His eyes scanned his outfit slowly, calculatingly, making sure that he looked his best, especially on a day like this. To say he was nervous was an understatement, and he pondered on whether he should run, but he knew that this was a day that he had to be his bravest, be his best self.

He ran his sweaty palms down his black suit and swallowed hard as he averted his gaze from the mirror. Just as he did so the door flew open and his best friend came tumbling in, his eyes wide, "dude why are just standing there? We have to get down there!"

Mason rolled his eyes and pivoted on his heels, trying to conceal the expression on his face, "you're nervous, huh?"

"You're nervous!?" Mason tugged at his necktie, trying to rip it from his throat as he fumbled around for air, Kaden chuckled lightly and patted him on the back, his head shaking in disbelief. "What the hell is going on!?" Sebastian exclaimed as he came tumbling into the room, his eyes immediately snapping towards Mason.

"Mason here is nervousss," Kaden sing sang as he tugged on Mason's ears playfully. Sebastian let out a throaty chuckle, "well he has to suck it up because without the groom there is no bride." He said as he approached Mason slowly and adjusted his necktie.

Mason shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and scratched the nape of his neck nervously, "me? Nervous, pssht I-I'm not nervous!" He exclaimed as he flickered his eyes away from Sebastian to hide the obvious state of worry on his face.

"Look, drink this, maybe it'll calm you down a bit." Kaden handed him a bottle of water and flashed him a smile, trying to ease the tension ripping through Mason's skin. He sighed deeply and took the bottle in his grasp, wasting no time to down the entire bottle.

He grabbed Kaden's hand and placed the bottle into his grasp, "hey I'm your best man, not your garbage man!" Kaden exclaimed as he flung the bottle across the room. Mason bowed his head lowly and shook his head, trying to rid the doubts blocking his mind.

Then he stood upright, adjusted his tie once again and flickered his eyes between his friends before smiling, "I can do this, I can." He said before he sucked in a harsh breath, pivoted on his heels and sauntered out of the room.

~~~

She fell onto her knees, the pearl coloured gown bundled up in the palm of her hands as she fumbled with the toilet seat using the other. She gripped onto the edge of the toilet bowl and began to throw up, momentarily forgetting about the people standing in the room, eyeing her in concern.

"Oh my god, again!?" Maila exclaimed as she hooked her arms around her, hiking her up from the floor. She shook her head lightly and leaned against the face basin, "I-I'm fine, I'm just nervous, that's all, I'll be okay."

"You've been saying that the entire week," Mariam said as she handed her daughter a pill. She flashed her mother a smile and rinsed her mouth before swallowing the pill. Her best friend then handed her a toothbrush and Colgate, her lips tugged upwards amusingly, "don't wanna kiss the groom with vomit breath."

"I'm sure Mason wouldn't mind that, her beauty will steal the spotlight." Mariam winked to which Maila agreed, her eyes yet to tear away from her sparkling dress. "And whilst we're at it, you might wanna try this," Maila exclaimed as she handed her a box, her brows perched upwards.

She gawked in return, her eyes burning a hole through the box in her palm before they flickered towards her mother frantically. Sasha then came stumbling into the bathroom and at the sight of the box in her friend's hand, she gasped loudly and slapped her hands over her mouth, a giggle escaping her lips.

"No, no, no, I'm not-"

"It may be possible Michelle, just give it a try."

Michelle let out a strangled cry before she stumbled back into the toilet seat and motioned towards the door, "get out." She exclaimed and the three women toppled out of the room, falling into a giggling fit.

Michelle peeled the box open and sighed deeply as she retrieved the pregnancy test from inside. She can't possibly be pregnant, she thought to herself. They were always safe, they took extra precautionary measures. She's just nervous. . .not pregnant.

As she stepped out of the bathroom, everyone's eyes snapped towards her expectantly. She leaned against the wall and placed her hands over her face before a sob suddenly passed through her lips.

Mariam rushed towards her, her arms stretched out wide. Michelle fell into her mother's arms and sobbed into her chest, "I'm pregnant." She exclaimed-half giggling, half crying. She didn't know how to feel, she was overwhelmed, excited, scared. She was pregnant, with an actual child!

"I'm gonna be a grandma!" Mariam squealed as she pulled Michelle into a tighter hug, her laughter resonating through the room. The girls joined in, their arms falling around Michelle as they all embraced in a tight hug.

"Come on guys, w-we can't make the bride cry, she's gonna ruin her makeup!" Sasha exclaimed as she pulled away. Michelle chuckled softly and swiped her finger under her eyes, wiping away the tears that trickled down her cheeks. She sighed deeply and smiled as she leaned against the wall once again, the events that just took place still blurry in her mind.

~~~

Leroy Hunter's arms were hooked in Michelle's own, she peered up at the man she had grown to love in her five years of knowing him and leaned her head against his arm as they began to trek down the aisle. I love you by Major was playing on the piano, the soft tun and hum of the singer's voice willed the heads of guests to swivel towards the entrance of the hall where the two slowly strode down from.

Michelle's eyes didn't wander towards the rows of seats beside her, instead, they sought out Mason, stood at the end of the aisle, his eyes focused solely on her. And as their eyes interlocked he took in a sharp intake of breath and willed himself to look away before he broke down in tears but he couldn't.

Nothing could tear his gaze away from her.

He was mesmerized, even more than he ever was. Every day he got to wake up to the sight of her face, every day he got to be more thankful to have her in his life, but today all that thankfulness, that raw emotion he felt whenever they were in a room together, it all came crashing down onto him.

And he couldn't hold back the tears that slowly trickled down his cheeks.

