Fake it 'til you Make it
"I do."
With one simple phrase, nearly every female (and male) in the building was in tears. The dark haired bride looked slightly south toward her bouncing, blue haired groom who fist pumped to a cheering crowd. Before the words 'You may kiss the bride' were halfway out of the priest's mouth, the groom had his newlywed wife in a deep kiss. The crowd cheered louder as the couple broke apart and just stared into each other's eyes.
Gimme a break. Maka thought as she watched her best friend, her roommate, make the most debilitating vow of her life. She was happy for her, and knew without a doubt that Tsubaki and Blackstar would have a great life together. But that didn't stop her from feeling like this was all happening too soon, the girl was 20 for Pete's sake! How did she know this was the guy for her? The entire ceremony had been filled with sniffles and cries from everyone (except for her of course). Maka had tried her best to play the role of the perfect maid of honor, but alas, there was only so much she could take until her eyes started rolling.
With that, the wedding ceremony was finished and the cliché wedding song rung across the room from the booming pipe organ. Everyone was on their feet and clapping/crying for the couple as a shower of rose petals came from the balcony above.
Maka handed the bouquet back to the blushing bride who smiled and mouthed 'I love you so much!' back to her. Maka smiled back at her best friend and the exiting of the procession began. She reluctantly took her place next to the best man as she watched the retreating figures of the bride and groom. He offered his arm to Maka who took it without breaking her concentration; she was incredibly preoccupied with her mind whirling.
She sighed as her thoughts flew round and round her young friend and her new life- how great it must feel to find someone who loves you on such a deep level. Her mind raced with thoughts of happiness, loneliness, excitement, and even a little bit of jealousy as she tried to keep her composure down the aisle.
Her composure didn't last long as she tripped out the double doors. Seriously? Of all the things that could happen… Maka thought desperately. The loose grip of the best man tightened almost instantly as he caught her fall.
Well then. Maka though as she struggled to maintain what little dignity she had left after that. Maka looked up slowly to her savior with a feeling of humility. Her cheeks burned as she finally caught sight of the best man. How she failed to even look at him before was a mystery in it's own. I mean come on, she had walked in with the guy, stood about 6 feet from him for nearly an hour, and she hadn't even glanced at him once. Shame. Dark red eyes stared back at her lazily. Woah. She thought as she stared at him curiously Really? I never looked at him once? He had stark white hair and crimson eyes, yet he wasn't pale… What the hell, I thought albinos were supposed to be incredibly pasty and always wearing sunglasses! If anything, Maka looked albino compared to him… jeeze 'Albino Albarn' why does that name haunt my memories til this day? High school was stupid.
Her curious stare didn't go unnoticed as the best man raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at her. Maka turned red again. "You shouldn't get so caught up with your thoughts, you're going to end up hurting yourself… or pulling someone else down with you." The best man said with a snicker.
Maka nearly lost her cool, and she was sure the best man was aware of it since he gave her a lopsided smirk "So sorry, I'll make sure to trip when no one's around next time." She picked herself up as the man let her arm go. He had absolutely NO IDEA how hard it was to walk in heels as a girl who never wore anything but flats and boots.
He gave a short laugh, exposing razor shrarp teeth. Weird. She was so close to storming off, but her manners got the better of her.
She cleared her throat in an attempt to hide her embarrassment/ridiculous blush. "Well uhh, thank you…" She said lamely, shifting her gaze away from the smirking best man. "See you at the reception." Without waiting for a reply, she sped off down the church steps and out of view, finally allowing herself a frustrated growl. She couldn't help the feeling she was being stared at the entire time.
How jerk-ish can someone be? I mean, sure he MAY have saved me from complete humiliation but he doesn't have to rub it in!
XOXO
30 minutes of heavy rush hour traffic later and it was early evening when Maka drove up to the reception in her old Toyota. Very clever to have your reception around sunset, it definitely adds to the ambiance. Maka thought as the sun approached the horizon. It was a clear day, which meant they were in for a spectacular display from the heavens when the sun did finally set. She could already hear a few people commenting on the soon-to-be sunset.
The reception was being held at a privately owned lake house. Although Maka had never been here before, she had been the one to book it (being the maid of honor and all) and silently prayed that it would live up to the advertisement. She walked through the doors and was stunned by the sheer beauty of the place. "Hmm, nice pick after all." She said to herself.
She walked through the foyer and through the different rooms listening in on peoples' conversations as they admired the mansion. Maka prided herself on perfectionism in every facet of her life. Not only was she a dedicated student at Shibusen University, she also worked two jobs and volunteered in her local library. It was tough sometimes, especially with someone as diligent as Maka- nothing ever went uncompleted or done to less than her best ability. No matter how hard Maka worked at all of the areas in her life, she was still just barely keeping afloat on a sea of loans, bills, and payments. College alone was sucking up her funds, even with her large sum of scholarships- textbook prices are RIDICULOUS, am I right? Living, in general, wasn't cheap, especially since she would now have to live on her own. She didn't really have any other choice though; the school was too far away from her dad's house so she couldn't live there (not that she would anyway) and all her other close friends had living arrangements already. Who knew it would cost so much to be alive?
Maka walked to the end of the house and out the back door to the garden. It was the reason she had decided to go with this location in particular for the reception. The backyard was the perfect place to set up tables and chairs for a reception, or at least that's what she had been told by the property owner. She stepped outside and was once again stunned by the beauty. The yard overlooked the lake with a perfect view of the coming sunset. The flowers and landscaping were straight out of 'Home and Garden', and the aroma that filled the air reminded her of a Bath and Bodyworks store. The center arrangements on the tables were gorgeous and the majority of the guests were beginning to find their seat placements.
