A/N: Oh man, I haven't been on this site in FOREVER. RL got in the way, and unfortunately, it looks like it's going to stay that way. Still, it didnt feel right to leave this story as it was: abrupt, without closure, and without an ending. Definitely not my best writing, considering I (we, Raven and I at one point lolol) was an awkward teenager with awkward teenage ideas and prose when this was written. Good news is, while I know this story wasn't done justice as it deserved, my awkward, adolescent self was determined enough to write some kind of ending. The bad news? The bad news is that the writing is unedited and quite frankly APPALLING. But I'm posting it anyway, because closure is a thing. That I'm into. Sort of. And maybe only for this story.
So, just a heads up. These are just bits and pieces of things that WOULD have happened and WOULD have been fleshed out were my younger self inclined to do any sort of editing. Lots of missing pieces and plotholes abound, but there you have it. It's not much, but it is something at least. Enjoy. Or not. But here it is. Major thanks to everyone who read over the years. I'm sorry I couldn't keep up.
-Enigmatic Empress
"So…this is it, huh?" Seth could only look on with a nod as she took a seat opposite him. "I can't really say I'm surprised," she continued. "You two were good together—well, even if you weren't really 'together', you know?" Trina shrugged carelessly. "You and Aria, you're a lot alike. It's no wonder you guys clicked. And I guess no amount of amazing sex with me could ever compare to that."
"I'm sorry," Seth said quietly. He had to end things, but it was proving to be more difficult than he'd expected. He couldn't be with Trina every night, sharing kisses, a bed, and their bodies. Not while his feelings belonged to someone else. He wasn't ready for such emotional turmoil, and it wasn't fair to either of them.
"What for?" Trina asked brusquely. "It's not like you did anything wrong. If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you. Sometimes I forget that most people aren't like me. That they still have that little voice in the back of their head. What's it called again?" a small, self-deprecating smile appeared on her face. "Oh yeah: a conscience."
"That's not true," Seth objected.
"What? That most people aren't like me? Or that I don't have a conscience?" Trina let out a breathy chuckle. "I know what people think of me. They call me heartless. Cruel. Unfeeling. And to tell you the truth, lately, they've been right."
Seth couldn't understand. He'd never seen Trina like this. She was Trina Sublime! Always beautiful; always confident. She was infallible. A force to be reckoned with. A constant source of mischief and sadism, causing trouble for everyone around her for her personal amusement.
So where did she go? Why, for some reason, did she suddenly look so fragile? Seth never noticed it before, but Trina was very small. Despite being a little taller than average when she stood, sitting down, the large cushioned seat almost swallowed her. Her head, in the past always held high with a hint of haughtiness, was poised, angled downward, and seemingly unable to look him in the eye.
Though folded gracefully on her knee, Seth could see that her hands were stiff, held tightly enough together for the knuckles to change their color. His eyes went back to her face, and his throat constricted at the sight of glistening tears on the verge of falling from her eyes.
He stood immediately, walking to her side, but was met with a wave of her hand. "Stop. Don't," she said, and Seth could only comply. "Sorry. It's that time of the month again. Don't mind me." Trina quickly wiped away the first drops with the back of her hand as they made their way down her cheek.
She turned her head away for a moment, and a few sniffles later, there was no trace of a tear on her face, except for a few smudges of eye make-up at the corner of her eyes. "Okay. I'm finished. Sorry about that. What were we talking about again?"
"Trina…"
"Oh, right. You shouldn't apologize to me. I'm the one who did something wrong. I shouldn't have forced you to sleep with me. Especially when I already knew you'd hate yourself for it."
"You didn't force me Trina," Seth defended. He didn't get it. Why was she doing this? Why was she deliberately making herself look like the bad guy? "I did it on my own."
Trina shrugged. "You did. But you weren't into it. And contrary to popular belief, I do have some scruples. Sex isn't as fun when your partner is imagining someone else when you're both butt-naked. I do have my pride you know."
"I wasn't—"
"No?" Trina interrupted him again. "Well, maybe not, but you weren't exactly one-hundred percent there. And I don't know about you, but I like my partners eager and willing, if you know what I mean."
"But Trina…" Seth started, only to be interrupted once again.
"No buts Seth. Please. Don't make it harder than it already is." Her voice cracked ever so slightly. Trina turned her head away again, eyes shut tight. She brought a hand to her face, covering her mouth, an index finger tapping her upper lip. "Aria was right about you," she whispered. "Your nice. And as a general rule, I don't mess with nice guys."
