The Wedding We Canceled

Synopsis

My best friend, Emily Summers, and I shared the same fate. We both kept our relationships hidden from the world. I stuck by my boyfriend, Lucas Grant, for seven years, watching him go from playing bit parts to becoming a movie star. She stood by hers for eight years, from undergrad all the way to his PhD at Metropolitan University. We made a pact: once their careers took off, we'd have a double wedding, move in next door to each other, and team up to wrangle our kids. Thinking about those lively days ahead, I'd already picked out my bridesmaid dress. But then, on the Thanksgiving Special, Lucas went public with his fiancée, an ordinary girl. As soon as the call connected, a girl in the audience stood up, her face flushed. But what happened to Emily was more devastating. Her boyfriend took a girl back to his hometown to meet his parents, then posted it on his social media with the caption: [Finally found the one.] I met up with her, and we drank ourselves silly, crying and hiccupping. "He never meant to recognize me. Seven years of my life, thrown away." She was clutching her beer can, tears rolling down her cheeks. "He only cares about that girl. Eight years, and it all meant nothing." Just then, we saw a gossip account leak the news that both guys were planning to release statements the next day, accusing us of chasing clout and cutting us off for good. We exchanged a look and wiped our faces. "How about we pack up and head to Zephyria right now?" I suggested. "Let's do it. I heard some hostels are hiring volunteers, providing free food and free board, and we can scope out the local hotties," Emily replied. Three days later, the two guys' denial statements shot to the top of the trending list. Meanwhile, we were hanging out by the Auralia Sea, learning how to make BBQ from a local hottie, our cheeks rosy from the sun.