Alright, sorry I haven't updated this story in a long time. I'm still debating whether it should be a real story or just a two shot, and I need your feedback on what it should be. There is a poll on my profile, and it would be really nice if someone would vote on it. Please, it's not that hard, just click on my name up there with the picture and go to polls, then vote. So, enjoy, and please vote and review. :) and this could be a very long chapter, so beware.
Disclaimer: not my characters, not my story, but this is my plot line.
Finally, as we stepped back out to the section of the beach the reception was on, Nudge and Angel let me take off the killer heels. I sighed in content as the warm sand filled between my toes and cushioned my feet as I walked over to the steaming buffet that had been set out. There was a dance floor and a DJ on the opposite side of the buffet, and some tables were set up on the porch. I noticed Fang follow me, then stop and turn away. He walked over to one of his friends, Emma, and started talking to her. Emma had long light blonde hair with hazel eyes, and she was really pretty. She was Ella and Iggy's friend, too, so that was why she was here. She was in a simple short red cocktail dress, and it seemed a little too skimpy for me. She was pretty cool, I had to admit, but she could definitely get on your nerves if you stayed around her. I saw her start laughing with Fang, and my heart gave a little twinge.
I shook my head and loaded up a shish-kabob looking thing, with some bell peppers and steak and what looked like celery. Delicacy? Puh-lease. Even I could make this, and we all know how bad I am at cooking. I also dished up a simple Caesar salad and some plain chicken, and walked over to the edge of the ocean to eat. The smell of the ocean had always comforted me, despite the few bad things that had always happened there. Say, Angel learning she could breathe underwater, Ari attacking Fang, and the whole thing with the seashell. But I tended to shove those things aside when I smelled the warm and salty air that blew off the water, and the gentle rushing of the waves crashing against each other. I took in another breath and shoved some kabob in my mouth, just to have the feeling of somebody behind me.
I quickly chewed and swallowed, trying not to choke on the meat, and spun around to see my newlywed sister, smirking and trying not to giggle at me. She had changed into a smaller dress, so the sand wouldn't get her other one dirty and so she could dance. This one was just a simple white dress almost identical to mine, but it was shorter and had thin straps. She was in flip-flops, her normal ones with little colorful flowers over them. She took a few steps and stood next to me, staring at the vast ocean and the sun that was almost touching the horizon. The wind blew her hair a little away from her face, and I had a vision of her being a model for a split second.
"This ocean is so beautiful… I don't think there's any like it in the entire world." She looked at me seriously, and I nodded.
"This definitely is a special part of the ocean. Our own little section of the world." I realized then that really, everywhere we live is our own section of the world. But did people really need a section that was theirs to really enjoy life? All I truly needed was the sky, and my family. That would still be a perfect life for me. I couldn't stop myself from glancing over to Fang, and he was still talking to Emma about something. Her face was serious, and it seemed like they were talking about something intimate. Fang's back was to me, and all I could see of him was how amazing his back looked in a tux.
I realized I was oggleing when Ella started to giggle, and I shot back to reality with a tightening forming in my stomach. I wiped my mouth quickly to make sure I didn't drool, and Ella just laughed harder and so loud that people started looking at us. She calmed down quickly though when I glared at her, and she cleared her throat awkwardly.
"You know, he really does care about you, Max. He just doesn't show it as much as you do." She shrugged, and I crossed my arms.
"I do not show how I feel about him." She gave me a "sure, whatever you say," look, and I sighed dejectedly. "I do, don't I?" she nodded, and then put a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"But Fang still hasn't noticed. After all these years, he still hasn't seen the way you look at him when you think nobody's looking, or the tiny little hints you give him." My mouth fell open.
"It's that obvious? Oh, God…" I put my face in my hands, and Ella nodded.
"Mhm. Sorry to say, but you're about as subtle as a gunshot. Too bad Fang's as stubborn as a mule, because otherwise he definitely would have made a move on you by now." She said matter-of-factly.
"You really think he cares about me? As more than a sister? Because that would really suck if he didn't, because then I would really feel like an idiot. And anyways, he probably likes Emma anyways. I mean, look at her! She is so much prettier than me, and probably funnier and she's just-just-"
"Max! Stop it! Come on, you know that's not true. You are prettier than her, and funnier, and she is just a slut who wants to get some action. Alright, alright, so maybe not the slut thing." She said, after I gave her a look. "But you really are prettier than her, and funnier, and just an all around better person than her. Besides, Fang has known you since you guys were kids. He's your best friend. Why wouldn't he like you as more than a sister? Really, Max, think logically." She had grabbed both of my shoulders by the end of her speech, and was shaking them a little when she finished. Well, she did have a point, but not about the prettier and funnier stuff. I glanced back over at them, and I saw Emma doubling over in laughter and Fang's shoulders even shaking a little. I sighed and looked back at my little sister.
