AN: Wow, okay, so big chapter here. Um, it's about 7,000 words long? lol, sorry. Anyways, this is skipping ahead to just about the wedding day, I know that's jumping over a lot, but I fugrued it would just be boring, plus that would bring Chad back into the picture, and come on, that is basicaly everyone's favorite person right? lol.
Oh, this chapter introduces a few new characters of my own creation, so make sure to tell me what you think of them, and if you'd enjoy seeing them more or if they just should disapear never to be heard of again. I know everyone liked my David, I mean, he is pretty much the perfect older brother that I should have gotten, but these next ones arn't quite the same... :)
Enjoy!
Sonny's POV
"Sonny!" My mom shouts at me. I scramble out of my bed hastily and fumble in the dark for my light switch.
"Mom? What are you doing-" I was about to ask what she was doing at my apartment, it was near the end of July now, about three and a half weeks since my birthday party.
"You forgot? I reminded you like eight times yesterday! And, you aren't even dressed. This day is just off to a fantastic start." She pressed her fingers to her temples massaging them and clenching her eyes closed.
"Mom, it's fine, I'll just throw something on and be out in a minute. Do you want to go start the car?" I was thinking that by the expression on her face she might explode any minute. Which, would suck.
"Alright, be ready in less than five minutes." She warned and then let herself out as I sighed in relief. Truth way, I had forgot that she was coming. Today was the day before David and Sarah's wedding, and as the head wedding planner, my mom had assigned me to doing a list of things that I really had no clue about. Mostly, errands. Which I really didn't want to do. But what else could I say? Sorry mom and Sarah, I don't feel like contacting the photographer, picking up the flower arrangements and bringing them to the church, grabbing all the bridesmaid dresses from the dry cleaners, getting an update on the wedding cake, doing a sound check for tomorrow night's reception and then meeting everyone for a quick mani-pedi. I'd much rather sleep in and gorge myself on the box of frosted flakes in the cabinet. Yeah, that'd go over well.
I grabbed a pair of grey capri yoga pants off my floor and pulled a dark green scoop-necked t-shirt off a hanger in my closet before slipping on a pair of black flip-flops, brushing my teeth and snatching my purse while running out the door.
I found my mom waiting impatiently in her car, tapping the steering wheel nervously.
"Let's go." I said climbing into the blue truck that almost never left my mom's property. My mom started up the car and we pulled out of the complex's parking lot and headed out onto the open road.
"What are we doing first?" I asked scanning the side of the road and watching the trees whip by.
"I am going to get out once we get to church. I have to make sure everything is perfect, and then you are going to take the truck and pick up Chad at the bus terminal." I looked at her quizzically.
"What?"
"Were you seriously not listening at all yesterday? I went over all of this with you. And you'd think you'd know when your boyfriend was going to show up. Geez Sonny." She shook her head and I sunk in my seat. I guess I had kind of zoned out yesterday, maybe not such a good idea. And Chad arriving today did explain why he hadn't replied to any of my texts lately. He always packed his phone in his checked baggage instead of his carry-on. Why? Who knew.
My mom and I pulled up at the church fifteen minutes later, and she quickly climbed out while I slid across the seat to the driver's side.
"Now don't forget anything, understand?" She said firmly and I nodded.
"I got it all under control." I said with confidence that I didn't actually feel. I cranked up the radio and drove off out of town and onto the freeway that took me to the bus terminal. I listened to the shouting voice of Taylor Swift until I saw a bus pull up and a blonde about my age climb off in the crowd. I honked my horn and saw him look my way before smiling and rushing over while I let myself out of the car.
"Hey," I said pressing myself into the happy embrace he offered. He kissed the top of my head gently and then with a laugh said,
"You look like you just got out of bed." I snorted and glared up at him.
"That's because I did." He just continued to laugh as he loaded his suitcase into backseat and joined me back inside the truck. "Oh, and I meant to say hello too," He grinned cheekily buckling up.
"Yeah that's what I thought you meant." I glared at him and he smirked. "By the way, how did you manage on a bus?" Now it was my turn to grin maliciously.
