Author's Note:

I could try to make up excuses but I really don't have any... I've just had a lack of inspiration lately plus a lot of random life events. Sorry for the wait, but I have a feeling I'll get down to business finally and start WRITING which is kind of important for someone with writer aspirations haha. Thanks for being patient, sorry again. Hopefully this chapter is worth the wait but it is a bit dramatic. I myself am not that sure of it either but I figured I'd put it out there anyway because this is where I've been heading this story for a while... finally, the big complication makes a grand appearance...

You Again?

Chapter 27

I get a nice wake up call at around six thirty the next day.

"Wha..?" My voice was dry and sounded about seventy. A seventy-year-old drunk man to be precise.

"Rise and shine beautiful!" Urgh.

Ray. Her voice is too chipper for this hour.

"Why. Are. You. Up. And CALLING ME?" My irritation got me to at least speak coherently.

"Morning sickness is kicking in actually." She was too happy for a sick person. Isn't morning sickness a bad thing?

"Isn't morning sickness a bad thing?"

She laughs. Ugh. I don't like her, have I mentioned this?

"Yeah but Chad's so nice. He went out to get me ice cream!" Mood swings much? "And he's even adding the pickles in there for me."

Huh? Pickles and ice cream? That… doesn't sound pleasant.

"That's disgusting."

"Shush you. Now." She giggles. Since when does Ray giggle? Apparently since pregnancy. This could either be the best or worst thing that could've ever happened. "We're meeting up at Zach's place at nine this morning."

"Zach's?" What? Amy's Zach?

"Amy's Zach." She doesn't even sound impatient which is weird.

"Why?" Now I'm up and heading to the bathroom. My breath is unpleasant and since I'm up I really should deal with that first.

"She wants to talk wedding." Ray replies and I start brushing as she blabs on. Also weird. Ray doesn't blab. She's Ms. Lawyer. Mrs. Lawyer I guess. She gets to the point on phones. Very terse. "So see you at nine?" She's finally done and I'm about to spit so I do.

"Yesh." I reply.

"Yesh?" Another giggle. "You developing a lisp?"

I spit, imaging that the drain is Ray's head.

"That's not even what a lisp sounds like." She laughs again. Just to annoy her or freak her out I flush the unused toilet.

"Ew. That's disgusting." She says but she's still laughing.

"That'll teach you to call me this early again." And I hang up, finish brushing, and burrow back under the comfort of warm blankets. Mmmm…

Shit. Shit. Shit.

It's already nine thirty and I still have to shower and get ready then catch a cab to an apartment that I don't even know the address to!

Shit! Again I repeat.

"Ames, what's the address again?" I say as soon as the ringing stops indicating she's picked up.

The voice that replies isn't hers at all. Unless Amy's been hiding something from us. Aka an extra anatomy part and a New Zealand accent.

"Oh! Thanks Zach!"

"No problem. Sorry, Amy hasn't stopped by yet and she left her phone here last night. You heading over? She said you'd all be over by ten."

I only pause for a quick second before replying nonchalantly, "Oh yeah. Course. I'll be there right on the dot."

"See you."

"Yeah. See you soon!"

And he hangs up.

They lied! She called me at 6 to lie!

Grr…

Well, they have a point. I guess if they had said 10 I would've ended up showing at around 11. Ha. Whatever. I still have to rush to even make it by 10…

Shit shit shit!

"Hi!" I put on my best smile. But Ray answers the door and she doesn't look happy. Ah, dang! What happened to the good mood swing? Swung back?

"You're so late!" She grabs my arm forcibly and pushes me in as though I wasn't planning on entering without her harassment. "And I even gave you the wrong time!" Definitely pissed. She checks her watch and gives a huff. Yes, a real live huff. "It's nearly ten thirty Serena! You'd be an hour and a half late if the fake time was the real time!"

I tried imitating her huff.

"Maybe if you don't give me fake times I'd be more inclined to make it by the right time. Huh? What do you think of that?" I cross my arms and glare.

"I think you're full of crap. Now come in." She leads me down a long hall and I'm in awe.

"Wow."

"Yeah, that's the understatement of the year." She rolls her eyes sarcastically. Not that she can complain or be bitter. Her place is pretty nice… Just not New Zealand nice? I can't help but laugh. The place is HUGE. Like HUGE. Oh my god.

"Wait? This is his apartment or penthouse?" I can't believe this. Amy's dating and going to marry a guy living in a playboy penthouse. Well, minus the playboy part. I should've been given a clue when I had to go all the way to the top floor…

"Penthouse. Figures right? The least materialistic girl out of all of us ends up having all the materials." I roll my eyes. Pregnancy is a bitch. Definitely. It makes her more bitter than usual or unusually happy at ungodly hours like this morning.

When we finally enter the astoundingly large living room my smile falls immediately. I'd almost forgotten why I hadn't planned to come to this thing. I don't know if I'm mad or apologetic.

She's just sitting there laughing away, her head tilted back even, with an equally merry Zach. Zach. Yeah, I'm mad.

