Two Strangers & A Wedding

Rome sat in her chair smiling from ear to ear as she watched her family dance like there was no tomorrow. Her older brother Winston moved his hips in a way that made you think he was trying to shake a wedgie loose. All the while her sister and eldest brother hashed it out on the dance floor in what looked to be an intense dance battle for the ages.

Giggling, Romes eyes slowly wandered across the room to her parents; watching as her sweaty father danced circles around her mother as she held the newest addition to their family.

Everything was just perfect: the food, the music, the decor, the atmosphere, the people, every little detail down to Rome's custom made long ivory tulle white lace flowy dress...it was all perfect. Even as she watched her Uncle Kevin drunkenly sing his heart out into an empty bottle of champagne to his beautiful grinning bride; the smile that clung to Rome's lips all night never left.

"The perfect wedding." Rome muttered under her breath as she gazed out into the dancing crowd before a slight movement to her right caught her attention.

Smiling, Rome watched as the boy next to her in his miniature tuxedo shoved forkfuls after forkfuls of cake into his mouth.

"I think I'm gonna like being married." Rome thought, her smile swallowing her face whole as she stared dreamily at the love of her life.

"There she is," Rome's father Dennis shouted making his way over to the two small children, "there's my little flower girl!" The older man cheered as he scooped the little girl into his sweaty arms.

"Hi dad!" Rome cheered as she happily wrapped her arms around her fathers' neck, ignoring the sweat that clung to his skin.

"Sawyer." Rome's father deep baritone voice called out, acknowledging the cake covered boy sitting next to his youngest daughter.

"Hi Mm. Clar." The young tousled hair boy smiled with a mouth full of cake. But even with a mouth full of cake that still didn't stop the young lad from shoving yet another forkful into his awaiting mouth.

Shaking his head in amusement, Dennis turned his attention back towards his daughter, " Do you wanna dance with your old man chipmunk..." He uttered setting Rome back to her feet,"what do you say?Wanna bust some moves with your dad and school these fools." He encouraged showing Rome a quick preview of the dance moves he planned on busting out.

Jumping on the balls of her feet with as much excitement as a six year old could muster Rome was ready. She hadn't danced to a single song all night and every nerve and muscle in her little body urged her to follow her father to the dance floor so that she could break out a few dance moves of her own.

Well...every muscle except for one.

That dang heart of hers wouldn't allow her to do such a thing. She couldn't leave Sawyer by himself. She just couldn't.

"I mean his mom and dad are dancing with Aunt Krystal and Uncle Terry. And-and-his sister is dancing with cousin Jasmine. He has no one right now. Who's going to watch him and make sure he's okay." Rome's little mind raced as she watched Sawyer standing by himself at the dessert table grabbing yet another piece of cake.

Oh to be so young and in love.

"Ummm dad. Is-is it umm okay if-if I just sit here with umm with Sawyer." She questioned not wanting to upset her father.

Dennis smiled knowingly as his eyes traveled towards the dessert table at the small boy who was currently stuffing his little pockets with as many beautifully wrapped macaroons as he possibly could, " Of course you can chipmunk," he chuckled giving her tiny forehead a quick kiss, "I'll just have to go find your brothers and sister so that they can help me with my dance fever." Rome's father explained before moon walking away into the now overly crowded dance floor.

Rome stood and watched her father disappear into the crowd, and when she could no longer see his dancing figure she turned around to go back to her seat only to let out a small yelp of surprise when she came face to face with a very confused and very messy looking Sawyer.

"Don't do that stupid." Rome grumbled giving the young lads arm a quick and painless shove, being quite mindful of the cake that Sawyer now held in his hands.

"Why did you do that?" Sawyer asked.

"Do what?" Rome questioned as she leaned over and grabbed her untouched napkin, handing it to Sawyer wordlessly.

"Why didn't you go dance with your dad like he wanted?" Sawyer asked ignoring the outreached cloth.

"Because then you would have been by yourself?" Rome stated matter of factly shoving the napkin into Sawyer's chest before taking her seat back at the table.

"So? Who cares?" Sawyer questioned using one hand to hold his cake and the other to wipe the remnants of the several sugary treats he had consumed over the last hour from his face.