"Oh, that." He paused. "It was brutal." I couldn't help but laugh. Chad on a bus, what a sight to see. "And it's never happening again."
"Of course not, a little public transportation is way too much to ask of the Chad Dylan Cooper." I teased and he sulked.
"How about we forget the last five minutes and instead you start explaining to me what it is we have to do today." I really didn't want to give in, but he had a point, I did need to get a lot done, and he certainly wouldn't be much help in a pissy mood.
"Fine." I pouted and he grinned when I gave in.
"Good."
"Good."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Honestly, this is super immature."
"I agree completely."
"Praise the lord…" He laughed and I couldn't help but chuckle along as well.
"I'm not a pack mule, you know that right?" Chad said as I opened the door leading out of the dry-cleaners. I made sure to ignore the comment.
"Thank you!" I called out as the two of us exited the store.
"Yeah, you're welcome…" Chad grumbled under his breath and I stifled a laugh, instead focusing on the car in the parking spot ahead. I knew that if I met his eyes and saw how annoyed he was to be holding a stack of bridesmaids dresses in plastic sheets, I would totally lose it.
"Really? No reaction at all? Not even a 'deal with it' look?" He grunted. "Some girlfriend you are,"
"Oh, right, poor Chad, and his over demanding favor asking girlfriend…" I smiled peevishly at him opening the backseat door and hanging the garment bags up on the hangers one by one.
"It's true. I really don't do favors." He said earnestly.
"Except, for me." I grinned in mock sweetness.
"Where to next slave driver?" He said groaning as we climbed back into our seats.
"Hmm, next on the list is the florist." I said. "You can do some more heavy lifting there too." I teased.
"Fantastic." He said leaning his head against the window in a pout. "Just what I wanted to do with my day."
We spent the rest of the drive to the florist teasing each other and catching up on everything the other had missed in the last few weeks. Not that we hadn't been in touch, it was just different to hear in person than over the phone or reading from a text.
"That's the third time they've snuck into my dressing room and done that in the last week." Chad said, complaining of Nico and Grady's recent mischief.
"Well, you know their rationale is that you're show is ending, and so is So Random! so they have to make the best of it." I smiled and he continued to glare in my direction. "I'm just saying." I shrugged.
We pulled into the gravel parking lot of the plant nursery and floral arrangements 'sanctuary' and parked the truck.
"Alright, here's the plan, you load all the arrangements, I'll supervise, and then if you're good I'll let you drive back to the church while I call the bakery and the photographer." I explained as we trudged up the pathway into the nursery.
"Is it a surprise that I don't like that idea?" Chad said nonchalantly.
"No, not really." I smiled and then turned to the lady at the counter. "Hi, I'm here to pick up some arrangements. They should be under David Monroe."
"Of course, we were expecting you." She motions for us to follow her and leads us ou back to a patio where six big pedestal pots, and twelve boxes of wrapped bouquets of violets and lilies are waiting for us.
"Here you are hon," I say grinning at Chad and making a shooing motion with my hands, encouraging him to get a move on and load the truck.
"Are you two the bride and groom?" The lady asked, her lips turned up in a polite smile.
"Oh, uh, no…" I said nervously laughing and watching Chad grumble past me with a flower pot in his arms.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, it just seemed like you two were…" But she couldn't seem to think of the right words.
"We are dating, but just that…" I said awkwardly.
"Ah, well just you wait, this will be you soon too…." She said in a sing-song voice, and I was glad Chad wasn't here to egg on with the teasing.
Ten minutes later and Chad and I were back in the truck, with him steering us back down the gravel road.
"So, I didn't hear you argue back about you being the one getting married." He said casually, completely catching me off guard.
"You were listening? How is that even possible? You weren't even in the room at the time…" I said a little taken aback. So much for getting out of the teasing.
"Yes, well it's a little known fact that I have super human hearing abilities. Both a blessing and a curse really." He smirked taking his eyes off the road to look at me with a confidence filled grin.
"Right." I scoffed. "And no, I guess I didn't argue the idea. Should I have?" This time I was the one to catch him off guard.
"Uh, well no, I don't think so…" He said glancing at me with a sudden nervous expression.
"Chad?"