"And why is that?" Seth asked, unable to stay in place any longer. He couldn't explain it, but he had to be by her side.
"Nice guys mess you up," she replied with a sniffle as Seth braced his arms on either side of the chairs.
"No we don't."
Trina couldn't stifle a chuckle. She looked up at him. "Right. That's why for the first time in a long time, my eyes have actually shed real tears, as opposed to the ones I usually do for dramatic effect."
Seth couldn't resist the urge to apologize again. "I'm sorry."
Trina smiled. Seth noted it was cynical. "You don't even know what you're sorry for."
"I'm sorry for hurting your feelings."
"You forget I have none," was the immediate reply.
"I refuse to believe that," Seth returned, somewhat angrily, though at who or what, he didn't know.
"Believe what you want to believe Seth." She pushed him away by the arms. He let go of the chair and she stood to face him. "You wanna know what I believe Seth?"
They stood toe to toe, their faces barely an inch apart, but they never seemed more farther from each other. So much separated them. Their personalities were polar opposites; their ideas didn't resemble each other's in the least. He looked at the world in black and white, she looked at it with a million shades of gray in between.
They were separated by people: Aria. Mikhail. Themselves.
"I believe that we could have been something Seth. We started off on the wrong foot. But I believe if we could turn back time and start off on the right one, we could have been my worst nightmare."
He stared at her. Just when he was beginning to understand what went on in her head, she went and messed up everything he thought he knew. "And what would that be?"
Trina grinned. It didn't reach her eyes. "I guess you'll never know, right?" Her hand moved to cup the side of his face. "Goodbye Seth," she whispered. She closed the space between them, their lips meeting in a kiss unlike any they'd ever shared. There was no lust, no heat. It was…just a kiss.
It was slow. It was sweet. It ended too soon.
And just like that, she left, leaving Seth more confused than he'd set out to be.
("So, you're really leaving?" Aria asked as they sat waiting for Trina's flight. Mikhail sat next to her, their expressions both gloomy. "We're going to be seniors soon. You could at least stay to finish the school year."
Trina rolled her eyes. "No thanks. Besides, it's just a couple of weeks: just until my parents have that new 'manor' in France broken into."
"But you've never gone 'house-warming' with your parents, and they've bought houses before," Aria said defensively.
"I don't know," Trina shrugged. "I guess I never had a reason to go."
Until now.)
("So when are you coming back?" Aria asked into the receiver when talk of Paris fashion, life, and boys was over. "School starts in a month. We're going to be seniors: Yaaaay!"
"…"
"Trina, are you still there?"
"Huh? Yeah. Soon. I'll be back soon."
"I'm sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry!" Trina pleaded into the phone for the millionth time. "Please don't be mad."
"Why wouldn't I be mad?" Aria huffed from the other side, "You don't call me for God knows how long and school starts in less than a week and you're still not here! How can I not be mad?! I miss you! When are you coming back?!"
"…"
"Hello? Trina?"
"Aria, about that…")
"Calm down Aria," Mikhail said gently as he watched Aria pace the length of the empty classroom. "Maybe she just needs some time."
"Time?!" Aria whirled to face Mikhail, her face contorted in anger. "She's had nearly six months of 'time'. She didn't even go to Junior Graduation! Today is the first day of our senior year and she's not here! How much more 'time' does she need?"
Mikhail stood from where he sat on top of the desk and took his irate girlfriend by the shoulders. Gently, he removed several strands of hair that covered her face to get a better look at her face. Even after almost a year (ten months, two weeks, and three days—but only if you were counting) together, he still couldn't quite believe that his best friend for as long as he could remember was really his girlfriend.
Never in his wildest dreams did he think that a life-long crush could turn into an actual relationship. And it couldn't have happened if it weren't for a certain scheming cheerleader giving Aria and him a push from both directions.
Mikhail could understand Aria's anger. Even if Trina was as evil as evil went, she had been a good friend to both of them. It would be a shame not to have her around. Not to mention that life would be so much more easy, yet surprisingly, so much more boring.
"Who knows how much time she needs Aria," Mikhail shrugged, "But what can you do? This is what Trina wants."
Aria scowled. "Well Trina can't always get what Trina wants."
"I agree," he conceded, "but she wanted us to be together, and look where we are now."
Aria's scowl deepened. "We can't give her all the credit."
