Best of Friends 32 - The Wedding

Rachel stared at Noah while he slept. He had pushed his face into the pillow so hard it had left a mark. It made her smile to see him like this, and judging by his enthusiasm last night, he’d likely be out for a while longer.

The evening with Ethan had been out of this world, and the night after with Noah was even better. Ethan had stretched her so much that she was still a little sore from it. She hated to admit it, but no man had ever made her cum that hard before. And now, he was already hitting her up for seconds.

Ethan: I wish I could've had a bit more time with you. Let me know when you want that good dick again ;)

It wasn't the only message he had sent, but it was the message that had burned into her mind. There was no denying it. She wanted that good dick. She hated that she wanted it. She also hated that he had said ‘good dick’. But Ethan wasn’t known for his words. She rolled off the bed silently, walked out to the living room, and opened the blinds to let the early morning sun in. With a sigh of satisfaction, she turned to her calendar on the wall. Any measure of bliss she had quickly drained from her when she saw 'wedding' circled in bold red marker.

Fuck.

She had forgotten Mel's little wedding date was tonight. Rachel had intentionally put the thing out of her mind, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to remind Noah either. So, when Noah finally did wake up, she made sure to make him eggs, kiss him, hold him, and fuck him as much as he wanted. Morning turned to afternoon, and not once did Rachel mention the wedding. Because, after all, if Noah forgot, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

But of course, right in the middle of their movie marathon, Noah stood and stretched in front of that god damn calendar. He froze in place as his eyes landed on the big red letters.

Rachel fully and completely regretted ever purchasing that stupid calendar.

"Oh my god, I almost forgot!” He snapped towards her with the goofiest look of surprise on his face. “Babe, I have to get ready for the wedding!"

Why did he have to be so cute all the time?

"Ohhh right, that," Rachel said absently. "I forgot too."

"Shit, it’s in a few hours, I think," He walked over to his phone that Rachel had deliberately left on the kitchen counter and checked it. "Ahhhhh yeah, I was right, Mel texted me asking when we’re meeting up. I feel bad."

"Oh, I'm sure it's alright," Rachel said, turning to look at him. She tucked her chin into the couch cushion as she watched Noah text. "Did you miss it?"

Noah glanced up from his phone. "Hmm? Oh no, not at all. She just texted me and said it was no big deal. I'll just throw on my stuff real quick and get going."

Rachel forced a smile. "That's just great."

"Yeah! I would have felt awful if I’d missed it.”

“Meee tooooo,” Rachel lied.

“I'm going to get changed, you keep watching! Thank god I brought my suit over, right? I would have absolutely been late if I needed to run back to my place."

"Oh yeah, that’s just great. Wouldn’t want you being late," Rachel said as she slunk into the couch. She turned the movie back on. She wasn’t watching.

But this was fine. It was totally fine. It was just a wedding, after all. She had nothing to worry about. She told herself that over and over, but any speck of denial she had quickly fled once Noah stepped out in his suit.

“How do I look?” He asked.

“You look so handsome, babe.” It wasn’t a lie. She wished it were, but Noah cleaned up incredibly well. His lean figure was perfectly framed in the sharp black suit.

“You mean it?” He asked innocently. Noah always did have a hard time seeing how beautiful he actually was. Rachel would never let her jealousy get in the way of denying him that.

“I mean it,” She said with a smile.

“Thanks,” Noah said. A knock followed. “Oh! That must be her.”

He turned and went for the door. Rachel stood and promptly walked behind him. When she saw Mel in her perfectly fitting, pale green dress, Rachel felt exposed. She became painfully aware of how ugly she must have looked in her pajamas, makeup-free. It irritated Rachel how good Mel looked. Her gold jewelry made her olive skin pop, and her brilliant green eyes perfectly accented her silk dress.

"Heyyyy!" Mel said loudly as she stepped into the apartment. Her eyes and hands immediately went to Noah. "Oh my god, you look so handsome, Noah!" She said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Aw, thanks!" Noah said happily. Mel held the hug only for a second before pulling away. Her eyes snapped to Rachel.

"Hey there, girlfriend, having a lazy day, I see."

Rachel wondered if she would be able to get away with a slap if it was playful enough. Fortunately, Noah spoke up before she could act on the impulse.

"Oh yeah, we were both just chilling. I'm not going to lie, I completely forgot about the wedding! It's been a busy weekend," He glanced over at Rachel and winked. That, at least, made her feel better.

Mel’s lips pursed.

"Well, it's all good! I completely understand, as long as you have some juice left in the tank for me," Mel’s eyes never left Rachel as she spoke in that overly obnoxious, fake tone.

Like seriously, how could any man want this woman? Like, could Noah not tell she was fake? And why was he laughing? He did not need to laugh that much. Rachel took a deep breath. She knew she was overreacting, and she’d be damned if Mel managed to get a rise out of her. It was just a wedding, and Noah was a saint. She had nothing to worry about.

"I have to thank you again for letting me borrow him," Mel said, squeezing Noah's arm.

