His suit felt foreign; in fact, it was a virus. Slowly eating away at the wall he pieced carefully... years of dedication and determination. Every loop around his tie felt like a noose restricting his ability to breathe...He knew. Today.

It was all over.

The woman he fell in love with four years earlier was dedicating her life, her soul, her body to another man. A man he all but personally drove her to. Christian was good for Taylor. He watched how they interacted; how they finished each other's sentences; how she laughed and held her stomach admiring him; he brought her joy. Joy - that was foreign to Thomas. Taylor brought Thomas joy. But even he recognized that at some point her well would empty and she would resent him. Resent him for taking her youth; resent him for giving her stretch marks from their children; resent him for making her fall in love with a helpless, brute man.

Thomas looked at himself in the mirror and adjusted his tie. Observing the lines near his eyes, creasing towards his mouth; he aged. He could only see pain. ‘How did she find beauty?' he thought to himself reliving memories. The times he knew she was special; someone that needed to stay in his life. Taylor religiously would stare into his eyes and softly whisper, "You are so handsome." The smile she offered him afterwards let him know that it was genuine; it was love. Yet, he scoffed at her; she was 13 years his junior. She clearly saw his all flaws - she just chose to ignore them. But, why?

‘Not the questions to ask before her wedding, Thomas,' he spoke to himself fixing his hair. Slowly picking up his phone, he drafted the text - ‘Good luck today, I'm sure you'll be stunning' . . . He stared at the screen before deleting the message. ‘Taylor Love' her contact name. He reread the final message from her, ‘I'm so glad you can make it!!! See you at my wedding :)... still weird saying that! Love you lots T.'

In his usual fashion, he forgot to answer.

6 months ago. The last time she spoke to him. That was 6 months of her preparing for a wedding; 6 months filled with engagement photos; visiting reception halls; having a bridal shower; shopping for wedding rings.

Thomas remembered where he stood when he saw the Instagram photo of Taylor and Christian. He had landed back from California, waiting for his luggage, aimlessly scrolling Instagran when he noticed the David Yurman engagement ring and the caption, ‘I said yes! After I said ‘is this a joke.'" He immediately recognized her smile. The one of pure elation. She smiled like that for him before - the day they went to MOMA together.

It had only been a year of their friendship and that moment in the gardens only solidified their suspicions - they knew they were going to have each other, forever.

In the moment, Taylor believed the forever would be with her one day vowing her life to him. Thomas believed their forever would be one where he admired from afar until he fixed his broken soul. He thought she would wait. She did. For two years she waited, until Christian.

Thomas texted her immediately after seeing the post.

Thomas: Congratulations! Told you you'd find love ;)

Taylor: ..Where are you?

Thomas: Headed home in a bit; just landed.

Taylor: I'll meet you home.

Taylor immediately went to Thomas' and stood at his door begging him to show her a sign, something for her not to fully love Christian. The most Thomas could muster was, "You know I care about you. Christian is a great guy." He watched the exact moment her heart broke - the moment he released her. Her eyes no longer warm, she tried to make her smile reach her eyes. She could only muster, "Ok." She turned to leave, Thomas closed his door, his back sliding down to the floor as he covered his eyes trying to process what he had done. Thomas could hear sniffling from the bottom of the door - he slowly brought himself back up and saw through the peephole - at the very corner - holding her mouth to muffle her sobs, Taylor.

Now, she was happy and marrying a Harvard Law educated man. They had moved into a TriBeCa apartment and gotten two dogs; their life was envious. Thomas thought of this the entire drive over to the wedding; she did it. She worked, she fell in love; she made her dreams come true. Thomas longed for another night where they would stay talking until four AM about their dreams and fears. Thomas knew that today was more than special to Taylor.

Thomas sat in the pew in a daze. Everything in the ceremony was a blur; the moment he smelled her Thomas' head spun around. He adjusted his suit jacket and watched as Taylor seemed to be walking on air. She appeared ethereal. Angelic. True to her form. There were no words to describe the moment. Thomas stared intently at her, hoping she would turn her head to see him and run away with him. Holding his breath, Thomas stared intently. Hoping. Wishing.

Her eyes were fixated on the man waiting for her at the altar. ‘Look at me T,' Thomas said under his breath hoping for eye contact. Taylor walked right by Thomas, the grin on her face only getting bigger the closer she got to Christian.

