On Twitter, ImNikitha_13 wanted me to ask you guys if you would like him to be Lucas? ^

Chapter Twenty Six: "Bridezilla."

"THIS IS ACTUALLY REALLY-,"

"Lit. It's lit man, it's lit." Eduardo finished for me even though I wasn't going to say that.

We stood outside of the gym in Hamilton Academy of the Arts and the lights weer flashing around the dark room as everyone was dancing inside, the sound of the loud music vibrating underneath my feet. It really was like Eduardo who was dressed as a zombie (a person who didn't know how to do zombie make up well) said, lit.

"Lit?" Kim asked him, looking confused. She was dressed as an angel, the halo on her head and her blonde hair curled into short locks around her face.

"Yes lit."

"Idiota." I told him and he playfully pushed me.

"Why am I actually surprised you came tonight?" Mary Anne asked me.

"Maybe because I told my mom the dance team had a performance at this school dance tonight and she was like okay. If it was regular school dances the chances of me going was slim to none but dance related? I'm good with that excuse."

"She must really support you huh?" Eduardo asked me.

"Yeah she really does."

"Must be nice." Eduardo muttered, walking into the gym.

"What...what was that about?" I asked Mary Anne.

"He, uh, he doesn't really get much support about dancing at home. His dad hates it actually and it makes him stressed when a parent won't even support something you love doing." She ran a hand through her hair that was pushed back with a blue bandana.

We were both wearing matching outfits since we didn't want to dress up in costumes but kind of dressed up in a 'twin' aspect. We both had bandanas wrapped around our heads, one I had from a dance two years ago and Mary Anne just bought it. With my red bandana and red plaid while she sported the clothing in blue, Octavia had basically told us what to wear over the phone.

"I already miss Octavia." Kim sighed, looking around the large room.

"Same," Mary Anne said, hooking her arm with mine. "Is it weird that I can imagine her here right now, probably pushing people to the side to have the spotlight and then-"

"Let me guess," I spoke up, almost laughing. "She'll end up being in the middle of a circle possibly twerking, am I right?"

"Exactly." Kim and Mary Anne laughed.

"Where's Sarah?" I asked them.

"She's not coming," Kim told me, every movement she made white robe thingy that came with the angel outfit, swish and sway. "She's with Luke- her Luke not your Lucas-talking about them."

"I don't have a Lucas." I mumbled, crossing my arms.

Mary Anne scoffed. "Stop pouting. Where's your man anyway?"

Just when I was about to tell her that he wasn't my man someone tapped me on the shoulder. I heard Kim and Mary Anne both shriek before I saw who it was.

Jane stood there in a zombie costume like Eduardo but clearly hers was WAY BETTER. She had the makeup down and everything. She had tattered clothing that kind of look like a car ran over it a couple of time and she faked a limp and one of her fake arms was in her hand.

I wasn't scared at her appearance because frankly it was like a horror movie come to life and I love horror movies but I was impressed. "Wow Jane this is actually amazing. I didn't think you could upgrade from what we were today."

When I had entered school today, she had been dressed as Snow White and the girl-who I keep forgetting her parents are wealthy had hired people to be the seven dwarfs to follow her all day. Lucas had claimed she took this year too far but personally I admired the way she went all out.

But this zombie costume even if it sounds lame was honestly one of the best things I've seen. "Thank Sydney," She smiled at me, showing fake rotten teeth. "I'm looking to win tonight."

"I can tell." I smiled back at her just when my eye caught something. I looked up to find Isaac staring back at me. He wasn't wearing a shirt, broadcasting his muscles to the entire school body.

"Um...what is he supposed to be?" Mary Anne asked, looking in the same direction as I was.

I ripped my eyes off of Isaac when Kim spoke up. "A wrestler or something like that. Obviously it's catching attention from Matilda."

We looked over to where Matilda was talking to some girls but her eyes were on Isaac the entire time.

"Interesting." Jane said, putting her fake arm back in place.

"Where is Zen?" Kim asked, huffing.

"Weren't you with him hours ago?" Mary Anne asked.

"Yeah but he was setting up everything and I probably won't even see him tonight. He was yelling into his Bluetooth the entire time and kept checking the sound so I left and got my costume."

I kept hearing the music blast but the amount of people couldn't let me see the small stage attached to the gym where I could see a sound system set up. "Um...who's the DJ?"

"Who do you think?" Jane asked when I could get a clear view of who was on the stage, headphones on his ears.