"So...Who-Who car-Sawyer we're best friends and-and best friends don't leave each other. What are you stupid or something." Rome expressed as she threw her little arms in the air for dramatic effect.

Yet, Sawyer remained stoic, watching his best friend with furrowed brows as if figuring her out was one of the toughest challenges he had yet to face.

"Will you stop being stupid and come sit down." Rome exclaimed feeling somewhat uncomfortable under Sawyers watchful gaze. "What's wrong with you? You don't think I have cooties do you?" The little girl teased hoping that her unkind words would make the young boy stop looking at her with such intensity that it gave her stomach butterflies...and luckily for her it did just that.

"Shut up," Sawyer pouted as he grumpily stomped his way over to a smirking Rome never taking his eyes off of her, "I know you don't have cooties. I'm not five. And-and everyone knows after you turn six you can't get cooties no more...so ha." Sawyer stated matter of factly, scrunching his face up and sticking his tongue out in victory.

With the roll of her eyes, and the smallest of smiles to grace her lips Rome leaned towards Sawyer and quickly snatched the porcelain plate from the young man's tiny hands, "You look like you're about to doo-doo on yourself." Rome teased as she grabbed the fork that Sawyer had abandoned before quickly inhaling the delicious, mouthwatering triple layered red velvet chocolate chip cake with cream cheese frosting and edible flower petals.

"Hey!" A shocked but overall appalled Sawyer screamed as he watched his cake be devoured by a little girl with plaits and colorful beads, "Hey that's mine."

"Stop being a baby Sawyer," Rome muttered through a mouth full of cake, "I sat here and watched you eat like four pieces of cake." She argued taking in another forkful.

"Yeah but-but you're eating it with my fork?"

"So?" The young woman questioned taking another bite, "we share things all the time. That's what best friends do?" Rome said scrunching her brows at the now blushing boy.

"I know. But-but this...this is different Rome."

"Says who?" Rome bickered rolling her eyes at Sawyers ridiculous notion before taking yet another bite from her uncle and aunts delicious wedding cake.

"Me!" Sawyer shouted waving his arms like a madman.

"Who cares!" The little girl yelled breaking off another piece of cake. But before the forks prongs carrying the smooth, velvety melt in your mouth delicacy could reach her awaiting tastebuds, the fork was abruptly slapped out of her hand and slammed to the beautifully polished tile floor with a harsh BANG!

"What the H-E-Double hockey sticks Sawyer. Why did-"

"Are you crazy!"

"Me?" Rome scoffed looking at the ruined piece of cake that now lay at her feet, "You're the one who slapped the fork out of my hand LIKE A CRAZY PERSON!" Rome said wide eyed.

"...Because...because...you're not supposed to share forks and stuff with. other. people. Rome." Sawyer emphasized grabbing hold of Rome's shoulders.

"What-what are you talking about?" Rome whispered, as her little heart fluttered irrationally due to her and Sawyers closeness.

"Gosh you're so dumb." Sawyer muttered squeezing the wide eyed girls shoulders and pulling her in close, "When a boy and a girl share a fork or something that-that their mouths been on...it's like their kissing." The young man whispered in Rome's ear after doing a quick double take of their surroundings to make sure that no one was listening.

"What! That's-that's-that's-that's-not-not true."Rome stammered taking a much needed step back from Sawyer so that the air around her would stop making her feel so lightheaded.

"Is so. My sister Breanna told me."

"Breanna also made you cry so hard that you threw up because she told you that your mom and dad bought you at a freak show for a bag of peanuts." Rome deadpanned slapping Sawyers hands away from her

"She wouldn't lie to me about something as serious as this Rome." Sawyer said as his once pale cheeks slowly began to turn to a beautiful shade of pink.

"You're an idiot," Rome declared as her vengeance for her once soiled cake slowly became a long forgotten memory, "that doesn't even make sense. I've shared a bunch of stuff with my brothers and dad and uncles and cou-"

"Don't call me an idiot!" Sawyer exclaimed cutting off Rome with little to no remorse, "You're-you're the idiot cause everyone knows that that kissing rule doesn't count when it's your family." Sawyer explained giving Rome's shoulder a shove.

