wait until dark

Fray Peppard and Marcus Ellingson arrived at the step of Lexi's door at six thirty, a half hour late just as Lexi had instructed them. Marcus pounded on the door, forgoing manners. Both of them looked gorgeous in tuxedos. Fray's dark blonde hair shined under the porch light, he looked handsome, in a Jude Law/Leonardo DiCaprio way. As for Marcus his longish brown hair looked neat and polished for a change, and he looked more Ashton Kutcher at the Oscars with Demi than in 'Dude Where's My Car', for a change. Marcus was Lexi's date and Fray was Aurora's date to the rehearsal dinner. They weren't going to be in the wedding but Corinne told Aurora and Lexi to bring dates, so they invited both of them as friends. Corinne told them they needed to start dating to find the guy they were going to marry. They had all been best friends anyways, Fray and Marcus joining the group in eighth grade.

"Why did you knock? Come up." Lexi asked when she opened the door and saw Marcus and Fray standing at the door, laughing. She looked stunning in her gray dress that dragged along the floor as she went up the stairs and Fray and Marcus followed.

"You look nice Lex." Marcus complimented Lexi, as she held the rail to get up to the top, she was clearly tipsy. His eyes were practically glued to her, as they nearly always were, when she was drunk especially so she may hook up with him.

"Thanks." Lexi and all of them got into her room and Aurora was on the floor, taking a shot while Friends was on TV. She looked elegant in her royal blue dress, and turned and smiled at her friends. "Hey. Why are you guys so late?"

"Lexi told us to get here at six thirty. And what is up with the drinking without me?" Marcus sat down next to Aurora and picked up a shot glass and filled it with vodka. He waited till Rachel on the TV said 'Honey', and then took a sip.

"Well, then get up, we can't be any later, no need to add on any more embarrassment." Aurora got up and pulled Marcus up with her. She grabbed her tan Jimmy Choo clutch before heading out the door with her friends.

"Pour me a drink." Aurora ordered Marcus once inside Lexi father's sleek black limousine and held a glass out for him as he poured her Veuve Clicquot and Lexi told Rich, to take them to the Waldorf-Astoria where the dinner was being held. Once done talking to him Lexi shut the sound proof window.

"Shouldn't you slow down on the drinking? Isn't your family going to be here?" Fray asked Aurora.

"Yes and that is exactly why I'm drinking. My parents haven't ever seen me drunk or even drink at all they still think I'm the innocent thirteen-year old I used to be. If only they knew, I could guarantee I wouldn't be getting that inheritance." Aurora said as she refilled her glass, Lexi leaned over and whispered something in her Chanel stud clad ears. Aurora's jaw dropped in disbelief the way it always did when Lexi told her something wild she had done, even if it wasn't that crazy and typical.

"Really? But that's kind of sad." Aurora said, out loud, ignoring the whispering concept. "It's not his fault."

"What's with all the secrecy, you know you can tell me anything." Marcus moved and sat in between Lexi and Aurora, While Aurora scooted away towards Fray.

"Lexi made out with Dieter last night. He picked her up after the party." Aurora said in a hushed voice so Rich wouldn't hear, while she laughed. "And… That was his first kiss. The man-eater stole the poor innocent Italian boy's innocence. Isn't that illegal, like sexual harassment?"

"What the hell Aurora, why did you tell them?" Lexi said grabbing Aurora's drink, rolling down the window and dumping it out. She then grabbed the bottle of vodka out of Marcus's hands and clutched it to her chest. "No more alcohol for you. And he's not that young, he's sixteen, and I didn't know that at the time."

"Was it even legal for him to drive you?" Fray asked as Aurora and Marcus hysterically laughed. "God Lex, get a guy your own age."

"Marcus what are you laughing at? Do you not remember Roxy?" Lexi referenced Marcus's ex-girlfriend that was two years older than him at the time. He ended up dumping her after a month because Aurora, Fray and Lexi all made too many jokes, and she was way too needy for him.

"Whatever." Marcus responded. The limo pulled up in front of the Waldorf-Astoria and they all got out. Aurora hurried them in so they wouldn't be any later. They got in to the room and saw that no one was seated yet. They were all just walking around socializing. Aurora headed straight to the bar checking that her parents weren't looking. She got a spiked Coke, so her parents wouldn't know she was drinking. She looked over at Corinne and saw her in

"Nice of you to join us Aurora." Aurora's father, Randolph Rittenhouse, said sternly. Aurora smiled at her father to spite him, knowing that he was angry. "As Corinne was saying before she was interrupted she would like for you to make a speech."

Aurora got out her note cards and made her speech. She started out with how Corinne had first joined the family when Corinne was ten and Aurora was six. She lied and said her wish of having an older sister came true when Corinne came along. She said that Corinne was her confidante and best friend growing up and that she couldn't be happier for her. She wished her and Demetrius the best and that she didn't know two people that could be better for each other. The wedding party politely clapped, she smiled most polite smile and took her seat.

After another hour of speeches they were finally free to go.