I had to believe and have patience to accept the fact that Roslyn could be a second mother to me and only was ten hours away from being twenty-one. I was still on the refusing rate of how I didn't want to call her that. It still made me sick inside seeing and being a part of this wedding why couldn't that flower girl catch her flight. I knew I had to show that I was happy even though I wasn't. I still recall that one time when she was trying on dresses and I was there with the bridal crew, knowing nobody. After that day I asked more about the Oakheart tradition of glowing hearts.

And knowing now it wasn't a myth that my mom told me, apparently it was just a protection barrier for those not to date anyone or kiss anyone before they turn twenty-one and or her being a helicopter parent. So finding out that the glow of maroon symbolized as soulmates found and peach color being fools love, there were more out there then just those two shades of colors. For my mother, explaining the whole way they got wed and because of the shade of color of their hearts was coming together like one big fairytale of heartache. For both me and her as she told me she knew they were destined after finding out about each other.

She never fully accepted it by the way her facial expressions were telling me but more in her choice of words. Like the night after my father's proposal to Roslyn, my mother finally began to be more open to me more and told me the truth about her and my dad's fools heart story. She said they were very unlucky, and mentioned the glow of fools lovers' color and she felt like a fake love feeling or as if cupid arrows failed to aim at my mother. So she must still have her true lover out there, somewhere in Oakheart or more outward as the world would never truly know as she also refuses to leave the town. "Ok by the looks I think I've finally got these braids all finished.." she knelt and looked at me in the mirror.

I stared at myself and my mother as I seemed to look so much like her. "I want you to know that I am proud of you for honoring your father and his new wife, even though it makes us feel sick inside, you are doing a special thing." She rubbed my shoulders as I didn't smile. There was a knock so light to the touch on the door that I could only guess who. "Wow..You are looking cute for once.." my eyes drifted up looking in the mirror at the boy who was friends with me just because his mom was my mother's friend. I can remember when we were young, we promised each other that we would dream to be the love of our lives if we didn't have anyone else to love or love us.

However we were just in kindergarten when we made that promise, but it felt like fate sometimes as I began to lose hope. I laugh at the blonde goofy flirt of a guy; "Nice for you to barge in Mr. Burns.." My mother wasn't pleased as I could see her arms crossed against her chest, with him even being her friend's son, she stared at him and then held her hands together. Though he offered to help her up, she told him no. My mother was quite stubborn during her childhood according to my grandma. Though she never goes into any details as of why, and I was curious about it. All she ever mentioned was that she was stubborn and hard to raise.

My mom's current reason for her stubbornness was all due to the wedding, and also about my father's choice of being matched with a younger woman around my age. "Nice to see you too Ms. Gibson..I hope I am not interrupting something." I smiled, "You're not..but I should probably go get your dress Mariah," I looked down and saw I was still in my bridesmaid robe from earlier as Roslyn had a late bridal crew get together on the day of her wedding. I was somehow surprised that my mom was invited even though she is the ex-wife of the groom, she had somehow simply had to fight her way to be in charge of the whole bridal crew as well. Like literally choosing the dress I should wear walking down the aisle as the flower girl, instead of wearing the one Roslyn picked out.

I could only think of the differences in the dresses between hers and Roslyn's interpretations. Everyday leading up to today she would talk about it and wanted me to wear it. In her mind it was the perfect dress and compared it to finding an answer to a crossword. It was always fun on her end but never mine, as the dress she had picked was not like any of the other bridesmaids and their short dresses that had it above the knee which was Roslyn's choice.

She called those dresses not ladylike in her opinion and thought they dressed like something else she had in mind. So instead of buying one to match with the girls, she had one already picked out that covered the knees. The dress that was more ladylike in her mind. When she went to go get the dress, Colton lifted me out of my seat holding my hands on his chest and his attempt at flirting, he looked me in the eyes. "You know I wasn't trying to be mean when I said woah you look pretty for once. You really do look as pretty as a dove..", "I know what you meant Goofball.." I giggled, "So are you ready for tomorrow?" he asked.