Mikhail noticed the moment her scowl started to be entirely something else. He quickly pulled her into his arms and said, "You're going to miss her, aren't you?"
"She's an idiot," came Aria's muffled whisper at his shoulder as she tried to stifle a sniffle. "She's such a—"
"Whoa~!" Seth exclaimed as he abruptly walked into the classroom without knocking. "Sorry. I didn't know anyone was in here."
"It's alright," Mikhail answered as Aria pulled out of his arms and turned away for a moment to wipe her eyes. Seth caught his eye and mouthed 'what's wrong?' Mikhail could do nothing but shrug and mouthed back 'ask her' and pointed to Aria's turned back.
Seth nodded. "I hope I'm not interrupting," he said as he stepped cautiously into the room.
"No, no, it's fine," Aria said as she turned to face them again. "I'm okay. I was just having a moment."
Seth regarded her carefully before sharing a look with Mikhail. They understood each other better now, no longer jealous of each other. They both cared about Aria, and to them, she was the only one that mattered.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"It's Trina," Aria stated.
Seth suppressed the urge to stiffen at the sound of her name. He hadn't seen her in months, not since the night they ended things. He thought they could be friends, that everything was at least peaceful between them. But two days after that, she was on a plane to Europe and he hadn't seen her since.
"Why am I not surprised? I should have known she couldn't be M.I.A. for very long. Tell me, what did she do this time?" Seth had intended for his little monologue to be light, to ease some of the high tension in the room. Instead, he was surprised to see fresh tears appear in Aria's eyes. Mikhail quickly embraced her again.
For a moment, the sight of her wrapped in Mikhail's arms caused the odd twinge to appear in his chest again. But it was getting easier. Finally, after six months, looking at Aria- looking at her and Mikhail together—it didn't hurt as much as it used to.
He was finally moving on.
"It's not funny!" Aria's muffled cry brought him out of his inner musings. Seth looked to Mikhail's face again, trying to find out what he did wrong. Mikhail just shook his head at him.
"Trina called a few days ago. She said she was staying in France. Indefinitely."
Seth stood for a moment, confused. "Does that mean…"
"She isn't coming back."
Seth inhaled the smell of Urania and let it out with a sigh. God, how he missed it. The place was still beautiful. And the stars could be seen clearly tonight. He lay on the orgy-sized bed unceremoniously and shut his eyes.
He kind of missed being a Host. It had been fun. He'd met new people, tried out new things he never thought he'd do in real life. But now he felt guilty. He hadn't been to Muse in months. Not since…to make a long story short, he'd gone to work on his next shift like he usually did only to find Laura surprised to see him. Apparently, he'd sent a resignation by e-mail. She then reluctantly instructed to him clear out his locker. Seth complied with the same unusual reluctance, one that he couldn't really explain.
Until he found a small receipt folded neatly and sealed with a dark red kiss mark. It had been a receipt for the $20,000 Trina said he had to earn before she let him go. Seth had been confused for a few moments, knowing full well he had at least a couple of thousand left to go. Yet the receipt had been stamped PAID IN FULL.
Coming out of his memories, Seth sighed again, and let himself just wallow for a bit. He never thought he'd miss her. In the beginning, when she'd first left, he thought, if I never see her again, I'd be fine. But now, faced with the reality of it, he couldn't quite come to terms with his feelings.
Trina Sublime. Without her, his life was quieter. Seth never thought he'd miss her calling him on Friday nights to blackmail him. He never thought that the thought of never hearing the words 'My Little Sex Kitten' could make his heart flop to where his stomach was supposed to be.
Yet here he was doing exactly that: sitting in a darkened room with an amazing view missing the feelings of being blackmailed and saddened by the fact that he'd never be called degrading nicknames.
He wallowed for a moment more and stood. He stared at the bed for a long time, remembering the countless times they were in here: making out, enjoying each other—doing other various salacious activities.
Why hadn't he realized it before?
He sighed a third time and walked slowly to the door. He needed this, not only for him, but also for her. Closure. A decisive ending to their twisted relationship. If you could even call what they had a 'relationship'.
Once he walked out, it would truly be over. She was halfway around the world and intending to stay there. She had already moved on—which wasn't really a surprise since she was and is Trina Sublime. It was about time Seth did too. Even if he never realized he was actually stuck.
He held the door knob and took one last look at Urania. What had she said, that last time they were in here?
