Waking up in a familiar place after traveling the world is one of the most serene things I have ever felt. Just looking up at the same popcorn ceiling I saw hours on end as a teenager was heartwarming. But my mind suddenly went to dark places as I had remembered there was someone else who would stare at the exact same ceiling with me.
Today the spouses were coming in. Both Ross and Piper had come alone. Elle had to finish stuff off at her job, while Danielle hated flying so her train came in early this morning, which I'm guessing Ross had left to retrieve her. Today more guests will be coming, so I'd get the pleasure of meeting other kids Vi had raised as well as her extended family members.
And how could I forget, tonight we're having dinner, and I finally get to meet the man who had swept Vi off her feet.
"Caspian I told you to be down for breakfast." Vi's voice startled me and I laughed in response, just getting out of bed in what I was wearing, a long sleep shirt with comfy blue cloud boy shorts, a little revealing, but there shouldn't be that many people downstairs anyways.
But as I reached the kitchen my assumptions were far off, as soon as I caught sight of Ross and Danielle laughing as Piper told some antic dote I turned to leave but Vi called my name. "Caspian, be a dear and get some napkins." Grumbling to myself I left the dining room retrieving a paper towel roll as I braced myself to walk back in there.
"Here Vi." I said quietly as I took an empty seat by Elle, I felt Danielle's stare on me as I started piling food on my plate.
"So Caspian, any travel plans after the wedding?" Piper asked, sending me a secret smile, she already knew the answer, she just wanted to break the tension.
"Uh, actually I was planning on staying in New York for a bit." I shrugged. "You guys make settling down look like bliss." My attempt at a joke only made Elle laugh and I just sighed and looked down at my food. "How's Augustine?"
"Sleeping in, poor kid didn't like the flight down, it was a disaster. Let me tell you, Cheerios everywhere." Elle waved her hands about.
"Yeah, flying doesn't have that much appeal to me." Danielle said sheepishly. "I don't know how you do it Caspian." I contained my shock at how she had addressed me, we haven't even been formally introduced, besides the times she would pick up Ross' phone while he was busy.
"The hardest part is the take off, Ross would know, when we went to Canada together I was a wreck." I laughed and Ross looked towards Danielle with slight worry as he feigned laughter.
"Wow, Canada sounds cool." She said quietly as she kept eating and I awkwardly nodded as I looked towards Ross in confusion.
He hadn't told her?
Everyone's stares moved towards the door to the dining room as Danny cane shuffling in, Augustine clinging to his back. "Mornin'" He croaked out.
"Hey Mom's." Augustine sighed as he jumped down from Danny's back and everyone looked at each other, thrown off by the bizarre scene.
"Uh hey buddy." Elle grabbed him to sit him on her lap. "You getting along with Danny?" Augustine rubbed his tired eyes as he nodded.
"Yeah, he's cool I guess." And Danny scoffed.
"We just met in the hallway." Danny shrugged sitting down beside me his tired eyes softened as he looked at me. "Good morning beautiful." He rasped just as I was taking a drink of water sending me into a coughing fit.
I glanced to see Ross looking back and forth between me and Danny before looking towards Danielle.
And so I sat, trying to understand this turn of events, in awe as to how this whole event was going to turn out. Hopefully for the sake of my sanity, I'll go back home empty handed.
Suddenly the doorbell ringed and everyone looked back and forth at each other before I rolled my eyes and got up to answer it.
I opened the door to be greeted with a girl that was about my age, with wavy light brown hair, and the most flawless skin complexion I've ever seen, she smiled at me putting her hand out. "Hi, I'm April."
This is going to be an interesting couple of days.
•••
"Who was it?" Vi asked curiously as I walked in, and seconds later April had walked in behind me, and the fork that Ross had in his hand clattered to the floor and Piper held a hand up to her mouth to conceal her gasp.
"April?" They said in unison and I just shrugged it off as I pulled up a chair for her by Danny and Vi.
