FRIDAY: Wedding Day
Dana:
I couldn't look away.
I was seconds away from coming over to him and dragging him somewhere else, some place where we could do inappropriate stuff. Now was not the time, though.
We were at Aaron and Dakota's wedding reception. I sat at the table with some of their high school friends. Ethan and Luke were at the bar, getting some drinks. Alyson, on the other hand, was busy being the maid of honor.
"Stop it," I mouthed to Ethan, who kept giving me heated looks from across the room. You would think I didn't satisfy him, but that wasn't the case at all. He couldn't get enough of me, that was the problem.
I was in no way complaining, though.
Ethan raised his eyebrows and shrugged innocently.
"What?"
I rolled my eyes and shook my head, trying not to laugh while he chuckled at my reaction. I finally looked away and studied the place.
We were at the Wingland hotel in town. They held the wedding at the courtyard, while the reception was inside. There were about eleven round tables around the room, a dance floor right in the middle, and a main stage right upfront.
High Jinks played earlier; the first dance; the father-and-daughter dance; and an upbeat one for everybody. I caught about four of them mingling with the guests, as if they were already part of the family. However, one of them was out of sight.
I scanned the room and neither did I see Dakota's cousin, Viria. I heard about their story from Ethan. I didn't tell him this, but my best friend Karl also told me about them. Apparently, they had quite a sad ending.
I really did hope they worked things out.
"Hey, you!"
I jumped in my seat in startle.
"Oops, sorry," laughed Dakota.
She looked radiant with her dark hair in loose curls around her shoulders. She had that contagious smile on her, making everyone around feel light and happy.
Aaron was beside her, looking dashing as well. Their blissful aura was oozing off of them and spreading around like a virus.
I got to my feet and smiled at the sight of them.
"Congratulations, you two!"
"Thanks, Dana," replied Aaron, grinning and kissing me on the cheek. When he pulled away, he turned to greet the others.
"I'm so glad you're able to make it today!" said Dakota, before attacking me with a hug. "You're like part of the family now."
"Aw, I wouldn't miss it for the world."
She sent me a grateful look. "Thank you."
"I feel like I should be the one thanking you," I told her truthfully. "You know, for helping Ethan find me earlier this week."
"Hey, it's not everyday Ethan calls for help – especially from me." She tilted her head in wonder. "How'd it go, by the way? I'm sorry, I've been so busy these past few days that I didn't get to ask how it went."
"Don't worry," I assured her, patting her hand. "Everything went fine, really. He got along with my father, and that's more than anything I could ask for."
"What about your friends?"
"Well . . ." I trailed off, finding the right words.
It wasn't that they didn't like him. It was just that they didn't expect him to be so aggressive. The thing about Ethan was, whenever he was in the room, it was as though he was taking up the entire space – everyone's attention was on him.
He couldn't help it.
Dakota winced. "I know he can really be an ass sometimes but I hope they realize that that's just his defense mechanism."
My eyes narrowed. "Are you getting protective of Ethan?"
She snorted. "Yeah, let's not get ahead of ourselves." Her eyes wandered across the room to where Ethan was, and she shrugged. "I'm just saying that deep, deep down all that doucheness, he's not that bad."
She suddenly blinked, as though realizing what she just said. She turned to me and added seriously, "If you tell him I said any of that stuff, I won't share stories about him that he doesn't want you to know."
"Secret's safe with me." I giggled. "I'm glad I met you, Dakota."
Her eyes softened. "Same here."
"What are your plans now?"
She considered it. "After our honeymoon, we're planning to move back in town. Aaron's going to handle the family business while I'm going to try my hand at writing for the local paper."
"You don't want to try writing in the City?"
"I've recently discovered that the city life isn't for me," she admitted, then she glanced at her husband. "Or us."
I nodded. "I'm happy for you."
She turned back to me and smiled. "Thanks. How about you? Aren't you going to be a senior at Yale this coming fall? Just one more year!"
I laughed. "Yes, I know." I looked at Ethan, who was grinning at Luke as he appeared to be explaining something. "We've decided to do the long distance thing. He's going to stay in New York while I finish my degree. We're going to visit each other as much as we can." I shook my head in amusement as I looked back at Dakota. "My father is actually quite thrilled. He thinks this means I'm going to the City more often because Ethan will be there. Meaning, he'll get to see me as well."
