The Numbers We Defy

Chapter 21

"A color scheme would be tacky," Liam claimed. 

"No, it would look so pretty if we had a single color throughout," Megan protested. "What do you think, Maya?"

"I'm sorry but I have to agree with Liam. I think you two should just settle on a vibe."

"Traitor," Megan mumbled. 

"It's too early for that anyways," Liam interjected. "We need to decide on a venue." 

"We can go upstate. Have an outdoors wedding," Megan suggested. 

"Why not stay here in the city? Something like the plaza would be perfect," Liam claimed. 

"Liam, I thought we agreed on an outdoors wedding."

"No, I said we'd think about it." 

"Well this is us thinking about it."

"Megan, this is my wedding too. Let me have some sort of say in it!"

"You said you didn't really care about the location!"

"Well, I changed my mind!"

"God, we aren't even married and already fighting," Megan scoffed and walked out the door. 

I kept my eyes glued to the table. We were having dinner at Liam's house, since Megan asked me to help her with the wedding planning. 

"What do you think?" Liam asked, nodding to me. 

"It's not my wedding."

"Yes, but if it was your wedding, what would you like?"

"I'm not picking sides between you two."

"You already did with the color scheme," he pointed out. 

"That's a smaller detail. It's not my place to tell you where your wedding should be."

"Where would yours be?"

"Well, since I've always had this fantasy of having it in the plaza ever since I watched Bride Wars."

"Good movie. What else?"

"What do you mean?"

"What else were you thinking of for a wedding?"

"Oh. Well, I imagine this very classic theme, you know? Something Gatsby, but with more candlelight and a sort of... golden essence."

"Sounds beautiful."

"What about you? If Megan gave you free reigns over the wedding, what would you do?"

"Well, if I had the money, I'd get this huge ballroom. You know, with chandeliers and carved walls and designs on the ceiling. Something like your idea."

"That would be beautiful."

"It would be," he said, looking me in the eyes with such intensity that I could have sworn he was looking through my soul. 

"You and Megan could have the ceremony outside and the reception in the ballroom," I suggested, subtly reminding both of us about Megan and their wedding.

"I was thinking about that too, but we don't have enough money for that."

"Oh" was all I could say.

"Listen, we need to talk."

"Nothing happened between us, Liam." 

"You know there is something between us. It's like... there is some force pushing us towards each other. Hell, we have the same dream wedding." 

"Only you are having yours with someone else," I reminded him.

He was silent now. 

"Look, whatever happened between us in the past cannot happen again," I said. 

"You said that last time."

"It was a small relapse, then. Doesn't change anything." 

"I could call off the wedding." 

"Call off the wedding if you don't want to marry Megan, Liam, but don't do it on my account."

"I'm not in love with her."

"Then why did you propose?"

"Because I did not know that it's possible to love someone so much until I saw you again." 

"Stop saying things like that. If you don't love her, then break off the wedding. She deserves better than that. Just when you make that choice the only thing I ask is that you keep me out of your mind."

"I can't! I can't keep you out of my mind! You don't think I've tried? I try every day!"

"So keep trying!"

"God, you are the most frustrating woman I have ever met."

"Good," I huffed.