"Hmm?" He said keeping his eyes firmly on the road.
"I'm not asking you to propose to me. You can calm down." I manage out before I burst into laughter.
"I know that." He says bitterly, but I can tell he's smiling a little too. "Don't you have some phone calls to make?"
"Oh right, I'll get right on that darling." I say sugar coating the last word before pulling my cell out of the front pocket of my jeans and dialing one of the numbers my mom had given me.
"Hi, I'm calling to ask about a wedding cake? Yes, it's already ordered, under the name David Monroe? Uhuh. I just wanted to check in and make sure everything was still on schedule for tomorrow. Oh good. Thank you so much, I'm sure it's going to beautiful. Uhuh, thanks you too!" I hung up the phone and dialed the second number on the post-it-note my mom secured to the dashboard.
"Hi, this is Sonny Monroe calling for Sarah Jennings? I needed to make sure that you are all set to be at the church tomorrow at two? Right, thank you. And you have directions? Good, we'll see you tomorrow then, thanks so much." I hung up the phone and tossed it onto the carpeted ground.
"What was that for?" Chad asked me suspiciously.
"I hate calling random ass people." I groaned looking out the window.
"Seriously?" Chad laughed.
"Shut up! It's not funny," I complained but Chad made no effort what so ever to stifle pleasure at my distaste. He continued to shake his head in amusement until we pulled in the church's parking lot. "Alright, have fun unloading the truck." I said hopping out of the passenger seat.
"Wait, I had to load it by myself and now you're expecting me to unload it too?" He said blinking in amused disbelief.
"Yup, I have other things to do." I said mysteriously while taking the dresses out of the backseat and walking to the church's big double doored entrance. When I got inside I saw David leaning against the wall looking antsy and out of place.
"Hey, Vid are you okay?" I asked tilting my head to the side.
"What? Oh, it's just you." He said shaking himself out of a daze.
"Oh yeah, just me, good to see you too." I glare at him good naturedly, managing to coax a grin onto his worried face. "But really, are you feeling alright?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm just-"
"David!" I heard a voice call out, and David jumped at the shrillness.
"Shit, don't tell…" He begged, wedging himself behind an open door so that he was hidden from sight. A few seconds later my mom came wandering down the hallway.
"Sonny, good you're here." She said preoccupied. "Have you seen your brother anywhere?" I grinned widely.
"Nope, not yet. But if I do I'll let him know you're looking for him." I said in a peppy voice.
"Thanks sweetheart." She said wandering through a door down another hallway. Once she was safely out of eye sight and ear shot, David slowly crept out from behind the door.
"Thanks Son," He said relieved that I hadn't blown his cover. "She's been chasing me down all day and making me do all this meticulously awful work. I was tying bows around little baggies of flower petals for an hour and a half this morning. And I'm never going to get that time back." He made a face and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
"Well, then how about you go help Chad unload the truck? Heavy lifting and all that, it's better than working on setting up table cloths right?"
"Yes! Manly work," He said grinning and cracking his knuckles pompously.
"Oh please, safe the show for someone who cares," I rolled my eyes again and punched him in the arm as he passed me to go outside.
"Oh little sister, you care, you've always loved having a big old brother around." He called after me.
"Keep telling yourself that!" I laughed, making my way down the hall looking for the room where the bridal party would be getting ready tomorrow so I could unload all the dresses. I heard giggling and peeked through a door, peering into a room set up with mirrors, hair products and various make-up applicants. This must be the place.
I pushed open the door and found Sarah, her best friend Annie, her younger cousin Rachel. Annie was sweet, dark haired and tan skin, middle height and curves in all the right places. She had gone to school with Sarah; they had met in third grade when Annie moved here from Spain. She really didn't have much of an accent left at all, but when she started speaking Spanish, it fired out of her mouth at lightning speed. Rachel was a lot like Sarah, skinny and petite, but with light brown hair instead of red. Rachel was a year older than me, but in the couple of times we had hung out we had gotten along great. I was about to greet everyone when my eyes laid upon one person I did not want to see. My cousin. Charlotte. Or Lottie, as she was called by our family. Much to her dislike of course. Sarah, Annie and Rachel all looked slightly uncomfortable, and Lottie simply stood there laughing, probably at one of her own jokes. That's just how she was.
