Chapter Eighteen.

REINA:

            So originally, a bridal shop was a place I'd never find myself in. I've never had friends before; I've always been more of an alone person. Well, that's until I met Casey anyhow. Getting married isn't something I've ever pictured myself doing so that's why bridal shops always scared me. Getting married and being committed for the rest of my life petrified me. When I came out of the dressing room to look in the mirror at my maid of honor dress, I felt so self-conscious. Everyone in the shop was looking at me and Casey didn't say a word, her eyes growing wide before I took a glimpse in the mirror.

            Casey wanted my dress to be a light pink. I never saw a picture of it, I kind of just came in here to try it on but looking at it made me breathless. It hugged every curve I had, an A-line bodice with a mermaid type bottom. I wasn't saying anything and I'm not really sure what to. Being in a bridal shop made me start to wonder if I'd ever come here in the future. I doubt it, but you never know.

            "Reina you look so beautiful. Do you like it?"          

            Turning to the side to get a look at the back of it, I immediately nodded my head and cleared my throat at the people gawking like idiots in the background. It had annoyed me going into this shop at first because energetic brides were talking non-stop about their significant others and I was single. It bothered me because no guy has ever really wanted to spend the rest of their life with me and I don't think they're ever going to. Well, one guy might have but he's not really with me right now.

            "I love it. I think it needs to be taken in a little in the chest but overall I love it. Can I see yours?"

            I've seen pictures but never the actual thing. I've refrained from talking to her about it because it's three weeks before the wedding and I could see her get on edge when Scott mentioned something. She was so nervous.

            "Can I?" She asked the seamstress.

            "Of course. Just head into a fitting room and I'll have someone bring it to you."

            Casey disappeared into a dressing room and after the seamstress told another employee to get her dress, she came and stuck the pins in to see where it needed to be taken in. I hated every second of dress fittings. If it were up to me, I'd be in sweatpants and a sweatshirt for the rest of my life.

            "Okay you can get changed." She said with a smile. "I'll take it when you come out."

            "Wait!" Casey laughed. "I'm done. Let me show you first."

            Taking a step off of the pedestal, I sat down in the leather chair and when her door opened she completely took my breath away. I've never seen Casey look so beautiful in my entire life. She looked like a princess in this dress.

            "Casey..." I trailed off. "Oh my god."

            When she looked in the mirror at herself she started to get teary-eyed, looking at me with a huge smile on her face. The dress was a Cinderella type, really tight around the chest until it completely puffed out at the bottom. Every girl dreams of this moment and Casey was living it. Scott wanted to make her his princess and for the first time in my life I was so jealous of her.

            "Scott's mom helped me pick it out." She gushed. "I always cry like a baby whenever I see myself in it."

            "Well you look gorgeous Case. Honestly. Scott is going to be so speechless. "

 ————

            Later that night, our whole group decided to go to Casper's. After a long day at the bridal shop I think Casey and I both needed it so it was refreshing to see the guys again. Little less girl time, more guy time.

            "Casey!" Scott said excitedly, pulling her into his arms. "Did you have a good time? I haven't seen you."

            "It was fun." She cheesed, grasping onto the sleeves of his jacket. "I missed you though."

            Ew. I'd much rather not listen to their disgusting conversation so I turned my attention towards the bar, immediately getting nervous. I didn't know where to sit and even though Justin and I had that moment last week, we hadn't talked since then. No texts, only a couple of times when we hung out with everyone, nothing much. He hasn't touched me and that bothered the hell out of me.

            I went to go sit down next to Mark until I heard Justin clear his throat. He was sitting two seats over with a smirk on his face, an empty seat right next to him. He was adorable and his pointer finger was brushing against his jawline, his eyebrow rising up when I wasn't saying anything to him.

            "C'mere." He murmured, his voice completely serious.

            My body felt numb but I somehow managed to bring myself over to him, his hands pulling on the sleeves of my jacket to bring me face to face with him. I couldn't breathe because we were so close and for once, I just felt like saying screw it. I just wanted to kiss him and he just doesn't know how much this is killing me.

            Bringing his thumb up to my face, he gently moved it across my bottom lip and I couldn't breathe. I honestly couldn't breathe right now and he could tell because he smiled, pulling his hand away before he brought it down to his side.

            "Hi Reina." He laughed. "There's a seat next to me. Did you choose to ignore me or did you just not see it?"

