New Names

36

So here I am.

In the middle of a wedding.

Kissing my best friend. 

Next to my other best friends.

But I'm not entirely interested in my other friends right now. All I'm focused on is the way Max and I swayed with the music with our lips pressed against each other, his arms around my neck and mine on his hips, pulling him closer to me. It's an innocent kiss. Nothing fancy, but it says so many things that words can't communicate. I want to close as much distance between us as possible, but not here. So instead, I pull away, smile at him, and rest my head in the crook of his neck, taking in his familiar scent. A scent I didn't realize I craved, a scent I remembered from so many other times.

At the theatre, him comforting me about Sharon, but getting just as flustered when Adam pointed out my crush. And at the hospital, his heartbreaking story of abuse, and the way he grasped me, sobbing into my coat like the world was ending. The waterfall. The way his hand seemed to fit so perfectly in mine, and how it felt like we were flying when we lept off the ledge. The helicopter ride, the look of wonder on his face, no matter how hard of a grip he had on my hand. 

My hand on his, even though he was upset with me, he still wanted me to comfort him.

Looking back, I definitely feel like an idiot. He liked me.

I liked him too, even though I didn't realize it.

"Look who's finally realized it," Adam says, Camren and him getting in step with us. I lift my head.

"Yeah, fuck off, will you? You can say I told you so later." I say, not letting Max go. Adam shrugs.

"Well, we're leaving in ten. Heading to dinner and then the hospital."

I nod.

"Do you want to keep dancing?" Max says, pulling back to look at me. I smile.

"Anything you'd like."

Max cups the back of my neck and pulls me in for another kiss. I smile into it and relax. But after that, we resume our positions of dancing until Judith comes to get us.

Except she doesn't exactly.

In fact, she gets caught in the bouquet toss.

And catches it completely by accident. Her face twists into mortified confusion. She walks over to us.

"This implies I will find a romantic partner in the near future, right?" She asks. I shrug and nod.

"Traditionally, yes," I say.  Judith thrusts the flowers into Max' hands, surprising him so much he almost drops them.

"You can have your romantic partner Max," Judith says, turning and gesturing for us to follow her.

Max turns a shade darker and looks directly into my eyes.

"Wallace w-"

I laugh and lace my fingers in his.

"You don't have to ask Max," I say, following after Judith. We get to the van, and we get more than a few slightly surprised looks from everyone. Except for Adam and Camren, that is. I ignore their smug expressions and sit against the wall of the van on a blanket that Iris had put down, as to not dirty our nice clothes. 

"You told mom we were leaving with them, right?" I ask Adam. He nods, double-checks his phone, then nods again. Iris pulls out of the field and out onto the road.

"Where do you guys want to go to lunch?" Iris asks.

I almost say Sally's but that would mean I would have to cook, and I don't feel in the mood to.

"There's a nice, reasonably priced restaurant a few minutes away from here," Camren says, looking through their phone. "Five stars on google."

We decided to try the new place out, and take the next exit to get there.

Let me just say that the restaurant wasn't expecting nine nicely dressed teenagers in their restaurant on a Saturday. 

But, nevertheless, they prepared. We were waited on immediately, and the service was extremely fast. We discussed the wedding the entire time, still not over the buzz. Really, the restaurant was a buzz, we got in and out in what seemed like no time, with really good food.

And then we were on our way to see Jordan.

Ashley meets my brother for the first time.

Not under the best circumstances. But, we all give our stories of what happened. Iris and Ashley danced for a while, then went to the field to play games with some of the other guests. Camren and Adam just danced. Judith shared her bouquet story, and Kai expressed their delight in the food. I told Jordan about Max and I. He tapped his hands in delight. The others "Aw" together as well. I watch as Max turns red, and I probably am too. 

We're a family.

My prayer worked, if only for a day.

It worked.