Lottie turned around when she saw that the other girls where no longer paying attention to her. (They were instead begging me with their eyes to save them).
"Oh, hey Sonny." She said in an off-handed way. She was all together the biggest snob I had ever met. If she had a better personality I'm sure she'd be loved by all. She had nice looks, tall, stick thin, blonde hair, gray eyes, skin that tanned nicely. But she was constantly belittling people, and driving them to the edge of insanity with her annoying tendencies. The worst being her laugh; it was a cross between a duck with hay fever and a dying pig.
"Hey Lottie," I said pulling off a kind enough smile and letting myself completely into the room.
"What are you doing here?" She asked giving me a once over. This was something she constantly did; size people up, judge, rinse and repeat.
"I'm bringing in the bridesmaids dresses." I said holding out my arms with the clear plastic garment bag encased clothing.
"Oh, cool." She snorted. "It's nice of you to drop by." She turned away about to start up another conversation with her newfound 'friends'. And Sarah shot me another pleading look.
"Actually, we have to try them on and make sure Sarah gives her approval." I said hanging the dresses on the rack by a changing screen.
"Whose we?" She asked glaring.
"Well, the bridesmaids. Rachel and I, and then Annie's the maid of honor." I said slowly, watching her face to see the flash of evil in her gaze.
"Oh, you were asked to be in the wedding?" She glanced between Sarah and I, and I shrugged.
"Why not? Sarah and I are great friends, so when she asked me of course I said yes." This threw her off. Good.
"Oh, cool." If you didn't know already, this was kind of her catchphrase. For absolutely everything. Good or bad. She was quite while Annie, Rachel and I slipped behind the screen to change, and remained unusually quiet when we emerged a couple minutes later wearing our short black, one shouldered dresses. We all had on black heels, but we had been allowed to chose whatever ones we wanted so that the three of us weren't so uniformal. Each dress had a little black sash trailing off the back of the dress's one shoulder and I smiled at my reflection. The dress was admittedly adorable. You have to love Sarah for having fashion sense.
Lottie opened her mouth, probably to say something to wipe the smile off my face, but she was cut off by a knock on the door.
"Hey, anybody naked?" I laughed when I recognized the voice.
"No, come on in," I called and the door opened slowly before the blonde head popped through.
"Well don't you look lovely," He said, his smile reaching his eyes as his grinned at me.
"Hold on, who is this?" Lottie said sidling over as Chad shut the door behind him. She looked at him with what I guessed to be a seductive expression, but came off as more of obsessive. "I think I've seen you before." She placed a finger on her chin and batted her eyelashes.
"Um, well you might have." Chad shrugged glancing over at me uncertainly.
"What did you say your name was?" She walked around him, and it reminded me of a lion stalking their prey. Probably the right analogy for this situation.
"Uh, I didn't. But, it's Chad." I walked over to Sarah and elbowed her in the side to get her attention.
"Chad's doomed." I whispered and she giggled nodding in agreement.
"Oh, just Chad? Are you some sort of mystery man with no last name?" I bit my lip to keep from laughing.
"No, if you want my full name it's Chad Dylan Cooper…" He said carefully, fully expecting the usual reaction when people become aware of his celebrity status.
"Wait a minute. Chad Dylan Cooper?" I covered my ears seeing her mouth start to open wide. It's a good thing I did too because in half a second she screamed. "Chad Dylan Cooper? You're on that show!"
"Yup. That I am." He nodded, creasing him forehead in concern.
"Wow. And what brings you here?"
"Well, I was invited to the wedding." Lottie tilted her head up at him and pouted her lips out so he quickly added. "You know. As a plus one."
"So, you're here with someone? Just as friends I hope." I began wondering if she lived under a rock. Did she not read magazines? Or watch TV? Chad and I were constantly front page media news, how could she not know this.
"Not really." Chad said taking a step back, but Lottie followed suit quickly.
"And you aren't getting worried here?" Sarah whispered into my ear. Chad met my eyes over Lottie's head and narrowed them in a 'this person is crazy' look.