I believe that we could have been something Seth. We started off on the wrong foot. But I believe if we could turn back time and start off on the right one, we could have been my worst nightmare.
He didn't mean to, but he couldn't help lingering over the threshold. And what would that be? he'd asked. She'd given him a simple reply, but because it was Trina, it was that much more complicated: Seth would never know.
But he'd spend the rest of his life wondering.
~ooOOOoo~
Chapter...?
Seven Years Later…
"Ms. Sublime, I have your mail for you." Trina looked up from the stack of legal papers in front of her to find Frederick, her oh-so-yummy Personal Assistant, holding out a ghastly amount of envelopes.
"Damn, Freddie," she exclaimed eyeing the load. "That's a lot. Is that a UPS box? Didn't I tell you to cancel my magazine subscriptions?"
Frederick suppressed a smile. "Yes ma'am, I have."
"Then what's all that?"
"It seems that Playboy and Maxim are having mid-year events and decided that their most generous subscribers reap a few benefits." Trina couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. How is it that a twenty-four year old male, with the body of a young Adonis and a face like Leonardo de Caprio could say that with a straight face? Trina really was getting older. Even if she was just a year Freddie's senior.
"Is that all?" Trina hoped that the pile of humongous mail really was just her magazine subscriptions. If she got anymore letters from her parents waxing poetic about their third—count it people: THIRD!—honeymoon, Trina swore she'd become a recluse.
No one wants to hear about older people's Sexcapades. Especially if they're related to you. Most especially if they're your parents!
Who deserves that kind of torture anyway?
"Unfortunately Ms. Sublime—"
"—How many times have I told you to call me Trina?"
"As I was saying, Ms. Sublime—"
"—I control your paycheck."
"Yes, well, Trina it is," she couldn't help but grin in triumph. She loved being boss. "Men's magazines aren't the only ones in your mail today. Shall I summarize them for you?"
"If you feel like it," Trina heaved a sigh, sitting back into her leather armchair and stretching languidly for a moment before returning her attention to the legal papers requiring her signature. "Who's the UPS from?" she gestured towards the medium sized white box at the top of the pile.
Freddie put his load down at the edge of her table and took the box in hand. "I believe it's from your parents. The return address is…" he paused for a moment, a puzzled expression coming over his delectable features. "…a place I can't pronounce."
Trina rolled her eyes. She couldn't blame Freddie for his confusion. That's what you get when your parents—who were barely in their fifties—go on a world tour for their third honeymoon. Last week, mountain climbing in the out backs of Europe; this week, who knew?
"What else is there?" Trina asked, though she tuned out as soon as Freddie started to deconstruct the pile, only nodding absently from time to time while she tried to make sense of the legal mumbo-jumbo in front of her.
"…the rest are just your monthly bills, credit card statements, more of your parents letters, and—hello, what do we have here?" Trina spared a glance in Freddie's direction to find him holding up a rather large, dark envelope. "I do believe it's a wedding invitation."
Trina's brows shot up. A wedding invitation? In dark depressing colors? Well, this was new. Men's magazines she personally subscribed to. Diet subscriptions and other various advertisements, she'd recently cancelled. Solicitation letters for charities she still got mail from. But who in their right mind would want Trina Sublime—beautiful, ruthless, and domineering Marketing Head and Junior Co-Chairman of Ares Corporation—to be at their wedding?
Someone who obviously wanted the happy event to become a funeral. And from the color choice of the envelope—black parchment paper with the words embossed in violet—it seemed that whoever sent this felt like dying. "Let me see that," she gestured for Freddie to hand her the envelope, who promptly put it in her hands. She lifted the flap, read the contents, and stared.
For a moment, the room was engulfed in silence. Then, abruptly, she ordered (though still in a nice voice, but only because he was cute) Freddie to leave her office, telling him she'd ring him if she needed anything.
Once he'd left, she stood from behind her large oak desk and walked to the mini-bar in the corner of her opulent office. Quickly mixing up a martini, she sat at a nearby couch and sighed. Carelessly throwing her glasses onto the couch, she rubbed the bridge of her nose, willing away the headache that had begun to build at her temples.
So many years, she thought as she took a grateful sip at her alcohol. Should she go? Why should she? Even after all these years, it was bound to be awkward. And now this.
What had the letter said? She was a bridesmaid too? The thought of hideous dresses made of nothing but itchy tulle made Trina shudder. How could they? After everything she'd done for them, after being a good friend and all that jazz, how could they do this to her? Honestly, tulle? That was so DisneyPrincess.
