Long time, no update on anything. I've had really bad writer's block but I suddenly got an idea to get this one back on track (fingers crossed) Thanks for the reviews, I hope you still enjoy this one. Please R & R.

Chapter 8

Maria had been dancing with Darth Vader for the past thirty minutes, still totally unaware that it was Jeff underneath the costume. As the song they were dancing to finished, the redhead placed a hand on his forearm, "Thanks for the dances but I really have to get going."

"But it's still early," Darth protested. He looked at the clock on the living room wall, "Really early."

Maria nodded, "I know but I have to a lot to do tomorrow. I'm a wedding planner and I have a big wedding coming up this weekend." She removed her hand from his arm, "You're a great dancer. Maybe we'll dance again one day."

"How about this weekend?"

The wedding planner raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"At the wedding … I know you'll be working but I'm sure you'll be able to have a dance or two," Darth suggested.

Maria placed her hands on her hips, "Okay, one you're right, I'll be working and two, you're not invited to the wedding and it's not like I can just suddenly bring a guest with me, you know?"

"That's okay, I'm already invited."

Maria laughed, "Don't be silly, I haven't even told you who's wedding it is."

Darth removed his plastic helmet to reveal his identity, "Surprise!"

The redhead's jaw dropped, "You have got to be kidding me. What the hell are you doing here?"

Jeff grinned, "It's a party."

Maria rolled her eyes, "Thank you Captain Obvious. That still doesn't explain to me what you are doing here and why you are dancing with me."

The grin on the designer's face widened, "Amy and Jay invited me and I'm dancing with you because I wanted to. Last time I checked, that wasn't a crime."

"You big jerk. Is there no end to the depths you would stoop to?" Maria asked.

Jeff shrugged, "I really don't get what the big deal is."

"That's because you are clueless. You took advantage or me," Maria protested, her voice becoming louder and louder.

"And you're starting to make a scene. Like I've told you many times before, you need to relax and take a chill pill."

"Relax this, Asshole." Without further warning, Maria slapped Jeff hard on his right cheek.

"Argh, shit that hurt," he protested, immediately grabbing his face. "What did you do that for?"

"Is everything okay here?" Chris Jericho asked, appearing from the garden.

"No, this crazy bitch just slapped me."

"Crazy bitch? How dare you call me a crazy bitch. You're the one going around hiding you're identity in that stupid costume."

Jeff rolled his eyes, "Everybody else knew who I was. It's not my fault you were too dumb to realise it."

Maria looked around at the small crowd of people who had gathered to see what all the fuss was about. "Is this true? Did you all know that was Jeff?" When nobody replied, the redhead turned her attention to Mickie, "Did you know?"

The brunette nodded slowly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I tried to warn you but you wouldn't listen to me," Mickie replied.

"Thanks a lot Mickie … Really." With that, Maria charged out of the room.

"Maria," Mickie called out at her best friend's retreating form. "Come back."

"That went well," Chris commented.

"Shut up, dude," Jeff replied.

"What did I do?"

After leaving the living room, Maria practically ran out of Jay and Amy's house without looking back or even bothering to collect her things. She'd been walking for a few minutes before she realised that she didn't have her purse or the keys to her own apartment. She didn't even have money for a cab ride home. If she had been thinking clearly she would have just turned on her heels and headed back to pick up the missing items but she wasn't thinking clearly. Her head was buzzing with thoughts and she was feeling humiliated so instead she decided to walk back to her apartment and use the spare key to get in.

She'd only been walking for a further ten minutes before a taxi cab pulled up besides her. The rear passenger side window rolled down, "Get in."

Immediately recognising the voice, Maria carried on walking, "No thanks. I'd rather walk."

The cab matched her pace and kept up besides her, "It wasn't a request. Don't make me come out there and grab you."

Maria stopped in her tracks, "Oh you'd like that wouldn't you? That way you could humiliate me a little more than you've already done."

"Don't exaggerate, I didn't do anything. Now are you getting in or not?"

The redhead sighed, "I'm getting in … I guess."

"Good girl."

The cab stopped and Maria got in after the occupant had scooted over to the other side of the back seat. Silence filled the air as the cab pulled away from the sidewalk.

"So how long are you going to give me the silent treatment?"

"Until we get back to my apartment," Maria admitted. "And just so you know, I don't plan on forgiving you anytime soon, either, Mickie James."

This time it was Mickie's turn to sigh, "Maria, you're overreacting. I think it's the stress of this wedding or something. You're not usually like this."

Maria whipped her head around to face the brunette, "Like what? A crazy bitch?"

"I didn't say that."

"No, but Jeff did."

Mickie bit down on her lip in an attempt to stop herself from laughing. It didn't work.

"This isn't funny," Maria pointed out, her face softening as reality hit her and she realised that she'd blown the whole thing out of proportion. "I've just made a complete idiot out of myself, haven't I?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Shit. I'm sorry, honey."

"Apology accepted and I'm sorry too. I should have tried harder to warn you about Jeff."

"It's not your fault. You did try and warn me, I just didn't want to listen."

"I can't believe you slapped him like that. He's pretty pissed off with you right now."

"Yeah well, it's about time he got a piece of his own medicine. Let's see how he likes it."

Mickie offered her a weak smile, "You do realise that you're going to have to face him sooner or later and when you do, you're going to have to apologise to him."

"Shit."