"Yeah, I know it's been awhile." She laughed, even her laugh sounds attractive, this girl was just radiating beauty.
"Hi my name is Elle, I'm Piper's wife." Elle was eyeing April with suspicion and I looked towards Danielle to see she had the same scrutinizing look.
"And I'm Danielle," she offered her hand out and April shook it with no hesitation. "Ross' fiancée."
I froze in place at hearing that word, and my eyes snapped down to her left hand that was donning a ring, before looking up at Ross who seemed to look apologetic towards me. I blinked away the tears, shaking my head in disbelief before looking at April. "I'm Caspian."
"Ross' ex." She finished off for me laughing, finding humor in the situation. "Isn't this funny? That out of the nine people at this table three of us have had a piece of Ross?" I looked at her wide eyed as did Danielle, it seems that once again she hadn't known about Ross' past. This time it's something more harrowing, his ex's.
"Uh well, I'm going to go get ready for today." I excused myself pushing back from the table before going over to Vi and kissing her cheek. "Thanks for breakfast Vi."
••••
"What the actual fuck!?" Piper bursts into my room as I was curling my hair. "She just comes here and thinks everything is all joyful and laughter. As if she didn't cause a full shit storm for me as a teenager now she's causing one when I'm a wife and a mother?! Elle's beyond pissed, it may not have seemed like it but she hasn't spoken to me since 9 am!" She was huffing and puffing before she looked at me again. "Aren't you bothered?!" She asked in disbelief.
"Hey, I'm single here and trying to be drama free." I put my hands up in surrender. "I have already experienced a lifetime of drama to at least attempt to not get involved."
"Yes because flight is easier than fight, you should know all you've done these past couple of years is run away."
I gave her an annoyed look and she sighed sitting on one of the beds and I continued doing my hair. "This is just a mess of a wedding."
"Ross' fiancée." It stung, I'm not going to lie. Just how many times I had imagined my future with him, and now she got to live out my happiest fantasies.
"What's going on with you and Danny." Piper spoke up and I groaned.
"I have no idea what is up with him." I finished with my hair and went into makeup.
"I do, he has a torch lit for you, now all that needs to be asked is if you feel the same." She looked at me cunningly through the mirror I was looking at and I rolled my eyes. "C'mon! He's a nice guy, he's very handsome as well, only a god could create such a sculptured six pack like his."
"I thought you played for the other team." I deadpanned and she put her hands on her hips.
"Doesn't mean I don't know beauty when I see it." She sassed.
"Doesn't matter nothing is going to happen."
"But you're going to be sad." She said quietly and I stilled in embarrassment as I tried to deny it. "You don't want to try anything with Danny because... you still love him?" Her tone was slightly judgmental making me feel guilty.
"Of course not." I said pathetically. "I'm happy, he's happy and engaged. Everyone is happy, alright? And just because Danny is showing interest in me doesn't mean I could just jump into something with him, I don't even have a place to live yet for Christ sake."
"Just- Don't let opportunities pass you by just because you're afraid to hurt Ross' feelings." She headed towards the door. "Because he's moved on, everyone has, so try not to get left behind."
•••••••
I TYPED THIS SO QUICK BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
Okay so for one, TODAY WAS MY LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, I AM NOW A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SECONDLY, TOMORROW IS MY BIRTHDAY, IM TURNING 17
THIRD, I MADE A NEW FRIEND FROM IRELAND LAST NIGHT, HI IF YOURE READING THIS LMAO
FOURTH IM SEEING R5 AGAIN AUGUST 19TH IN OKLAHOMA CITY.
FIFTH MY DAD BOUGHT ME AND MY BEST FRIEND MEET&GREET TO MEET RYLAND
IM JUST SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW.
SO IF ANY OF YALL ARE GOING TO THE OKC SHOW I WANNA MEET YOU 💕
So please get in contact with me before then, so we can become gr8 friends.
Thanks for reading, voting, commenting, and following.
Love, Aliah