"Joey Cahill."

"Yep." For once I will actually compliment the guy. He was doing a great job actually and he seemed really into it, typing on his Mac computer and bobbing his head to the beat of the song that was remixed.

"He's a DJ?" I asked, thinking of that Asian guy, Jon Ming, one of the first people I met in this town.

"Yeah," Jane clarified. "He can play almost every instrument but he does this a lot more. I'm going to the bathroom. I'll see you guys later."

She walked away as we made our way through the doors meeting Eduardo who was watching some people dance in the middle of a circle. "I kind of want to show them up." He said referring to the people who were dancing. "Sydney!" he yelled.

I jumped because it was louder than the music. "What?" I exclaimed.

He lent me a hand. "Ready to show them Elite team dancers?"

"W-wait. Eddie i-I'm not sure if I-oh my god." He yanked me past people and pulled me into the circle. I watched the guy wave people back to make it larger and that made everyone's attention on us.

"Yo Cahill!" Eduardo yelled at Joey who stopped the music. "Put on some...Latin music."

What surprised me was that Joey didn't even argue and did as he asked and I could hear a song I knew way too well. Eduardo pushed us into the middle, holding a hand out to be as the song started. "Ready?"

"No." I admitted, not glad I was being forced into a spotlight especially since ballroom dancing wasn't a great specialty of mine.

"Just go with it Siddy." We started moving to the point where I could hear people hollering. Eduardo turned me around in a way that showed he knew what he was doing, his feet in time with the beat of the song and leading me the entire time.

I watched more people join us in the weirdest way as Eduardo spun me out. Most of them were dancer in the ballroom classes that I recognized and they danced around us in a sync routine, probably one they had been practicing.

But that's how my night started with a lot of fun thanks to my friends. After countless songs that had transitioned into English songs and everyone ending up jumping like crazy lunatics especially some of the ninth graders...and Eduardo, Zen had finally joined us, dressed in his usual dark attire. By now my friends and I were in a corner of the gym, us laughing at something when he had approached. "You guys look like you're having fun."

"You missed out on the hour bro," Eduardo slapped his back. "I'm starting to think Sydney has been holding out on us with her dancing."

"You're on the dance team with me."

"Yeah but you can do so much more. We're going to win World Championships this year I can feel it."

I patted him on the shoulder. "Let's focus on Regionals Eddie."

This guy didn't seem like he could stop grinning and Mary Anne noticed. "Why do you keep smiling?"

"Because it's our last Halloween dance here and it looks like it's already pretty memorable."

"Cute."

"I know I am, let's go dance." He dragged her away and I smiled at the sight before turning my eyes over to Kim and Zen.

Zen couldn't stop looking at her, his entire focus was literally just her as she told him how long it took for her to curl her short hair. The light in his Bluetooth lit up but he didn't press it, ignoring it all and focusing on just her. Was she even aware that he already fallen for her? Hard?

I noticed how hot it was getting in the room and excused myself outside, Kim nodding in acknowledgement before I made my way out of the gym. I pushed the doors open, being blasted with cold air. I almost sighed in relief, my palms sweaty. I made my way towards the bathroom when someone called my name.

I turned around coming face to face with Isaac. Oh now what? "Isaac." I said.

"Hey."

I guess he was waiting for me to say something so I did even though I really just wanted to wash my hands and relax for like five seconds. "What are you supposed to be?" I asked him already knowing the answer.

"A wrestler." He laughed a bit, flexing his arms. "See?"

"Yeah I see." I said quietly, turning around to walk away when he grabbed my wrist.

"Sydney wait."

"What Isaac? What could you possibly want from me?"

"You want to-"

"Isaac!" another voice called and I have never been so grateful to hear Matilda's voice. She walked over in a 'thing one' shirt and I was wondering if Lydia was somewhere around here wearing 'thing two'.

"I'll see you later." Or not hopefully, I silently thought, scurrying away to the bathroom.

While I was watching my hands I was honestly hoping to see one person I wanted to see tonight. The one who told me he would be here but so far he wasn't. I blew a raspberry, walking out of the bathroom and looking through my phone to find text messages from Wesley and Michelle. I then looked through my iPod and hooked onto the school's wifi to check if he messaged me. Nothing.

I was so close to the gym when I heard someone say, "Sydney."

I faced him, almost bumping into his body. "Hi." I managed to squeak out.