"Nah, he can handle himself." I said confident that he could.
"Oh, well then I hope it's not something too serious, I have a feeling that the two of us will get very close…" She began walking her fingers up his arm resting them finally on his red t-shirt covered shoulder.
"Actually, we're pretty serious." He said shrugging off her hand. I raised an eyebrow and he nodded his head as if to say 'duh'. Lottie seemed to catch this and whipped her head around to look in the direction Annie, Rachel, Sarah and I were standing in.
"What was that?" She said staring at me accusingly, her gray eyes narrowing.
"Nothing really." I said smiling. "I'm just amused."
"What exactly is so amusing to you?" She snapped back.
"Well for starters, you're trying to steal Chad away from his girlfriend." Annie said laughing.
"So? What's it to you?" Wow, Lottie's got attitude.
Chad cleared his throat. "Well, Sonny's my girlfriend." This made Lottie stare blankly, then whip her head from me to Chad and back again. Then her annoying laugh rang load and clear.
"Right, because you would be able to date Chad Dylan Cooper." Seriously? Under I rock I tell you.
"And why is that?" Chad said defensively. "Sonny's gorgeous." This made Lottie laugh again and elbow Chad in the ribs like they were best friends.
"Good one." I saw Chad's eyes flash in anger.
"Excuse me." He said gruffly.
"I mean, come on its Sonny." In the blink of an eye Chad had briskly walked to my side and had locked lips with me, much to my surprise.
"Ooooooooooh," Annie, Sarah and Rachel said in unison, acting like little girls and giggling in delight. I smiled into our kiss, imaging Lottie's expression. Horror, shock, envious. For once.
I was just about right too, when we pulled away after a long moment, Lottie's mouth was ajar, eyes wide with dismay.
"Sonny is my girlfriend. End of story." He said wrapping his arm around my waist possessively. Lottie huffed angrily and stormed out of the room, making sure to slam the door loudly behind her.
"She always did like to make a dramatic exit." I chuckled.
"Who is she? I don't like her." Chad said stubbornly.
"That would have to be my cousin. Lottie." I said with a grimace. "And nobody really does."
"I can't fathom why," Sarah said rolling her eyes.
"But moving on, I believe I might have said earlier that you look lovely." He said pulling me close so that I blushed.
"You might have."
"Well, I lied." He said nonchalantly.
"What?" I said pulling back put off.
"You don't look lovely," He pulled me back flush against his chest and leaned in close so that he could whisper into my ear. "You look absolutely sexy."
"Okay love birds. We can only take so much." Sarah complained and I turned away not wanting them to see how red my face was.
"It's getting late anyway. We should get back to my apartment." I said. "I'll see you all tomorrow." I took Chad's hand and leading him out of the room and down the hallway to the parking lot.
"You finished right?" Quite frankly, I wanted to get out of there before Lottie came back.
"Sonny! I was just looking for you!" My mom called from the other direction. "You still need to do you're sound check in the reception hall." I groaned.
"Mom, everything is going to work out perfectly tomorrow, do I really have to do a sound check?" I looked around nervously, waiting for Lottie to make another appearance to get revenge.
"No, the sound check is to make sure that it will work out perfect tomorrow." She said looking at me sternly.
"But-" I was about to further protest when David came tearing down the hallway.
"Mom! I was just looking for you!" He said stopping abruptly in front to f the three of us. "A delivery guy just showed up asking for you? Did you order a fountain?" He caught my eye for a moment and winked at me. Apparently, this was him repaying me for earlier.
"Yes, just tell him to set it up by the front doors." She said calmly waving him off.
"Wait, what? No, no, I don't think you ordered this one…" He said franticly, pulling her arm gently.
"David, come on, I have so many other things to do."
"No, mom, I highly doubt that you ordered a naked mermaid chocolate fountain for the entrance." This got my mom's attention.
"What? No of course not," She was walking briskly with him towards the parking lot and ranting on about the unreliability of over the phone hired help.
"We'll just have to do the sound check tomorrow Son!" David called over his shoulder at me, and I waved back while mouthing a thank-you.
