Cheyenne: The Art of Love and Jealousy

Chapter Sixteen: The Plan

The end of the year was approaching too quickly for Cheyenne. It was already the middle of May. Cheyenne had put all her heavy winter clothes away and pulled out her tank tops, t-shirts, and shorts. She swapped out her leather bag for her denim and lace backpack. She was looking forward to seeing William after his weekend away. William had spent the weekend in South Lake Tahoe for his cousin's wedding. Cheyenne hadn't gone because she and William were only three days into their relationship when the RSVPs were sent back.

"Hey, Baby," said Cheyenne greeting William with a kiss early Monday morning outside the library. "How was your cousin's wedding?"

"Honestly, it was a drag," said William sitting down on a cement bench across from the library door. "I was so bored."

"You? Bored? That's something I never thought I'd hear in the same sentence." Cheyenne giggled. William raised an eyebrow at her.

"The ceremony lasted for over an hour. We kept having to stand and sit. The food was just awful; it was under seasoned and very overcooked and there was no dancing. There wasn't even music. It made it worse because there were a lot of little kids who were throwing tantrums because there was nothing for them to do."

"Oh good Lord," said Cheyenne with exasperation. "For our wedding, we have to have dancing. It's an absolute must. We'll even rent a bounce house for the kids too. And we'll put crayons and coloring pages at their seats."

"That's why I love you, Chey," said William, kissing her forehead.

"I love me, too," said Cheyenne, sticking her hands on her hips and putting her nose in the air. William doubled over laughing.

"You're cute," he said as he straightened himself. "So you're already planning our wedding?"

"I've been planning my wedding since I was six," Cheyenne giggled as she sat down on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her to help her balance. "Of course, things have been revised. A lot."

"I'm assuming that it used to involve lots of pink flowers and poofy sleeved dresses?" teased William.

"Something along those lines," Cheyenne said with a smile. "Everything was going to be pink. But then, when I was six, I wanted to marry the Disney character Aladdin."

William laughed. "And now?"

"I'm thinking of a Christmas time wedding. Complete with garland, lights, and trees. Or a summer wedding in your parent's barn with whiskey barrels for cocktail tables. What do you think?"

"Hmm. I like the idea of a summer wedding. I don't want to deal with rain. We can put fans in the barn. It's already wired for electricity." William grinned. "So what else is going to be different from your childhood dream wedding?"

 "Well, at this wedding, you're going to be my groom."

"You're marrying him?" said an unwanted voice. Cheyenne spun around so quickly she nearly fell off of William's lap. She looked up to see Alex coming towards them looking angry. It looked to Cheyenne as though he had gained even more weight since she had vomited on him, and tried tanning but got a bad sunburn instead. "You actually want to marry him?"

"Yes," Cheyenne said coldly, bracing herself suddenly if things got physical again.

"But I'm a much better fit for you!" protested Alex. "I'm on the football team, I get at least decent grades, and I might be able to get into college! I can give you everything!"

"William is an honor student, he's already been accepted into a college, he's got a steady job, and he doesn't go around throwing a fit like a spoiled toddler whenever things don't go his way. I swear, if I wanted to kill myself I'd climb your ego and jump to your IQ."