"Oh, don't mention it. I know it can be tough out there being single. It’s not every day you get a catch like Noah," Rachel said. Noah's smile brightened as he walked over to her.

"You’re too fucking sweet, you know that?” He said, completely oblivious to the psy-op happening around him.

“Oh, stop...” Rachel said. Forgetting about Mel for a moment. Noah kissed her.

“I’m gonna miss you,” he said.

“I’ll miss you too.”

“I'll text you later tonight, ok?"

“Sounds good, babe,” Rachel said. Noah kissed her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him the kind of hug he really liked, looking Mel dead in the eyes as she did.

And if looks could kill.

"Alright, you'd better get going. Have fun.” She pulled him in for one last kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too! Don't party too hard without me!" Noah said with a final wave.

Rachel laughed. “No promises.”

Mel promptly latched onto Noah’s arm like a leech.

"Bye, babe! I'll try not to keep him out too late!" Mel said with a wave.

Rachel had to force herself to stay still until the door closed, in fear she might wring that woman’s neck.

- - -

The wedding venue was way nicer than Noah had anticipated. It was a Church that looked like it belonged in a country decorator magazine. Servers passed through the crowd of guests with glasses of champagne and hors d'oeuvres. A crowd made of ritzy smiles, elegant gowns, and tailored suits. Much like Godfrey, it was a high society Noah knew he would never truly be part of.

But Mel moved gracefully amongst them all. She belonged here. It was clear as day. Noah simply did his best to keep up, smiling and nodding politely as Mel introduced him to countless people. All of them were relatively the same. Polite smiles mixed with subtle judgment. Mel seemed oblivious to it, but it was something Noah had gotten used to residing at Godfrey.

The rich are never truly generous. They simply know how to be polite, so long as you understand your place. After what seemed like an eternity of socializing, Mel and Noah made their way over to their designated table.

“Some wedding, huh?” Noah said, sitting down while still taking it all in.

“Oh, I know! Isn’t it just fantastic? I love big weddings,” Mel said as she sat and scooted her chair close to his.

"Remind me again, how do you know all these people?" Noah asked. Mel leaned in close enough for Noah to smell her peppermint lip balm.

"Oh, right, so the Bride is my sister's best friend. But they are basically like family. My dad, he's over there, you see him?"

"Uh, yeah, the big guy?"

"Uh-huh, he knows the Bride's family. He and her dad were best friends growing up. So then my sister started hanging out with his kids. One thing led to another, and now she's a bridesmaid, so we're here!"

"I see…" He had lost her around the first sentence.

Mel glanced over at him and smirked.

"There's going to be a quiz later," She said. Noah laughed.

"I'd better start taking notes then."

"You better!" Mel said with a snicker. Just then, a woman in the crowd spotted them and raised her arms in excitement, rushing to their side. She wore a bridesmaid dress and, considering that she looked almost identical to Mel, Noah assumed it had to be her sister.

"Ahhh, you made it!" The woman said, embracing Mel before the two did a little dance together.

"Oh my god, I wouldn't miss it for the world!” Mel said. “Angela is getting married, can you believe it? I never would have guessed she’d be the first to tie the knot."

“I know, right?! I swear I thought she was going to be a single crazy cat lady for the rest of her life.”

Mel and her sister laughed loudly at that.

"Was the drive bad?" Mel’s sister asked.

"Not terrible. We made it up here pretty quickly, actually.”

“We?” Mel's sister glanced at Noah. She shared Mel’s devious smirk.

“Oh yes, so this is Noah!” Mel said, stepping aside to introduce him. “Noah, I’d like you to meet my big sister, Mary.”

Noah promptly stood and offered his hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Noah said.

"So this is the boy we've been hearing about…" Mary said, inspecting Noah closely as she took his hand.

Her grip was surprisingly strong. Noah looked over at Mel, who was staring at him with a strange level of excitement.

"Mel has told me a lot about you,” Mary said.

“She did?” Noah was surprised. He hadn’t realized he was that important to her.

“So you're doing some computer stuff, right?"

"Yeah, that's right!"

"Ok a nerdy boy," Mary looked back at Mel. "A nerdy boy, huh?"

"Stop…" Mel said bashfully. She then promptly scooped up Noah's arm. "The dinner is going to start soon, you'd better get back over to mom and dad and sit down!”

"What, you're not sitting with us?!"

"Later!" Mel said. Promptly ushering her sister away.

“Fine, fine, but you better not bail without saying hi to mom and dad!”

“I would never!” Mel said. Mary rolled her eyes before giving Noah a wave.

“It was great meeting you, Noah!” She said.

“You too!” Noah said, sitting back down. Mel sat beside him, laughing softly to herself.

“God, she is such a character. I love her so much.”

“Yeah, she seemed really great! I’m surprised you told her about me.”

Mel blushed before waving him off.

"She's making it into a bigger deal than it is. Here, let’s look at the drink options!"