"Sure, whatever you say, El." I said, resigned. I didn't truly believe her though, but I just went along with it. The music for the first dance was starting, and Iggy came over to steal away his bride. Ella looked me in the eyes one last time before Ig grabbed her hand and pulled her gently away. I walked to the edge of the dance floor as they swirled in little circles, smiling and kissing happily. Soon other people started to join, like Angel and Cameron, and Nudge and a friend of hers. My mom even went out there, and she had to dance with Iggy when the DJ told her to. There were happy couples all over the place, laughing and swirling, and truthfully it was starting to make me sick.
I broke off from the group that had surrounded me and was watching the dance floor, and walked over to the ocean. The warm California water comforted me and soothed my feet as it ran up and down my ankles.
This went on for a few hours, and one time Ella dragged me onto the dance floor to dance, but other than that I just hung out and talked to some of the family I had never met or some of my friends that had come.
When the sun had set and the sand was starting to lose its heat, I ran back inside to grab flip-flops. When I got back down the stairs from my room, I noticed voices sounding in the hall, and I recognized them immediately.
"Do you think she'll notice?" said the girly voice.
"I'm not sure. I don't think I even saw her out there. Are you sure you want to do this?" the more masculine voice said.
"Yes. We need to. It's about time you guys got together. I've been waiting for this since I met you, literally."
The other person sighed. "Yeah, I guess. I don't even really know if she feels the same way about me, Emma. I've barely talked to her for a while, and we're not even as close as we were when we were on the run. I've probably screwed everything up already."
Emma let out an exasperated groan. "Listen, just because you may not have been as close to each other as you were years ago, that doesn't mean she doesn't feel the same way. I'm pretty sure she does, because I saw her talking to Ella earlier and she kept looking at you with this… look. I can't explain it, but I know she definitely feels something for you, Fang. Now, are you going to do it or what? Do you want to get together with her or not?" My breath hitched in my throat, and I could feel my heart pumping so hard I was afraid they would hear me, so I ducked back behind the corner. It was silent for a few seconds.
"Okay, okay, calm down, Em. I got it. So what's the plan? What do we have to fake to get this to work?" Fang asked. I heard some whispering, a quiet chuckle, and footsteps starting to sound. The door opened, and the sound of the music filled the house for a moment and then cut off as the door shut. I let out the gush of air I had been holding, and sunk down the wall to sit on the floor. Fang and Emma were planning something, but they were keeping it quiet. Fang did like me, as more than a sister, and Emma wanted to help get us together. Tonight could very well be the night I finally hooked up with the man I loved, and that thought alone sent my heart into a faster frenzy. (Try saying that ten times fast.)
After finally calming down, I decided to head back out and see what plan Emma and Fang had heading my way. The adults were laughing a little too loudly, and dancing a little wobbly and all the kids were having fun just running around and talking, sometimes dancing. I noticed Ella and Iggy sitting in a table talking to mom, and occasionally Iggy would whisper something into her ear and she would blush and giggle. Angel, Gassy, and Nudge were standing with their friends, laughing happily with little glasses of sparkling cider in their hands. And finally, Fang and Emma were standing on the side of the dance floor, constantly looking around. Emma looked right at me, shot me a wink, and whispered something to Fang. Obviously they were expecting me, and now it was time to play their little game with me. But what was with the wink?
Fang turned around, saw me, and I saw something light in his eyes. He turned back around before I could identify it though, and Emma grabbed his hand to try to drag him somewhere. He tried to pull her the other way, and they started play-fighting over what they were going to do, I smirked, and then walked down the stairs to the sand. Before I could reach though, someone stood in front of me and blocked my path. They were a few inches taller than me, and all I saw for a moment was the white and black of a formal tux. I looked up, and saw one of my good friends, John. I hadn't known he was here! He had sandy blonde hair, with most of it hanging cutely in his eyes, and he had chocolate brown eyes that made you melt if they had the right emotion in them. Right now they held humor, and happiness. We had met him about a year ago, when he moved to a house a few blocks away from us. He had asked to surf outside our area of the beach since it "had the best waves," and he had kept coming over ever since. He stuck out his hand to me with his other arm folded behind his back, like what they used to do years ago when fancy men asked ladies to dance.
