I should have stopped at least one beer ago. But I barely knew anyone here except her, and I was miserable, so I had a drink to get over the misery, which made me more miserable, so I had another drink. And so on.

I was about to leave when I saw her standing alone, staring off into the distance. I sat on the empty chair beside her. “Hi.” She said nothing, but smiled once she saw me.

I realized I had to tell her here and now or the thought would break my skull open trying to get out. “Listen. I’ve never told you this before but I—I love you. I know you don’t want to lose our friendship, but if it doesn’t work I won’t hold it against you, and Mark was a terrible boyfriend and he’ll be a terrible husband, and you think he’ll stop cheating but he won’t, and I know I’m not perfect but I can at least try to be considerate and—”

She looked horrified. I turned around and saw everyone in the room staring at me, including Mark.

I realized that I probably should have told her before the wedding.