- - -

The dinner was amazing, the speeches were amazing, the little old entertainer man they had running between tables was amazing. Noah was quickly realizing that this entire wedding was happening in a tax bracket he never knew existed. He began to wonder if this was how everyone at Godfrey lived.

But those thoughts quickly faded into laughter, drinks, and good company. As always, Mel was a joy to be around. Once their buzz was in full swing, the two of them found a rhythm in their humor and banter. Their bits flowed naturally, and the other guests at the table joined in. Noah couldn’t remember any of their names, but that didn’t matter. Because that night was perfect.

The chocolate cake and coffee came next. Mel continued to point out all the folks in the crowd, giving Noah the rundown on the drama and sharing the memories. She was so quick on her feet. She truly was the light of the room.

It got Noah thinking about himself and how he contrasted with people like Mel and Rachel. They were all in leagues of their own. They were reaching for something. And, truthfully, it made Noah want to be right there with them. Most of his childhood had been about surviving, about making it day to day in a home that didn’t want him. Or enduring a school where he never really felt he belonged. It was nights like these that helped him remember that there was more to life than simply getting by.

“You having fun?” Mel asked. Noah looked over and smiled.

“Tons, thanks for inviting me,” He said.

“Oh my god, of course! I couldn’t have asked for a better date. Should we get another drink?”

“Absolutely.”

The dinner ended, and the dance floor was cleared. Guests slowly began to pool in, happily laughing as the old entertainer moved between them, making light fun wherever possible.

He trotted on a fake horse, pretending to gallop while wearing a ridiculous hat.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Harry Potter and Ron Weisly in the house!” He shouted, pointing to two lanky teenagers at the edge of the dance floor. Funny enough, they did resemble them.

The crowd erupted with applause and laughter. The antics continued.

Noah and Mel found their way to the dance floor and joined the fun.

Then the music began to slow, and the floor cleared save for couples.

“You want to dance?” Mel asked him. Noah shrugged.

“I’m not much of a dancer,” he said. Mel laughed.

“Neither am I, remember?” She took his hand and smiled. “Come on, just for fun.”

Noah felt his skin prickle.

“Alright,” He said. Mel wrapped her arms around his neck while Noah placed his hands on her waist.

They swayed slowly to the music. Mel looked stunning under the dim lights. Her green eyes were brighter than jade.

"You're really handsome," she said.

Noah laughed bashfully.

"Thank you,” he said.

Mel stared for a moment.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Have you ever talked to Rachel about it?"

"About what?"

Mel stared into his eyes long enough to make his heart swell.

"About you doing things with other people."

Noah's cheeks reddened as his brain scrambled for a response.

"Well… no, I guess we haven't really gotten around to that…" He paused. "Why do you ask?"

Mel smiled dimly. "No reason."

She leaned her head against his chest and continued to dance slowly.

As suddenly as the moment came, it went. The DJ swapped the track, and the entertainer came out in a bright yellow suit, an oversized mic in hand. The crowd, including Mel, erupted in laughter as he hopped in step with the track’s trumpet.

The entertainer began to sing as he strolled through the couples, a spotlight following him.

"Now it's time for… a kiss! A kiss! It's time for a kiss! Who will it be in our crowd toooodaaaaaay?”

The music sounded like something out of a musical. The entertainer spun, and several other spotlights circled the dance floor.

“Oh, a kiss! A kiss! It's time for a kiss! But who could be to saaaave the daaaaaaaaaaaay?!"

The music stopped, and the entertainer slid to a knee, pointing to Mel and Noah.

“Could it be... YOU?!”

The spotlight panned to them, and everyone began to cheer.

It was done with such innocence. Noah wasn’t even thinking about the implications of what was happening.

Mel looked up at him and smiled.

"What do you say?" She asked.

Their eyes caught. Noah cleared his throat.

It was just for fun, after all.

"Why not?! A little kiss wouldn't hurt any–"

Mel pressed her full lips against his so strongly that he stumbled back. The room erupted into a roar.

"They are loooove birrrds! Give 'em a hand, folks!" The entertainer shouted. The room laughed and clapped, and the spotlight left them.

But Mel's lips remained. She pulled him close and continued to kiss.

He could taste her peppermint balm.

Noah kissed her back.

It was only a few seconds. But they were long. A sudden jolt of reality hit him, and Noah pulled away. Mel stared up at him. She had never looked more vulnerable.

"I… I'm sorry." She said.

Noah shook his head. "No, I am. That was a mistake...”

“I’m really sorry, Noah.”

“It’s fine, we've both been drinking."

"Yeah, no, I know. But I shouldn't have—"

"It's fine," Noah said again.

The song ended, and the two of them parted. They stared at one another for a moment. Mel really did have the most beautiful eyes.

The guilt hit him like a wave.

"I should probably go," Noah said. Mel nodded.

"Yeah, no, I completely understand. Go."

“Will you be able to get back ok?”

“I’ll be fine, go.”

Noah nodded and turned from her.

"Noah," Mel said.

Noah stopped and looked back.

"Yeah?"

"I had a really great time tonight.”

Noah smiled. "I did too.”

--

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