I almost have the urge to yell. "He's marrying one of your best friends!" But I refrain.

Then I notice Amy sitting right next to them laughing too. He's holding her hand and then he leans forward when she falls back on the couch cushion to give her a kiss on the lips and Mina claps enthusiastically. And I want to kick myself. I'm an awful person. Maybe apologetic?

"Aren't they adorable?" Ray whispers beside me in what can only be described as a maternal voice. Like these were her children getting married. Pregnancy. Again. This is insane. It's like the Twilight Zone or something.

"Totally." I agree and then I turn at the sound of Lita coming up behind us with a tray of 3 cups of tea and 3 of coffee along with another tray full of a bunch of delicious looking pastries. Lita. Have I mentioned I love her?

"Are you insane? What are you doing?" I hear Ray shout then she goes to grab one of the trays, the one with the drinks. I hadn't even bothered to notice how perilous that situation was, holding two trays and one with things that could cause major burns.

Lita rolls her eyes but she lets Ray take it away.

"I run a restaurant. I'm a professional chef. I'm a mother! That beats them all actually. I can handle a couple of trays."

"I'm about to be a mother. I'm pregnant. I can kick your ass so don't go showing off by doing something so dumb." Wow, Ray is snapping at everything. Not to mention being very maternal.

"You're acting like you're my mother." Lita says with a laugh.

"What, did I forget to mention I am? Sorry, must have slipped my mind this whole decade." She's not a very funny pregnant lady either.

I'm trying my hardest to focus on the bickering between Lita and Ray. I know Mina's already seen me but she hasn't really acknowledged my presence. Amy managed a strangled "Hey Serena," between bouts of laughter and Zach waved absentmindedly but Mina is basically pretending I'm invisible. I see how it is.

"So! Now that everyone is finally here," Mina starts with a clap of her hands to get everyone's attention and looks around, but continues to avoid my eyes. "What is this meeting about exactly? Specifically I mean." We all turn to Amy expectantly and she turns to look at Zach for a second and he nodes in silent understanding.

"Well," She seems nervous. Amy is the nervous type anyway so this doesn't really concern me. "We've been talking a lot about the wedding and we're trying to decide some pretty important things. Mainly, location." I tilt my head trying to figure out how this involves any of us. I mean, it's nice to get people's input but the church or park or whatever that they do it in is their decision and I guess the only two people that would have any input what-so-ever on the matter are Lita and Ray since they've gone through this before. I'm clueless. Maybe Mina isn't but she's not an expert either.

"Have you narrowed it down to a few places at least?" Lita questions and Amy gives a little nervous smile.

"Well. Two places." She says then adds, "Two countries."

Oh.

We all turn to Zach- I don't know how he must be feeling right now. Ray's murderous, as if accusing him of something, I'm just curious and Lita seems to be on the same page as me. I don't look over for Mina's reaction.

"My parents have been talking with us about possibly having it back in New Zealand. At our family's cottage. It's where both my grandparents, parents, and all my siblings have gotten married. A tradition, I guess. They were hoping it would continue with Amy and I."

At that moment I love this guy even more than I already did. Not like that obviously.

Amy's dad bailed when she was a kid after he divorced her mom. He'd come home once every year when she was little but he stopped dropping by or even keeping contact after Amy turned 18. Apparently he felt he'd done his duty. No more responsibility- not that he'd ever had any in the first place. Her mom was a doctor like Amy is now so she didn't spend much time with her daughter either. Then she died in a car accident when we'd all just gotten out of college.

The biggest thing Amy's always felt remorse over about her childhood and her family life is the lack of any kind of roots, of traditions. And Zach is obviously welcoming her into his family with open arms, including her. And I know it must mean the world to her. She's finally getting the family she's always dreamed of. One that wants her too.

"Wow! That's great Ames." I go over to hug her and she returns it. "But why a meeting? What are we here for?"

She puts her eyes down on her lap. "Well, I was hoping you guys could still be my bridesmaids and you Sere, my maid of honor. That you could fly out over there for a few weeks this spring to help out with everything."

I looked up at her in confusion.

"Of course! You think any of us would miss this?"

"Well, it'll be a while you know. Preparations and stuff. I realize that getting that time off at work can't be easy, especially on such short notice. I don't want you to feel obligated, but I was hoping…" She was cut off by Ray.

"You're insane if you think we're missing this because we're going to miss some work. I can just pretend I went into early labor and they can't do a thing! I have my rights! I'm there."

"I second that." Lita agrees enthusiastically.

"Of course I'm in." I say with a laugh and a roll of the eyes.

"I'm in. I don't really have much of a job to worry about now do I? Just Artemis and I can bring him along." Mina says talking about her new cat.

After that is settled we drink our beverages and nibble on the snacks- or gorge if you're Ray- that Lita had brought and then head out to eat although we're all already pretty full. Amy leaves with a kiss on Zach's cheek and a hug. The rest of us giggle and coo our approval all the way to the restaurant.