"Don't call me an idiot. Dummy." Rome bickered shoving Sawyer in his chest.

"Don't call me a dummy. Stupid."

"Don't call me stupid. Loser."

"Don't call me a loser. You moron."

"Don't call me a moron. You butt-face.

"Don't call me a bu-"

"Awe look at you two...arguing like an old married couple." Sawyer's older sister Breanna intervened, shoving her way between the two.

Annoyed, Rome moved her narrowed eyes from a red faced Sawyer up to survey a tall and lanky pre-teen. Rome had always liked Breanna. She was different. She had blue hair and could do the splits and Rome liked that about her. She also found her dark sense of humor a bit entertaining at times.

But this was not one of those times.

"Shut up Bre." Sawyers voice called out snapping Rome out of her thoughts and back into the present where she came to find the two siblings in a heated staring contest. "I'm not old you're old!" Sawyer proclaimed puffing out his chest.

"Oh to be young and stupid." Breanna chuckled giving Sawyers forehead a quick thump.

"Hey!" Both Rome and Sawyer yelped.

Choosing to ignore their outburst, Breanna turned her attention to an annoyed looking Rome, "Sooo...what are you two love birds over here arguing about huh. Your wedding." She winked giving Rome's shoulder a little nudge.

"Weddings is for old people Breanna! And I'm not old!" The little boy squealed."

"Okay smart guy, but you do realize that you are going to get old one day too...right. So what are you gonna do then-huh." Breanna stated with the roll of her eyes as she turned her attention away from Rome and back to a bright red Sawyer.

"Easy," Sawyer scoffed as if he was talking to a brick wall, "IF that time comes...than I'll just marry Rome." The young lad stated nonchalantly with a careless shrug.

"What." Rome gasped, "Sawyer you-you want to-to-marry me?" Rome questioned making sure that she heard the words coming out of the young boys lips correctly.

"Yeah. I mean who else would I marry? Hay fever Hannah?"

"But-but-but-but-but-but.I-I-I-I-I-I-"A wide eyed Rome embarrassingly stuttered as she quickly covered her mouth.

"Oh God." Rome thought to herself. She was stammering. Her thoughts and words were all over the place, she was spiraling out of control.

"I can't do this. Oh my god I can't do this. What-what if I open my mouth and my heart falls out. Just falls right on out of my mouth and on the floor. Right next to my cake!" That horrific thought alone made the poor girl petrified to even want to open her mouth.

Panic was the simplest way Rome could explain what she was feeling. It was flowing through her veins and filling her lungs with too much air. And unbeknownst to her sawyer watched the whole thing. He slowly watched the panic fill Rome's beautiful brown eyes causing his own heart to ache. He didn't mean to make her upset. The last thing Sawyer would ever want to do is hurt his best friend, "Rome? Rome are you okay?" Sawyer asked gently taking her shaky hand in his.

"Yes." Rome gasped taking in a much needed breath.

"We don't have to get married if you don't want to. You'll still be my best friend. Even though I'm pretty sure it's the law. But don't worry. I would never call the cops on you. I don't want you to go to the jail"

"No-no-no. It's just. You said. And I was." Rome muttered struggling to find the right words to say at that very moment.

But as Rome finally found the courage to look into Sawyers eyes. The most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. Those honey brown eyes that said nothing and everything all at the same time. The eyes that had just the tiniest flecks of green that no one seemed to notice but her. The eyes she fell in love with the and eventually made her fall in love with him. Looking into those eyes, made the entire room disappear-it was just him and her and it was then that Rome figured it out. She knew exactly what she wanted to say.

"We can get married."

"Yes. Okay so now we have to make it official," Sawyer cheered squeezing her hand for reassurance before turning his attention back to his older sister with an infectious lopsided smile, "Breanna can you be our peacher please?"

"You're what?"

"Uh our peacher. Gosh Bre I thought you were smart." Sawyer groaned as he dragged his hand down his face with a sigh, "You know...the peacher...the guy in the shiny bathrobe that says I now make you husband and wife."