Dakota burst out laughing. "You don't visit your father enough, then."
"Not so much in the past, no." I bit my lip. "I feel bad."
She patted me on the arm. "There's plenty of time to make up for it."
I smiled at her.
"I hope you're not plotting my downfall with my girl, Evans."
Ethan came up from behind me, his hands settling on my waist and pulling me against him. I had to bite my bottom lip to keep myself from smiling so much.
"I mean, I love going down and all," he continued, kissing the side of my head. "But I'd rather do it in private with my girl."
It was a good thing he couldn't see the sudden rush of blood on my cheeks. His ego could only handle so much.
Dakota rolled her eyes. "Of course, you'd make it dirty."
I looked up and saw my boyfriend grinning.
"Just keeping it fun," he said lightly.
"Not at my wedding, Tyler."
"This is me twenty-four-seven, Evans."
"It's Ford now, Ethan," piped up Aaron, putting his arm around Dakota's waist.
Ethan looked up and met his friend's eyes. "Nah, she'll always be nerdy Evans to me." He flashed Dakota a smirk.
The corner of her lips turned up, but she didn't say anything.
"Time to go back to your chairs, newly weds!" exclaimed Alyson, ushering them to the stage. "After this, we can all go back to mingling. Maybe some dancing, too!"
Aaron and Dakota laughed as they followed Alyson.
"Ethan!" called Luke from the side of the stage, by the DJ's booth. He waved for Ethan to go over there. "Speech time!"
"Time to make everyone cry," whispered Ethan, kissing me softly on the lips. "Talk to you later, babe."
I giggled as I watched him confidently climb up to the stage. Then, I took my seat as the lights dimmed and the spotlight locked on him.
"Woohoo! Go, E.T.!"
Ethan nodded to Nigel and gave his friend his infamous smirk.
"Thanks, man."
He grabbed the microphone from the stand and cleared his throat, before facing the room. "First off, y'all are probably wondering why the fucking hell I'm up here instead of Luke. I'm wondering that, too."
Everyone laughed, while he turned to Aaron who was sitting beside Dakota at the head table.
"Dude, what the hell were you thinking?"
Aaron laughed, shrugging in answer.
"But then again," continued Ethan, "between me and Luke, he's definitely the reliable one so it's only natural that he's tasked with the important and boring stuff. I mean, he's good at important and I'm shit at boring so it's a win-win. Ain't that right?" he added to Luke, winking.
Luke only shook his head in amusement. Ethan's face grew thoughtful while he rubbed the back of his neck, as if he was recalling something.
"When Aaron told me he was gonna propose to Dakota last year, I seriously blew my shit. We're so young and we have this whole life ahead of us. Why get tied down this early? I didn't get it at all." He paused and shrugged. "I tried to talk him out of it – Sorry, Evans – But you know Aaron. Once his stubborn ass decides on something, he's dead set on following through with it. There was no stopping him."
I tilted my head to the side as I carefully watched Ethan pace on the stage, one hand holding a microphone and the other holding a champagne glass.
"What force was so powerful that he had the urge to do this? What was so strong that the pull was unstoppable? I was fucking clueless to this shit." His eyes found mine. "Until recently."
My heartbeat accelerated. There was that stare again. But this time, there was no playful hint in them. He was serious – sincere, even.
"The thing about love is, when it hits you, it just fucking hits you." Ethan's lips curled up into a smile. "I mean, you can deny it all you want, but you sure as hell won't be able to stop yourself from falling, anyways. You can do jack shit about it. When you know, you just know. It's consuming. It's overwhelming. It's scary as shit."
He paused to let out a small laugh as he looked down. When he raised his head again, he blue eyes returned to me.
"But just one look – one fucking smile from that person, and you suddenly feel like you're invincible. And before you know it, you live and breathe for that someone."
With one last smile at me, he turned back his attention to Aaron and Dakota.
"I realize now that my old buddy has it good. He gets to go home to his soulmate everyday. He gets to wake up right next to the love of his life – forever. They have each other's backs, no matter what. I can't imagine anything better than that." He shook his head. "I only hope that one day, I get to have what you have."
The room was in absolute silence that you could hear a pin drop and it would be deafening. It wasn't everyday that Ethan spoke of love like this.
