Bondfelt

A small square card was whipped down onto the table in front of me. Hesitantly, I glanced up at Cece, who stood, still in her coat and heels, beside me with her hands set firmly on her hips, expensive looking purse slung over her shoulder. It had taken literally five seconds for her to rush in through my apartment door and interrupt me during my breakfast (a bowl of cheerios and a glass of water, if you must know), and she said not a word either, only threw this little, cream coloured card down before me, and I was sure I was missing something. I had to be, because I didn't understand at all what was going on.

After a few moments, I decided it was safe to ask. I shoved a spoonful of cheerios into my mouth and asked, simply, "What's that?"

And I swear to you, the look I received was not a look of amusement, much the opposite. Her reaction was much too exaggerated to actually have something to do with this little card, but it had only everything to do with it. Her shoulders tensed and her face scrunched up in an envious, unhappy grimace, and in a cold, hushed voice she answered me softly, "Rae's wedding invitation."

I tried my best not to choke on my mouthful of cereal, and succeeded with the exception of a small, unattractive gagging reaction, coughing down what else there was to swallow after. And after my coughing subsided, I stared up at Cece with squinted eyes and a look of pure question. "... Sooo...?"

She scoffed harshly, "So? That's all you have to say? Is so?" She mocked me in an offended manner, pressing her palm to her chest, hurt.

"You're never going to get over it, are you?"

"She's getting married, Kat!" Cece shrieked, grabbing and yanking one of the tables chairs closer to where I sat and hurriedly slipping down into it to sit, "I found out who the groom is, too." She went on, "It's this guy we went to high school with -- Greg Landers. Do you know who this guy was, Kat?" I opened my mouth to guess, but she didn't give me any time to actually say anything, "He was the captain of the football team, he was popular and gorgeous and smart. He was the perfect one in our grade."

"Ah yes, every grade has one." I remembered fondly, before giving her an odd look, "Don't all those guys end up as plumbers? With like seven illegitimate kids and hairy stomachs and stuff?"

"That's what I thought!" She grasped my arm tightly, "Until I saw what this guy looks like now -- Kat, we've been lied to."

"Lied to?"

"Not all of the people who had perfect lives in high school pay for it when they're older -- the guy is seriously beautiful." She sighed enthusiastically at me, her eyes wide.

"Wait. You said his name was Greg Landers?" I inquired, "... Haven't you told me about him? Isn't he the one who made fun of your back brace all through high school?"

"Not important! You see, the rule applies to me -- but not him. I was a freak back then, and now life is making it up to me now. I'm beautiful, sexy, smart--"

"Don't forget modest."

"And so is he! You don't understand! We'd be perfect together, the perfect pair, the perfect couple!" She enthused passionately. I swear her pupils changed into hearts for a second there.

I crossed my arms and leaned back in my seat, pouting, "I thought you and I were the perfect pair?"

She stared at me. "You really have to quit trying to be funny." She advised me seriously, before completely changing the subject back to her, "I know what you're thinking, though -- how could he marry someone like Rae?" I wasn't thinking that at all, just to be clear, "Well, I don't know either, but back in high school Rae was even more of a freak then I was, and if Greg can look past who she used to be, he'll be sure to do the same to me! I mean, I've always been better then Rae! Back then and even now! I'm just a better woman--"

"Wait," I cut her off, "This is where I need to stop you. What are you getting at here, exactly?"

She took a deep breath and beamed, staring at me silently for a moment. "I'm going to go to the wedding," She answered, "And you're going to come with me."

My eyes widened, "Whoa whoa whoa! No way!" I refused firmly, putting my palms up before me, "I didn't even get an invitation."

"You can be my plus one!" Her grip on my forearm tightened and started to hurt.

I sighed and gave a large groan, "Cece..." I whined, "I hate weddings... I hate funerals... I hate anything formal. Anything formal is not for me. Formal and I aren't good friends. You know this."

"I know, but I'll help you get dressed and everything, you'll look great, it'll be fine!"

"What are you even hoping to achieve from this?" I groaned, she grinned.

"As soon as Mr. Landers gets one look at me, he'll be done with Rae and be all mine." She purred cynically, I gave her a worried look.

"You're going to sabotage your cousins wedding and steal her fiance?" I summed it up, trying to let it sink in -- it wasn't working.

"Well when you put it that way it seems so harsh..."

I gave her an incredulous look, "Uh, that's because it is." I pointed out. I was having difficulty fighting off the urge to take her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her, but I was well aware that wouldn't even put a dent in her, "You can't just go around plotting selfishly like this!"

She whined, "But she's such a bitch." She pouted childishly, "I mean, she deserves it. She's a bitch to everyone, plus Greg's going to get bored of her after a few months anyhow. He'll probably just end up having an affair on her if I don't do this. So technically, I'm just doing Rae a favour."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, "You're absolutely ridiculous. You know that's not true. And just because someone has a tendency to be mean doesn't mean they don't deserve to get married to a wonderful man." I tried to reason with her, "I mean, you're probably going to get married to a great man one day. Greg isn't the only man out there that you'll ever want. And quite honestly, if you do this, you're going to get bored of him after... probably a week."

