Maid of Honor
"Jimmy, you're not
nervous?" Sheen asked as he rolled up the sleeves on his hoodie,
exposing
his tattoo-covered arms.
"Nervous?" Jimmy chuckled,
pushing back the long hair he usually wore in a ponytail. "Why would I
be
nervous? I'm just marrying Cindy. I know she was an annoying little
girl at one
time, but things are different now. She's kind, sweet, and not verbally
abusive
to me any more."
"Yeah, she takes it all out on
us," a taller, wider Carl piped in.
Jimmy had just returned to Retroville
for the summer, so he and Cindy could get married in front of their
family and
friends. He decided to stay at the apartment Sheen and Carl shared in
downtown
Retroville instead of at his parents' house. The boys sat around a
table
playing poker, just two days before Jimmy and Cindy's wedding.
"You won't see me throwing my
life away on some dumb girl," Sheen said as he began dealing a stack of
playing cards. He was in his mid-twenties and tall and lanky as ever.
Sheen had
a pierced lip, eyebrow and lots of different sized rings running down
the sides
of each ear.
"Somebody's bitter," Carl
sang under his breath.
"Dammit Carl, shut your
hole!" Sheen yelled.
He had broken up with Libby over five
years ago and had missed her every day since. Sheen had spent the last
few years
kicking around Retroville. He had gotten into some trouble in his late
teens,
but nothing Jimmy and Carl couldn't bail him out of. He was now a
part-time
student at the community college and hopped from minimum wage job to
minimum-wage job. Most of the time he could barely pay his half of the
rent.
Sheen had let Libby go because he knew he couldn't give her the future
she
deserved and she'd be better off without him.
It was a week before their senior
prom when Sheen told Libby they were through. He did it the fastest and
most
painless way he could think of; which was over the telephone. It was
the
hardest thing he ever did.
Jimmy cleared his throat. "That
reminds me, Libby just came in from
"
"I...I don't think so,"
Jimmy stuttered. "Cindy said she's in her third year at UNLV."
"Oh," was Sheen's only
response. Apparently Libby was doing fine without him. His heart sank.
All the
energy was suddenly gone from the room and it was filled with awkward
silence
as the boys looked at the cards they had been dealt.
"Okay guys, here's the
deal," Jimmy said, trying to get the conversation going again. "Since
I can't decide which of you to pick as my best man, I'm going to split
the
duties between you two. Carl, you can handle all the things that go on
at the
ceremony."
Carl timidly raised his hand. "I
won't have to say 'I have the ring' will I? I've been traumatized
enough as it
is."
"Of course not Carl," Jimmy
said reassuringly. "And Sheen--I know I'm gonna regret this--but I want
you to give the speech at the reception."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Girl, I've been your best friend for
how long? And you make me wear this?" Libby said as she looked at
herself
in the mirror at the dress shop and smoothed out her lilac satin
bridesmaid
gown. She fussed with her long, loose black curls. "Least my hair looks
good."
"I think it looks cute on
you," Cindy replied as she pushed Libby to the side in order to get a
look
at herself in the mirror. She wore a strapless white dress and had her
blond
hair down for once. "But it is a bridesmaid's dress, you're not
supposed
to like it."
"I'm so excited for you and
Jimmy," Libby said as she sat down and rested her elbows on her knees.
"We all knew this was gonna happen someday."
"Actually I always thought you'd
be doing this before me," Cindy blurted out thoughtlessly while
adjusting
her dress; regretting it the instant she said it. She looked down at
Libby and
saw the pain in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
"It's okay," she replied,
wiping her eyes to prevent her mascara from running. "Me and Sheen are
history. Everybody knows it."
"Don't cry," Cindy said as
she sat down next to Libby, who was trying desperately to hold back her
tears.
"He's so not worth it. You're bright and gorgeous. He never deserved
you
to begin with."
"I know I should be over
him," she said, lightly wiping her eyes. "But why does it still hurt
so bad after all these years?"
Work, school and being hundreds of
miles away had only dulled the pain. Libby had gone out with quite a
few guys
on and off campus, but none of them made her as happy as Sheen had.
The ceremony was held on a clear
Saturday morning in the park. Cindy adjusted her veil and tiara while
Libby
carefully looked her over from head to toe, making sure everything was
perfect.
"I almost forgot," Cindy
said, pulling a necklace from her jewelry case. "Something old."
"It's beautiful," Libby
whispered in awe as she helped Cindy put on her diamond necklace with a
single,
very special pearl in the center.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey Cindy!" Jimmy shouted
from a distance.
Cindy jumped behind Libby and tried
to stay hidden. "It's bad luck for Jimmy to see me before the
ceremony," she hissed.
Libby squinted across the clearing
where rows of chairs had been set up for the ceremony. She saw Jimmy,
Carl and
Sheen all looking a bit tired as they made their way across the park in
their
tuxedos. As the boys got closer, Libby could see all of Sheen's
piercings and a
tattoo on his neck that his white collared shirt didn't cover. With all
the
electric shocks Sheen had received as a kid, none of his body art
surprised
her. He had always been into pain.
