The Second Worst Love Story Ever (+18)

19. The Subtle Art Of Ignoring

The next week passed in a blink. I tried to get as busy as possible so I wouldn't think about my fight with Val, and also so I wouldn't run into Gunner too much. I mean, I truly loved the guy -- he was that awesome -- but there was only so much my liver could take in order to soften my conscience.

As I predicted, Val didn't break up with him. Why would she anyway? The guy was a dream boyfriend; he did everything for her, was witty, charming, artistic. And to top it off, he was my fucking soul mate, so I was incapable of hating him. He was essentially a heavy metal version of me.

When he finally went home, I went back to my friends. It was just my luck that on my first weekend with them after Val's Birthday, Ethan and Lena dragged us to a small shop district to hunt for trinkets for Zoey.

"Why are we picking glass vases in Ireland?" Misha asked as we all strolled through the busy shop. "Did you guys even decide where this wedding is going to be held?"

"Not really. Zoey wants California. I say we do it here by the end o' the season," Ethan said.

"Not Scotland?" Val asked, holding a tall one, then putting it back in place when Lena gave her the no-no look.

"Nah! I wanna do this as soon as possible. If anyone wants to be a part of our big day, they can come over," he said a little bitterly.

I knew that resentment came from Ethan's beef with his father. Apparently, they were still not on good terms, but whenever we touched on that, he got irritated and refused to talk about it, lashing out on everyone for 'intruding'.

"I'm just surprised you have a say in anything about this wedding," I said. "I remember my sister took over when she planned hers. Marco didn't even pick his own tux."

"Zoey's designing the centerpieces, and she couldn't find a specific vase in California," Lena said.

Ethan huffed. "The only reason we're indulging her is 'cause the more stuff I buy here, the more sense it'll make for us to have the wedding here."

"Why can't she pick one closer to LA? It's just a fucking vase," Val said.

"Women get really intense about weddings," I told her, reminiscing how psychotic Ada got as her big day came upon us. "But I'm not surprised you don't know about this since you're a guy."

"If I'm a guy, what does that make you?"

"It's important to her, okay? Try to be more sensitive," Lena scolded us. "I found it. What else?"

Ethan pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at what I deemed to be a list of items Zoey had given him. "A sixteen by twenty-four sized frame. A frame? Why the hell do we need that?"

"She obviously has a vision," Lena said. "I know a store down the street where we can find it. Let me just order a dozen of this."

Lena went to take care of her wedding tasks, then we headed to the mirror place. I absently strolled through the isles because, even though I loved my friends, I had zero intention to actually look for a specific frame or a vase just to satisfy Zoey's whim. Val seemed to think likewise. She was obsessively staring at a full-length mirror like a cockatoo hypnotized by its own reflection. She was turning in place and analyzing her figure from different angles, not at all interested in Ethan's pursue.

"What's the matter with you?" I asked.

"This shirt marks my belly. I should have worn a larger one." She tugged the dark green fabric.

"What are you talking about? You have no belly. I don't even know how you stand on your two feet."

"How can you not see it? It's right-- Come on, feel it. You'll see what I'm talking about."