Never Plan Your Ex's Wedding / / Pipabeth NOMINATED FOR PJO_WATTY AWARD GO VOTE

Never Plan Your Ex's Wedding: Chapter Ten

"Hello," I said, as Reyna came around the corner. I looked in confusion behind her. "Where's Jason?"

"He's stuck at work," she shrugged off her jacket and let it hang off the back of the chair, I notice the purple, knitted infinity scarf looped around her neck. It's a royal purple, a bold statement. The pattern is simple, I should know. I made it myself. "It looks like he's not going to be here."

"Oh." I felt a bit better. I had decided that dealing with just Reyna on her own, though still difficult, was certainly better than her with Jason.

I couldn't stop staring at the scarf. She hadn't been wearing it whenever I had seen her. Why was she suddenly wearing it now? Why did she want to wear it at all? I had thought I'd would see it again, and before I can stop myself I blurt out, "The scarf."

She smiles, a sad thing. "You think I'd just throw it out?" She slings it on the back of her chair and I pass her the menu, displaying the list of all the kinds of cake and icing and different types of decoration and colour. I also slide across a whiteboard marker for marking it. She takes them both and opens the menu, smiling.

"I've been waiting all day for this."

I laughed, "It's the best part."

"Even with having you doing all the work, it's still exhausting. I don't know how you do it." She's looking at me and it's odd. Her eyes convey simple thankfulness, a good cover,  but they are searching. She wants to see how I react. I don't dare break the stare, despite its overwhelming intensity. What was that look? I don't even remember what she said to me. She had that effect on me before we'd started dating, she could look at me and I would forget my own name.

Another moment of silence passes and it suddenly feels awkward. I avert my eyes and pick at the hem of my coat, hanging off the back of my chair. The baker brings out a small bowl with a bit of cake in it. Reyna looks up in confusion.

"Do you mind bringing out another bowl?" She looks at me, resting her fingertips on mine. "I certainly don't feel I can decide on my own."

"That's not-"

Reyna cut me off. "Please." He nodded and went back to the kitchen. She smiles at me and it's genuinity hits me like a ton of bricks. What is up with her? All of a sudden Jason is busy and she's here by herself. I mean that's fine, lots of people do that. But when she's here with me, she's all smiles and laughter and putting her hand on mine and just... what the hell?

Pre-wedding jitters. It had to be. I should've known before, how could I not have thought of that? Especially with Reyna, who's not exactly the commitment type. She was impossible while we were dating.

I can't encourage this though. I will be friendly and businesslike, nothing more. I couldn't let this get bad. And hey, it wasn't bad yet. I inwardly sighed. Dammit. This was so much easier when I was just like her wedding planner. I felt the effects of every smile as my stupid hope shoved it's way up. Every look and I was wondering how secure she was with Jason. The other day I actually considered switching with Percy when her hand ended up on my thigh.

Yes, on my frickin' thigh! I didn't even move. I'm so starved for her touch it's disgusting. I mean she's insane, I know that, but I just wanted to leap forward and kiss her. I wanted to take down her ever present braid and run my hands through her hair. The space between us was choking me. I was so sick of this. So sick of seeing her and that stupid ring on her finger. I had inwardly exploded. I didn't understand.

I told Percy later. That was a mistake. Well my first mistake, my second mistake was the tears. Honestly though I couldn't handle it. He decided there that I was suffering, that it was too much. I fought him on it saying it was too late, I was already too involved and it would be hard to switch. He dismissed this. He did feel bad though, I wouldn't be here if not.