"Well that was cool of him." Chad said as we made out way outside to the truck.
"He owed me from earlier; I saved him from more arts and crafts. So it was really only fair." I shrugged, but deep down I was thankful for my older brother.
"What are we doing when we get back?" Chad asked me later when we were only about five minutes from my apartment.
I yawned to emphasize my point before replying. "Going to bed."
"Oh good. I thought you might have something planned that I was going to have to muster up enough strength to live through." He said chuckling as we pulled into the complex's parking lot and climbed out of the car.
"Hey, I don't do that very often." I said punching him lightly in the arm.
"Whatever you say." He smirked and I did my best to ignore him while I unlocked my front door and let us inside. We had only just stepped over the threshold when Chad dropped his bag to the floor and bounded over to the couch before collapsing onto the cushions.
"Oh couch, I've missed you so much." He said in a muffled voice. "You're my favorite sleeping buddy." I laughed and crossed my arms. What I had been planning to talk to him about began nagging in the back of my head, and I licked my lips and cleared my throat before I lost my courage.
"You know, you don't have to sleep on the couch," Chad slowly picked his head up and quirked an eyebrow at me.
"Since when?" He said cautiously sitting back up.
"Since I turned eighteen and lost my guilty conscious for ignoring my mother's wishes." I said slowly, edging myself bit by bit towards my bedroom. A smile creped across Chad's face, and I hurriedly tried to find a way to escape. "I'm going to take a quick shower; you can get settled if you like." I turned and rushed into my bedroom grabbing clothes to sleep in before locking myself my bathroom.
"What am I doing?" I whisper to myself, and even though I sound scared, there's a smile on my face that I can't get rid of. "What am I doing?" This time I giggle softly and force myself to walk forward and turn the knob in the shower so that steam fills the room. I quickly strip down and climb into the white tiled stall before going to town with soap against my skin and hair. Minutes pass and I let myself stand there in the hot water letting it just stream down my back, trying to think of ways to stall but not being able to find any.
I turn off the water and step dripping wet onto the bath mat on the floor before toweling myself off slowly. I pull on the gray softie's shorts and black tank top I had grabbed then towel down and run a comb through my hair till it's untangled and dry. A look in the mirror shows my make-up less face with a pink tinge already forming. Oh well, time to go. The door creaks when I open it and I peer nervously into my room, which is dark except for the soft glow coming from a lamp on my bedside table.
After my eyes adjust to the dimness, I see Chad's form sprawled out on my bed in blue and white plaid boxers and a gray shirt, his eyes shut tightly and his mouth slightly ajar. I quietly make my way to my bed and climb in on my side carefully, trying not to wake him up. I switch off the light and lower myself onto my pillow, just beginning the slow deep breathing pattern of sleep when I'm jolted awake.
I gasp in surprise at the arms wrapping around my waist and my heart races urgently.
"We're you asleep?" I whisper turning towards him.
"Almost," He sighs pulling me close against him so that I can just barely make out his eyes in the dark.
"I'm sorry I woke you up then," I breathe out.
"I'm not," He kisses my jaw and I find my hands resting lightly on his shoulders. His kisses travel up to my lips and I eagerly kiss him back. We seem almost feverish as our lips move in synchronization and our hands flit around each other's bodies, not landing in any one spot for too long. Gripping his arm, sliding down his chest, tangled in his hair, splaying around his neck, until they decide to focus on tugging at the bottom hem of his shirt. Chad breaks our connection and breaths sweetly into my face,
"Need a little help?" I nod jerkily and he laughs lightly, pulling away so that he can peel the shirt up and over his head before it lands somewhere on my floor. I bit my lip and meet his eyes, which catch what little light is streaming in from my widow. "Better?"
"So much," I just barely whisper out before my breath hitches and his lips glide across the skin of my neck to my collar bone and his hands firmly grasp my hips. I happily let my fingertips explore the surface of his chest and abs, tracing muscles and my own little patterns lightly across them, bring little shudders forth from beneath my hands. When my fingers graze his waistband he groans, rolling so that he is laying on top of me. His lips move up and he nips my ear.