The time passes quickly with Mina and I still playing the avoidance game although none of the other girls seem to notice, thankfully. Then the conversation somehow swung around to Darien and I. And I realized none of them knew anything. Except Mina. I hadn't mentioned anything at our Christmas party.

"We're dating." I blurted right when he was brought up. Their mouths all widened then turned into smiles- all except Mina who was now overtly interesting in her soda.

"Wow! That's… wow. What happened to 'I hate him!'" Amy said, giddy with excitement.

"It turned into 'I love him'?" I hadn't even realized what I'd said. Oh crap. Ray zeroed in on it with widened eyes.

"You love him? Love love? Or was that an exaggeration of like?"

I don't want to lie. I want to tell someone. Even if it's not him… I bite my lip nervously, having never said those words before.

"I love him." I shrug and sit back in my seat, relieved it was finally out there for someone to know.

Mina isn't so distracted now. She is looking at me with deer eyes, just like the rest of the girls.

"Congrats Sere!" Amy is the first to get over her shock, she reaches over to hug me which isn't too difficult since I'm sitting next to her. I smile. "So, where's he taken you so far?"

My eyes downcast and I can't help my blush. Oh my god…. He hasn't taken me anywhere besides my apartment…. That doesn't sound very good…

"Um… Well, we haven't been on an official date yet. But you know, we've gone out for noodles that one time and he's been over to my apartment a couple of times. He was over last night. We ordered Chinese take out." I neglected to mention the make out session…

Ray raised her eyebrows suggestively. Yup, doesn't matter if I don't mention it. "Wow, quick much? Since when have you been doing that? You and Mina switch bodies or something?"

I laugh a little but stop quickly. Mina glares at me then Ray.

"Excuse me?"

Ray laughs it off, clearly not seeing what is so obvious to me. She is pissed. I've never seen Mina look that way before. Not only pissed but genuinely hurt.

"Venus strikes again, watch out boys." Ray's voice turned airy in an imitation of Mina and she even put up Mina's trademark peace sign. Ray, Lita, and Amy giggled at the impression. Still not getting it.

"Hello, New York!" Lita waves her hand in a pageant fashion and gives a seductive wink.

More giggles.

Mina is practically crimson.

Oh God.

"Stop it guys." I hurriedly say, trying to salvage the situation. In vein.

They're in fits and they aren't seeing what I am seeing.

Not only are Mina's cheeks reddening, her eyes are quickly turning the same shade. Moisture about to surface.

"Shut up!" I finally yell but then Mina looks up. Her shoulders are straighter than ever and her eyes are determined, the evidence of tears quickly disappeared with a smooth hand motion.

"You don't get to defend me here." Her voice is completely serious with none of the distinguishable Mina spark in it. The girls finally sober. Quickly. "No, no. Keep going. I'd hate to ruin your fun, really."

"Mina, they didn't mean—" She cuts me off, pointing an accusing finger straight at me.

"Don't even. Just. Don't."

"What's going on?" Amy asks, confused.

"Nothing, nothing at all." Mina says, her voice still dead.

"They don't mean anything by it. And I didn't mean anything by what I said yesterday either." I don't want her mad at me. I love her. She's my cousin for god's sake! More importantly- she's my best friend. I'm still mad but this isn't okay. I was wrong. "I was wrong."

"What happened yesterday?" Lita interrupted.

"I am not judging your behavior. None of us are, Mina."

She rolls her eyes sarcastically. "Really? That is why you call it my behavior? That is why you think I'm a slut?"

"Wait," Ray said her eyes bigger than ever now. "She knows?"

Now everyone's eyes are fixed on Ray, including my own. She had spoken that to Mina, about me… Know what?

"Know what?" Amy says, even more confused. "What's going on?"

"Shut up." Mina mutters quickly to Ray then addressed the rest of us, wiping her eyes again. "Nothing." She doesn't meet my eye. She doesn't seem so indignant anymore. Just dodgy.

"Know what?" I demand.

"Nothing," Mina repeats.

"What?" My voice comes out in a shout, I lower it quickly before we make another scene. "What?"

"Nothing!" This time it's Ray. She laughs. The most fake laugh I've ever heard. "I don't even remember what I was talking about."

I glare first to Ray then Mina. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

Mina's eyes drop then go to Ray. If looks could kill… Ray shrugs helplessly. One of the few times I've ever seen her look helpless. Then Mina seems to think about it and her face changes. She clears it of all emotion.

"You know. You're right. What the hell? It isn't even that big of a deal." She says, her voice neutral. Still no emotion. "It's nothing. You know, considering my past behavior it shouldn't even come as a surprise and it doesn't really matter." She shrugs again then meets my eyes squarely. "Darien and I slept together."

I'm frozen.

What?

"Back in high school he was my second, right after Ben Johnson," she continues conversationally but there was a strain, "Darien was the second. Then the list gets longer." She laughs sarcastically and the tone alone cut through me, "And my last? Before Fred? It was Darien. Four months ago."

And for the second day in a row I found myself storming out in public, completely humiliated… again.