Wedding Dresses, Frills and Spills

By: Princess Erika

Chapter 5:

"So you seriously lost contact with EVERYONE after you left for university?" Kitty asked, while focusing on lining her eyes.

The two friends arrived in San Francisco the day before, and they were just getting ready for Rogue's bridal shower. They were just getting ready, and they wanted to make everything seem all good, since it was gonna be the first time they'll be seeing their old high school friends in a long time.

"Yup, I didn't really have the numbers of everyone, or the time, unfortunately." Jean said, coming out of the bathroom in the dress she chose: a beaded red strapless dress. She walked over to the vanity table next to Kitty's and she started blow-drying her hair. "Not like I wanted to lose contact."

Kitty simply shrugged, as she added the last touch to her outfit for the night: her wedding ring. She looked at herself in the mirror, trying to look at every single detail, from her deep blue slip dress, down to every strand of hair out of place. After fixing some flaws, she smiled at herself contentedly. "Yeah, like, we thought you wanted to get rid of us!" Kitty joked, as she grabbed her purse and waited patiently for her friend.

As soon as Jean was ready, the two headed down to the hotel lobby of the Four Seasons hotel where they were staying, and asked a hotel chauffer to drive them to the classy bar where Rogue was holding her bridal shower.

"Hey Jean, I hope you don't mind me crashing in your hotel room for like, today and tomorrow. I promise, Lance will be here tomorrow, and I'll be out…" Kitty told her friend, somewhat ashamed she's been staying over Jean's place for a while.

Jean simply shrugged. "Nah, you can stay for as long as you want, Kitty. I don't mind. I am staying alone…"

Jean and Kitty entered the club, and they were welcomed by Rogue. She looked different from how Kitty and Jean last remembered her. She wasn't a gothic girl anymore, that's for sure. She still kept her signature white streak, but the rest of her auburn hair was long and flowing. She had gotten tanned, and she didn't wear so much eyeliner. She somehow looked rather… glamorous.

"Jean, Kitty, long time no see!" greeted Rogue, with her southern accent. "You two have changed so much!"

They exchanged hugs, and Jean got the impression of Rogue actually being quite lovely and hospitable. "You have too, but your accent hasn't changed a bit."

Rogue smiled and replied "I dunno, I'm proud of it. It's something I can never outgrow." She led her friends down to the bar and bought each girl a margarita, before she left them to greet other guests.

Jean saw many familiar faces, and there were a few hi's and hello's, and some deep conversations with people she actually knew well. But she never really did mingle. Kitty left to go chat up some of the people at Rogue's girls' night out, but Jean stayed.

Jean stayed because she couldn't think straight and only one thought was running through her mind…

'Why can't I EVER stop thinking about him?' she asked herself a billion times. Yet, there was no answer. She was deep in thought, but was distracted by dance music starting to roar from the speakers. She knew Kitty would drag her in the dance floor anyway, so she voluntarily went and started dancing the night away.

The whole night went on smoothly, until a bunch of guys showed up. Jean couldn't believe her eyes…

She saw Scott Summers, Mr. Oh-so-perfect Scott Summers, drunk with a bunch of other guys who turned out to be the male guests of the wedding. She stood still, mostly because of shock. She watched her ex-boyfriend approach his bride to be.

"Hey, babe," he slurred. He put his arm around her, and then he kissed her. So many different thoughts ran through Jean's head.

"What are you doing here?" Rogue asked Scott, removing his arm from her shoulder.

"I'm having a groom shower, if there is such thing." He laughed, clearly light-headed. Rogue stared at her fiancé in disbelief, and Jean, not even knowing what disappointed her, took her purse and headed to the door. Scott spotted her, and walked rather unbalanced towards her.

"Well, if it isn't Jean Grey…" Scott said, secretly flirting with Jean. She just rolled her eyes, knowing he was just toying with her. He then started leaning in, closer than normal, until Jean jerked away.

"I gotta go," she said quickly, before she ran off… She didn't even try to call a chauffer, she ran… She ran because deep inside she knew she was becoming a confused little girl again…