Her Best Friend's Wedding

Chapter 18: Insecurities...

02/22/2019 - 04/06/2019:

Hello everyone. Hope you are all well. I finally had a chance to update. Sorry for the delay. My family went through a lot of changes for the past five months and my schedule has been very hectic. I will try my hardest to update more.

Have a great Spring and/or Spring Break.

Thanks for Reading, Voting and commenting. Good bye!

"Thanks for meeting me here. You both don't know how badly I need this right now." taking off my coat so I can put it on the back of the chair.

"Of course hon. You know we are both here for you."

"Yes, claro! Tell us what happened?" Michelle quickly asks.

Letting out a heavy breath, I look at them and say. "Amelia had the nerve to ask me to be her and Kiran's wedding photographer. Can you believe her?" popping a few kernels of popcorn in my mouth.

Michelle and Darlene looked at each other and then me with wide eyes. After leaving Amelia at the restaurant, I texted them both for an emergency 'drink the day away' night at the local bar. They both immediately said they would meet me here. Gotta love my friends.

"Wait, she asked you to meet her for dinner, so you can get to know one another...," Michelle started.

"... just so she can ask you to capture her wedding to your best friend? The man you have loved since middle school?" Darlene finished the question. They did that a lot. Start and finished each others sentences.

"Yeap. That is what she did."

They stared at me and in unison they say. "Tell us everything!"

So I began after taking another handful of popcorn. "Well, she tried being polite. As polite as I'm sure she can be but she couldn't pull it off."

"What do you mean?" Michelle asked.

I shrugged. "You know. How wealthy over educated people act when they are trying to get their way trying to stick it to ya cause they are marrying the man---."

"Of your dreams!" Darlene blurts out.

"That you've loved since you were younger!" Michelle followed after.

Narrowing my eyes at them both I shook my head. "What I was going to say before you both spoke out was the man that has been my best friend for years. You know, you both need to stop sharing a brain for tonight." throwing popcorn in their direction.

"Whatever Layla. We both know that you are madly in love with Kiran. Isn't that why you are so pissed that Amelia asked you to be their photographer?" Michelle asked as she herself threw popcorn my way.

"I am not madly in love with Kiran. Anymore." whispering the last part.

They both glanced at one another again then at me both raising their eyebrows. "Okay okay. I still, somewhat love him. But not like I used to. He's getting married for goodness sake. Plus, even though I've forgiven him, it still hurt that he didn't bother telling me about her all of these years. We are best friends who told each other everything. Him dating someone and then deciding to propose to them should have been something he should have told me."

"Yeah yeah. It was a crappy thing for him not to tell you. You've in your own way forgiven him but you sure as hell haven't stopped loving him." Michelle waves me off.

"Layla. You have loved Kiran for a very long time. You just don't stop loving someone that quickly."

"It is if he is getting married," looking at Darlene. "Especially to someone like Amelia. How could he be marrying someone so fake?" frustratingly asking. "She isn't his type."

"So a beautifully put together smart, classy --" Darlene begins.

"Don't forget rich." Michelle blurts.

"Yeah, rich, sophisticated, well traveled doctor isn't his type?" Darlene finishes.

"Nope. She isn't. Trust me. Besides her being fake, there is something else about her that bothers me."

"Which is?" Darlene taking a sip of her red wine.

"I don't know yet. I'm still trying to figure it out." honestly saying. I could tell Amelia likes getting things her way. I'm sure growing up wealthy and privileged she went without. I've been around plenty of wealthy people to know their demeanor. She doesn't act stuck up like most, but her insecurities do show. Especially when she speaks about Kiran.

"I do have another reason why I've invited you to dinner Layla." her tone catching my interest while I had been cutting into my dinner which was delicious so far.

"Which is?"

Wiping the corners of her mouth with her napkin she says. "I know how close Kiran and you are. He spoke of you often. I mean let me be frank. He spoke of you a lot and so fondly. Like if he was in --." stopping mid sentence with a small shake of her head and a certain face expression I caught right away.

"Like if he was in what?" wanting to know the last part but she waved me off.

"Honestly, I was beginning to be a bit jealous of you. But now." her sly smile crept up.

"But now what?" playing into her game.

Picking up her glass of wine, she slowly took a sip from it while eyeing me."Well, I realized that I had no reason to be. You know. Be jealous of you."

"Huh." the only thing I could say. What point was she trying to make I thought to myself.

"I mean he did ask me to marry him and not you. So I knew there was no possible way that he had any feelings for you. Romantic ones at least." shrugging her bony shoulder.

I had to admit that her comment caught me a bit off guard. Her insecurities about Kiran and I were truly showing and what she just said was her way of letting me know that she is the one he chose.

"Well you are right about that. He and I are best friends. No romantic feelings involved. He settled for you and that is what you should be happy about." lifting my fork to take another bite of my dinner.

She must have not liked my response because her jaw clenched and un-clenched a few times. But as I am learning about Amelia, she quickly composed herself.

Clearing her throat she says. "Well, since he settled for me as you say and the wedding will be soon, we were wondering if you would be our wedding photographer. You are his best friend and he wouldn't want anybody else to capture our nuptials. Soulmates declaring their true love for one another and from seeing some of your work, you would be perfect."

That took me completely by surprise and she knew it. "Does Kiran want me to be the photographer?" suspicious of her question.

"Of course. Why do you think I am asking?"

"Because, if Kiran really wants me to be the photographer, he would have asked me himself. Not sent you, someone I don't know to ask." Or would he? Kiran didn't even tell me about her so...

"Well, this is on me. I told him I wanted to ask you. What better way to get to know my soon to be sister in law than to take her out to dinner and ask her to be nice enough to be our wedding photographer?"

Kill me.