She paused and straightened up in her seat as if considering what I'd said, getting a thoughtful look on her face like I had a point, before pressing her lips together and shaking her head, "Either way, we're still going. I need to see this." I sighed. Life was just a soap opera to her sometimes, and she just loved causing drama. Sometimes I question my own taste in friends.



"Oh! I wanna go!"

"What!" I screeched, glaring disbelievingly at Carson, who gave me a blank look in return.

"I want to go! I love weddings!" He repeated himself, smiling over at Cece who beamed back at him and clapped her hands together in front of her excitedly. I swear he's got to secretly be a woman or something.

I blinked once, twice, before sitting up perfectly straight in my spot on Carsons couch and crossing my arms stubbornly, "Well, alright," I nodded in thought, shutting my eyes briefly before looking over at Cece, "Then that means Carson can be your plus one instead of me."

"Bitch! Are you insane? I'm not going to a wedding alone with Carson!" Cece screeched in a horrified manner, leaving Carson with a rather unamused expression on his face as he crossed his arms inappreciatively, "You're still coming, you have to! If I go alone with... with Carson... my entire family will know I have him as a friend... oh god, or worse... they'll think he's my... boyfriend." She gasped quietly, before making a gagging expression, which didn't make Carson any happier, and certainly seemed to be talking him out of going. "Which will cancel out any opportunity of me finding a sexy potential boyfriend to fuck me afterwards!"

"You can only take one person." I stated simply, reminding her.

"Psshh! Bullcrap! I'm family, I'm her cousin! Plus ones more like plus however many dumbasses I want to bring with me, and you two dumbasses are the dumbasses that I'm bringing with me, so deal with it!" She replied firmly, a stern, motherly authoritative tone to her voice.

The apartment door slammed shut, breaking everyones attention from the current topic as two sets of feet approached. Two voices, Wesley and-- God, fuck. Wesley and Adam both appeared in the room with us and I found myself hanging my head slightly to avoid looking at either of them, hands clasped around my knee that was crossed over the other as I stared down into my lap absentmindedly. A situation I had worked so hard to keep from happening had fallen through my foolproof fingers and was suddenly set right before me, I didn't fucking know what to do.

Wesley had strolled right in and plopped down beside me on the couch, giving me a small nudge in the side with his elbow, and I turned my head in his direction slightly to receive a small smile from him, "Hey girl, I haven't seen you in a few days huh?" I just smiled and nodded.

Adam clasped his hands together and furrowed his eyebrows, "What's going on...?" He asked, staying where he stood.

Cece beamed, "Well, dearest Adam, my cousin Rae is getting married in a few weeks, and I was just here inviting Carson to come with Kat and I--"

My head shot up and I shot out a warning finger at her, "I'm not going to the fucking wedding." I snapped, she waved her hand dismissively at me as she turned towards Adam. I reluctantly glanced toward him and met eyes with him for a brief second before forcing my gaze to the opposite direction. God, I felt like throwing up.

"You are more then welcome to come with us Adam," She invited beamingly -- obviously, she wanted me to strangle her -- before looking over at Wesley, "You too, of course, Wes."

I shot up onto my feet from where I sat on the couch and clapped my hands together, "So I'll just get my carpet cleaner and be on my way then. Carson?"

He looked over at me and paused for a moment before nodding and beckoning me after him, "Yeah, it's in my bedroom." He told me as I followed after him, fighting back when my legs suddenly got the urge to start sprinting as I passed Adam, and in turn almost nearly latched myself onto Carson's arm to feel some sort of comfort.

I entered Carsons room after him and leaned against the wall beside the door, heaving out a sigh and rubbing one of my temples as Carson wheeled the carpet cleaner out from the corner beside his end table. He gave me a questioning look once our gazes met, "His presence gives me a headache." I excused myself, Carson gave a chuckle of disbelief.

"You are positively unbelievable, you know that? Completely unbelievable."

I rolled my eyes carelessly back at him, "Do you think I care? Can I just ask what is Cece trying to accomplish here by inviting him to this wedding? It's like she wants me to be miserable! No, no! It's like she actually doesn't want me to go!" I whined exasperatedly.

Carson sighed, "Oh come on, you know she's not that cynical. You're her best friend," He tried to assure me, "She just... wants you and Adam to be friends."

I scoffed harshly, "What!" He gave me a look and I stared at him. Another silent moment passed and I snapped at the look on his face, "What?"

He was silent for another moment before he sighed and gave in, "Well honestly... I don't think she's exactly wrong to want that."

"Pardon?" I laughed in disbelief, I must be losing my mind. Or everyone else is losing theirs.

"Well, it would be nice to hang out, all of us, together, without you two pretending the other doesn't exist, or without the awkward tension." He considered out loud, and I was about to retort but he continued, "I mean, even if you both just tried... you two wouldn't even have to be friends, even. Just as long as you tried to get along and... get rid of at least some of the tension." I stared at him, squinting, and he gave me a pleading pout, silently begging me.

I shut my eyes and tipped my nose up -- alright, maybe I was a tiny bit too proud to agree. "No."'