He spun me as if we were dancing and he pulled me into his chest once again, swaying back and forth like we did as this felt similar to the slow dancing back at Oakane Valley High in two-thousand and nine. I nodded to his question as one of my hands was being held by his hand and another on his chest, I felt a little faster than a normal beat of his heart. Yet then I found it strange as my heart felt nothing and just a normal speed it was odd. I truly did love him. But I also truly equally love tomorrow even though it was hard to celebrate some years.

I was hoping that this year's birthday was going to be normal where I get to eat ice cream with my mother and watch dramas and make fun of romantic comedies twenty-four seven, even though this was not going to be an ordinary birthday due to my age, it wouldn't affect our annual tradition. But I didn't care as long as I was also going to be twenty-one. I would get to find out who my future spouse is and if I feel like once I could legally drink. It was only scary for me just to think I wouldn't get fool's love like my mom and my dad got, as then it would be a long life to live in sorrow. However, minusing the spouse finding, I then see what everyone's emotions are towards me.

I would also find out if I and Colton would find out if we are true lovers or not, even though it was starting to be strange, as I didn't want to break the promise we made so long ago. I could fake being excited if we don't get paired but then I would have to deal with my mother and his mom's excitement, and my mom knows when I fib a white lie. I worry that I am like them and getting their hopes up too soon. "Did you know..that I was born as a mistaken love child..or in other words a fool's child." he laughed and nodded. "Yes I knew that, and I know that you are meant for something, as I will be there by your side and I hope you'll be by mine. As I can guarantee that you are meant to make the world a better place even if you're born a fool's child. As those are just one out of a million children who are purely unique."

I smiled and leaned my forehead against his. "You think so?", "I know so.." he mumbled. Even over the years knowing about the hearts and their glow, a doctor found the solution to each colored emotion along with the true lovers' heart situations and gave a guide of all emotions and shades of colors to all those who need it above the age of twenty-one. It was none other than Dr. Martens. Everyone had put their trust in him and his choice in whoever he may be paired with based on many things other than looks and personalities. But before he became a specialist about it, he happened to my doctor who helped give birth to me according to my mother that is. Even though I am not supposed to be born in the first place.

Meanwhile, while I was lost in Colton's eyes, the wedding was about to begin as it was officially happening at any moment, as the musicians were warming up as the instruments were beginning to play. And at that same time my mother had just come back right before Colton could try to kiss me to sneak one in and see if it was truly magical like the fairy tales we used to read when we were little, hoping it was just as magical and worth the wait.

"Oh no you don't, Colton Jameson Morales Burns. Step away from my daughter." He laughed silently and pulled away as I laughed silently as well. My mother had always used middle names against any of her components to make them feel weak even if you didn't tell her what it was, she would know what it is as it' s a motherly instinct. Yet it just makes us laugh every single time and not feel weak. He already knew he had wasted his time talking to me rather than trying to sneak in and kiss me before he spoke. He then signed and whispered, "So close..", I whispered, "yet so far..," I looked at him and also whispered, "Just nine and half more hours.." I smiled slightly and looked at my mother's red face filled with rage.

"Out. Go now. The wedding is gonna start soon and this flower girl isn't even dressed yet..plus you know the rule.." she gave him the stink eye as he laughed nervously. "No kissing her before she is twenty-one or above as its' the law...I remember the laws, Delilah..", "Surely you don't. And you know what. It's Ms. Gibson..to you Colton." I sighed seeing him trying to fool around on just being himself yet this wasn't proper time for it. He had released his hand from mine and walked away.