She's gone. In a whisper only his soul could hear, ‘She's gone.'

Reaching Christian, Taylor fixated her eyes on her soon to be husband and glanced around the chapel offering everyone a smile. Thomas looked at her, realizing just how beautiful she looked in her gown.

"Wow," Thomas said out loud and motioned to his neighbor, "She is stunning."

Taylor's cousin looked at Thomas and replied, "She sure is."

The priest began the ceremony and Thomas did not know if he could make it through the vows. To hear her give herself to him, proclaiming it in front of others, would be the end of him. He began to stand when he saw from the corner of his eye Taylor's friend motion to him a shrug - as if to ask, ‘Where are you going?' Thomas sat back down and winced when he heard the Priest.

"Taylor and Christian have chosen to write their own vows, proclaiming their love in front of their friends and family; Christian?" the Priest spoke softly.

"Taylor, I vow to listen, care, cherish, provide and love you," Christian spoke through tears, Thomas loosened the tie around his neck, he was beginning to sweat, and he could feel his leg shaking. "Taylor, from this moment on, everything that I do, everything that I am and will ever be, is with you. I vow to respect you, honor you and love you."

Taylor wiped the tears away from her eyes and softly cleared her throat before beginning, "Christian, I vow to be there for you; physically, spiritually, emotionally. I will be your support, your confidant, your friend, your lover, your partner, your wife." Taylors voice began to crack, "I vow to honor you, with my heart, my body, and mind.  I am yours. I vow to respect you, cherish you, and love you. I vow to guard and keep you. I vow to tend to you; I vow to be eternally yours Christian."

Thomas didn't realize his eyes were closed the entire time Taylor spoke, he was envisioning her saying the vows to him. Vows he knew she would keep and honor.

The reception was a bit easier due to the available alcohol, but Thomas tried his best to avoid Taylor at all costs. He was seated next to a beautiful blonde, something he was sure Taylor did on purpose in order to make sure he had someone to talk to and have fun with when the night ended.

The first dance was something out of a fairy tale and all Thomas could do was clock the drinks back and flirt with the blonde next to him.

"Alexandria," Thomas began, "like the lighthouse."

Alexandria only nodded and returned her eyes to the dancefloor.

"Care to dance?" Thomas asked her.

"Sure," she replied walking over.

Right as they walked to the dance floor, under the chandelier, the tempo changed.

"We're going to break it down now!" the DJ screeched.

"Welp," Thomas said nervously putting his hand around Alexandria's waist.

The DJ played a few standard slow songs before Thomas felt a tap on his shoulder; when he turned around he was captivated by the new Mrs. Velhesey who changed into a shorter sexier dress.

"Can I steal him for a dance?" Taylor spoke to Alexandria, showing off her pearly whites.

"Of course," Alexandria politely ceded.

Thomas looked at Taylor before giving her a hug and asking, "Is Christian ok with this?"

Taylor looked confused and replied, "we're friends, of course he is okay with us dancing."

Right as Thomas was going to answer, they both heard the infamous guitar riff,

Every breath you take

Every move you make

Every bond you brake

Every step you take, I'll be watching you.

Thomas softly whispered in her ear, "Did you know this song is actually creepy."

Taylor laughed, "Yes - very. Christian and I both love it though, we just swore we wouldn't dance to it together...Such a stalker song."

Thomas laughed before spinning Taylor and singing along "every move you make and every vow you break, every smile you fake.." Thomas slowly pulled back and looked into Taylor's eyes before singing the outro repeatedly, "I'll be watching you."

Taylor hated this. She felt it. Everything Thomas was communicating to her.

It was supposed to be him. Why now? Why during Sting & The Police at her Wedding does he need to proclaim his love to her this way? She felt her eyes watering up and occasionally had to break her gaze with Thomas.

"I love you," Thomas said softly before detaching himself from Taylor, "Always have and always will."

"I know," Taylor said smiling and giving him a hug, "I'm with Christian, respect that or you'll never hear from me again."

Thomas nodded his head and slowly walked away.

I'll be watching you Thomas slowly hummed to himself before turning to Alexandria, "you trying to leave?" 

Thomas left hand in hand with Alexandria without turning back; Taylor was too busy kissing her husband to notice.