Dear god, I've been gone for an inexcusable amount of time. I just started 8th grade, so y'know, homework out the wazoo. It's strange to think I started on this site when I was starting 5th grade. Wow, has it really been that long? Sheesh...

So, sorry 'bout that. I've fallen back in love with this story. Expect updates. Review, review, review!

Mario awoke disoriented, thinking for a few minutes that Peach announcing her engagement was all some dream. But, reality caught up with him in the form of Luigi, telling him to get dressed, they were going to meet at a party.

Mario was usually very excited for Peach's parties; they involved the superb cooking by the highest-quality mushroom chefs, breath taking decor with real twinkling invincibility stars hanging from the ceiling, and best of all, the possibility that maybe, just maybe, he would get a kiss from the most beautiful blond princess in the entire world.

But, of course, that was out of the question.

Mario pulled on a suit, half wondering if he should try and steal Peach away anyway. "No," he said out loud. "The woman is engaged. You lost your chance."

Peach's brain was in a flurry of bliss and excitement. Finally, she was getting married, and to someone as sweet and kind as Trevor! Wedding plans were leaving her flustered, but she was otherwise content. After all, Daisy had promised her she would help with everything.

But behind all the happiness, there was some dread. The party today would be the first time all her friends meet Trevor. Will they like him? What if they don't? She couldn't bear having to choose between them.

And lurking behind that was something she couldn't place. It was a strange sadness, a memory of one distant night, long ago when she was still carefree of Bowser and the Koopas... A few rushed kisses and sweet nothings exchanged between her and a man wearing a red shirt...

DING DONG!

The doorbell shook her from her thoughts. When she opened the door, Mario and Luigi stood there, just as she had asked them, to help with setting up.

Mario was nervous, to say the least.

"Mario! Luigi! Thanks for coming!" Peach said happily, stepping aside to let them in. "Trevor's in his room. He'll be down in a few minutes. I can't wait until you can meet him!"

"I'm sure he's great," Luigi replied with a sideways glance at his brother. "What do you need help with?"

"Can you just get the plates from the kitchen and set them on the table?"

"No problem."

And with that, they left for the steamy, noisy kitchen. About twenty chefs were finishing up on cooking dinner, which smelled like Shroom Steak.

Mario immediately spoke, as if he'd been struggling to keep a few choice insults about Peach's fiance in. "Who does that guy think he is? He shows up not even a year ago and snags Peach before I can say anything?"

Luigi shrugged, grabbing some plates from the counter. "I dunno, guess she just likes him."

Mario followed suit, taking a stack of plates. "Well, what's he got that I don't?"

And as they exited the kitchen, plates in hand, they got their first glimpse of Trevor.

He was standing in a white suit with a green tie, arms crossed. His dark red hair was perfectly neat, not a hair out of place, matching his freckles, which seemed to be arranged in a pattern on his thin cheeks. He had a thin nose, green eyes, and was holding Peach close, almost kissing her.

"Hey!" Mario couldn't stop himself from shouting. "Get off her!"

Peach jumped back in alarm. She looked toward the source of the noise, and when she saw Mario, her eyebrows knotted together. "Mario? What are you talking about?"

A wave of embarrassment washed over Mario. Had he really just shouted 'get off her' at a guy who was embracing a woman that wasn't his? "Um... Sorry. I'm sorry."

Peach gave a smile that looked rather fixed. "That's fine. This Trevor. Trevor, this is Mario and Luigi, two good friends of mine."

"Pleasure to meet you both," Trevor said. As Mario shook his gloved hand, he thought about how even Trevor's voice was clean-cut and regal. "Peach throws the best parties, don't you think?"

Mario forced a grin, nodded and said, "Yeah, I've been going for almost five years now."

Trevor nodded and smiled the first genuine smile of the four of them that day. "Ah, so are they getting better or what?"

The next few hours passed in awkward small talk and the hanging of decorations. Luigi seemed like he almost didn't want to be there, so Mario confronted him on it.

"Well, it's the tension. It kinda hangs in the air, y'know?" he explained, referring to Mario and Trevor. "I can't think of anything to say. Peach is gonna notice, she's not stupid."

"Mario?"

Mario looked around. Peach was looking at him with a an expectant expression on her face. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Luigi gave him an 'I-told-you-so' look, then went back to setting place mats. Mario looked toward Peach, a bit scared at what she might call him out on, but nevertheless walked over.

"Sure, what do you need?" Mario asked.

"...Alone?" She took his shoulder and led him into a nearby room. It was more of a large closet, with brooms and other janitor supplies stacked against the wall. As soon as the door was closed, Peach's look of complete control and calm slipped, revealing the twisting of emotions she was really feeling. "Mario... Are you okay with this?"

Mario tried to look like he had no clue what she was talking about. "With what?"

Peach gave him a reproachful glare. "Mario, don't give me that. I could tell this was bugging you from the start."

Mario gave up playing innocent. "Well, sorry, Peach! I thought all those times I saved you from Bowser counted for something, but I guess not."

"Mario, what are you talking about?"

"I thought we had something." As the words left his lips, he knew it sounded like he was admitting something terrible.

Peach frowned. "Yeah, well, we don't." She threw open the door an walked out without a backward glance.

Mario felt like someone had dunked his heart in icy water. What had just happened? Did he cause that? Why would Peach be so cold?

But, he knew.

He had been too late.

Mario and Luigi left not even thirty minutes later. Peach smiled and waved them away, and Mario smiled back, but there was something not all there behind still felt bad about what she'd said, but felt it best not to mention it.

As soon as they were alone, Trevor hugged her around the middle. "Are you sure you have everyone down on the guest list?"

A sudden idea popped into Peach's head. She couldn't be with Mario, but she could help him... "Actually, there's one more person I want to add."