The Balcony Confession (Short Read)

For context... this is an AU of the wedding short story for Green and if I wanted to be messy. Play it here.

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You barely have time to gather yourself after finishing your vows when another knock echoes through the room. Nugget, sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by scattered flower petals, doesn't seem to notice.

Her soft hums blend with the rustling of her dress as she carefully arranges flowers into something that vaguely resembles a crown.

"I'll get it," you say, already rising. As you cross the room, you smooth the front of your robe, still half-immersed in the calm of Randall's earlier visit.

You think that it's possibly Randall coming back, or the wedding planner needing something. Maybe Green sent a message.

But when you open the door, it's Barlow.

They stand there, their hands shoved deep into their pockets, looking like they've been debating this for a while. They are dressed casually, which means they are not here to attend the wedding, and the way they're holding themself—rigid, tense—tells you everything.

"Hey," they say, voice low. "Can we talk?"

You blink, heart skipping, caught off guard. You glance back at Nugget, who's now placing her masterpiece on her head, blissfully unaware of the tension hanging in the air.

"I don't know if—"

"Please," Barlow interrupts. Their voice wavers, a crack in their usual composure. "Just… five minutes."

Something in their expression makes you pause. Sighing, you step aside and let them in.

They follow you silently to the balcony, the air cooling your skin as you slide the door closed behind you. The sound of the Lemon River is soothing, but it doesn't reach your heart, which is beating too fast.

You lean against the railing, gripping it with both hands. "Barlow… what is this?"

They pace once, twice, and then stop abruptly, staring out at the horizon. They exhale hard, as though they've been holding it in for days.

"Don't marry Green."

The words hit you like a punch.

"What?" you ask, barely whispering.

"I thought I could be okay with this," Barlow says, turning to face you, their eyes burning with something you've never quite seen before. Desperation. Regret. "I thought I could be happy for you, that I could let you go. But I can't. I'm still in love with you."

Your breath catches. This isn't happening. Not now. Not today.

"Barlow…" You close your eyes for a moment, trying to stay calm. "You're too late."

"I know." Their voice cracks. "I know it's your wedding day, and this is the worst timing in the world, but I can't just stand by and say nothing." They step closer, but not too close, like they're afraid to scare you off. "I love you. I've always loved you. And I'm still hung up on you."

You shake your head, laughing softly, but it's bitter. "You can't do this. You can't just show up now, today of all days, and say this. It's... it's... it's not fair."

"I'm sorry," they say, and they sound like they mean it, but they don't stop. "I tried to move on. I thought I had. But seeing you, knowing you're about to marry Green… It's killing me."

"And what am I supposed to do with that?" you ask, your voice rising. "Call off the wedding? Break Green's heart because you suddenly decided you couldn't let go?"

"I'm not asking for that," they say quickly, but the pleading in their voice betrays them. "I'm just asking you to think—really think—if this is what you want."

You laugh again, harsher this time. "You're asking me to throw away everything for you, Barlow."

"I'm asking you to choose me."

The silence that follows is heavy, suffocating.

"I can't," you finally say, your voice soft but firm. "I love Green. He/She's my future. You're… you're my past."

Their face crumples, and for a moment, they look like they're going to break right there. "I know I've made mistakes. I know I'm probably the last person who deserves a second chance. But if there's even a part of you that still—"

"Don't," you cut them off. "Don't make this harder than it already is."

They step back, running a hand through their hair, visibly struggling to hold it together. "I'm sorry," they say again, voice barely audible. "I had to try."

You exhale, trying to keep it together. "Why now?" you ask, almost to yourself. "Why couldn't you have said this months ago? Or a year ago?"

"Because I'm an idiot," they admit, the bitterness in their voice aimed squarely at themself. "Because I thought I could let you go. And I was wrong."

For a moment, neither of you speaks. The distant sound of the river fills the silence, the wind brushing past you like a whispered reminder that time is still moving, dragging you toward the inevitable.

"I'm sorry," you say, and this time, you mean it. "But I can't change how things are. I love Green. He/She's kind, steady, everything I need. And he/she's not the one standing here asking me to throw it all away."

Barlow lets out a shaky breath, nodding slowly. "Yeah. I get it."

You reach out, placing a hand on their arm, the gesture gentle but final. "You'll be okay," you say, hoping it's true.

They look at you for a long moment, then cover your hand with theirs, squeezing once before letting go. "I should go," they say, voice hollow. "I need to give Green my congratulations anyway."

You blink, surprised, and they give you a small, sad smile. "I'm his/her best man/maid of honor. You know that, right?"

It's almost laughable in a tragic way. You shake your head, unable to speak. "I didn't, actually."

They turn to leave, pausing at the door. "For what it's worth," they say, not looking back, "you deserve to be happy. And if Green makes you happy, then… I'll learn to be okay with that."

You watch them go, the door clicking softly behind them. The conversation lingers, pressing against your chest.

You take a deep breath, turning back to the balcony. In a few hours, you'll be walking down the aisle. You'll marry the man/woman you love. And this… this will be another story of what could have been, but wasn't meant to be.

Back in the room, you sit down, opening your laptop again. The words come to you more easily now, and you type the final line of your vows.

I vow to choose you, every day, no matter what.

The end!