Yeah, I Hate You Too, Sweetheart.

Chapter 25 - Laila (part 1)

  "Could've been more pleasant about that, Nani," Justin told his cousin dryly.

The little girl called Nani stuck her tongue out at Justin, looking insanely pleased with herself.

  "My advice, Laila?" she said to me. "Dump him before he does something stupid."

I slapped a hand to my mouth to keep from laughing, thinking that Ashleigh and her little sister definitely shared the same sense of shocking humor.

  But seriously. She was how old?

"Let's go before she insults me anymore," Justin muttered, sounding offended. "She does it all the time."

  I didn't doubt that.

  By the time the sun had sunk low behind the pretty mountains that surrounded Silverton, delicate little paper lanterns that had been hung up around the tents were giving off a soft golden light as wedding guests sat about in chairs around tables full to the brim of plates upon plates of delicious looking food. 

  I could barely finish the small plate of steak in front of me, along with the mashed potatoes, buttered rolls, green beans, and a small portion of fruit salad. Everyone else at the table - the Richards, the Petrolases, Mom - had finished everything off on their plates, and Emma was even asking when we were going to get cake.

  I had no idea how anybody could possibly want to eat anything after a meal like that.

I layed my fork down against the pristine porcelain plate, listening to the inane chattering around me with a rather lazy manner. I was fairly certain my stomach had already expanded three inches. 

  I needed to stop eating, that was for sure.

"Did you enjoy the wedding, Laila?"

 I glanced up in surprise at Laurence, managing a small smile.

"Yes, I did," I answered politely. "Ashleigh looked beautiful."

 My eyes flickered up towards the high table at the front of the dance floor, where all of the bridal party was sitting. Ashleigh was absolutely glowing as she laughed delicately, sipping at a glass of wine in her her hand. Mitch looked just as bemused as his new wife did, watching her every move, a slight smile on his face that didn't seem to go away. 

  Of course, professional photographers had been capturing the entire day, but this wedding looked like it belonged in some Hollywood movie or something. My family's Jewish weddings have never been this put together or magazine worthy.

  The only damper on the rather pleasant evening, though? 

Maggie was sitting across the circular table from me and had childishly been shooting me sour glares throughout the entire dinner. I swear, if I even so much as glanced at Justin as he spoke, she'd be leaning forward in her chair, gripping her fork so tightly her knuckles would turn white.

  At this point, my patience was wearing thin and I was surprised she hadn't gone as far as to kick me underneath the table with her perfect designer heels.

  However humorously enough, I happened to be sitting beside Nick and Justin. Even though I thought I might have permanently damaged hearing, I had to admit I was enjoying myself. And if I'd thought that Justin talked too much, he had nothing on Nick, once he really got going.

  Just like his father, Dimitri, Nick had a tendancy to slap his hand down on the table with a particularly loud exclamation whenever something got a rise out of him that would make me wince and grab for my glass of lemon water.