Partners In Crime

•In a minute•

Marina couldn't remember the last time she'd been to any sort of marriage related event where she didn't have to work actively on its downfall. She reckoned she may have been nineteen years old.

So she felt incredibly uneasy at Mark and Miles' wedding, wanting to hold onto Alex's hand for dear life, but she couldn't. They hadn't seen each other since the hospital, but what was new? Their relationship was episodic, and nothing more.

Instead, her plus one was Solana. They were seated in the middle of church pews together, waiting for the grooms to enter through the aisle. It was a hot summer's day and Solana was fanning herself daintily, and fanning Marina every now and then as requested.

"I could have brought my girlfriend to this you know," said Solana, fanning her, "She's obsessed with stained glass windows and men getting married." Indeed, there were both at this wedding.

"And I could've brought your hot bodyguard instead of you, querida, so why don't you keep your ungrateful bitch-mouth shut?" Marina retorted.

The two girls stared at each other for a moment before cackling to themselves. Everyone in their vicinity turned to them in confusion at the two girls losing it over virtually nothing. After they'd calmed down, Solana asked a question Marina was hoping she wouldn't ask.

"You couldn't have brought Alex?"

Marina shook her head.

"We're not like that. Plus, I don't think he'd come and if he did, he'd be with someone anyways."

"Uh-uh-uh, no he's not. I saw him earlier with someone."

"You what? Who?" Marina darted around immediately.

"Hahaha, I knew you'd do that." Marina slunk back into her shut, scowling at her lifelong friend while she grinned smugly. "Well I'm half-lying. I did see him here, but I don't know if he came with anyone."

"You suck."

"I'm superb. And I know everything. You're not over him, are you?"

"Of course I'm not! He told me he loved me, stayed by my side in the hospital, and then I rejected him, like a fucking idiot. I have literally thought of nobody else since. I'm almost insane," she muttered not too loudly.

Solana's gloved hand rested on her shoulder.

"You couldn't have done anything else, Marina, Theo had messed your life up. But now's a really great time to ask him out, querida. Providing he's not here with anyone, that is. But you know what they say, love will out. I mean, look whose wedding we're at."

"God, you're corny."

"One of us has to be, otherwise we'd be like you all the time." Marina did not share the giggle Solana was having.

"Just-promise me you'll talk to him today."

Just as Marina was about to answer, a wave of people from behind stood up, and hushes came as the organ began to play. Not soon after, Mark and Miles emerged from the corner, their arms linked together, unable to rest their faces from the smiles they adorned. What stung Marina in the heart a little was the absence of Mr Kane, even though he was invited. But at least Mark's parents were there.

After they'd passed her, Marina found her eyes wandering around the crowd, trying to spot a face. It didn't take long, because once they'd laid eyes, she realised he was looking around for her too.

Her knees got weak just seeing him. He abandoned the quiff, the flashy greaser look. Grown out hair, stylish clothes appropriate for the weather. She saw him see her, and pure content rose onto his face. Needless to say, she was looking a lot better than before. Marina cut her hair short again, removing the dead weight. It hovered by her ears.

While watching the ceremony Alex flashed before her eyes at the same time. So when Mark and Miles spoke their vows, it was Alex and her exchanging vows too. And when they put on each other's rings and kissed, she saw herself and Alex in that exact same position. It was tormenting and everything.

So at the reception, it was jarring seeing someone she'd been thinking about for concerningly too long. Her and Solana just left the toilets, both sober but high off energy, and they bumped into Alex in the corridor. Marina didn't think anything was accidental about it.

On seeing him Solana launched into a hug, holding him tight and endlessly thanking him.

"You're one of my favourite people, Alex, I mean it. It sucks not seeing you around, and not when you're trying to ruin something," she told him, pecking him on his cheek. He chuckled to brush off the fact he was blushing red.

"I've missed you too, Lana. We've gotta meet up more."

"I'm holding you to it, mister," she wagged a finger at him, "and also I realise I'm delaying a very important conversation. See you back in there, querida." Solana walked off.

"Lana-" Marina started.

"-See ya." Solana winked, disappearing around the corner.

The air was palpably thick around Marina and Alex. They left themselves a moment to just observe how the other had changed.

"Nice hair," he said.

"Yours too."

"Looks just how it did when we first met."

She was stunned, her face catching fire.

"So-" she started, failing miserably to hide her smile, "another wedding together. Surprised nothing's happened."

"Yeah, I think-those days are over now," he said, kicking the ground lightly. "The universe got tired of that story line."

"I-" she started, "I'm remembering what you said to me, the last time we saw each other."

He gazed expectantly, with big eyes that provided ample space for her to travel into. It almost scared her off, but she made a promise to Solana.

"I've thought about it and-I don't-want to only see you at weddings. I can't deal with only seeing you occasionally. It has quite literally, although I'm not going to get into it right now, driven me insane."

"Are you saying you..."

"I'm pretty sure I love you too."

He snorted.

"You're pretty sure?"

"Shut up. You know what I mean. Did you come by car?"

"Yeah, why?"

She smiled.

"Well," she crossed her arms, "I've decided I don't feel like meeting Solana back in there."

"Don't you now?"

"Yep. Other things are-on my mind."

Alex's eyes glimmered, the fire was sparked.

"Meet me out front in a few, I've gotta see a man about some money first," he almost blurted out, approaching her. He took the liberty of kissing her, holding her cheek for a moment. And then, he walked off to find the man.

"In a minute?"

Alex smiled, the memory of a devious smirk still etched into it.

"In a minute, love."

=/=