It was strange to hear her first name being called as since the divorce when the judge spoke her name to agree to the divorce from dad, that was the last time I heard it. Even before that everyone called her Mrs. Reginald but now back to Gibson. When Colton stopped at the door and turned and waved to me, my mom walked to the door and closed it. As I heard his footsteps then headed downstairs. Luckily there weren't a lot of wedding guests attending this wedding, as there are roughly around 30, and most are from the Roslyn side of the family and only my dad's parents were here on his side of the family. She looked at me and handed me the dress, "I thought I told you and Colton five feet at all times when me or his mom aren't around. So do I need to extend it to ten feet or perhaps maybe add twenty and make it thirty.." , "Five is fine..I'll make sure we don't get closer than that.." She nodded, "Good." She went and grabbed Grandmas' pearls from the jewelry box that had carvings of hearts and flowers along with a feather. She placed the pearl necklace she grabbed around my neck. When I looked at the dress on the hanger, I smiled, "Wait this dress looks familiar..is this the dress you've been telling me about for the past few years?"

The Dress she gave me happened to be what she was wearing when she met my father when she was twenty-one. Though she likes to call it cursed, it brought back memories. It was when he was a flower arranger for Ultra Flora Flowers and came across my mom when she was buying roses for a wedding. She happened to be in the same position I was in as a flower girl but whose bride forgot to buy a bouquet, but this was before the late twenty-first-century rule and heart situation. She happened to be working as a makeup artist for her side job and that's where she met Joliet and started her own company, and that is when Joliet joined as Co-artist and Co-owner.

When she had mentioned about dating dad at the time she thought he was the one who was her love for life until death do they part. Yet it ended up being more of a mixed fire arrows in the universe and it happened to be a fool's love. "It is as I thought you may want to wear this..since it is a wedding after all, as with tomorrow's special day why not bring it out for the occasion." I smiled even though I also felt like crying, not sure if in joy or actual sadness as these were the final hours of being a twenty year old. "Well it's a beautiful color as it somehow matches the petals of Roslyn's dress and the roses she will hold down the aisle.", "Oh.." Probably shouldn't have mentioned that.

The dress was covered in pink-lace as a sleeved dress with some floral design woven into the lace with a silver belt as an attachment. "I wore it first however..unlike Roslyn who likes to steal ideas.." Although she seemed bitter and kept mentioning that she wore it first, she also was annoyed with Roslyn. "Anyways you can wear those silver sparkle hells with it to match..", "You mean heels?" She looked at me and mumbled, "Well they feel like hell after a long night of dancing.." I hit her slightly, "Language!" she looked at me and said "What. Everyone cusses, it's normal..", "But it's not ladylike.." she looked at me, "Don't use my words against me.."

I smiled and laughed as she had also laughed while helping me finish putting on the jewelry before I placed on the dress. Knowing that they had dated and married before the late twenty-first-century heart effect and law that came into the world still surprises me every day like the other people who knew. "Now I think it's time for someone to walk down the aisle...I can hear the organ player from here getting prepped and ready." I sighed as I had to put on a fake smile now, Roslyn and Father's wedding was officially happening and I was a flower girl as Logan and Lucas were fathers' Groomsmen.

Knock. Knock.

I looked over and it was my father. Mom left without speaking to him or even glaring at him. I had the dress in my hands and was still wearing a bridesmaid robe. "Rose wanted me to come in here and thank you for taking the position..her other friend couldn't make it in time.." I tried my best not to roll my eyes as her friend had also missed the bridal shower party where she tried on many dresses. He walked over to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. He looked in the mirror as I looked in the mirror as well.

"My sweet May..I know you'll shortly find your true lover..just you wait..it could be just a few days or later on tonight or even tomorrow maybe..but I know that they are lucky to have you." I sure hope he knows what he is talking about. He kissed my forehead and spoke softly, "I'll see you downstairs at the altar.." He smiled and left as I went to close the door and finally got changed from the warmth of the robe. When I was done getting changed I headed downstairs quickly hearing the pianist, the organist, and others warming up once more before the big moment when the bride entered. I quickly grabbed the bouquet and went outside and saw from behind her in the rose-petal wedding dress.