He was wearing a dark green beanie on his head, his hands shoved in his jeans and a colored plaid that was larger than it should be on him unbuttoned to expose his white undershirt. "Hey."

"You came."

"I told you I would." Lucas gave me a small dimply smile.

"Um, Jane's inside too, probably about to win best costume any second from now."

"I know," He laughed quietly. "You won't believe the amount of pictures she sent me of her costume. It looks sick but my phone storage is going full because of that girl."

I smiled, playing with my fingers as Lucas stepped in front of me. "Coming?"

I nodded and followed him inside.

This is where everything changed.

The loud music was gone and Lucas' twin had disappeared from the DJ table. The music was soft and a guy was on stage, singing to the instrumental of what was playing in the background. Right now everyone was dancing in partners, swaying side to side.

Oh no.

My eyes flickered over to Lucas whose eyebrows were raised at the sight of people slow dancing.

"Hey guys." Jane whispered.

Lucas gave her a small smile that Jane returned with a blank face. The smile disappeared from his face and he stared back at her. "What?"

"What are you doing? This is your first high school dance and you're a twelfth grader. I'm highly suggesting for you to go and dance with someone like-oh I don't know-Sydney."

My eyes widened at her suggestion. Oh shit.

I watched Lucas, his Adam's apple bobbed. Jane got impatient and didn't wait. She- as petite as she was- pushed Lucas and I forward and a good distance away from the doors of the gym. "Go you hormonal teenagers."

Lucas shook his head, laughing under his breath and cleared his throat. "Um...so..."

"Put your hands on her waist you idiot." Jane hissed.

Lucas gave her the middle finger with a smile. "Shut up and leave us alone."

"Gladly." She grinned, walking away.

It took a moment and I wasn't even sure who would make the first move when I felt Lucas step towards me, his hands placing themselves on my waist.

Dear God...

My hands found their way to the back of his neck and I locked my fingers when I realized he locked his own behind my back. My perspective was on his shoulder and I was hiding my smile against it as his mouth was by the side of my head.

"I never got to say this but I like your costume."

I scoffed. "My family doesn't celebrate Halloween so I just matched with Mary Anne. I like what you're wearing Turtle but what are you supposed to be?"

"I'm a guy that decided to come to a school Halloween dance as himself and question why the hell he really did decide to come to the dance."

"Oh yeah you never really go to the dances here do you?"

"I don't dance. Period."

"But you're dancing right now." I told him, leaning back to look at his face.

"Does swaying back and forth to slow music really count as dancing, Sydney?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure it does." I told him with a smile.

He rolled his eyes before capturing his bottom lip in between his teeth and leaning down, his head in the crook of my neck. "I like this."

"What?" I whispered to him.

"This. Us like this. I like it." He admitted and I could picture his cheeks turning a shade of red when he said that.

"I, uh, I like it too."

"Good."

There was a brief moment between us before I felt like clearing up the air. "I'm surprised you didn't dress up like a turtle to be honest. It suits you."

Lucas laughed, his breath hitting against my neck. "I'll be honest, I was considering dressing up like one to impress you but then I realized how much of a dork I would look like."

"You wouldn't look like a dork."

"Yes I would. You would literally take one look at me and call me a dork Canada girl, don't lie. I know you would."

"Okay I would call you a dork what's the big deal with that?"

"The big deal with that is that you can call me a dork and I would take your opinion but anyone else in this place could call me a dork and I wouldn't give a damn what they said." He whispered.

I sucked in a large breath and bit my lip as we swayed, wondering if he really meant that.

I looked around us to find Eduardo and Mary Anne dancing a distance away from us. I caught Zen in a corner talking to two girls before he held that remote in his hands and clicked a button. The silver lighting in the room that was flashing and spinning around changed to blue. He looked satisfied and when he caught my eye Zen gave me a nod before walking away, probably going to find Kim.

I wished Octavia was here. I could literally picture her here, probably dancing with some guy or standing off to the side giving me a look when she would see Lucas' arms around me.

I pulled back to look at Lucas' face and he smiled at me, his forehead resting against mine. "I need to admit something."

"What?" I asked him.

"I'm literally struggling right now just swaying because I feel like I'm eventually going to step on your feet." His cheeks turned a bright red and I burst out laughing.

"Don't worry, you're doing great. You're doing great."

"Thanks for the reassurance but I meant that as a warning just in case I actually do step on your feet." He said with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Got it." I smiled back at him.

