The Champions' Wedding [3] » WWE

Chapter 7

Wednesday: 31 Days Until The Wedding

"What did you tell them," I ask Dolph, closing the car door on the passenger side. He gets out and comes around the front of the car, and we start walking towards the entrance of where we're having lunch.

"Nothing they don't already know. They're just as curious about the trip as I am. And they won't believe your excuse. Or lie, I should say." He opens the door for me to enter first, and I roll my eyes as I walk past him.

It would only take a few minutes to have Cody and Randy eating out the palm of my hand.

They stand up when they see me, greeting me with smiles. They weren't at RAW or SmackDown and I hadn't seen them since last Friday. I missed my goofballs. "Hey guys." I hug Randy before hugging Cody. "What's up?"

"Besides the fact that we've been waiting for you guys to show up so we can order, we'd really like to know about this shopping trip that you had with Dean," Randy tells me, sliding back into his side of the booth. Dolph sits down next to him.

Cody lets me into the booth first before taking the outside seat. He folds his hands over the table and turns to look at me with a small smirk. "Yeah, neither of us three got an invitation." He turns to look at Dolph and Randy across from us. "Should we be worried that Dean is trying to take our place?"

Dolph shakes his head, tapping his index finger on the table. "Nah. Asher knows she can't replace us and all our fine packaging."

"For once in his life, he has a point," Randy says, referring to Dolph, who nudges him with his elbow.

"Okay guys," I say before they start getting off track. "Let's just order, and then I'll explain."

"Or," Randy drags out, "you tell us about the trip first, and then we can order."

"But I'm hungry," I tell the guys, hoping I can stall for a few minutes.

Dolph shrugs with indifference. "Guess you should have ate breakfast then. Now spill."

I sigh, ignoring the menu in front of me that's calling my name and put on my best poker face. "It's not a big deal, guys. Dean wanted my help to get a gift for Renee, so I helped him." I pick up my menu with a shrug. "End of story."

I receive suspicious looks from all three of them before Cody starts chuckling. "Asher, really?"

"It's the tru--" Randy takes my menu out of my hand, cutting me off. He points it at me with a raised eyebrow.

"We've known you for years, Ash. We know how you look when you lie."

Dolph slaps his hand against the table. "I told you they weren't gonna believe it. I told you."

I cover my face in shame from being caught in my lie. It was great having these guys as my best friends, but when they know you better than you know yourself, it makes life a lot more difficult. "All three of you live to be right, huh?" I remove my hands from my eyes.

"No, we live to make sure you don't do anything that you will without a doubt regret later," Randy says, putting my menu on the table and sliding it back to me. "So what did you do that's so big, you feel like you have to lie to us?"

The weight of all of their gazes forces me to avert my eyes down towards the table, and I start fiddling with my Connor's Cure bracelet.

Okay, Asher. Just tell them. They'll understand.

Alright. Here it goes. "I invited Seth's brother to the wedding."

Silence washes over the table at my statement. Dolph is the first to speak. "By "Seth's brother" do you mean the brother he hasn't talked to in years?"

"No, Dolph, I mean the one who lives in Antarctica. Yes, I mean the one he hasn't talked to," I exclaim. "And now, Seth is going to hate me because I tried to do something good in my own messed up McMahon-Helmsley way."

"Okay, stop and take a minute to breathe, Ash." Cody places a hand on my back and rubs it in circular motions, which slows my intensive breathing. "Seth loves you. Everybody knows it." He shrugs. "Maybe he'll be happy you invited his brother," Cody tells me, his voice laced with uncertainty.

"Yeah, or maybe you tell him before the wedding, and he gets super pissed off then," Dolph suggests to my dismay. "What," he asks when we shoot him glares. "We all know Seth, and we all know he won't be okay with this." Dolph looks at the guys before turning to me, his eyes seem to be pleading with me to understand as he shakes his head slightly. "Asher, I don't want to see you get hurt."

And that statement right there hits me harder than anything.

I was always used to hearing thoughts of doubt from Cody and Randy, but Dolph? He was always on board for anything and everything. This time he wasn't.

His apparent worry made me ache with a feeling I couldn't decipher. But I do know that if Dolph thinks this is a bad idea . . . it is.

"Are you all ready to order," the waiter interrupted our unspoken thoughts with enthusiasm and a million dollar smile, which only made me feel even worse than I already did.

I hadn't had time to look at my menu, but I knew what I needed. And apparently so did the guys.

"Can we have a glass of your strongest alcohol, please," Randy asks, giving me a small sympathetic smile. I give him an appreciative nod.

Dolph holds up a finger. "Make that two."

Cody laughs, shaking his head at Dolph. "You drove Asher here, you doof." He turns to the waiter. "Just one, thank you. We'll order after." When the waiter leaves, Cody turns to Dolph with an amused expression. "It's amazing to see how much I'm needed in all of your lives."

"Oh, yes, because we love hearing your voice and all the video game references that come with it." Dolph snags his menu off the table, opening it up. "Who's paying for this meal?"

"That would be me," Randy tells him just as the waiter places a glass of amber liquid in front of me.

"Awesome." Dolph snaps the menu closed, handing it to the waiter. "I'll have the most expensive thing on the menu."

"No, he won't," Randy tells the waiter. "He'll have the cheapest. What would that be?"

"Bread sticks," I suggest, taking a small sip of my drink. "They're endless here, right?"

"Yeah," Cody nods, "but you can't go wrong with water. Zero calories. Perfect."

"Woah, woah, woah." Dolph holds up his hands. He gives an exasperated look. "I am not having water for lunch, guys."

"Fine," Randy sighs, looking up at the waiter. "He'll take the bread sticks."

Yes, an update! I promise I'm about to get better with it. I've been planning out chapters, and the next ones should come out rather nicely.

I hope you'll all enjoy them!