            "I didn't ignore you." I said, sitting down onto the barstool. "But we aren't exactly together so what would you like me to do? Act like we are?"

            "Well ouch."

            Placing his hand over his heart as if he'd just been shot, we both laughed as I rolled my eyes and looked down at the countertop. I don't know why things are so different between us now but it always felt so awkward.

            "Can I get you guys anything to drink?"

            The bartender stood in front of us and before I could say anything Justin got out his wallet and slid his card across to her. 

            "One regular and one diet." He said. "Please."

            "Justin I have money."

            I went to take out the cash in the back pocket of my jeans but he just remained silent and trailed his eyes up and down my body.

            "I think a beautiful girl deserves a drink."

            "Are you hitting on me?" I gasped. "Whoa. How shocking."

            The drinks landed in front of us and for whatever reason he was in such a good mood tonight. He kept staring at me and I was so shy, not even being able to bring my gaze to his. Instead, I just put the straw in my mouth to take a sip of my drink and he kept smiling. Why is he doing that? It's creeping me out.

            "Stop looking at me." I laughed. "You're making me self-conscious."

            "I've just missed you." He admitted, my heart completely stopping. "I've missed buying you drinks and making you laugh. You're beautiful when you smile."

            "Justin..." I blushed.  "Thank you."

            "So tell me about school. How's it going for you?"

            Completely changing the topic of conversation, I shrugged my shoulders and put my hair to one side.

            "Um, good I guess. I'm keeping my grades up so that's good."

            "Good." He said. "That's good."

            "How's your family?" I asked. "Are they good?"

            "Oh they're great. I haven't been to see them in awhile but the last time I was down there we went to this amusement park and Jazzy made me go on this stupid ride that had ladybugs on it. It was so bad because-"

            "It made you look like a girl?" I teased.

            "No. Because it went around and around in circles. You know how I get on those rides."

            As soon as the memory came into my head, I started to burst out into laughter and it wasn't long before he did too. Last year, when all of us went to the same amusement park, I told him I wanted to go on the swings. I actually dared him and at the time, we weren't dating. At the time we still kind of didn't like each other but he didn't want to seem like a girl so he went on them, only to throw up all over the place on the ride. Vomit fell everywhere. I've never seen his face so red.

            "Oh my god! The swinging vomit ride. I remember."

            "Yeah. I wish you didn't remember that but I remember it too."

            "Well finish your story. Did you throw up on the ladybugs?"

            "Um, no. I actually made it through the ride until I got out of the gates and hurled into the trashcans. Spinning is not my cup of tea."

            I started to laugh again and he was laughing too. It wasn't until about fifteen minutes more of talking about our damn memories that I realized I was so close to him. Our knees were touching and he was listening to every word coming out of my mouth right now.

            His hands finally went on my thighs and I just stared down at them for a second until I looked up at him. I can't believe he's being so flirtatious right now.

            "So..." He said, running his fingertips a little up my jeans. "Do you want to come back home with me tonight?"

            "That depends. What do you have in mind?"

            I could tell what he had in mind. His eyes were all over my body the whole night and I think before I even walked in here he knew what he wanted.

            "Rekindle some old habits?" He asked. "Yeah?"

            "So I take it you've made up your mind about us then?"

            "Not technically. I'm still thinking about it but one night isn't going to hurt. You've been turning me on the whole night Reina. I can't take it any longer."

            I stared at him in shock for a second and I almost felt like crying right here in this damn bar. I didn't want to be friends with benefits like we used to be. Granted, I wanted to have sex more than anything with him, but I didn't want to be fuck buddies. When we have sex I want it to be more than that and obviously he was looking for a one-night stand right now.

            "I don't think that's a good idea." I said quietly. "If you haven't made up your mind about us yet Justin then I don't want to have sex with you. I'm sorry but that's just how I'm feeling right now."

            "Not even for one night? Reina do you know how-"

            "Horny you are? Yeah. Believe me, I notice. When you're horny and want to commit then come talk to me."

            Standing up from the barstool, I walked over to the door to leave until Casey grabbed my arm.

            "Why are you leaving so soon?" She asked. "We've only been here for like an hour."

            "I'm going home before I do something I regret." I laughed, sending her a sly grin. "See you later." 

A/N:

Sorry for the long wait! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter :) things are about to get interesting!

Please comment what you thought!!

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