Almost Easy

Walk Away

Just a little more angst. These two never behave like I want them to when I start writing. Zoey in particular is being pretty ornery....

Zoey's POV

A breeze blew off of the beautiful lake at the country club where Zacky and Gena were getting married. The hem of Gena's cream chiffon dress fluttered in the breeze, as Zina read the last lines of her poem to honor her brother and his new bride.

I lowered my gaze to my pink toenails and listened as Zina described perfect love and commitment. I just was not in the mood to hear it so I concentrated on my favorite Fendi pumps. The straps were shiny with crystals and jingled a bit when I walked. Usually my favorite shoes boosted my spirits but not today.

I slid my gaze across the six foot patch of grass that separated my toes from Brian's black shoes. I noticed the crease in his charcoal slacks and where they met the hem of his jacket. I didn't allow my eyes to move any higher, but I didn't need to see any further, in order to know how good he looked.

I had wanted to catch Brian privately before the wedding to talk but I never got a chance. He arrived after I was already in helping Gena get dressed and we had only exchanged a few words.

I gave him the awkward smile, an invitation to see that I wanted to talk to him "Hey Brian," I said softly.

His brown eyes widened as if he was surprised I was actually being nice to him. He leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek, I guessed because my mom and Aunts were watching. "Zoey, you look better."

I nodded "I feel better. Thanks for taking care of me last night."

He opened his mouth to speak but my dad walked by and he seemed to think better of it. "I have to run. I have Zacky's shoes and he's going to freak if I don't get in there."

I tried to hide the disappointment on my face "Oh okay." Before I could ask to talk after the ceremony, he had run off. Maybe Zacky was wrong. Did I really expect him to be right? I guess part of me hoped.

Watching him walk up the aisle with Gena's taller cousin Andrea, as I had been relegated to walk with my shorter brother Matthew, my chest had gotten tight. He'd had his hair trimmed and he looked great. In his charcoal suit and shorter hair, he'd looked GQ handsome but still no one could mistake him for a male model. He had too much testosterone to allow anything to change that.

As Zina finished her poem, the preacher asked for the rings. I smiled at my big brother and Gena as they promised to love each other forever. And I watched Gena Paulhus glow with happiness as she became Mrs. Zachary Baker. I felt the pull of Brian's gaze on my face and I looked at him. I couldn't seem to help it.

His brown eyes looked back at me from across the short distance and I was reminded of that day on the boat, his expression void of any emotion. He was a lot better at pretending that he didn't care than I was. Or maybe he wasn't pretending at all.

The sound of the preacher pronouncing Gena and Zack man and wife pulled my attention back to the ceremony. I tried to smile as I looked out at the guests. My mother and father were seated a few rows from the front so I focused on them.

Loud applause broke out when the bride and groom kissed. Gena, then, moved to hug her bridesmaids, followed by Zacky who thanked us all for being there on this special day.

He must have sensed my sadness that Brian hadn't given me the time of day "Give him a chance," he said giving me a kiss on the cheek. I nodded but had the urge to cry.

After the bride and groom exited, Matthew and I followed on queue. The rest of the wedding party marched out after happy couple and drifted to the reception area.