As I made my way in front of Roslyn trying to hide her from the crowd and dad, everyone had heard the organs and piano actually starting to play. People started seeing people standing so they stood slowly up row by row and looked behind themselves. They first saw my step-cousins walking to my dad to his side and then saw me, standing still hiding the Bridezilla. As I waited for Logan and Lucas to reach Dad, I heard the heels of the Bridezilla shifting around behind me. Just when I thought I could walk down the aisle, I heard her speak. She must have cold feet, maybe she will say I don't instead of I do. "I can't believe Marcos is making me have his daughter be my flower girl..at OUR wedding..and even at MY bridal shower."

Her high-pitched voice always sounded like brat and made me want to roll my eyes but I had all eyes on me. She didn't have cold feet just being judgemental but was also talking to herself like I do but didn't expect her to speak out loud. Ever since I could remember meeting her, she seemed to have hate for me. Even from the bridal shower earlier, she was going off how I wasn't her niece Serena who had missed her flight from Bolderville to Oakheart months ago and even missed her flight again on the big day. Even though I could hear her, I tried to block it out and simply ignore it and move on. While trying not to overthink the words rushing through my head as that would be a complete nightmare like a swarm of bees.

I took a breath and took a small step forward while waiting for the pastor to introduce us to the people. "Honestly speaking I'd rather have Serena be it. She is more of a flower girl type than Marigold. She seemed more like it..though she always had bad luck with flights..this was the next option in line.." I was tempted to turn around and yell, but I didn't want to make a scene, as I could see down the aisle my fathers' eyes and my mothers eyes were on me. I started to panic as I gripped the flowers. Even though I told myself not to overthink, I surely overthought every word and had doubts and thoughts began to swarm around my mind/

She was too immature for my dad, yet she and he had glowed or maybe it was just a lie and maybe she just wants his money. "I just think Serena is way more of an Angelic girl as I can't see Marigold being angelic as she was more of one of those Angels without those feather wings..in the movies or shows..or whatever.." I raised a brow to think that anything supernatural surely doesn't exist as that only existed in films and books. But I still got mad at her choice of words and I broke and turned to her and looked her in the eyes. "May I present to you, the flower girl and the br-" Holding the red tulips that should have been wilted and dead in the ground instead of her hands, I knew they weren't gonna stay put in my hands.

"Excuse me?!" The attempt to try so hard to keep my feelings in and be quiet was surely now a failure and I bet caught on film. Yet it was wrong of me if I was not gonna stay silent and let her say those things about me and compare me to Serena. I knew I had to stand my ground somehow. "So your dad was right. You're not too quiet with your feelings once they are broken.." she mumbled as I knew I needed to breathe before I lost it even further. Just breathe. It would be better if I let it go or I'll be like a glitter bomb that will explode in any second and have glitter that is found everywhere and hard to clean up.

"So let's just move past this shouldn't we, and just walk down the aisle.." She whispered, thinking to move past what she said as if I didn't hear all her words. "No. You think that I am not angelic enough for you? Look. Roslyn. Angels don't exist!? So don't hate to compare me to something that isn't real. You need to wake up and smell the camellia flowers. And for your information, Serena is no flower girl material, since she isn't here! She is dumb as a rock for missing her flight! Twice!"

Her eyes widened as I could just feel like my mom was pissed at my actions. I almost cried but didn't, "And to top it off, I can hear you mumbling from here.." I could feel people staring at us as I didn't care while hardly hearing what the priest was gonna say next. I should've known they were standing and staring waiting for me to walk so the bride could walk down the aisle and to the groom. "Again..May I proudly introduce the bride and her flow-" the priest yelled from afar. "Marigold peo-..", "That's not MY NAME!! Nobody calls me Marigold. It's always been Mariah, like Mariah Carrie. Named after my mothers' sister's Halloween catastrophe. And you..you will never be my mom...I mean MOTHER!"