"Do. You. Mean. Preacher?" Breanna asked emphasizing each word.

"Uhhhh...that's what I said. Now be me and Romes peacher so we can say our vowels and make it official." Sawyer impatiently demanded as he gave Rome's hand another squeeze.

"You mean your vo-you know what...it's not even worth it Breanna." The young woman whispered to herself before bringing her attention back to the two young children standing in front of her, "Okay-okay-ummm-uh-do you Sawyer take Rome to be your wife. To ummm-to have and to hold from this day forward."

"Yes." Sawyer said sternly facing towards the little girl hiding behind her loud and colorful beads...never taking his eyes off of her.

"Okay good. And ummm-do you Rome-uh-take Sawyer to be your husband. To have and to hold from this day forward."

"...I do." Rome whispered shyly as she stared up at Sawyer through her lashes.

"Really? I mean GREAT!" Breanna said giddily, "So by the powers vested in me that I just now gave myself because I can do that. I now pronounce you ummm future husband? And uhh future wife? You may now kiss the bride."

In seconds Romes head shot up like a bottle rocket at Breanna's cheerful declaration, "A WHA-" but was cut off by the feeling of something light and soft at the corner of her lips. It was faint but undeniably noticeable. Just like the electric sparks coursing through her body, faint but noticeable. But once the delicate touch disappeared so did the electric sparks. And when Rome looked up she saw Sawyer with his eyes shut sporting they deepest and darkest shade of red she had ever seen on him.

"...uh..."Rome tried to speak but couldn't because she was truly at a loss for words.

It was the girls first kiss after all.

"Oh the rings. We need rings to make it official official ummm," Sawyer spoke searching aimlessly for some kind of ring until an idea came to him, "Hold on." he sad as he dug into his pockets pulling out the beautifully wrapped macaroons he had grabbed at the dessert bar earlier for Rome.

Sawyer had noticed that Rome didn't eat much all day. She barely touched her dinner and didn't even want dessert (that is until she stole his). He didn't know what was wrong with her but he did know that cookies always made him feel better so maybe they would make Rome feel better too.

Unraveling the beautiful royal blue ribbon he looked back at Rome back into those beautiful brown eyes. The eyes that were the color of his favorite chocolate bar. The eyes that said nothing and everything all at the same time. The eyes that had the smallest bits of gold hidden in them that no one seemed to notice. The eyes that captured him since his little brain could remember. The eyes he fell in love with.

"Give me your hand Rome." Sawyer smiled staring into his favorite set of eyes as he began to slowly wrap the silky fabric around Romes dainty ring finger.

"Just perfect." He whispered reaching into his pocket once more and pulling out another ribbon, "You're turn."

Rome was speechless, in a hypnotic trance of sorts as she happily grabbed the small piece of fabric and slowly wrapped it around his ring finger just as he did hers moments ago. Watching as that small infectious lopsided smile of Sawyers grew causing Rome to sprout one of her own.

"Oh. My. God. That was the cutest fucking thing I have ever seen. You two are adorable." Breanna's high pitched voice cheered causing both Sawyer and Rome to snap out of their intertwined trance and jump apart.

"Gosh Breanna what are you still doing here go away." Sawyer muttered embarrassed of the fact that he had forgotten his sister was still with them. "Go-go dance or something." He whispered shoving his giggling sister in the direction of the dance floor. And once her and her high pitched laughter was gone Sawyer turned on his heels... back to his Rome with such a pep in his step that he was afraid that he may just float away.

It's official!" Sawyer cheered once he was back, unable to help the electric current running through his body making his giddy little body move to the beat of the music.

"You're so weird." Rome laughed unable to take Sawyer or his little happy dance seriously.

"I know. But I'm just happy it's just you and me. You and me against the world. You and me til the end." Sawyer cheered grabbing ahold of Rome's sweaty hand once more.

"Just-just you and me." Rome repeated smiling down at their conjoined hands as she admired their matching ribbons while also being grateful that Sawyer hadn't made a comment on how wet her hand was.

"Yeah! Now come on! Let's dance!" Sawyer shouted before dragging a grinning Rome to the dance floor.