Having bought all the stuff, Layla and Musa walked out of the store.

"I asked Jared to come to Alfea," Layla blurted out. "I think it will help you get your mind off things, plus you'll have a date for the wedding," she winked.

Musa gasped, lost for words.

"How did…when…Layla!" she scolded. Didn't Layla know how awkward it would be, especially with Riven?

"Relax…" Layla scoffed. "I don't want my friend to be lonely while I am tying the knot; you need someone…so I used your email address to write him a frantic letter."

Musa's shoulders sagged, catching her drift. Layla realized she was thinking about Riven again.

"You're better off without him," she said.

Musa looked down, and shook her head sadly. "That's not cool, Layla, you should have asked me first."

Layla shrugged. "Well, it's my wedding, so I get to decide who comes in with you, honey."

Musa really didn't care, actually. She had been down in the dumps ever since she had called Riven. There had been no communication between them ever since. Was it officially over? Musa dreaded the thought. Maybe having Jared there would comfort her. She hadn't spoken to him for a long, long time, and it might be nice to have someone at the wedding, especially if Riven showed up with a date. She shuddered.

Layla put her hands on her hips and glared at her friend. "Well?" she asked.

"Well what?" she replied.

"Call Jared now. He is already here, and I bet he's dying to meet you."

"Oh!" removing her phone, she dialed his number.

"Hey Musa…was just going to call you!"An excited voice chided through the other line. "I thought I'd buy something formal for Layla's wedding, the friend of yours that's getting married?"

Musa smiled in spite of herself. He always cared about how he looked before he met her.

"I am at the Lady and King's*," he continued, without a pause.

"Well, Jared if you let me get a word in…" Musa giggled, "I would say I'll meet you at the Soho, the coffee shop opposite the store."

"Sure, darling, meet you in five. Can wait to tell you…"

But Musa hung up before he had completed the sentence.. She would talk to him there.

"Well, come on Layla…." Musa gestured towards the coffee shop.

"Um…Musa, I am getting married tomorrow, but you carry on," she winked.

Musa groaned. Oh well, I can ask his opinion about Riven then, and warn him to stay away from him. I wonder what he would do if he knew Jared was here? Would he beat him up? Musa felt disgusted when she found herself hoping so. It would mean he still cared about her.

She walked slowly to Soho, and took an empty seat near her favorite spot. Riven's and her favorite spot. Jared walked in, and looked around confused. Musa stood up, and waved at him. His eyes widened, and he slowly walked towards her.

"M…Musa?" he stammered.

She smiled. "Yes, Jared." a smile cracked on his boyish face. "Just kidding!" he giggled. "Boy, you haven't changed a bit!"

"Oh really?" Musa waved at him dismissively. "Jared, neither have you."

She and Jared resumed their normal chatter, talking about whatever had changed since they last met, and that was a lot to talk about. One hour later, the topic reached Riven. Musa was surprised that it took so long, but it was mostly because Jared was really excited about Layla's wedding, and the new school he had just gotten into.

"I met your boyfriend with Layla's to-be-husband," he remarked casually. "I don't think they like me," he pouted.

Musa almost spit out her coffee in surprise. "You mean Riven?"

"Yes, who else? He seemed a bit lost, though and when I mentioned you, he turned a bright red," he sniggered.

Musa sighed. She had been feeling so unburdened, telling Jared about everything. But she hadn't told him about Riven.

"Actually, I think we are taking a break or something," she said.

Jared raised his eyebrows, then, a grin formed on his face. "Who are you going to the wedding with?" he asked, already knowing she was going alone.

"Riven! Riven!" he was dreaming, but someone was calling his name. He snapped out of his traumatic meanderings. It was Helia, poking his head outside the bark of a tree**.

"What do you want?" he asked Helia. He grinned.

"I should be asking you that, bro," he said, "You're in my 'territory' after all…"

That's it; Helia's finally lost it thought Riven. Or perhaps I have, or, I am dreaming…

He looked around. He was in the part of Red Fountain he hadn't seen before. Everything was green. He heard a giggle from the tree. It sounded like Flora. Obviously, where there was greenery, there was Flora.

