Our "Friendly" Matrimony

7-Important Discussions

Sorry for the delay!! My test week is starting!!!

Alex's POV

Dinner was finally over and we had moved over to the massive living room in this mansion. Soph's grandfather was a loaded man and he wasn't scared to show it. From the finest of materials being used for anything and everything he desired, down to the utensils being lined with real gold for the sake of decoration.

He literally had a cabinet where those utensils were on display! Not to be used, just there to be seen. Everyone who had something to attend to was permitted to leave however, since no one wanted to leave, a sleepover was definite.

Macey was already tucked into the bed in the master bedroom since she had school tomorrow and there was no way that Soph's Grand father would let her sleep in a guest room. Dear loving Macey had managed to sway the old man's heart and the toddler's who had woken up two hours ago were finally back asleep. Leaving only those who could fully comprehend the situation, awake.

Thankfully, the teasing was over. But the irrefutably attractive tint of pink lingered on Soph's cheeks due to all the wiggling eyebrows directed our way.

"Don't you have work tomorrow?"

I directed my question towards Colt, Soph's only uncle who was adamant on teasing us and encouraging all our cousins to continue with their embarrassing questionnaire. A pout now rested on Soph's lips as her grandfather raised his hand, automatically silencing everyone in the room.

The man was well respected in my family just as much as he was in his, and since he had taken care of my Father and his brother's after my grand father and his best friend had passed away. To say he was just close to us, would be an understatement.

"Onto more important matter~"

He was interrupted by Lia's excited squeal and released a sigh, knowing it would be almost impossible to keep the giddy crowd quiet.

"We'll announce the engagement the day after tomorrow, I'll need both of you to take part in a photo shoot."

The publishing companies under his and my father's belt would obviously be the ones publishing any news related to me and Soph.

"Ooooh, then we have to get them an engagement ring by tomorrow!"

Thank you Liam. The fact that the i***t had just exclaimed as though the women of our families would let him come with us, was oblivious enough as it was.

"Yes, I'll rent the jewelry store for the sake of privacy and the both of you can go pick a ring."

My father placed emphasis on 'both of you', clearly letting everyone in the room know that they weren't invited.

It was fair to say that I hadn't managed to completely wrap my head around everything that was happening. The only thing that my mind chose to focus on and replay was my memory of the kiss.

Erasing it and attempting to shove it off my mind screen wasn't getting me anywhere, so I let it play in the background and my subconscious generated questions.

I knew Soph used flavored lip glosses, since those were her personal favorites and she almost always had a spare gloss in her purse or hand bag. Maybe because she has the habit to keep licking her lips or the lip gloss could be the reason she licked or bit her lips every so often.

She had tasted like a mixture of margarita and mint, and I couldn't erase the taste from my mind even after so many fruitless attempts. On the other hand though, it was obvious that she had more pressing matters clogging her mind.

Matters that made everyone in the family trudge carefully around the forbidden territory. Forbidden because it always left Soph rattled and hurt. My hand was securely curled around hers, fingers intertwined with occasional squeezes to reassure her as she did the same for me.

Her grandfather glanced at our hands for a second before his gaze traveled to me and he nodded in my direction. Taking Soph as my wife meant protecting and loving her for as long as we were together. But, given the current situation I didn't really know what to expect...

Was this a permanent thing?

Were we supposed to get divorced afterwards?

If so, then how long did we have together?

And- is she wearing a flavored lip gloss right now as well?---Shut up mind!!!

God! the confusion was eating me alive, how long was this supposed to go on for exactly? If it was publicly announced then we'd have to wait a while to avoid rumors.

"I can't go?"

Liam asked with his best heart broken voice and his father shook his head.

"No, after tomorrow you guys can have two weeks worth of fun as a group but then we'll keep the bride and groom apart for the two weeks before the wedding."

Ah, traditions.

Soph remained lost in thought till another discussion began and my mother took it upon herself to talk my fiancee out of her dazed state.

"What about the bachelor party?"

Mateo's question had all eyes turning to us again, I squeezed Soph's hand to draw comfort from it. And sighed in relief when she intertwined our fingers properly.

It was so similar to all the times she did that for me in school. Have a presentation? I'll sit with the teacher. Don't wanna walk alone? I'll hold your hand and walk beside you. Bullies? Let's go to the same martial arts instructor.

Almost everything I did was linked to Soph in one way or another. And thinking back on it now, I could almost see why our families would try to get us hitched.