And when she finally arrived at his side, she turned her head towards Leroy and pulled him into a hug. He flashed her a smile, and she could see the glint in his eyes as he planted a kiss against her palm. He then turned towards Mason and chuckled softly, "don't ever let this one go." He said as he patted his son on the back and sauntered towards his seat.

Mason didn't hesitate to slip his hands into Michelle's own, and he tugged her towards him gently, tears still slipping down his cheeks as he peered down at her, "you're so beautiful," he managed to choke out.

Through her blurry vision, she lifted her hand towards his face and swiped her finger under his eyes, smiling through her tears. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of God to join Mason and Michelle in their holy bonds of matrimony."

Through the sacredness of union, the two couldn't tear their eyes away from one another. Although no words were said between them, Michelle could read his thoughts through his eyes and they were as loud as ever. The vows rolled by and Mason's hands tightened around Michelle's own as they stared into one another's eyes.

"Mich- dollface. . . if anyone told me that I'd be getting married six years ago I'd tell them to get the hell out of my face and I'd probably punch them, who knows?" He started, a chuckle escaping his lips.

"That day when I met you at the airport and I called you a prestige brat because you called me a criminal-" before he could finish his sentence laughter rumbled through the crowd and Mason turned his head towards them and chuckled, "true story!" Michelle slapped his arm softly and he smiled in return before bringing his eyes back towards her.

"I knew from that day that I was in big trouble. Because before that I had already fallen for you, and you only showed me why I did. You were feisty, sexy. . .kind of rude but who isn't. But you were bold, and you knew what you wanted, and you were full of love and understanding, you were everything and I knew I had to call you mine one day.

When you got shot and the doctor told us you didn't make it my entire world crumbled beneath my feet. Because I lost the one person who stuck by me even through the rough times. And my heart was crushed, even though it was for that one minute where I thought you did die it was crushed and I thought nothing in the world could repair it.

And then you started breathing again. . .when that nurse rushed into the hallway and told us you started breathing again god I-I knew I had no more chances, no more chances to allow you to leave me. Our life is like a story written by a 14-year-old girl on Wattpad who had nothing better to do-" he started and everyone fell into a laughing fit.

Michelle was tempted to wipe away the tears that trickled down her cheeks but fought against it as she peered up at him, willing herself to not sob, "but that 14-year-old girl just wanted to write a perfect love story, which in the end, ended up being an imperfect story.

An imperfect story that I'm willing to live with for the rest of my life. Through the good, the bad, the terrible. I'm willing to continue writing this imperfect story because it's our story. And it'll always be our story because our chapters are endless. I love you, Michelle White, forever and always, till death do us part.

By the time he had ended, she was full-on sobbing. His hand against her cheek, wiping away her tears was effortless but he couldn't tear his hands away from her, because deep down he was afraid that if he did, she'd be gone.

"Mason, the first time I met you I was hell-bent on having no part in your life. Because I was scared of being betrayed again, getting hurt by the quote and quote 'bad boy'. But you were more than just a cliche bad boy, you were more than that. You were better yet you were worse.

We were horrible for one another, and I knew that the moment I fell in love with you. And I did within a few weeks, actually and I knew deep down that this love would get me far or get me nowhere. But we chose the former, and we're here about to marry one another.

It's crazy how after six years of being together, your touch, your smile, your laugh, everything I love about you still makes me feel as if it were the very first time meeting you. And that day when I thought I was dying, when I was bleeding in your arms I was scared, but I knew I was safe. And I didn't mind you being the last person I saw before I took my last breath.

I just- we've had so many years together, and if we could battle our way through those, through the craziness that is our lives then we're more than prepared for the future. For me, for you. . . and for our baby." The crowd had been silent through the entire ceremony, but the silence was even more deafening now and the only sound Michelle could hear was the sharp intake of breath from Mason.

He peered down at her, dumbfounded, lips parted in shock as his eyes flickered towards her stomach then her face, "what? We're- what? We're having a baby?" He managed to croak out and through her tears she mumbled a soft yes, a chuckle escaping her lips.

He then turned towards the officiant, his eyes wide, "can I marry this woman already, we're having a baby goddammit, she needs to sit down!" Michelle chuckled loudly and gripped onto his hands tighter, she fought to contain herself, overwhelmed by the happiness that consumed her.

The ring bearer came strutting down the aisle soon after and presented the ring to them. Mason took it in his grasp and Michelle weighed the ring in her hand, her eyes never leaving Mason's. "I give this ring as a sign of my love," he said as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

"And I give this ring as a sign of my love," Michelle replied as she slipped the ring onto his finger. The officiant peered down at the two and smiled brightly, "Michelle White, do you take Mason Hunter as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Mason do you ta-"

"I do!"

"Well then, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride." Mason's arms immediately went around the small of her back and he pulled her into his arms and lowered his lips down onto hers in a deep kiss. Michelle's arms came around his neck and like a fuse in her brain, all the memories from their first kiss, the first night they ever shared the rest of their lives together came crashing down onto her.

It was like a breath of fresh air; air that was no longer polluted by that darkness that took control over her life six years ago. It was as if when she died for that one minute at the hospital, the darkness died with her, but never revived.

She came back as a new person, with new hopes, new dreams. . .and this was the best of them all.

When they pulled away, the sounds of the guests' cheers, the hoots, the screams, it was all drowned out as they stared deeply into one another's eyes, equally mesmerized by the sight of one another. And then he swiped finger against her cheek, brushing away the single tear that trickled down her face.

"I love you, dollface."

"And I love you, Mason."

Thank you all for sticking with me and reading this awful book!

Sadly Michelle and Mason's wild journey is OVER😭

I had to make this epilogue for my angry readers! In the original draft, Michelle was supposed to stay dead because yes I am evil like that. But I thought you guys deserved it for going through the torture of reading this horrendous book my 14-year-old self wrote.

But this is it...

This is the end❤️