Riven turned his head away, deciding he had enough of everything. Since the announcement of the wedding, his friends were permanently attached to their girlfriends, as if they were vying to be the next couple to tie the knot. It was disgusting. Only Timmy seemed to be slightly sane, though he generally liked to talk to Techna on the phone. Perhaps he had invented something, which allowed him to be with her without actually being present, or maybe she still had the hots for him***.

Riven remembered all too well the fiasco where he had done so much to save Musa. Was it worth it, in the end? Look where they were now. They hadn't spoken to each other since their fight in the morning and he didn't want to. He didn't want a confrontation and he wouldn't swallow his ego and talk to her. And what annoyed him most was he kept bumping into her stupid friends, who knew all about him. Because of her. He wondered if Flora was giggling because he had caught them snogging, or if she heard his voice and remembered what Musa had told her.

"Jared?" asked Stella doubtfully. "Isn't he, you know, a little too short?"

"Stella!" Musa scolded, "It's not a date. He said he'd feel awkward going alone, and it's not as if it's a date…"

"What about Riven?" Stella asked.

Musa glared at her. An uncomfortable silence followed.

"Well…"Layla said, uncomfortably. "He still is, well….a friend…"

Musa glared at her. "Maybe…I'll call and ask him…," said Layla.

She picked up her phone and dialed Riven's number. Musa suddenly went into alert position, body erect and alert. "Don't tell him about the date," she whispered, before Layla pressed call. Layla winked at her, and pressed loudspeaker.

The phone rang for the fifth time before he picked it up.

"Hello?" The tone of his voice sent shivers down her spine. So intimidating, so careless. It was amazing. He was amazing…

"Hi, it's Layla," said Layla, sarcastically.

"What?" One word, laced with impatience and callousness. Musa stiffened even more.

"I hope your coming for my wedding." He laughed.

"I am sorry; I'm attending Nabu's wedding tomorrow…" She could almost feel him smirk, as he carelessly flirted with the bride-to-be.

"Well, I was just checking," she laughed. Riven was not her type, but since she wouldn't need a 'type' anymore, she realized she was enjoying the playful banter from her former rival.

"Okay, Layla, I will see you there…" he said. She was surprised to find herself giggling and blushing. She could feel Musa's steely gaze on her, but she just couldn't bring herself to hang up.

"Layla? Are you there?" Riven asked.

"Um, yes…yeah…"she stammered.

"Well, is there some other reason you called?" His voice was full of mischief, teasing her. Layla blushed again, and was horrified with herself.

"Um… no… nothing just wanted to tell you to be there, even though Musa is…"

"Can we not talk about her?" His voice had lost all its lightheartedness, and became cold and distant. Musa shivered, and almost yelled in anguish. This was the first time today she felt that they were truly over. People had been hinting it all day. She couldn't stand the thought. But then what was she doing then, going with Jared to the wedding? She should have called him before, was it too late?

"I thought you wanted to fulfill some 'unfinished desires' before being tied down to that bloke…" Riven's voice regained its smooth tone. Layla gasped, dismayed. Is that how she sounded? Hungry and desperate?

"Um, no…no…that's ok…bye." She hung up the phone before she could say anymore, and slumped on her seat. She looked up to find Musa glaring at her. "What?" she asked, defiantly. If she wasn't that tense, she would have apologized to Musa, but one conversation with Riven, and her blood was rushing to her head, preventing all logical behavior. Why was she acting so weird? She had never thought about Riven this way. In fact, she had hated him always.

Musa turned a heel and walked away. If it wasn't for Layla getting married the next day, she would have made some permanent alterations in her chocolate brown face. She's probably nervous about the wedding, not about talking with Riven, she reasoned. But why was Riven talking that way to Layla? He had always hated her, even told her not to spend too much time with her. Now he was flirting with her?

Footnotes:

* Hey these names I got from ourWORLD, a virtual reality site. Visit my blog to join. I highly recommend it.

** Flora, in my head, loves nature, so she takes Helia to this place in the forest, where she could "get her mojo on"

*** Please read my other Fanfiction, Intoxicated, which explains how Techna fell for Riven. This is a kind of continuation of that. You'll see why later.