"Oooh Tsubaki did such a great job with the seat arrangements!" Maka overheard a few of the guests saying.
"Yes she got my whole family at a table!" Another guest responded.
Crap. Maka thought as she searched for hers, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. Who did she seat me next to? Certainly not her and Blackstar, that table is reserved for family only so… Her name written neatly on a white card caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She was seated at a table close to the bride and groom's table which was closer to the edge of the garden. She picked up the name card next to hers, who's seat was currently unoccupied, and stared for a second. "I'm sitting next to a 'Soul'? What is that, like a memorial to a dead person?" She scoffed quietly as she placed the card back on the table.
"Not exactly." Came a smooth voice from behind her. Maka turned around quickly, a scowl in place for whoever the eavesdropper might be. She came face to face with the best man who wore the same lazy expression from the wedding with a hint of amusement.
"You have got to be kidding me." She said, her face tinting a slight pink hue. "They seriously sat me next to you?"
"Excited?" He lazily mocked as he took his seat at the table.
"I'm sure you were secretly hoping so." Maka shot back as she turned on her heel. She wanted to use the restroom before dinner was served anyway, this was the perfect excuse for a dramatic exit.
"And here I thought we had really hit it off." She heard Soul say in that same lazy, mocking tone. She could almost hear the taunting smirk in his voice. It took everything in her power not to turn around and deck him.
Think about where you are, think about where you are. She repeated in her mind as she made her way between the tables back towards the house. She had just re-entered the house when she heard someone behind her.
"Maka!" A female voice called, "Hey long time no see!"
Maka turned, and recognizing the beaming face, smiled "Kim, I haven't seen you since high school got out, how are you?"
Kim gave a sour look. "Obviously not as good as Tsubaki, she's been out of high school for barely a year and she's already married? Lucky girl!" Kim said with a distant look in her eyes. "But I'll find me a man at some point, one with pretty wallet to go with a pretty face."
"Oh Kim, you never change." Maka said in an exasperated tone.
"Speaking of pretty faces, who's the hottie you're sitting next to? I saw him during the wedding, all stoic and cool. He rolled his eyes like the WHOLE time too… Just like a certain maid of honor, I might add." Kim said with a jab at Maka's stomach.
Maka blushed at being discovered, Kim was always perceptive. "I didn't think anyone saw… But the guy next to me is a total jerk, don't worry about it!" Maka said changing the subject quickly. "I really don't have any interest in guys like that."
"Aww but you two obviously have so much in common! Take your dislike of all things happy and beautiful for example!" Kim said with another jab at Maka's side.
"Hey I'll have you know I helped plan this happy and beautiful thing!" Maka said as she play-shoved Kim. Laughing, she said, "Besides, weddings are just a place where couples grow closer and single people grow more aware they're alone."
"Huh, ouch, always the cynic!" Kim said as she started walking towards the bathroom with Maka.
"Well it's kind of true!" Maka said with a smile, "Especially when the dancing starts, that's when the bar huggers and wall flowers emerge." She held the door to the bathroom open for Kim.
Kim walked to the mirror and started re-applying make-up as Maka used the restroom. "I don't know how you come up with these things, Maka! I think weddings are great, and I'm single!"
Maka came to join Kim at the sink. "Well, you're also incredibly gorgeous. No guy, single or otherwise, doesn't look your way when you walk by."
"Maka are you kidding me?!" Kim nearly screamed as she grabbed Maka's shoulders and turned her to face the mirror. "I would kill for your bone structure. You look absolutely stunning this evening. Green is totally your color!" She said, referring to the bridesmaid dress that Maka wore. It was a light-green, strapless dress which hugged her torso and flared out from her waist down, hitting just above her knee. "If Tsubaki didn't have boobs to match Pamela Anderson, you would have been the center of attention during the ceremony."
Maka tucked a lose strand of her ash-blond hair behind her ear. She had actually made an effort to look good tonight. She hated to call herself pretty, but she knew her light make-up made her green eyes shine and her facial features glow. "Thanks Kim, but with the company I'm keeping at my table, I don't think I'll be too lucky with the guys tonight." She said as the two made their way back out towards the gardens.
"Ok well let me know if you want to change seats ever, Maka, I kind of like it when they play the bully!" With those final words, Kim left a blushing Maka to stare after her. Jesus she likes the bully? Sketch. I don't think this guys a bully so much as a cocky asshole. She made her way back to her table where the food was just about to be served. All of the others seated at her table seemed to be talking and getting to know one another.
"I thought you might have gotten lost." The best man… Soul said to her with a side glance.
Maka took her seat beside him and before taking a sip of her already poured drink she said "Lucky for you I only fell in once." It was meant to be a joke but it came out a little harsh.
Soul laughed softly under his breath. "Ok, ok, maybe we got off on the wrong foot… So to speak." Maka turned her head sharply and met his red eyes with a livid glare of molten emerald at his reference to earlier in the day. "OK that was the last one, I promise." He said with a grin. He turned his body towards her and extended a hand. "Hi, the name's Soul."
Maka resolved to play along, turning her own body towards his. "Hello, Soul, I'm Maka." She couldn't help the smile that graced her lips as she gave the corny self-introduction.
Soul took her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Maka." He rasped in his low, smooth voice, looking at her through white bangs.
She laughed at the formality, "The pleasure is all mine, Soul."
XOXO
Alright so this story's direction has taken a huge turn from what I originally designed, but that could be that it's taken me over a year to decide what to do with it. I've never done a Soul Eater fic done in our world so stick with me! Any comments are welcome, and it really motivates me to update!