"Chad," I squeak out, and I feel him grin as he goes back to kissing my lips. One of his hands moves my leg so that it's hitched around his hip, and in this new position, being aware of my own heat, I now know that yes, we are both excited.
But then I tense up. Chad notices and gently pulls back, our eyes meeting and our lungs breathing in heavily. I gulp, afraid of what I'm about to say.
"Chad, I can't-"
"Shh," He says in a soothing voice. He tucks a loose strand of hair behind my left ear without breaking our eye contact. "We don't have to do anything." He rolls of me, back to wear he was lying before, with me tucked into the crook of his arm, and his hand continually smoothing my hair. "I'm happy right here."
And I feel relieved, because I'm not ready yet I don't think, and I'm glad that he understands.
"I love you." He says into my ear, and I smile before replying.
"I love you too." And the two of us drift off to sleep tangled up in each other.
"I do." Sarah says in a strained voice, smiling through her tears and making an effort to stop their flow.
"I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride." The pastor says happily and my brother leans down placing a gently kiss on his new wife's lips. The pews burst into a round of applause as they break away grinning and turn to wave at the crowd and jog back up the aisle as a newly married couple. I sniff and hurriedly wipe my eyes with the back of my hand.
"Don't even pretend; I saw you crying up there." Chad says coming to stand by me as the couple leaves the room the way Sarah had came in forty minutes earlier.
"I'm allowed to cry. That was beautiful." I sniff again and Chad pulls me into a hug.
"I know," He gives me a squeeze and then pulls back a bit to give me a chaste kiss. "Have I told you how sexy you look today?" He says quietly, making me blush deeply.
"Maybe once or twice," I smile up though my eyelashes sheepishly. "But I could say the same to you." I took in his light blue button down tucked into dark gray dress pants, all put together with black leather shoes and a belt.
"I know that too," He smirked and then leaned down for another quick kiss. We broke away when someone made an obnoxious scoff in distaste.
Over Chad's shoulder I could see Lottie glaring evilly; lips pursed and eyes narrowed defiantly.
"Hey Lottie," I said mustering up as kind of a smile as I could. "Enjoying the wedding?" Chad spun around and saw my cousin standing there in a skimpy deep red dress and heels that Tawni wouldn't even attempt to walk in.
"Oh yeah. It's great." She said shrugging and keeping her gaze locked on my boyfriend. "How about you Chad?" Have you been enjoying yourself these last couple of days?" She asked him, obviously ignoring me, and trying to get Chad to say something to describe how unhappy she wanted him to be in our relationship.
"Yeah, I love being here. Seeing David, and Sarah and Connie, no matter how hectic the reason is. Plus, staying in Sonny's apartment has its benefits too." He caught my eye and winked at me, which Lottie took in with wide eyes. If what Chad had said didn't imply anything, then the embarrassed blush did because Lottie quickly excused herself from our conversation and stalked off to find some other prey.
"Chad!" I said smacking him in the arm as soon as she was out of earshot. "She thinks we've…" Chad smirked and casually cut in.
"Well, we did sleep together."
"But not like that!" I hissed glancing around to make sure nobody else heard him. All he did was laugh at my scared expression.
"Hey, hey, alright. I'll stop," He said as I grimaced at him ruefully. "Besides, I believe that we have a reception to get to." He took my hand and pulled me along reluctantly behind him. He dragged me down the hallways until we found the reception room, set up with long buffet tables and a dance floor already flooded with people, where in the middle I saw David and Sarah swaying gently, him in his sharp tuxedo, and her in her white beaded strapless gown.
"Dance with me?" Chad said turning in my direction and giving me a smile that I couldn't say no to. He placed his hands securely at my waist and I draped my own around his neck and we joined the rest of the swaying party goers on the dance floor.
"When are you scheduled to perform?" He asked me after a few moments of us dancing close together in silence.
"Oh, um," I grab his wrist and wrenching it around to check the watch strapped around his arm. "Ten minutes." I saw looking up at him with wide eyes. It had almost slipped my mind.