"Oh yes! If the guys get to have a bachelor party then we get to have a bachelorette party!!!"

Zoe being the youngest of the females was the first to demand fairness. Of course the 'Elders' couldn't turn down the puppy eyes she gave them. And we ended up stuck with the ideas of our single life appreciation parties.

"Lexy!"

Soph whispered under her breath, giving my hand a harsh squeeze and effectively drawing me out of my confused haze yet again. What the hell was happening around us? Everything was moving so fast!

"Uh...yeah?"

With a sigh, my father repeated what he had said, and knowing exactly how much he hated being ignored- especially while being a man of power- I listened intently.

"Your bachelor and bachelorette will obviously be between all of you, leave the planning to them and I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Frank reminder, your wedding is in a month, no funny business before that. The moment you shared was different since you were both under influence."

At the mention of that, our cheeks simultaneously heated up and laughs erupted around us yet again. Ugh, it was so unfair! Being teamed up against by so many people altogether! People who were supposed to be family, people who were supposed to love us... But I guess we were about to see their true colors now.

"I call best man!"

Liam shouted, diverting the topic to something else entirely.

___________________

"So? What do you plan to do from here?"

Leo plopped down on the bed I was supposed to occupy tonight and stared at me with his head resting on his palms and his back facing the ceiling. Vincent was lazily sprawled across a one seat, legs thrown over an armrest.

Soph had gingerly settled herself down after pacing for a good fifteen minutes and I had switched places with her. Now being the one to pace in frustration. So many things clogged my mind.

Did Soph want this?

What were our boundaries?

Were we supposed to act the same?

How could we act the same?

Good Lord!! They kept swarming my conscious and I wasn't sure who to talk to. But we had to get this conversation going one way or another and unknowingly, Leo had started us down the path towards the revelations.

"I don't know."

She sounded frustrated with herself, being unsure of things never settled well with her, I on the other hand, was always reluctant and suspicious about everything so this wasn't anything new. Just to a completely new extreme... no biggie.

I gave my mind a careless shrug and focused on Vincent as he silently stared at the ceiling.

"I don't think its permanent."

His random words felt like a knife through my chest because I knew my gut agreed with his statement.

"I mean, I know its gonna be awkward for you guys but you have to act like a couple."

No pressure.

Yeah... no pressure...

It wasn't like we were going to be facing the media and so many more people, the further relatives, the business colleagues, the once friends, the clients and... JJ.

As much as I wanted to keep him away from her, I knew he liked her, I knew he cared about her and I most definitely knew that he was capable of cradling her every time she felt insecure and the tough exterior cracked.

Would I be able to do that?... God what am I thinking!!?

Cutting off my thoughts before they messed with me anymore, I huffed under my breath.

"You can't divorce, not yet at least."

Looking up, I found Vincent's eyes trained on me before they briefly darted to Soph before returning to me. Leo narrowed his eyes on me and I turned away.

"Regardless of what if's and whatnot's, you guys are gonna be married for a while. So... yeah."

I knew exactly what vince wanted to say, I was on the all clear from both of them. They knew... Course they knew, quite a few people also had their guesses about the exact platoni-city of Soph and I's relationship.

"If you wanna separate, at least give it a while, a year? Maybe two? That would be best don't you think? The press will follow you around for a bit but eventually they would settle down."

I sighed in return... separation... I was certain that after this, Soph and I weren't going to be the same friends we were before. I was certainly going to get hurt... that was inevitable. But looking at the girl sitting beside a chattering Leo, I couldn't find it in myself to make her feel suffocated.

I wouldn't hold her hostage, in fact, I'd do the bigger thing and let her go.

Clearing my throat, I responded firmly.

"Sounds like a plan."

Clearly neither of the twins had expected me to agree but they couldn't have expected me to harm my best friend either. I wanted to protect her from JJ, not become him!

"Okay then, the groom is in agreement, what does the bride say?"

All our gazes diverted towards Soph as she nibbled on her bottom lip, her eyes darting between both her cousins before settling on me. She relaxed almost instantaneously, because she trusted me with herself. And I wasn't ever going to let that trust crumble.

Her nod sealed the deal, this was it, I was getting married to someone I had held myself at a distance from for years. This was the girl I was willing to get hurt for over and over again. This was the woman who gave me her hand when I was afraid no one would, the one who gave me support when I felt the loneliest I had ever felt. In a way, she was my guardian angle.

But now it was time for me to do the protecting.