"Sweet bachelor party Jim,"
Carl said, as he tried to keep up with his friends.
"Thanks Carl," Jimmy
replied.
"Dang!" Sheen said loudly
as he rubbed his eyes. "Jimmy, I thought you would've invented the cure
for a freakin' hangover by now!"
The guys made their way to where
Libby was standing with Cindy leaning behind her.
"Great to see you again
Libby," Jimmy said with a smile.
"Congratulations Jimmy,"
she replied just as she made eye contact with the person standing
behind him.
"Carl!" she squealed.
"Hi Libby," he said softly
right before she jumped up and hugged him, causing Cindy to tumble to
the
ground
"
"Sheen," Libby replied,
sounding just as frigid.
It hurt Libby to look at Sheen. He was
even more good-looking than she remembered. The spastic little kid with
the
cute accent was now a smooth rebel with a cute accent. Sheen spent the
whole
morning pretending Libby wasn't there, even though she watched her from
the
corner of his eye every chance he had.
Sheen lit a cigarette and sat on a
park bench next to Carl. "Look at her over there," Sheen said,
pointing to a group of women from the bridal party huddled around
Cindy.
"Just as sexy as I remember her."
"Yeah, Jimmy's mom still looks good
for her age," Carl happily sighed.
"For crying out loud, not
her!" Sheen shouted. "Libby!"
"She's pretty too I guess,"
Carl mumbled.
"I woke up next to a lot of
girls these past few years," he said, blowing smoke in Carl's face,
"but she was all I could ever think about."
"Then tell her that," Carl
replied. "Okay, well maybe not the part about waking up next to a lot
of
girls, but you could tell Libby you still like her."
"No way," he said, angrily
flicking the butt of his lit cigarette on the path. "I'm not any more
worthy of her now than I was before," he sighed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The guests started arriving shortly
after and the ceremony went on without a problem, aside from Carl
accidentally
swallowing the ring and Sheen desperately trying to get him to cough it
up.
During the vows they wrote themselves, Jimmy promised never to lock
himself up
in his lab and ignore Cindy; while she promised never to call him
"Nerdtron" again.
After the ceremony everyone gathered
at the reception hall. There were pink and white flowers everywhere and
tiny
pairs of holographic doves fluttered around the room. Libby rushed over
to a
large group of girls she and Cindy had gone to school with and talked
with them
excitedly for a while. Sheen made his way over to the bar and ordered
what
would be the first of many drinks.
Libby was glad the ceremony was over.
It was nice seeing all her old friends from school and there were so
many
people at the reception, she would be able to avoid Sheen all evening.
She was
finally enjoying herself after a rough day--until she began chatting
with
Jimmy's mom.
"Libby, it's so nice to see you
again," Judy Neutron said cheerfully, holding a glass of white wine in
her
hand and Jimmy's dad on her arm. "What have you been up to?"
"I've been going to school in
"Oh," Judy replied; a look
of disappointment and disgust spread across her face.
"But I'm not a..." before
she could finish speaking Judy and Hugh had turned their backs and
walked away.
"Can you believe it?" Judy
whispered to Hugh, just loud enough for Libby to hear. "Our new
daughter-in-law's best friends with an exotic dancer."
Libby collapsed on a nearby chair and
watched Jimmy and Cindy chatting with their guests. She saw Judy glance
over at
her nervously and whisper something to Mrs. Vortex that caused her to
peer over
at Libby. Hugh, standing up against a wall, mumbled something to the
now
retired Principal Willoughby that was overheard by an elderly Ms. Fowl.
Her
former teacher glimpsed at Libby sadly and shook her head.
Sometime later, a nervous Carl tapped
her on the shoulder. "Dance with me Libby?" he asked, extending his
hand to her. "I mean I know you like to dance, and I don't have anyone
to
dance with. So will you?"
"Of course," she replied
sweetly.
Carl led her out to the dance floor,
where Cindy and Jimmy clung to each other during a slow song. Libby put
her arm
around the burly Carl. She rested her head on his chest. It felt so
comforting
to be held by an old friend. She had started a new life in another
state, but
she had never felt so alone since she came back to Retroville.
Libby began weeping into his lapel.
"You okay?" Carl whispered as they continued slow dancing.
"First of all," Libby said
with a sniffle. "Just about everyone in this room thinks I'm a
stripper,
but I'm not and no one will let me explain myself. Yeah, I dance in a
show, but
I keep my clothes on."
"Just about everyone in this
room thinks I'm a little on the queer-side, but I don't let it get to
me."
Carl said, holding Libby closer. "I know I'm not. Who cares what they
think, right? But that can't be all that's bothering you. Is it?"
"You're his roommate and one of
his best friends," Libby said, wanting to burst into tears, but trying
to
keep her composure. "I know I should just let it go, but why did Sheen
break up with me?"
