Where Have You Been

"Chelsea?" Rion said entering the apartment that his girlfriend lived in. He didn't know what had gotten into him lately. Calling her all the time, stopping whatever he was doing when she called. He was used to having lovers, and when his needs were sated they parted ways. That normally lasted about a month or so, but it had been 2 since he'd met Chelsea. Most women didn't have this affect on him, he could at least go a day without seeing them.

"In the kitchen." Chelsea called, he grinned and made his way to her.

"Smells nice." he breathed in deeply as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "What is it?"

"Italian sausage, hot." she said throwing some peppers in the skillet.

"When do you have to be at the church?" he sighed leaning against counter watching her.

"In about 2 hours, are you going to be my date?" she grinned still paying attention to her sausage.

"But of course, who else would you be able to find on such short notice?" he smirked as she looked up. He liked the spark in her eyes, and the curve of her mouth.

"I could probably find a date." not wanting her to prove it Rion pushed that thought away of her being with another man period.

"Well, it doesn't matter. I have a tux, I'll go get changed and be back to pick you up in 30 minutes?"

"An hour?" Chelsea smiled, he would do anything for that smile.

"I forget, you women like to make men wait." Rion smiled as gave her a quick kiss, and left her to finish her lunch. He wondered how the wedding was going to go today, if it would end like those movies.
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"Knock knock." Chelsea said as she walked inside the bride's chamber to let her know what time it was. And was shocked but not completely surprised at what she saw. There Carly was with her lips locked with another guy, but this guy happened to not be Cole. She wanted to scream in frustration at this woman,

"You've got to be kidding me," Chelsea sighed.

"Ever heard of knocking?" the guy Carly was wrapped around grumbled as he looked up. Then put Carly down when he saw who it was.

"I did, ever hear of, 'I'm getting married to a man different from the one I'm sucking face with right now' ?"

"I-" Carly stumbled out.

"No, you can't say it's cold feet, just a few weeks ago you accused me of sleeping with your husband to be." Chelsea felt her voice rising.

"Chelsea shh, I know what you're thinking." Carly said, her voice wavering a little bit.

"No, you can't possibly know what I'm thinking. But I'll tell you this, I won't let you marry Cole." Chelsea said her mouth a firm line.

"What?"

"I knew since the first time I met you, you weren't worth anything. But you made Cole happy, so I tried my best to stay out of it."

"So try harder." Carly said, thinking she was regaining control of the situation. But she had already lost it.

"Life isn't that easy." another voice came from behind Chelsea, she knew who it belonged just by the pain in his voice

"It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding." Carly stammered out.

"Well, I don't think that applies to me and you. It's done, me and you are done." Cole sighed as he turned around to leave. Chelsea followed after him,

"Cole?" he was stopped in the middle of the hallway, his body rigid.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he said so quiet she wasn't sure she even heard him correctly.

"Tell you what?" Chelsea asked as Cole slumped down to the ground in the hallway.

"That she was cheating on me?" the pain is his voice made her want to hold him.

"I did, but you'd always ask when and where. I had never seen her until now, I kind of wish I had caught her before now." she said refusing to give into the urge to sit down with him.

"Chelsea, Tori told me to let you know that everyone on the list is here." Rion grinned walking to where they were in the hallway.

"Hmmm, well there may not even be a wedding." Chelsea sighed, looking at her watch.

"There's not going to be a wedding." Cole grumbled and started to get up, the hurt was still there in his eyes.

"Cold feet?" Rion chuckled.

"Not on his part," Chelsea sighed," come on buddy, better now than never." Chelsea gave a glance to Rion who started back down the hallway.

And smiled to herself, Cole saw her smiling as she watched her latest love interest. He wished the roles with he and Rion were reversed, because then his heart wouldn't seem to be slowly ripping in half at that very moment. They got to the sanctuary, and he cleared his throat as everyone turned around.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he cleared his throat. "I regret to inform you that there will not be a wedding taking place in here today. It seems that honesty is not the best policy for all people." that was about all Cole could muster, and Chelsea could see it.

"Thank you for coming, and we are very sorry. Please enjoy the refreshments and music in the reception hall anyway." she smiled as the mom's and dad's, and old friends got up to leave. Cole sat down in a pew once the sanctuary was emptied. He felt weight shift next to him,

"I'm sorry." Chelsea sighed, he looked up at her.

"So am I." he sighed.

"Maybe it wouldn't be so hard if-"

"If I had just stayed with you that last time?" he said searching her face. Her soft and delicate face, not like Carly's. Who had harsh features from tanning too much.

"Or if you had just let her go the time before then." Chelsea sighed looking confused.

"Chels I-

"Cole, if we were meant to be we'd be sitting in there with our families right now celebrating our marriage. But we're not, we're in here not married." she tried to smile, he could tell. He could see in her ice blue eyes that she meant it.

"Is he good to you?" he asked, seeing her face freeze.

"I think so." she said, he couldn't hear an emotion in her voice.

"Better than me?" she didn't answer, it was because she didn't want to hurt him even further. Or because she was having the same dilemma that he was having only a few weeks ago.
Either way, it was all too much for one day. She got up, and left him there in silence, he just watched her walk away.