3- More to life

That is what always bewildered Chazz about Carmen. She had the best poker face on the planet. She could be incredibly calm, hardly display any emotion, and barely befriend two people but once she lets someone in, she shows her warm, caring side.

Here they were, they have not spoken in almost ten years, and yet it was like they have never stopped being friends. That is what made the few people who actually knew Carmen like her so much.

On the other hand, a lot of people did not like her, because she hardly shows that softer side. He remembered how many times he heard people gossip in DA about how weird she was. The truth is, that it was just her being… her. She was and still is real, just herself nothing more nothing less.

XXXXXXXX

"How about pink for the maids of honor?" suggested Esmeralda while she, Carmen, Mrs. Long, and Holly were walking towards the dress shop.

Carmen flinched, and Holly added ever elegantly-

"No, that's disgusting! You have a horrible taste in colors."

Carmen could not help but chuckle.

Holl, you rule.

When they arrived at the shop, Mrs. Long suggested that the color of the dresses should be burgundy, a suggestion which was acceptable for everyone.

Carmen really did not care, as long as it was not going to be pink or baby blue it sounded fine. At a certain point she thought that maybe they should just wear whatever they want, but her mother immediately dismissed the idea.

Giovanna Long was always conservative, and when Carmen told her she was getting married, Giovanna was overjoyed and wished to be involved in every detail. Carmen was very thankful for that, since planning weddings was not her usual agenda, and she was pretty clueless.

"NO!" the three women said in unison after Carmen tried the first dress. The response continued to be the same for the next three dresses.

Oh my god, it's only a dress, why is this such a hassle? I should have gone alone… what was I thinking? My mother, my insane friend and my eighteen year old sister, it's a recipe for disaster!

"Gals, this is the last one I'm trying. Seriously, putting these things on is quite the nuisance."

"You only get married once, it has to be perfect." Her mother said, Carmen and Esmeralda giggled, but of course Holly said what needed to be said-

"Maybe in the last century…"

Finally, there was a unanimous consent about the dress.

It was made of silk, the cut was a mermaid style up to above the hips where it widens to a few ruffles then it is plain. It also had embroidery and had colloquial where the hip was.

After the stressing ordeal picking a dress with the group, Carmen decided it best to leave what remains of the arrangements in her mothers hands.

The thought was finalized in her mind upon hearing the catastrophe seating arrangements was going to be.

We should've gotten married in an Elvis chapel in Vegas…

As they walked into the Italian restaurant, one which Carmen has never visited before called 'Le nozze di Figaro', when…

"Oh my god!!" Esmeralda practically shouted, "you're from the city's cheerleading team, I love you!!"

Dear me… Esme is going celebrity crazy in public, good virgin…

Although her sister's vitality was something Carmen appreciated, at times it became over- enthusiastic to the point of immaturity, which could be really embarrassing, especially since Carmen did not like the extra attention her sister was earning them at the moment.

"Well, either I don't see you in a millennia or you never leave me alone."

"Hi Chazz."

Carmen said, wanting to burry herself. How disgraceful… her sister putting a show like that in public, so now everyone was staring, and the person she was admiring was company of a familiar fellow human, great.

"Could you please give me an autograph, please?" Esmeralda asked the blonde girl, which Carmen recognized as,

"Alexis Rhodes?"

The Obelisk blue queen turned professional cheerleader? What the heck…

"Yeah, that's me… here sweetie." She said, signing Esmeralda's calendar.

"Babe, this is Carmen Long."

Alexis was another person Carmen never spoke to in DA.

She never thought much of her, except that she was a very good duelist. The notion of her turned cheerleader bewildered her, she had such a bright future.

"Oh. Hey, how are you?"

Meanwhile Carmen's entourage went to sit down.

"I have never seen you here before." She commented.

"We come here a lot." Chazz added.

"First time… well, I need to join my family, so, I'll see you around." Carmen said, the whole situation was a bit awkward.

How convenient, I had to land in this restaurant… wait, why is this such a big deal? Oh, right, it's you the practically anti social girl clashing with miss cheerleader here, whom you've heard of almost every day for the most of school from your crush… gods, when did my life become such a soap opera?

Carmen thought bitterly, but then again, she was suppose to be having fun…

"We should go on a double date sometime."

The blonde suggested out of the blue.

The notion did not appeal much to Carmen, but she thought it would be cordial to accept, since it would probably never come to pass.

"That was… weird." Carmen said to Holly, then asked for the whereabouts of her family members, only yo acknowledge that her mother was in the water closet and her sister- flirting with the bartender.

"Your sister is crazy." Holly added.

Carmen sighed- Family, you've got to love them.