The Wedding Effect

[11]

I frowned when all the attention dropped on Parker, and he smiled, causing half the females in the room to bat their lashes at him. He, however, seemed very oblivious to the fact that he was being ogled.

"Finally, my husband." Mida reached towards Shawn, staring adoringly into his eyes and smiling like a frozen donkey. She put her arm around his waist. "For choosing me amongst the five hundred and thirty billion females on this earth to be his wife."

The crowd went, "Aww."

And right there, in the plain view of everyone, they were closing in on each other, about to kiss-

"I don't think that figure is accurate!" Simone yelled from where she stood, effectively stopping their action. Marcus's eyes went wide, and he slapped a hand over her mouth to shut her up. She glared at him.

It was an almost painful sight. Almost. Simone and Marcus's relationship was one to be desired. The love they had for each other was very evident in each action they took.

The two had met on a cruise that I, Mida, and Simone had taken two years ago. They bumped into each other while dancing, and the sparks began to fly. Literally. Mida and I watched them close the distance between themselves after apologizing profusely to each other. It was pretty cute.

Mida kissed Shawn's cheek instead and detached herself from him, going on to bore daggers into my grinning best friend's forehead with her glare. Marcus laughed and kissed Simone's own cheek. A nauseous feeling rose in the pit of my stomach.

"Let's get on with the games, shall we?" Shawn said into his mic, stepping forward.

Next to him, Mida grinned. "Bring in... The chocolate!"

A waiter wheeled in a large dome, which was probably covering the chocolate, on a moveable table. After setting it in the middle of the room, right next to an array of nicely arranged candles, he went away.

Mida stepped down from the stage and went to the dome.

Though I was the one who planned the wedding, I had no clue what the games were. Mida didn't let anyone know, not even Shawn. She wanted it to be a surprise.

Well, I sure was surprised when she lifted the dome and greeted us with a very large glass bowl of melted chocolate. And I wasn't the only one. Over half the room gasped.

Parker whistled. "Boy, that is one large chocolate bowl."

Mida took a spoon off the table and scooped some chocolate into her mouth, smacking her lips together.

"We're going to have a contest. All the males are going to dip their hands into this bowl and try to find..." She pulled out a ring. "This." My cousin was delusional, and this game was stupid. With everyone staring, she dropped the ring into the chocolate bowl and gave it a stir with her spoon. "Whoever finds the ring first deems his couple the luckiest in the room. Now, I have to warn you beforehand that this chocolate bowl contains only the thickest and hardest chocolate to go through, so I wish all of you good luck. Could all the males step up to the table, please?"

I turned to face Parker, but he was already watching me with a grin on his face. "This is stupid," I told him.

"I know. I'm doing it."

"It's pointless and insensible!"

"And fun," he shrugged. Then he winked, "I'm going to win you a ring, babe."

My heart stopped, "Did you just-"

The rest of my sentence stuck to my throat when he pressed his lips to my cheek. Suddenly, my heart came back to life, jumping around and threatening to pop out of my chest at any moment.

When Parker leaned away, he had this sparkle in his eye. I recognize it as the same one from that night. Right before we kissed.

I swallowed.

"I'll be back," he smirked once more before heading towards the bowl where the other men had started to gather, folding up his sleeves all the way.

I was left stunned to silence. Wasn't this the guy who said he wasn't ready for anything serious?

My mind was still racing when Mida counted down from five to zero, and the men plunged their hands into the chocolate bowl.

I stared at Parker. He had his back to me as he battled for the ring, muscles rippling under his shirt.

We can only be friends.

He didn't mean that. He couldn't have. But he said it, and now I was going crazy. This wasn't fair!

The battle lasted over five minutes. Some men let out grunts of frustration at certain points while their partners watched with ever eyes and giggling lips. I was in a battle of my own-a battle between what was right and what I wanted. I wasn't even sure what it was I wanted, to be single or to kiss Parker.

I almost didn't hear the shout of victory from Marcus as his chocolate-covered hand emerged from the bowl with the ring which he held up high. I heard Simone squeal right before the room burst into applause.

"And we have a winner!" Mida exclaimed happily.

Meanwhile, a few of the men proceeded to the three washbasins at one end of the room. Others left the room entirely. Probably to wash their hands in the bathroom.

Parker turned around to face me, no sign of sadness or defeat in his eyes as he strolled back to me.

"I guess we're not the luckiest couple then." He shrugged. "But at least we're a couple."

Are we? Are we really?

Parker confused me. While a part of me found it hot, the other part couldn't help but be frustrated. We both wanted to be single, so why was he constantly taking steps to cross the line and then retracting those steps?

Behind him, I heard people gasping. I craned my neck to see the cause of the commotion, just as Parker spun around, a gasp leaving my own lips.

Marcus was on one knee, right in front of Simone, who looked like she was going to either pass out, cry or both. The ring he held up sparkled under the light, but it wasn't as bright as his smile as he watched my best friend.

"Marry me, Simone."