"Well, malady, would you do me the honor of dancing with me on this fine evening?" he said in a French accent, trying to sound proper and formal which was nothing like him. I couldn't help but laugh at his impression, and he even cracked a little smile. He was pretty cute, but not as cute as Fang. I set my hand daintily in his, trying to play the part of a rich maiden out.
"Why yes, fine sir, I would love to do you the honor." I said, cracking up in the middle of it. He pulled me to the floor just as a slow song was starting, and cleared his throat as he put his hand on my waist and the other still holding my hand outward. I set my hand on his shoulder, and caught a glimpse of an angry looking Fang over it. Now who's playing with whom? I thought to myself, proud of thinking to play along. Might as well make the game fun for both of us, right?
John tried to waltz, but he ended up stubbing my toe and tripping on his untied shoelace. I laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world, knowing Fang was watching us. I set both of my hands on his shoulders and he put his high on my waist, and we moved a bit awkwardly in a circle. We whispered to each other about how adorable Iggy and Ella looked together, and how beautiful the wedding had been, and how "good" the food had been. Now the music was starting to fade out, and we skipped off the dance floor before the rush of people. In the back of my mind I noted that I had seen a tiny red cocktail dress walk off after us, but I ignored it. I stood with him for a few songs, and he got me to go back out and dance with him and a few other people, but only for about one song.
The next slow song was the best, though. The DJ had just announced that this would be the last song before he had to pack up. Right when the music was starting up a hand tapped me gently on the shoulder and I looked over to see Fang's dark eyes staring at me, silently pleading as he held his hand out. I felt John nudge me from behind, telling me to go with him. He knew I liked Fang, so it wasn't a problem of him liking me or not. I grabbed his calloused hand, and it tightened slightly when we stepped onto the flooring. Fang put both of his hands on my waist, a little lower than John had, and pulled me tightly to him. I slid my arms loosely around his shoulders, and every atom of my body felt like it was on fire. The whole song felt like it was two seconds long, because the only thing I did was move my feet and stare at Fang. My heart was pumping hard enough that I could have been fighting an Eraser, and it still wouldn't equal the adrenaline I felt then.
But every good thing has to end sometime, right? Right.
So the DJ packed up, and the buffet was long gone, and people started to leave. Before I had a chance to talk to Fang about anything or say more than "Well, uhm, that was…" I was yanked away from the perfect moment and out to the front door to say goodbye to everybody as they left. They all wished Ella and Iggy a happy life together, and all of that sort of stuff. As Emma and John were leaving, they both hugged me and Emma winked and John just smirked, and I saw Emma whisper something to Fang before she left. I avoided his eyes as long as I could, and finally the last guests were leaving. As soon as they were out the door I gave Ella and Iggy a hug and kiss, and they grabbed their little bags for overnight at a beachside hotel they were going to stay the night at. Mom drove them out there, and right before she left she gave me a certain look, then glanced at Fang as if to say "Go, make a move, now," and I just stood there gaping like a fish. She just blew us a kiss and shut the door.
As soon as the car started outside all of the younger ones ran upstairs to their rooms groaning. They all shut their doors, leaving Fang and I downstairs. Before the silence could get even more awkward, I mumbled a little "Night" and stumbled up the steps. I really needed the ocean air to think, so I carefully peeled off my dress and put on some sweats and a tank top, slipped on my flip-flops, and tip-toed downstairs. I snuck out the door and outside to my little section of the world, and plopped down by the spot the buffet had been.
The quiet crashing and rumbling of the ocean was wonderful, and the light breeze cleared my mind. What had Emma and Fang been planning to do? It was hard to tell, since I had tried to keep my eyes off of them for a little while. Did Fang actually feel something more than brotherly towards me, or had he just been saying that to get her to stop pressing? Was something going on between them that they had been keeping a secret, or not?
The questions swirled around my mind, and more and more kept popping up here and there. All too soon, the calming sounds of the ocean were interrupted by the door opening and closing almost silently behind me, and I spun around to see who it was.
Just take one wild guess.
Sorry to leave it off there, but it was getting too long. I'll make it a three-shot to finish it, but I need to know if this should be a real story or just a three-shot. Go to my profile and find the poll about Tiempo De Amor, and vote please. So far nobody has voted, and it makes me feel a little stupid to have it up there when nobody has voted on it. Review and tell me if you like it, and if there needs to be any improvements. Till next time. :)
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