high pitched actually. Drew couldn’t seem to get his head right when the man spoke, luckily, he soon stopped.
Drew let out a breath he didn’t even know he had, a feeling of relief taking over him. His heart thumped against his veins, making it hard to think straight. He heard Milly call out a few words to the man, but he didn’t think much of it.
Staring through the window, Drew watched the venue get smaller as they drove away. Satisfaction filled his chest and gave him warmth he had never felt before. The man in the drivers seat clicked a few buttons, a familiar tune started playing. A small screen read ‘Getting Married Today (Glee Cast Version)’. He let his head rest against the back of the seat, maybe it would get difficult for him later, but that’s a problem for future Drew. Right now, all he wants to do is sleep. He let his eyes rest for a bit, drifting off into sleep in the process.