Do I deserve this? Is this what’s supposed to happen? Marry JJ, forget Michael, let Mike marry that annoying blonde chick; and I live happily ever after? That’s not how I want it to go. Why does JJ want to marry me so badly? I’m stupid for not taking Michael and falling for this creep. I was so blind, why couldn’t I see the truth? Two days later, I got my wedding dress ready and kept those tears inside of me. My friends kept asking me if I’m alright, but I wasn’t. I was quiet, rude, and impolite. I lied to them and said I had a bad dream. I didn’t want them to know the truth. I never told any of my high school friends or co-workers about my past. I felt like they were going to judge me or throw pity parties at me. They wondered about Michael and why I contact him so much, I tell him he’s my favorite cousin who’s going through rehab. I don’t think rehab is a joke, but I had to use a good excuse.

I was left alone, because I asked everyone for some space. Everyone now thinks I’m nervous. Especially mom, she’s telling our family while sipping on wine. I can tell, just know her like that. Dad is probably mad because of the crap JJ made them g through. I actually learned why everything happened. John’s father and mother divorced when John was two months old because his father cheated on his mother with JJ’s mother. Somehow, JJ and John got the same genes for appearances, but not for personalities. JJ tried being smart, but got abused for grades and teacher notes. John got praised for straight A’s and a good education. Sometime, they had Sarah; JJ got angry and drunk one night and raped her. I don’t know what a STD is, but she died from a STD. His father insulted him about how horrible he was. John made me. For eight years, grandpa loved me as his granddaughter. He wanted JJ to have a child too, and kept annoying him. JJ went a little overboard and kidnapped me and got help from that fat guy we saw on the camera.

I almost start crying, but I wipe the tears with my arm. Not giving a care about if my wedding dress is going to get wet. I can’t cry I have ten minutes until it starts and my life begins again. It was hard, but I started thinking happy thoughts. About ending world hunger, child abuse, animal abuse, anything that’ll make the kids from our earth happy. Michael says that works the best, to think about the little children from Africa eating. Michael always wanted to help children out, that’s so sweet of him. That’s one of the things I love about him; he doesn’t only care about himself. He’s protective, loving, and helpful. He puts others first. I never realized that he was trying to help me out instead of annoy and stalk me. I’ve been disgraceful to him, and everyone else. Including my dad; JJ tortured John. I’ve been ignoring my dad and putting the spotlight on JJ, the monster who destroyed us. I sat on the white, soft chair and look out the window. There are two little white birds. They love each other, I can tell. I can’t be fooled when it comes to love…

And when I looked at those birds, I realized I was already fooled. JJ is marrying me to stress John out. Or maybe because he knew I could bail him and set him free. I felt like an idiot when I found that out. JJ is one heck of an actor. I cover my face with my left hand and run my right one through my hair, which was down. It wasn’t up in a little ball. It was pinned though. I wish I can see what Michael is wearing; he is coming to this event, right? Wait, why would he do that? He loves me and doesn’t want to see me get married to the man who put him through hell. “Peyton, times up. You got to go, people are waiting,” says Sally, my science partner from high school. I nod to myself, stand up, and walk out of this room. I see my dad who looks exactly like JJ, which was even creepier than marrying a monster, smile at him and link arms with him. JJ and I decided not to do the flower thing; he thought that was silly and stupid. I sat there like an idiot and agreed with him. We walk down the aisle, I look at everyone. Michael and Rachel are ACTUALLY here. Rachel was smiling and giving me a smile, friendly wave. Two days ago, she had blonde hair. Now she has brown hair, which suits her better. But I still hate her and her perfectness. Michael is in a tux, he’s smirking. Oh, he’s saving me, isn’t he? A smirk from Michael means that he’s got a plan, that won’t work but somehow will work. I smile back at him. Dad unlinks arms with me and I’m facing JJ.


He’s smiling and starring at me like he’s in love with me. I’m just a toy now, JJ’s toy. The minster of the church starts saying whatever they say at weddings. I’m focusing on how Michael’s going to be superman right now. “Therefore if any men can show any just cause, why they may not un-lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace,” the minister says. Rachel jumps up and raises her hand. What the heck is she doing?!

“I object!” She exclaims proudly. She walks over to JJ and raises his arm. “This man is a criminal!” The crowd starts booing her and telling her to leave. She rolls her eyes and puts his arm down. “JJ has done many crimes. Is JJ even is name?” She looks over at me and smiles. “It’s not James Johnson. It’s Noah Levine. See, JJ has killed his father right after he drugged Peyton, got her in a car accident, and made her lost her memory. He kidnapped, raped, and killed. I got on tape that you’re only marrying Peyton because of payback to her father. Something like that, I didn’t listen to EVERYTHING he said. JJ, or Noah, only went to jail for kidnapping. He never went for raping, killing, or hitting.” She stares at JJ, or Noah, and me with a sorry look. “My name isn’t Rachel. I’m working for the CIA; I’m one of the youngest people in the field. Michael was helping me out.” Then she looks at the audience. “Oh! And this isn’t a REAL wedding! Noah also confessed that he set this up and the law has nothing to do with it. That’s why he’s getting arrested.”

I smile, she’s not that bad as she seems. Michael is also smiling; it’s a really huge smile. Noah has his jaw on the floor, and so does everyone else. “My work here is done!” She says, going down the aisle and opening the doors. “Get him, boys!” A bunch of police men come bursting through the door and grabbing Noah and leading him out the door. I run up to Rachel/unknown name and smile wide.

“Can you get the story straight?” I ask her, wanting to know the whole story.

“Oh, I’m Jasmine, by the way. Ever since your guy’s engagement went into the newspaper, I got hired to go undercover and shit. I don’t know why the CIA picked me, probably because I’m a good actress.” And she was. I thought she was a dumb blonde, but she seems to be more. “Michael knew about my job and I asked if he can help me out. We’ve been following you for research. I acted like a teenage girl because one, it was fun; two, the CIA asked to keep a low profile. So I created a character-“

Noah comes busting out the doors and grabs my hand. “Get away from me!” I shout. Somebody turned off the lights and now everybody is freaking out. Somehow, Noah makes it out the door, puts a ring on my finger, kisses me, and takes me to his car. “Is there anymore names I should call you?!”

“I’m sorry! The stuff that Rachel… Jasmine… Whatever her name is, said was not true. At all,” he says as he places me in the backseat like I was a little child. He goes to the front seat, starts the car, and hits the gas pedal. We go faster than the speed limit.

“Maybe it is true! It sounds like something you’d do!” He drives past a red light and I start to believe Michael and Jasmine. Noah/JJ/Dad/Eugene is crazy. He hurt us. He hurt other people, including my father. “Take me back! We need to save Michael, now!” I command, shouting as loud as I can. I can barely hear my voice because of the noises the car makes.

He smiles and says, “Not now,” I feel a car pushing the car Noah is driving now. I flinch and cover my face. My head begins to hurt and the car begins to flip over a billion times. I’m not buckled in anymore; I’m tumbling around in the car. The car stops, upside down; it takes me a couple of seconds to try to get up. I fail every time. Noah is just groaning and complaining. I finally stand and see Michael running towards me.

“Peyton,” he carries me, fireman style, “we got to go. Quickly, right now.” But where are we going?