"Hey, you're going to be fantastic." He said sensing my fear and squeezing my arms reassuringly. I clenched my eyes closed and tried to qualm my nerves, but before I could open them again I felt a light brushing of lips on my own. I leaned into the kiss and felt the butterflies living in my stomach ebb away.
"Ahem." I heard a voice clear itself and jumped back to see my mom standing there smiling awkwardly. "Sorry to, interrupt. But we're going to need you in just a couple of minutes." She directed at me.
"I'll be watching." Chad said squeezing my hand as my mom motioned for me to follow her out of the crowd. "You're going to be fantastic!" He called as I looked over my shoulder longing to go back to dancing with him.
Within the next couple of minutes I was informed that I'd walk onto the low stage to the standing microphone introduce myself and wait for the band to cue me in.
"You're on in one minute." My mom said smiling excitedly. And I tried to do the same. Why was I so nervous? Was this because it was the first serious live performance since I started taking a musical career seriously? It's not like I didn't know anyone here, it wasn't a regular consort with random strangers, the place was packed with family and friends. I had never felt this way when I had performed on So Random! I just needed to buck up. I took a deep breath and walked briskly onto the stage.
"Hey everyone, I just want to wish David and Sarah congratulations on the beginning of their new life together," I paused while everyone applauded. "And, I'm also here to give them their wedding gift, this is Falling Over Me." I looked off stage to the band and nodded my head while the band counted out a rhythm on the drums and stuck a few chords.
"I'm standing in the center of the room
I'm watching boys follow girl's perfume
All is as it should be I assume
Except for the distance between me and you
I found David and Sarah in the crowd and smiled when I met their eyes. David was grinning and glancing from me to Sarah and back again, and even from here up on stage I could see that Sarah's eyes were shinning like they were all through the wedding ceremony.
"You're standing as a flower on a wall
The room is still but we're about to fall
And all the names that brought us here
Simply fade away
"Who you are is falling over me
Who you are is falling over me
Who you are is everything I need
Who you are is everything I need
I saw people swaying gently to the slow mellow music the band was playing, and somewhere guests began clapping along to the beat.
"I'm hoping, I'm waiting
I'm praying you are the one
And I'm hoping, I'm waiting
I'm praying you are the one
"I can't believe that night turned into today
I used the line you were supposed to say
And all the names that brought us here
Now we have to thank
I saw my mom in the crowd and returned the huge smile she was giving me and suppressing a laugh at the cheesy thumbs-up she flashed me afterwards, having to focus on the lyric's I had ahead of me to keep a straight face.
"Who you are is falling over me
Who you are is falling over me
And who you are has got me on my knees
Who you are has got me on my knees
"I'm hoping, I'm waiting
I'm praying you are the one
Next my eyes fell on Chad who was in the middle of everyone, grinning wildly and clapping alonq with the rest of the crowd. I took a deep breath and crooned out;
"If you want I will wait, I will follow
I'm here to stay
As long as we're promised tomorrow
I promise you today I'll wait, I'll wait
"Who you are is falling over me
Who you are is falling over me
And who you are has got me on my knees
Who you are is everything
I lowered my voice and sang softer the last verse, scanning over everyone standing, swaying, and clapping before me. Knowing exactly who I was singing for and who I was singing about.
"I'm hoping, I'm waiting
I'm praying you are the one
I'm hoping, I'm waiting
I'm praying you are the one
You are the one"
Silence fell and then there was a burst of applause and cheering and I couldn't help but laugh. I pointed out to David and Sarah and bowed before quickly exiting the stage. I ran down the steps to the floor and straight into another body running in the opposite direction. Jarred, I stepped back ready to apologize before I saw who it was and slammed back into them.
"What did I tell you?" Chad whispered hugging me back tightly.
AN: So? What did ya think? It actually turned out way better than I expected, although it took me forever to write up, I had to save it and shut it down a couple of times instead of writting up a chapter in one sitting like I normally do. In fact, I just finished this chapter yesterday, so there is yet to be any ideas for the next one. In which case, let me know what you want to see next!
Also, what were you're thoughts on the whole apartment conflict? Lol, it was funny to write, but I want to know where you want me to go with all this...jazz...
Review and you get a gold star!
Cheers!
RedHeaded4Always