Still In My Dress: And mess me around
Why do you build me up (build me up)
Buttercup, baby,
Just to let me down (let me down)
and mess me around
And then worst of all (worst of all)
you never call, baby,
When you say you will (say you will)
but I love you still
I need you (I need you)
more than anyone, darlin'
You know that I have from the start
So build me up (build me up)
Buttercup, don't break my heart
~The Foundations
A/N: OMG I screwed up! Catherine wasn't supposed to know about the Sora at the man of honor's house yet!!!! So I'm warning you this is going to be a lot less funny…
She tried smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress. But they wouldn't unwrinkle. Then she examined her pedicure. She decided blue was a boring ugly color. Why had she even painted her nails in the first place? It wasn't as if anyone would have been examining her feet to see if her toenails were painted or not.
Mimi had always told her that she put make-up on to look good for herself, not anyone else. If you painted your nails and put on make-up to look good for other people, then that was a sure sign of self-esteem issues. Though you had to have a pretty low self-esteem if you needed to look good for even yourself. She covered the blue toenails with the long skirt of her dress. She didn't understand why she hadn't changed into something different yet. It wasn't like the dress was comfortable. It was, in fact, uncomfortable. It was a pouffy, flowy white gown that Ms. Taikashi and Mimi had both gasped over, saying it looked perfect on her. She now felt the sudden urge to rip it off but didn't. After all, it was a rather pretty dress. And it did look nice on her. She thought about asking Tai. He had seemed rather exasperated with her over the past few days. If she asked him how she looked, he'd probably make a face and go on about how this wasn't the Sora he knew, because the Sora he knew didn't care about how she looked, or food, and would never leave someone at_the_alter. He made a big deal about that. In fact, after she had thrown the pillow at him, he had just stopped talking to her altogether, as if she was to dumb and superficial and childish to get into a real conversation with.
The wrinkles of her dress were really bothering her now. She tried even harder, flattening her hand against the wrinkles, to smooth the dress. As she was doing this, she heard a noise. At first she thought it was her imagine, but the noise continued, tapping. The tapping got slower and faster and then slower again. And louder.
"Would you please stop that," she asked politely. Tai was tapping his fingers against the coffee table.
The tapping continued. He might not have heard her.
"Oh my god Tai, could you just stop with that annoying tapping! I can't concentrate on anything. Just stop!"
He moved his gaze from another spot on the wall. He was still tapping his fingers. He was now looking at her, except he wasn't really looking at her, he was looking past her. "Is the tapping annoying you?"
"Oh just quit it Tai. We're not eleven. It's not cute anymore."
He paused in surprise, and then stopped the tapping.
It was quiet again.
************************************************************************
"I can't believe you two watch soap operas," he grumbled.
Catherine was focused on trying to make a tiny braid out of a few strands of her hair. "Zey are really quite fun, Matt. What, does not Zora watch them? She really should, she is living one."
"She is not living a soap opera," he continued.
"Of course you guys aren't living a soap opera. No one's gay!" said Mimi as she scolded Catherine.
"Have you called her yet?" ventured Catherine.
Matt mumbled something.
Mimi looked at him intently. "He hasn't," she decided out loud.
"Really?" exclaimed Catherine.
"Well, Catherine, she is the one who left me. I figured if she wanted to talk, then she would call me."
"And she has not called you yet?" asked Catherine.
"No," replied Matt shortly.
"You and her have not spoken since the wedding day?"
"She hasn't called me."
"Zen how do you know she is at Tai's house."
"Oh she obviously is," said Mimi.
"Do you know Tai's number?" asked Catherine.
"Of course!"
"Oh…"
"I think Tai is even on his speed-dial," said Mimi. "Anyway, Catherine, could you please pass Sweet & Low?"
"Zere is no more left," said Catherine absently.
Mimi sighed. "If you two will excuse, I've got to go find some more artificial sweetener so that I can die a quick death from sugar cancer instead of a long one listening to you too."
With a flounce, Mimi left the table.
Catherine's eyes followed Mimi until she had disappeared into another room. Then she smiled at Matt. She scooted her chair over to the left, where he was sitting, across from Mimi and next to Catherine. He was reading a newspaper. She scooted her chair a little closer. And then closer. And then closer.
He finally noticed. "Oh my god Catherine, are you coming on to me?" he asked, half-joking.
She made a disgusted face. Then she pouted, feigning sympathy. "I really am zo zorry about zis Sora fiasco Matt."
"I'm glad I have your sympathy, Catherine," he said as he flipped a page of the newspaper.
"I mean, if my husband were at zee home of his best woman right after he thoroughly embarrassed me and left me at zee altar, I would be zo very upzet!"
"You really do have a gift for comforting people, don't you?"
She smiled. "But zat is not what I have to talk to you about," she said.
"Then what is it," he said, as he finally looked up from the newspaper.
Catherine moved over her chair so that she was practically on top of him. Then, she said quietly, looking down at her plate, "I am in love with Tai."
This was not what Matt had been expecting. "You're in love with Tai? My man of honor Tai?"
Catherine clapped a hand over Matt's mouth. "Be quiet," she hissed. "I do not want Mimi knowing!"
Matt calmed down a little. "And why are you telling me this?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Isn't what obvious?"
"You want Sora. I am in love with Tai. Sora is with Tai. And you have zee number!"
"Wait a second…"
"It's zo very simple! Your fiancée who you still long for who left you at the altar is at zee home of zee man I am in love with!
A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry. But I had to get the plot moving along! This was shorter (and less-funny) than usual but I'm leaving to go on vacation Saturday so the next part will come out Friday. Comments? Insight? Something makes absolutely no sense? Tell me! And, because I'm ever so curious at how good I am at confusing you, how do you think the couples will end up? I already know and unless it's incredibly predictable, I'm keeping it…