"No, no." He frowned and shook his head like he changed his mind. "Fuck that. There's no doubt about it. You bet your ass I'll have that someday." He pointed to Aaron and Dakota. "And I have you guys to thank for showing me what life's all about."
A smile made its way to my lips.
Ethan faced the room and lifted his glass. "Please raise your glasses with me and give a toast in celebration of a love that – c'mon, let's be honest here – we all definitely saw coming, to Mr. and Mrs. Ford!"
Everyone laughed, before raising their glasses and taking a drink.
"By the way, I'm kinda worried about your future kids, man." When Aaron gave him a questioning look, he explained, "I just hope they won't take after their mom's nerdiness." With that, he quickly got off the stage as he laughed.
Dakota rolled her eyes as he walked away, but she was smiling nonetheless.
"Cute speech," I told Ethan, when he neared me.
He placed a hand on the table and the other one on the back of my chair as he towered over me. I looked up at him and reached up a hand to run my fingers through his hair. He grinned.
"Told you I'd make everyone cry."
I snorted. "Mm, I think I saw Sam sobbing in the corner."
He eyed me, before letting out a dramatic sigh. "You're spending too much time with Dakota, her sarcasm's rubbing off on you."
"You like it."
"That sass?" He nodded mockingly. "Oh, definitely."
I smiled, rolling my eyes.
"Dance with me," he whispered, gently tugging my hand and pulling me across the room. I let him lead the way.
By the time we made it to the dance floor, Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviazuk was playing. Ethan placed my hands around his neck, while his went around my waist. Yet again, our surroundings disappeared and he was all I could see.
"I still can't believe you lost the rings," I recalled.
"Let's focus on the 'I found the rings' part instead." He grinned, pulling me closer to him. "Besides, it was all your fault. I wasn't the one who got all horny and dared us to do a public sex in the woods."
I flushed. "I meant make out, not go all the way."
"But we did," he reminded me, chuckling.
I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying not to remember the details. If not, I might jump Ethan here and we might not be able to finish the song.
I've turned into a very horny creature.
"Are you enjoying the party?" he asked.
I opened my eyes and nodded. "Yes, I love your world." My fingers played with his hair as I stared up at him. "It's low-key. I like how I don't have to impress anyone."
"You're impressive enough," he murmured, leaning closer and giving me a soft kiss. "And gorgeous, too."
I giggled. "You and your compliments."
"You like my compliments," he replied, almost quoting what I said earlier. He grinned, and added with a wink, "Especially in the bedroom."
I burst out laughing and playfully shoved his face away. He watched me with a warm smile on his face. Even when I mellowed down, he continued to look at me that way. Before I could ask what he was thinking, he spoke.
"I'm going to marry you someday," he promised. "You know that, right?"
I blinked. He looked so sure of himself.
Many things came across my mind at once, but all I could only manage to say was, "We've been barely dating a week."
"I know."
"I still have to finish my degree."
"I know."
"You have a basketball career to think about."
"I know."
"Don't you think it's too early to be thinking about marriage?"
He chuckled, calmly pushing a stray hair out of my face and placing it behind my ear. "That's why I said 'someday,' dummy. I don't mean anytime soon."
He was so calm about this. You would think the thought of marriage would freak him out, but he looked ready for it.
"Oh."
He laughed, and said, "God, you're so uptight."
I frowned. "Shut up, perv."
"I love you," he mumbled, before pulling me tighter against him as if he wasn't planning on letting me go.
I returned his tight hug, and murmured, "I love you, too."
With a smile, he kissed my cheek and pulled away so his blue eyes could meet my green ones. "I'm just making sure you know that you're part of my future."
I practically melted at his words. "Yes, I want that."
"Good." He leaned closer until his lips brushed against my ear, and whispered softly, "Because I'm definitely keeping you."
_____________
After 2 years, I FINALLY wrote the epilogue of Mismatched Compatibility (with A and D's wedding reception) and UPLOADED IT! WOOHOO!
This is a way of thanking you guys for following me here on Wattpad and my other social media ( accounts because 400k ON WATTPAD! That's huuuuuge! Thank youuuuu! xx
And again, if you want to see more of their world, you can check out Cruel Me which stars the slightly younger generation peeps in Mount Valley. It's not for the faint-hearted, though. Haha! ;)