Constant-Alec Benjamin

Cinderella

A.N This is the dress I had in mind, but you can imagine whatever you'd like! Enjoy!

Alec had expected the short plane ride to be mild and calm. He had thought wrong. Reyhan was a complete lunatic. She glared at TSA officers, blew raspberries at old ladies she claimed were "Karens" and tried to go down the terminal riding her suitcase (she had crashed into a wall and then cried about the cut on her forehead).

"Now I'll have a scar for the wedding!" She had pouted.

Alec had sighed. "I told you not to do it but you won't listen."

"It's fine I'll make it work like Harry Potter."

They had almost missed their flight because Alec had taken a quick nap and Reyhan had been reading a book that was "too damn good to put down and check the time".

That led to both of them running, and Reyhan tripping over her pants and then Alec had to carry her all the way.

"WHY WOULD YOU WEAR SUCH LONG PANTS?"

"I'M 5'2! EVERYTHING IS LONG!"

A minute paused. Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it Alec begged inside his head.

Too late. "THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!"

"MY GOD REYHAN!"

Fortunately for him, she had crashed on the plane as soon as they had situated themselves into their seats. Later, at the hotel, she had disclosed that she had eaten an entire pack of gummy worms before heading to the airport. She was met with a glare from Alec. 

"I'm banning you sugar intake."

She smiled deviously. "OK, daddy."

Alec had got chili pepper red in the face after that. "That's just not right, Rey."

The next morning was an early one for the pair. Alec had been worried about being late because Reyhan would take a long time to get ready, but when he woke up, she was sitting on the bed with her hair and makeup done, drinking orange juice. 

"Oh you're awake! I wanted to let you use the bathroom before I changed."

"Why are you up so early?"

"I just hate being late."

He looked at her, the sleep having wandered off his eyes. Her jet black hair was in waves that he knew required a curler and the simple barefaced girl sported fiery red lipstick. Sometimes she looked so different that it made him feel things. Things he was not ready for and didn't want.

Too bad for him, because he felt more things when she finally got changed. Reyhan wasn't one to care what she wore most of the time. But when she walked out the bathroom in her satin blue dress he whispered underneath his breath. "Cinderella."

She gave him a dirty look. "Don't call me that. I find it offensive."

His face scrunched up in annoyance. "Why?"

"Cinderella was a dumbass."

"Elaborate."

Alec was sorry he asked because from the moment they left the hotel to the moment they arrived at the venue, Reyhan gave a long detailed lecture about her claim concerning Cinderella. In between she'd take long gulps of air and then speak nonstop. Hell, she even organized her speech in essay format. She had a thesis, and three supporting claims.  

The wedding went as planned, and Alec noticed that Reyhan didn't even touch the alcohol. She stared at the champagne bottle with sorrowful, angry eyes. Alec was afraid the bottle would explode. 

But the cake she plowed through. "This is really good cake, and I don't even like cake!" She claimed in between mouthfuls. Alec choked on his own laugh as he saw a bridesmaid approach him. He had been shy-fully glancing at her the whole night. Her hair was a dirty blonde pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck and although all the bridesmaids wore the same peach dress it managed to look best on her.

"Hi, I'm Leia, you're Alec right?"

Reyhan's eyes widened as she watched the encounter go down. She proceeded to roll her eyes and dump more cake in her mouth. It was going to be a long night and she didn't want to spend it being upset about who Alec was with. 

They conversed for a while and then the girl took Alec by the hand and led him to the dance floor. Reyhan practiced her smile but she felt a drop in her heart. It's not like she could control her feelings. 

Soon enough however, the sugar began to do its job and she was becoming bubblier by the second. She laughed too hard when someone at the table made a dad joke and also befriended some girl downing a milkshake at the milkshake bar.

Apparently she was a friend of the groom's. Her name was Meena. "So basically, I loved him forever, but never had the guts to say it so now I'm drowning my sorrows in sugar at his wedding."

"Yo. I feel that on a whole other level. You wanna dance?" Reyhan inquired as the music became upbeat and morphed into some pop song (these days they all sounded the same).

So the two brokenhearted girls made their way to the dance floor, and where ever they dance, people moved farther away and as they spun around to a particularly good song, Reyhan caught a glimpse of Alec and the girl, slipping away from the party.

She knew how that would go. Returning to the hotel would be a big no-no tonight. 

"Hey Meena?" She whispered as she dipped the chocolate skinned girl. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

"Of course. We can cry together."

Cry she did. Meena that is. And Reyhan was happy to do what she did best. Comfort others, help them. Meanwhile, her chest felt like it could explode with sadness, but her eyes had run dry a long time ago.