TWO
I smiled as I checked off "Get flowers" in the checklist. I decided on April's favorite: pink roses.
I imagined how beautiful they would look lined up in the aisle.
Putting the checklist in my bag, I opened the door to let myself out of my apartment, but was stopped by Drew.
"Drew?" I asked, confused. "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you lost your copy of the checklist because I am not getting you another one."
He looked at me with a smirk. "You really think I'm that stupid to lose a checklist?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?"
Huh, answering each other with questions.
He shook his head getting back to my first question.
"I'm just here to ask you if you got someone to do the cake," he said looking hopeful.
"I didn't yet," I answered, worried where he was going with this.
"Well, don't. I found an amazing caterer and chef that can make us a great, big wedding cake in less than a week! He has no other clients since he isn't really known yet, but still, that's the good news."
"What? How do I know if this guy isn't going to give us a crappy cake instead?"
"Well, we're good friends and besides he makes a pretty killer cake, if you ask me."
"Ugh, I cannot believe this," I said walking downstairs with Drew following.
"That I am that amazing to save you one thing to do on your checklist?"
"No. That April decided to leave us to plan her wedding."
"Oh, yeah. I guess I have to agree with you on that one. You can't blame everything on me. You're not an angel to work with, either."
"How is that?" I asked, turning around to face him and crossing my arms.
"Oh, do you really want me to go that far?" he asked, eyes wide, chuckling.
I continued walking; we were halfway to the little cafe I wanted to stop at. I couldn't plan a wedding without coffee in my hands. "Forget it. I'm trying to do something here and you're completely distracting me."
"Well, will you agree to the chef thing or not? That's all I need to know!"
Not wanting to deal with Drew anymore, I agreed, which finally sent him off but before asking me what I have checked off so far.
I didn't want to say that I only got one thing done, because he might be almost finished with his and is offering to take over mine. He already got the cake!
"How much did you get done?" I asked, without replying.
"I asked you first," he squinted his eyes.
"Fine." I gritted my teeth, and mumbled, "One."
He chuckled, "Huh, me too."
I looked up, surprised.
"But, wouldn't it be two? You got the cake done."
He shrugged, "That was the only thing I've done so far."
"Well, you better get everything on that checklist checked off!"
"Psh, you only have one, too, and you're reprimanding me?"
"Well, I'm not lazy like you, and actually work hard because I want April to have the best wedding possible."
He groaned, "You and this wedding crap is driving me crazy," he turned towards the door. "I'm out of here."
"Finally!" I shrieked before he could close the door.
When I grabbed my drink that seemed like hours ago when I ordered, I sat at a small table close to the door. A woman on my left, at the table next to mine, said, "Going through tough times?"
I scoffed, "You don't know the half of it."
"Who's April?" she asked, leaning closer and putting down her book.
Well, wasn't she interesting.
"My best friend. His sister," I answered, facing her.
"And you're planning the wedding?" She asked, shocked.
I nodded, "It's a long story." Even though it wasn't really.
She stood up, "Well, good luck, honey. You're going to need it."
When she walked out, I was confused as ever.
I would never have imagined this little one-minute conversation with a nosy, old woman. Was she just being nasty when she said I needed luck or just felt sorry for me because planning a wedding puts stress on a lot of people?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I used an extra towel to dry my frizzy, wet hair.
I decided to take a shower when I came home because it usually makes me feel positive about things; and I was definitely needing it if I was working with Drew.
After putting on some clothes and leaving a towel on my head (turban style), I heard a knock on my door.
It was Drew. Great.
"I got the--" he started, before looking at the towel on my head. "Nice," he smirked.
"Thanks," I added sarcasticly.
"Anyways," he said, inviting himself in. "I got the music done, but before I reserve, do you prefer band or DJ?"
"Well, for a wedding, probably a band."
I quickly said, after that.
"No! Go with a DJ. April's not your typical bride, obviously," I said, trying to point out the situation we're in, which is planning her wedding. "April likes loud, hip music, so go with that."
"I knew it," he said pressing a number on his phone. "She is my sister, after all."
I looked down, unsure of what to do while he was on the phone.
Drew decided to turn to face the window, talking to whoever he was talking to to reserve a DJ.
I took notice of his appearance. He was in a formal suit, as usual. To think of it, I've never seen him in anything else since we were kids and he'd always wear sweatpants.
He had a toned back; I could see it through his shirt. If he wasn't such an annoying prick, I would actually see myself liking him. I mean, he is incredibly handsome, and he has been ever since he had gone through puberty.
I remember coming over to April's house for a sleepover, and seeing him in the kitchen. He had developed small muscles, even though now they were the perfect size. His voice was deeper and he was just so much more appealing, that is, before he decided to open his mouth.
Drew and I have always had a complicated relationship.
We've never liked each other. Not one bit. When we first met, he spit on me and I attacked him.
I took a seat on the couch, while he was still on the phone, going back through memory lane.
When we were ten, I was over at April's house and we decided to go swimming. He thought it would be hilarious if he pushed me in the pool while I was still wearing my clothes. I however, took him down with me, laughing even harder.
When we were thirteen, he swiped the frosting off of April and his birthday cake and put it on my face. Then grabbed the chocolate fudge and put that on my face. All of his friends were laughing at me, including the one boy I liked at the time, Johnny. I started to cry because of that, and instead of me beating him up, April had to. She told me he ended up crying, as well.
