A/N: So I just wanted to say that this is the prologue of a new idea I had and I'm not sure whether to continue but here is the first chapter. I just wanted to say The Arrangement isn't finished so don't worry there is still more to come from that Fanfic.
You're cordially invited to the wedding of James Mark Stewart and Patricia Elizabeth Williamson.
The words written on the page still felt unreal to Patricia even after stuffing 40 of these invitations into envelopes. Patricia had wanted a small, intimate wedding but her dreams were slowly slipping away when Jamie had presented his guest list which had consisted of 200 guests. The thing with Jamie was he knew people and because he knows people, Patricia couldn't have what she's always dreamed of. Life had been fast-paced ever since Patricia and Jamie had met 181 days ago.
They had met 6 months ago; Patricia was on a night out with her friends which had been a rarity for her whilst Jamie had been at leaving do for someone at work. They had both been at the same club that night and Patricia was getting the drinks in when she fell backwards spilling the contents of her beverages all over a handsome stranger. If only Patricia had known that handsome stranger would turn out to be so much more. The night had been young and after some unnecessary apologising Jamie and Patricia, they had spent the night chatting and dancing and instantly hit it off. She had seen it as some fun and what she'd believed would be one night had quickly turned into so much more. After fucking three times they had grown tiresome and instantly fell asleep right through till morning. By morning Patricia had planned to make to make a quiet escape but Jamie was persistent and had persuaded her to stay for breakfast, then lunch and finally dinner. That was the defining moment when it became apparent that Jamie would be in Patricia's life for a long time.
As luck would have it, the whirlwind romance was most definitely one, Patricia and Jamie spent every night together since meeting. Before she knew it they were buying a new flat together - if it could be called that, it was more like a penthouse apartment. One thing Patricia had not like about her romance with Jamie was the fact he had bought everything - the flat they shared, her college debt she owed and her brand new Posche. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate wealth; it was that she didn't need money to make her happy. In fact, she'd been perfectly happy in her dingy flat with her best friend Joy but Jamie wasn't so convinced. He believed that having money meant you could buy things to add to your life whereas Patricia could quite simply say some of her happiest moments were in that crappy, damp flat with a box of wine and her best friend.
It was the 180th day of their relationship when Jamie had proposed to Patricia. Jamie had wanted to make a big deal out of the proposal so he'd taken Patricia to The Plaza. Their hotel room was beautifully decorated with rose petals everywhere and candles lit which created a romantic ambiance. Then he'd got down on one knee and said those words, any girl longs to hear Will you Marry Me. Overwhelmed by the gesture that Patricia instantly agreed. After that they spent the rest of the night indulging in each other. The next morning she found herself sprawled over Jamie; she looked over to her fiancée and couldn't help the smile forming on her face.
The morning before Patricia and Jamie's engagement dinner was manic. Patricia had spent the time sorting the invites when Jamie had entered looking rather upset.
"Hey Jamie, what's wrong?" The look of Jamie face as he slumped beside her had said it all he was disappointed and Patricia wasn't even sure she could get through to him.
"It's just that I'm trying to get hold of an old friend but he's not picking up." Jamie had slumped further in the car and he chucked his phone across the room.
"Wait, is this the friend who left the night we met," Jamie pulled Patricia into a tight embrace and nodded. "I should be thanking him right."
"Exactly if it wasn't for his leaving party that day we would never have met."
"We both should be thanking him then," Patricia said as Jamie took her face in his hands. "Maybe he'll call?" She was being optimistic for Jamie's sake.
"I hope so, after he moved to LA it's been so hard to get hold of him." Before she knew it Jamie was up again and out of sight.
The morning of their engagement dinner was just as chaotic, Patricia and Jamie had spent barely any time together and the small time frame they did have, left them fighting.
"Right, so you got hold of him and he's going to be staying here?"
"That's what I said wasn't it!"
"You didn't think to ask me Jamie?"
"Well seeing as I owned the place I didn't think it mattered." Patricia was getting angry, even though she couldn't afford the place didn't mean she didn't have the right to say what goes on here.
"Fine I see how it is. I'll talk to you later okay"
"Wait Patty, I'm sorry!" Patricia didn't have time to listen to Jamie's sorry excuses she had a dinner to get ready for and with that she left Jamie alone in their flat.
When they arrived at the engagement dinner, most of the party were enjoying a drink at the bar. This was Jamie's party and that's why in the months Patricia had known him she had become accustomed to nodding and laughing in all the right places. After all pleasantries were made with every guest her she headed to talk over to her best friend Joy.
"Patricia Elizabeth Williamson don't you look beautiful today."
"Thanks Joy," Then in the briefest of moments a tall, blonde haired figure strode towards them both. The noise in the room became a faint blur Patricia stared at the handsome figure, just gazing as if she were in a dreamlike state. The moment was swift over when she noticed her doting fiancée embracing the strange man. Something about this interaction had told Patricia this man was the stranger would be him. The man who was responsible for their love affair. Before too long the stranger was walking towards them both again this time with Jamie in toe.
"Patricia there is someone I would like you to meet," pointing towards the stranger "this is my best friend Eddie Miller" With that Jamie left us to get acquainted whilst he went over to speak to his mother Carole.
"Figures, I guess I should be thanking you. If it wasn't for your leaving party we'd never had met." She said as she pointed towards Jamie who was working the room.
"No you don't need to thank me love, I think this whole wedding thing is a piece of bullshit" Eddie said staring anywhere but Patricia.
"Excuse me, Eddie is it. I don't think I understand"
"Well let me put this simply, it isn't going to last love and when it doesn't I'll be the one picking up the pieces"
"Well aren't you the life of the party, where's the Eddie Miller that I heard so much about?"
"He isn't here anymore! See ya!" With that Eddie had left Patricia and a mute Joy to ponder over the recent encounter.
"Errggghhh, I know he's Jamie best friend but I already can't stand him and he's going to be living with us for ten weeks!" She said scrunching her face up in disgust.
"There's not a lot you can do about it Patty. You'll just have to hope he lightens up over the weeks." Joy said as they both watched Eddie talking with Jamie's cousins.
"Yeah I guess. I wonder who it was?" Patricia said begrudgingly.
"Who it was what?" asked Joy.
"Who broke his heart, to make him that way."
"Don't suppose you'll ever know!"
"Maybe not, but I know I have to make an effort for Jamie's sake!" Once they had finished up their drinks they headed to the table.
Patricia was seated next to Jamie in the middle of the table by all the close family relatives whilst Joy was placed with Jamie's cousins. Unfortunately for Patricia, her new found nemesis Eddie was seated opposite her next to Carole. The dinner was a quiet affair despite the 90 guests there and the chat at the table often looped back to talk of the good old days making Patricia feel unwelcome as she only known Jamie for a few months. She felt as if Jamie had this great life that she wasn't part of and Eddie was determined to remind him of. At the end of the meal, Eddie had agreed to pay to which everyone had been grateful, everyone that was apart from Patricia, who saw right through it.