She sighed again and ran a hand through her dark red hair. She played with the ends, looking at the strands in front of her face. Her eyes widened when she saw a single strand of gray.
Dear Lord, she was getting old! She put down her drink on a side table and massaged her scalp, easing some of the pressure.
It had been a long time since she'd heard from Aria and Mikhail. She didn't blame them though. After being M.I.A. for more than half a decade, studiously screening their calls, and returning their letters unanswered, who wouldn't give up?
She was touched though. Even if she hadn't been in their lives almost entirely these past few years, it was nice of them to include her. Aria was a doll for making her a bridesmaid. And Mikhail was a cutie for letting her.
Trina chewed her lip at the agonizing dilemma before her. To go or not to go, that was the question. On one hand, they had shared a friendship once upon a time. On the other, it had been a twisted friendship.
She chewed a bit more before making her decision. Cocktail in hand, she walked behind her desk and took a seat. Taking a sip, she opened one of her many drawers and took out her trusty lighter and a pack of unopened cigarettes.
Lighting one up, she picked up her telephone and dialed Freddie's extension. Sure, she could have just called out and he would come running—well, walking technically, since his desk was just outside and she could see his silhouette sitting in his chair—but she liked to play her part as Rich-Overly-Arrogant-Employer once in a while.
"Yes, Ms. Sub—I mean Trina?"
"Hello to you too Frederick," she said with a grin while inhaling some blessed, blessed nicotine. She really should give the adorable boy a raise. "Book me the next flight out of Paris."
"Where to ma'am?"
"Why, to a funeral of course!"
~oooOOOooo~
(awkward encounter during the wedding's rehearsal dinner)
"It looks like we've been set up." Seth nodded and they were thrown into an uncomfortable silence. Trina fidgeted with the small purse on her shoulder. "Okay then, really awkward moment. Anyways, I…am going to…go. Now. Right. Bye." She turned to leave.
"Wait."
Trina turned her head back with a slightly amused smile on her face. There she was with one foot out the door and Seth Gallahan was holding her back. This could prove to be interesting.
"For what?" she asked. From the look on his face, the question surprised him. He didn't seem to know the answer either. When he didn't answer, she started for the door again, but was stopped—again. Only this time, it was with a warm hand on her arm instead of words.
She turned to face him, looking at him expectantly. They both knew what he wanted, but Trina was tired of reading his mind. This time, she'd make him say it.
They looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity before he said, "You should stay." Seth pulled out the chair for her, gesturing for her to sit. Trina complied, wondering just where this was leading to.
As Seth took his seat opposite her, a waiter came. He took down their order and once again, silence was between them. Trina broke it first.
"So when is it?"
"When is what?" Seth asked, clearly not expecting those words to be the first words between them.
"The Apocalypse."
"The Apocalypse?" Seth repeated, confused.
"You heard me," Trina replied. "The Apocalypse. When is it?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about Trina. You're not making any sense."
"Really?" Trina asked, both brows rose in surprise. "Gee, here I thought I was making plenty of sense. I mean, the Apocalypse is the only reason I can think of that would actually make Seth Gallahan willingly stay in the same room with me."
"Why would you say that?"
"Oh, let's not play coy now Seth," Trina said in a condescending tone. "Playing coy is my job and even I've grown out of it."
He hesitated before answering. "There's no Apocalypse Trina."
"No? Natural disaster then? Alien Invasion? Oh, I know, you've been possessed?"
Seth shook his head. "Of course not. Nothing like that Trina."
'Then what Seth?"
He shrugged. "I just thought that it would be nice if we just sat down and had dinner, you know? I mean, you were here already. It would be a waste to let you leave."
Again. The unspoken word hung between them like a jinx.
"So you actually want to be in the same room with me?"
Seth couldn't resist arching an eyebrow, just a little bit. "I thought you said you'd grown out of playing coy?"
"That wasn't me playing coy Seth," Trina replied. "That was me asking a legitimate question. Last we met, you couldn't seem to stand the thought of you and me breathing the same air."
"That analogy is a bit extreme, don't you think?" Seth said with a frown. True, he hadn't particularly liked Trina the first time he met her or even later when he had to work at her uncle's club. But he could certainly be enclosed in the same four walls with her, breathing the same air, and sharing much more than just oxygen without going berserk or insane.