"Libby, he only did what he
thought was best for you," Carl replied. "He didn't want to hold you
back."
The song ended and Carl and Libby let
go of each other. Carl pointed to his watch and dashed to the front of
the room
where Jimmy and Sheen were standing. Libby waved goodbye to Carl, still
thinking about what he had just told her. She thought she saw Carl
whispering
something in Sheen's ear, but Britney had started jumping up and down,
trying
to get her attention. Libby had seen her earlier, but hadn't gotten a
chance to
chat with her. She was dying to know how Britney had talked Nick into
being her
date for tonight.
Sheen stepped up to the microphone
with a stack of index cards in his hand, ready to give his speech. He
shuffled
the cards around, looked at them briefly and then threw them to the
floor.
"We're here today to celebrate the marriage of Jimmy and Cindy," he
began, "and for the free food, booze and pastel after-dinner mints.
When
Jimmy and Cindy first met, all they ever did was argue and berate each
other;
and for the most part, very little has changed since then. I, as one of
the
groom's oldest friends--and someone the bride couldn't care less
about--wish
them all the best in their marriage. May they be together for as long
as they
can stand each other. And for the record, Libby's not a stripper!" he
finished yelling, slamming his fist down on the podium. "Thank you!"
The room went silent. Almost everyone's
jaws had dropped. Sheen surveyed the crowd, during a few moments of
stunned
silence. Carl broke the hush by clapping his hands slowly. Jimmy and
Cindy
followed his lead. Libby's cheeks turned pink; all eyes were on her.
She looked
up at Sheen with both passion and rage. He had made a scene that caused
everyone at the reception to stare at her, but he had done it to defend
her
honor.
Sheen marched away from the
microphone and chugged a glass of wine before he stormed out of the
reception
hall.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"You shouldn't be out
here," Libby said as she sat down next to Sheen. "You're one of the
best men. You should be in there with your boys."
His hair shot out in every direction
and his tie had come undone. He had a lit cigarette in one hand. Libby
was
looking equally burnt out from Jimmy and Cindy's wedding day. Her
lipstick had
rubbed off during dinner and her corsage had wilted.
"I was gonna go in and do some
shots with Bolbi," Sheen said, avoiding Libby's gaze. "Gotta have
some fun tonight and that foreign kid can drink!"
"If you danced with me, that
might be fun," Libby said softly as she took Sheen's hand. "I owe you
one."
"What for?" he asked,
wriggling his hand free from hers.
"Once again you stood up for
me," she said, taking his hand again and lacing her fingers between
with
his. "I met a lot of guys since I left and not one of them would've
done
for me what you did tonight."
"Carl told me everything. I had
to set things straight," Sheen said with a shrug before Libby's last
sentence fazed him. He looked at her with an upraised eyebrow. "A lot
of
guys? Like how many?"
"So what have you been up to
these past five years?" Libby asked cheerfully, trying to change the
subject. She ran her fingers through his hair.
He looked away from her and took a
drag on his cigarette. "Drugs," he said with a small laugh.
"Lots of drugs. Baby girl, I was a mess without you. But I don't do
that
anymore. Man, if you thought I was twitchy as a kid, you should've seen
me
then."
"We had some fun times when we
were kids," Libby sighed with a slight smile on her face. She rested
her
head on his shoulder. "Remember the first time we made out?"
"Yeah, in the backseat of the
rocket while Jimmy and Cindy were arguing and Carl was being sick,"
Sheen
responded, then flicked the butt of his cigarette off in the distance.
"Remember that time your mom kicked you out of the house because you wouldn't break up with me
like she wanted?" He joked.
Sheen reminding Libby of such a
frightening time in her life startled her. She punched him in the arm
out of a
touch of anger.
"That wasn't funny," She
said through clenched teeth. "I was sixteen. I was so scared."
He rubbed his arm. "And where
was I?" he snapped, pretending to be insulted. "I was right there by
your side the whole time."
"Until you broke up with
me," she scoffed. "What about prom night? Where were you then?"
He couldn't reply. Sheen stared down
at his shoes. He had always thought Libby was over him; but for the
first time
in his life, Sheen felt guilty for leaving her.
"I had to go to prom with
Carl," she said, with a little laughter returning to her voice as her
temper cooled.
"Did he score?" He teased.
"Eww," Libby giggled,
nudging Sheen. "No!"
He turned and looked into her
dazzling brown eyes and kissed her. It was just as sweet as the first
time they
had kissed. They were frisky teenagers all over again; not the jaded
twenty-somethings they had become. It was like nothing had ever changed
between
them.
"You got your tongue
pierced!" Libby squeaked after they broke apart from their kiss.
Sheen grinned. "You like?"
"I like," she replied with
a smile; wrapping her arms around him. "And I still like you."
"Like?" he said as he lifted
her up off the ground and
whirled her around. "Libby, I never stopped loving you.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~