I groaned and looked at the red tulips in my hand and threw them on the ground and looked at her. "Lastly..you know what. I call it quits! So good luck getting Serena out here. She should have been here to be the more floral and angelic girl or goddess or angel or whatever..you know the stupid creatures and people who don't exist! Instead of me it's too late..because she keeps missing her flights!!" I ran out of the wedding ceremony in the stupid heels. I stopped midway through and took them off and threw them across the grass. Mother was right about the heels, they sure feel like hell. I had headed straight for the downstairs bathroom while pulling out bobby pins after bobby pins that were in my hair holding back the braids and throwing them on the ground. I placed the pearls gently down on the sink. I thought to myself and knew straight away I didn't want to apologize for my actions and the choice of words I used. As I pulled one more bobby pin I found in the braid, and took out the hair ties, it fell out as my hair was in waves like a messy ocean without the tangles of seaweeds.

I went and I locked the door and started crying my heart out. I had felt useless and misunderstood. I could hear other high heels and they belonged to my mother running in from the side doors and to the bathroom doors. Then she knocked on the door. I stared back in the mirror and all the makeup that Joliet did was now ruined with smears of black eyeliner and natural shade eyeshadow under my eyes.

I looked and felt like a trainwreck. "Sweetheart.." That's the first someone has ever called me Sweetheart, as before it always was Maya or Mariah. "Can you come on out? It was very rude to just blow up..just come on out and apologize.", "What?! No! She called me Marigold, one who isn't being angelic and more of one of those Angels without those feather wings. So I won't apologize for calling me something that doesn't even exist!" I yelled back at her and then it was silent and I heard her footsteps were leaving. I never wanted to apologize to my new whatever she was to me as she had been mumbling bad about me ever since she saw me help her almost walk down the aisle. I just wanted to curl up, on the bathroom floor. After a while of crying my heart and even my eyes out, I had then wiped my tears and sat against the wall hearing the service continue. Hearing every word very clear coming from the pastor. There was no way to not go back to my old life filled with arguments from my parents and just zoning out while doodling.

Then the final words that shattered me inside were the words, You may now kiss the bride..I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror again and took a breath. I unlocked the bathroom door and made it quickly up the stairs to the guest room where I got ready earlier and was now planning to sleep there as well. In the distance music was playing from the window and I could see lights flashing all different colors when I walked into the room. I was gonna lock my door to prevent my mother from walking in butI was unable to since it needed a key. I sighed and got into more comfortable clothes that were more my style and fitting. And it was just to wear pajamas.

I grabbed my hairbrush and brushed out my hair and took a hair tie and pulled my hair back. I made the attempt to put it in a messy bun, but looked more like a pony tail. Walking across the mirror and to the bed, I saw myself and I giggled. I looked like I was a raccoon with the messed up makeup around my eyes. I took off the makeup while looking through my drawers, I tossed the makeup wipe and changed into gray sweats and the old nightshirt that I had brought.

BOOM! BOOM!

Cheers were beginning to be louder every hour. As I went to look out the window seeing confetti fall or maybe it was rose petals, one of the two had fallen and covered the ground as I saw them kiss and cut the cake. I frowned until someone charged up to them all angry, and that someone happened to brighten my night. It was indeed my Mother, she was pointing and my guess yelling at Roslyn for the words she said to me. Then pointing over at my father in anger, and seeing the freshly cut cake, she had taken a cut slice, and shoved it in both of their faces. I smiled slightly and laughed, as it looked like the flavor was chocolate with the smudges of vanilla frosting on their face made this wedding guest gasp, that was even better. She happened to get it all in their hair, faces, and even on the wedding dress.

It seems like I sort of love her more as she had my back no matter what, even if we had a rough patch growing up. Aside from continuous watching of the party, I only knew one thing that would cheer me up completely. And that is knowing that I was only eight and half more hours away until I could finally know if I have a true lover. And also finally be able to date. I had then climbed in the bed and turned towards the clock, and stared at the time only thinking to know out of curiosity if I have a true lover and who it was.

I want to know if I will truly be happy someday with someone and not feel incomplete or out of order and know that they will have my back like my mother has mine. I had just hoped it's Colton as I don't want anybody new as I'm not ready for change. I could feel myself getting tired as I fell asleep staring at the clock ticking every minute, the ticks had soothed me to sleep and blocked out the booming music from outside and helped me calm my mind down.