"Not at all," Trina said. Then their food arrived and conversation was stalled. However, even when the waiter had left and the food consumed in small amounts, it didn't continue. Halfway through the meal, Trina decided there was no point in beating around the bush.
Years spent under her uncle's wing learning everything about business told her that, just like an advertisement, no matter what way she twisted their situation, it wouldn't change the product. And she proceeded to tell Seth just that.
"Look Seth," Trina began, "I don't know what outcome Aria and Mikhail were expecting when they set us up today, but whatever it was is irrelevant. I want you to know that whatever happened between us in the past is just that—the past. No hard feelings, no malice, no ill-intent, no nothing. We can just get this wedding over with and go back to our regular lives."
"No."
"Excuse me?" Trina asked, confused. What she expected was acquiescence. What was with his refusal?
"You heard me: No." Seth stared intently at her. She was trying to cut him off—again. He'd be damned if he let her do it. "You've been in control of the situation between us since the get-go Trina. From the first time we met when you 'accidentally' dropped your things to get me to look down your shirt—even that time I tried to end things between us. It had been me who started it, but somehow, you ended it. I won't let you do it again. This time you hand over the reigns and let me drive."
Trina watched him warily, unsure where Seth was going with his little tirade. He must have anticipated her whole 'go-back-to-our-own-lives' pitch and ruminated over a counterattack during their earlier lull in conversation. "What's your point?"
Seth leaned back into his chair and it was like the perfect frame. Trina was painfully reminded of her weak spot for good-looking men. Damn.
"My point is that from now on, I'm calling the shots. I'll be the one to make the decisions concerning us."
"Oh? And just what have you decided?" Trina asked, becoming more and more irate. How the hell did she ever think that Seth Gallahan was attractive? Stupid, chauvinistic pig. Who did he think he was? So what if he was some big shot astronomist? So what if he was really good-looking?
She was Trina Sublime for God's sake! She was next in line for the CEO position at Ares Corporation. There was no way she was going to let Seth Gallahan get away with deciding anything for her.
"I've decided that you and I are going to be together."
"Could you repeat that?" Trina asked, nearly falling off her seat. And Seth just sat there, picking up his wineglass and taking a sip as if what he just said wasn't the coming of the Apocalypse itself.
"You really should get your ears checked Trina. I said I've decided that you and I are going to be together." He put down his wineglass and stared at her intently, as if waiting for her to say, "Gee, thanks, I'd love to." Like hell she would.
"Oh, I heard you alright. I was just making sure you heard you," Trina exclaimed incredulously. "What if I don't agree with your decision?"
"Then I'll just hound you until you do," he said, a determined look on his face.
"Ha. You can't. What about the observatory? You're just going to leave that? And you forget that I live half way around the world." Trina highly doubted Seth. He hadn't thought everything through. Fortunately for her, thinking things out to every minute detail was her forte.
"Yes, I can," Seth replied confidently. "The initial planning phase for the observatory is over; they don't need me for the building phase. Plus I've got seven years worth of sabbatical unused. That means over a year's worth of paid leave anywhere I want. Even half way around the world. Even Paris."
Trina stared at him. She'd been wrong. Seth had thought this through. "It seems like you've thought this over more than once."
"Of course," Seth replied with an enigmatic grin. "I've had seven years worth of thinking."
Once again, Trina was taken by surprise. "What do you mean?"
"It means that I've waited seven years to see you again."
~oooOOOooo~
Epilogue
"I hope you didn't tire yourself out Aria," Trina said as she walked the last of her guests to the front door.
"No, of course not," her obviously pregnant friend replied with a large grin. "You haven't lost it. You still know how to throw one wild party Trina. That's the best fun I've had in nine months."
"Right. If we're lucky, the baby will come out tonight," Mikhail joked beside her.
"Shut up. Who made me like this?" Aria growled.
"Sorry, sorry," he quickly apologized, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek to appease her. Those hormones really were crazy. One second Aria was smiling, the next minute she wanted to kill him. Her mood swings were made worse by the added discomfort of being two weeks past her due date.
"Eewww. Sickeningly sweet moment right there," Trina stuck her tongue out at the lovey-dovey couple in front of her.
"Whatever," Aria said with a roll of her eyes. "I know you're going to have your own 'sickeningly sweet' moment the moment we leave. Where is the groom-to-be?"
Trina smiled, twiddling the new engagement ring on her finger. "Oh you know, he's somewhere here." Actually, she had no idea where he was. She'd look for him when Aria and Mikhail left. That is, if he didn't find her first. "Hey Aria, you know what's a good way to get your baby out as soon as possible?"
