Until the End of Time

For the next few days, Kevin had barely spoke a word to me. Though I didn't blame him; I hadn't made an effort, either. Carmen and Joe knew that we kissed, but that was as far as it was going to get. I realized that Kevin loved Danielle, and that whether or not she loved him, there was nothing I could do to stop their..wedding.

"Madison, you're freaking kidding, right?" Carmen yelled, walking faster to keep up with me.

"Carmen, I need to do this. Let me do this, please."

"I'm not going to let you plan the guy you're in love with's wedding! Do you know how insane that is?!"

"Do you know how insane you're being?"

"I am not being insane! I'm not the one that's going to go help plan Kevin's fake ass wedding!"

"Come on, Car, it isn't fake. You don't have to be a bitch."

She gasped, raising an eyebrow at me. "I'm being a bitch? That little white girl-!"

She was cut off by Danielle opening the door, and giving me a thin smile. "You're Madison, right?"

"Yeah, and you're Danielle. Kevin's fiancee."

"That would be me," She said, smiling rather warmly at me now.

"Would you like to come in?"

"Sure," I replied, flashing her a charming smile as Carmen tugged on my arm. Danielle had already stepped inside, and I'm sure she wasn't too bothered to listen in on our conversation.

"Are you joking me?" She hissed, peering through the doorway. "You don't know what she's capable of! She could be an axe woman! A crazy one!"

"Come on," I groaned, tugging her hand and pulling her inside.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I only invited you in, Madison. I don't allow...just anyone in my home," Danielle said almost casually, sitting down on her white sofa.

"Lucky for you, I'm not just anyone," Carmen said dryly.

"Then I don't allow immature kids in my house."

"I'm sorry, a kid? Did you just go there with me, lady?"

"I don't have to answer that, now do I, Carmen?" She teased, crossing her legs.

I rolled my eyes, putting my hand on Carmen's shoulder. "Look, obviously the two of you don't like each other, but I promised Kevin I'd be nice to Danielle."

"Lucky for me, I didn't."

"Neither did I."

"Can you two just ignore each other, then? I was hoping to have a civil conversation."

"Sure," Danielle replied sweetly,"But, I'd much rather if your friend waited in the car. If..that's okay with you, Madison."

I sighed, gritting my teeth lightly. "Carmen, please?"

"Fine, but if you aren't out in an hour, I'm calling the police. Crazy ass white girl..," She muttered walking out of the house and shutting the door softly as she left.

"She's quite a character, isn't she?" Danielle remarked, eying me coolly.

"Yeah, but she's totally lovable once you get to know her."

"I bet. So why are you here?"

I ignored the fact that that sounded completely and utterly rude, and forced a thin smile over my lips. "I actually was wondering if I could help with the wedding."

Her brown eyes lit up, and she leaned forward. "Really?!"

"Yes."

"Oh my gosh! Do you know how excited Kevin will be to know that his best friend's helping out with his wedding? I mean ours, of course, but you know! Oh my gosh! This is so exciting, Madison!"

"Yeah, it is!"

She pulled me into a sudden hug, gushing about how she wanted her hair, what she wanted her dress to look like, and how much of a big help I was being. The only thing I could really do was sit there and nod or let the occasional sure or yeah, that sounds good leave my lips.

"So, I'll see you?" She asked, opening the front door.

"Yeah, you will. Bye Danielle."

"Bye."

I slowly walked back to the car, ignoring the face Carmen made at me, and opened the driver's side door. I laid my head on the steering wheel, and she coughed slightly.

"You know, you were in there for half an hour. I was beginning to get worried. I thought she hacked you to pieces."

"That's not funny, Carmen," I muttered, looking over at her slowly.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm helping him get married to a bitch who's pregnant with someone else's child. She's already gotten the abortion, so technically she was, but still. She cheated. I know that Kevin and I kissed, but he was upset. She was perfectly fine, and I'm helping him marry her! What kind of horrible person am I?"

"Madi..you're foolishly in love. It happens to the best of 'em. Maybe he'll realize he's making a mistake?"

"But I don't want him to, Car! That's just it! I don't deserve him, and he needs to be happy!"

"You said she cheated on him! How is that making anyone happy?!"

"He'll never know, Carmen! He doesn't need to. She made a mistake, just like he did. They're even."

"So marriage is about getting even?"

"No!"

"Look, did he get pregnant with your child?"

"No, that's not even possible, but-!"

"Promise me you'll tell him before it's too late."

"Carmen, you know I can't-!"

"Promise me or I'll tell him," She said.

"Fine. I promise."

I pulled away from the curb, turned the radio up, and neither of us said a word the entire ride home. But then, there was nothing to say. Any way you looked at it, both of us were right and both of us were wrong. The only excuse was that I didn't think straight because of love. The things we do for love, eh?