At age sixteen, when he already went through puberty, he got his first car while I still had to walk home. It was raining and there was puddle of water on the road. He sped up on the road and splashed me all over my cute outfit. Thank goodness I was already wet and he couldn't see my tears.
Crying over something Drew did, made me feel so weak, so I never did again.
To get him back for the splash, I had April invite me without him knowing. She let me in when he was taking a shower and we came up with the perfect payback. We grabbed her black and pink spraypaint and ran out to his car. April let me do the honors, because she knew how real my hatred for him was. I came up with more brutal plans, but he was April's brother and she still cared about him, so she let me ruin his car.
What a good sister.
I spraypainted "Revenge" in pink and made a big, black circle around it. I kept adding more pink to his silver car, and we ran quietly back inside. He was going on a date later that night, and I could not stop giggling thinking about his reaction.
We stayed by her window watching him. He took his keys out of his pocket and looked up. I laughed so hard when I heard him scream in such a high tone, it would hurt my voice to scream like that. He came running back inside and barged into April's room.
April was too scared to witness us arguing, so she hid in the bathroom.
He looked at me with so much hatred, although I didn't mind. I've stared at him like that for as long as I could remember.
"Why did you do that?! What is wrong with you? You ruined my fucking car, Mary!" he was screaming at me, and I remember being scared for a moment before I remembered I had the perfect reason to.
"You deserved it! This was all your fault to begin with!!" I yelled even louder.
I was really talking about when we first met, but he misunderstood. "Oh, because I just splashed you when you were walking home? It was raining anyway!! What the fuck is wrong with you? I have a date tonight!"
April decided to come out of the bathroom at that time, saying, "I swear, you two need to get over this stupid 'hating each other' thing! It's driving me crazy!!"
We both stared at her.
She continued, facing Drew, "Drew, I can't even let Mary come over anymore because you will start another fight! And Mary, why do you always have to prove your always right? At everything!!"
She groaned, stomping out of her room, "You guys drive me crazy!!"
I remembered how confused I was. I always thought April sided with me when it came to her brother.
My thoughts were interrupted when Drew came back from the balcony.
It's strange that we actually have to work together, but we really owe that to April.
"After lots of negotiating," he said with an eye roll, "I got the DJ for the wedding."
"Great," I said yawning. All that thinking made me tired.
He sighed, "Well, I can see your tired. I'm, uh, I'm going to go now."
"Okay, goodnight," I said, too lazy to walk him out.
I heard the door close behind him, and got up from my comfortable position on the couch.
While I was in bed, I decided to think of the good times Drew and I actually had. There was not many, but just enough to make me smile, looking back at them.
I remember a time when I was eleven or so and April and I had gotten in a fight over my long time crush, Johnny. I wanted to call my mom to pick me up right away, and while I was waiting for her, I sat outside on their porch.
I didn't see Drew, though, who wsa there before I had gotten on the porch. He was playing some game on his phone then, and looked up at me and said, "What's up with you?"
"April and I got in a fight," I stated dryly, without looking at him. I didn't want to talk to him. I thought I was going to be even more angry while talking to him, but I didn't.
"About what?" he asked, curiously, putting his phone in his pocket.
I turned towards him, probably looking miserable because I hated when we fought. "None of your business!"
He shrugged, "Actually it is. I need to comfort my little sister while she's arguing with her dorky best friend."
I crossed my arms, turning towards him, "First of all, I'm not dorky! Second, you are older than her by two minutes and twenty-seven seconds. Third, we both know you're not going to comfort her because you're a horrible brother."
"That's not true. I'm the best brother. When she was sick once, I made her soup and actually fed to her. If that's not being a good brother, I don't know what is," he said leaning back, smirking.
I hated that stupid smirk.
I sighed, deciding not to argue with him. I didn't have the energy after my argument with April.
"What were you fighting about?" he asked one more time.
I turned away, and mumbled, "Johnny."
"Johnny? My friend, Johnny? Why?"
I shrugged, wondering how long my mom would take to get here once I realized I forgot to call her. I didn't have a phone yet, which was really embarassing for me at the time.
"Um," I said, sheepishly, "Can I borrow your phone for a second?"
He hesitated before giving it to me, "Who're you gonna call?"
"My mom. I want to get out of here already," I said, dialing her number.
Before I could press the "call" button, he said, "Wait."
I looked at him confused.
Slowly, he said, "Do you want to eat or something? I still have some left over candy from Halloween that I don't really want. Maybe you like them..."
"Oh, okay!" I really loved candy. No one could separate me and candy. EVER. I couldn't say no.
I could see a little smile forming. He opened their front door for me and I followed him into the hallway.
I walked into his room, which I haven't been into since I was six, and he handed me a large bag of candy.
"You don't like any of these?" I asked, shocked that he would give something like this to me. Maybe he didn't know how special candy was to me
He shrugged, then shook his head.
"It's all yours," he said, sitting on his bed.
"Thanks." It was a little awkward. I never really talked to him without yelling or screaming.
He nodded. I could tell it was awkward for him, too, because he wasn't looking at me.
I sighed, and asked him, "Should I go apologize to April? I hate when we fight."
"Aw, man. Does that mean I'll see more of you," he asked smiling.
I smiled back, "You can't get rid of me."
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TADA! and that is the finale of Chapter Two, ladies and gentlemen :D