"What?" the couple said simultaneously, both curious.
"Sex."
They stared at her skeptically. "Are you serious?"
"I'm not joking," Trina defended. "It's scientifically proven that sex helps induce labor."
"You heard that honey?" Mikhail said, smiling mischievously at Aria. "It's scientifically proven."
"Okay then," Aria said, walking—no waddling—more briskly towards the door. "We're going to go now. My feet are killing me." Trina smiled as the couple left. The moment the door closed behind them, strong arms hugged her from behind.
"Are they gone now?" he whispered into her ear.
"Every last one," Trina replied, turning her head to give her new fiancée a kiss.
"I hate engagement parties," he said as he let her kiss him lightly on the lips.
"Even if it's your own?" she asked.
"Especially my own," he replied. "Because it means making nice with a whole bunch of people instead of making love with my bride-to-be."
"That was so lame!" Trina said, smacking him on the arm. "Honestly Gallahan. Where do you come up this stuff?"
"Who knows?" Seth with a shrug. "But its working, right Ms. Almost-Trina-Gallahan?"
"You're right about the almost part," Trina said, turning in his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder. "It's only been nine months Seth. We're insane to be getting married after only nine months."
"If there's anyone insane here, it's me," Seth replied from somewhere over her head. "But only because I'm insane over you."
"Seth!" Trina said, smacking him on the arm again. She looked up at him. "Be serious."
"What? I was being serious," he pretended to pout as he nursed his arm. They walked to the living room hand in hand. After removing some party debris off the couch, they sat comfortably against each other. "And for your information, it's been more that nine months. It's nearly been eight years."
"If you say so my Little Sex Kitten," Trina teased, rolling her eyes. "But if you really think that I'm going to believe you orchestrated our fateful meeting nine months ago, seven years in advance, then you're an idiot."
"But I'm you're idiot, so that's all that matters. Besides, is it really that hard to believe?" he added.
"Seth, you didn't even like me in high school," Trina scoffed.
"Yes I did!" Seth countered, looking down into Trina's hazel eyes. It still amazed him that he hadn't realized sooner just how much being able to look into them meant to him. In the past, what he'd thought was a prying, malicious gaze, was actually an honest one. One that he'd been too blind to see. "I just didn't realize it until later."
"Right. I had to go all the way to Paris for you to realize I was the love of your life and not my closest girl friend."
"Hey, I resent that," Seth sulked. He still wasn't over his youthful stupidity. Trina said it was okay, because he'd been young—younger anyway—but he could tell she had her own insecurities about it too. He should tell her not to worry because there was no way there's be anyone else for him, but he couldn't help but feel happy that she was just a little jealous.
"You should because seven years was all your fault," Trina replied. They were quiet for a while, drowsiness taking the place of conversation. "Was it really seven years?" Trina murmured much later, thinking that Seth was asleep. But he was awake and didn't hesitate to answer.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "It took me a long time to realize what you meant to me and even longer for me to find you. And when I found out that you were still in Paris working for your uncle, I didn't know how to contact you without the whole thing falling apart.
"I kept putting it off, going to school fulltime and trying to come up with ideas about how to approach you. Then, two years ago Aria and Mikhail announced that they were getting married and I knew I had to act. The rest you already know."
He smiled down at her and Trina knew. Oh yeah, she definitely knew. He'd bribed the then engaged couple shamelessly, using all his connections to pull out all the stops for their wedding at a minimal cost to Aria and Mikhail. In return, they'd complied with everything Seth planned that concerned Trina—from randomly setting them up to sabotaging wedding arrangements.
Seth was a wily one all right. He and Trina had more in common than either of them originally thought.
"Why though? Why wait seven years—no eight?" Trina couldn't help but ask. Seth had already confessed undying love for her—why did she still need assurances of his affection?
"Does that really matter?" Seth answered.
"No," Trina said sheepishly, "but can't a girl ask?"
"It's pretty simple Trina," Seth said, looking into her eyes. He was ecstatic with the thought that everything behind those expressive orbs was his. Mind, body, and soul. "It's cause I wanted you."
"And now?" she gazed at him expectantly.
"Now? Now I love you."
"Yeah?" she asked as they grinned at each other idiotically for no apparent reason.
"Yeah. And I probably will for the rest of my life."
THE. END.