There was a moment where I could literally just stare into his eyes, no glasses but just him focused on me. I could see that his eyes were like a chestnut brown. They weren't some color that other girls would fangirl over like a light blue or green or grey. His eyes were brown like majority of the people I knew and some people thought that brown as a plain color but at this moment I didn't think it was possibly to like brown eyes as much as I did now.

I was so mesmerized by Lucas' eyes, I didn't notice when he pulled me close and moved his face so his lips were by my ear. "Can I do something?" He whispered.

"Yeah." I murmured back, my hands finding their way to unlock from his neck and fall onto his shoulders. Oh shit, what was going to happen?

He moved his head back and looked at me, conflict in his eyes whether he should do what he was thinking of doing or not.

But he did it.

Lucas leaned in before I could even blink and his lips touched my cheek delicately like a feather. He held his lips there for a lingering moment and it was long enough that I could smell his cologne and hoped he couldn't hear my beating heart.

When he pulled away, I bit back the huge grin on my face or else I would've been staring at him like a huge freak.

It was one simple gesture but it said a lot. Kind of like hope; a four letter word with a huge meaning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Left, right, left, right...Ivan could you please stop bothering Phillip?" Natasha yelled at him.

"Bridezilla mode has been engaged." Greg whispered beside me and I stifled laughter, watching Phillip walk through the make shift trail that went around the gigantic garden near the wall of the house.

"Yeah she's a little riled up huh?"

"You don't know the half of it," Greg mumbled. "She's been calling people for weeks and I thought my mom was having a rampage about the wedding until Natasha for the past couple of days."

I looked over at where my own mom and Liz were talking on the patio and laughing about something. It was good to see my mom have a friend in this town even a super model/fashion designer Elizabeth Cahill.

She was only here because she wanted to drop me off at the Cahill's house this Sunday. I couldn't go yesterday because I had practice but today was literally a plan for the wedding weekend and I have never seen Natasha look so stressed...and her husband to be wasn't really helping.

"Babe you need to relax." Ivan reached over and gently grabbed the clipboard out of Natasha's hands. "The wedding is in about two weeks. We still have time."

"No we don't. Why? Because next weekend everyone is starting to fly in and Macy and Sam don't get here until the following weekend and my cousins don't get here until a while from now and we have to make sure my uncle does not sit next to his ex-wife who I am still close to because those two will either kill each other or end up going into some room and having-"

"OKAY!" Ivan exclaimed , stopping her from continuing her sentence and glancing at Phillip. "Clearly, you are not okay at the moment because you almost pulled a me in front of my little brother. Now, I need you to calm down baby, calm down."

Natasha took a deep breath when I felt another person join Greg and I. Christian buzzed his lips together. "I swear he's the only person who can calm her down whenever she's mad or agitated. It's kind of scary when she gets mad."

"It makes sense," Greg spoke up, chewing on a piece of gum. "I mean they're really in love."

"What's happening?" Another voice asked and I turned around to find another person with us, the eldest brother. I couldn't remember his name but his eyes were blue and his hair was dark and he was tall like the rest of his brothers.

"Ivan's trying to calm Natasha down." Phillip said as he walked towards us.

The eldest brother scooped up the youngest who yelled for him to put him down. "Toby put me down!" Phillip yelled.

That's his name: Toby. Oh yeah.

Toby pretended not to hear him looking around. "Where's Joey?"

"Probably at his girlfriend's house." Christian said and I let out a relieved sigh at that.

Toby looked down at me with amusement in his serious eyes. He put Phillip down before walking and leaning over to me. "You're not a big fan of Joseph Cahill are you?"

I shrunk back a bit, his eyes were that intense. "I'm not."

"I could understand why sometimes," He said before looking around. "Speaking of one twin, where's Lucas?"

"Right 'ere." My eyes widened and my heart thumped loudly in my chest.

He walked over to us, holding the strings to his sweater. He caught my eyes and gave me a small smile that I returned. We didn't talk about that little thing. The little kiss on the cheek. We talked about anything else but that never came up and I kind of wanted to avoid it.

Why am I making that such a big deal? It probably wasn't even supposed to be a big deal-

"Lucas, Sydney over here let's practice your walk since you're walking down the aisle together."

What?

Natasha who was clearly on a lighter side now that Ivan was standing beside her gave me a nod. I couldn't even glare at her because she was smiling so wide when Lucas and I walked over there.

"Okay go. You know what you'll be holding but I want you to understand the timing of your walk. Not too fast but not slow either." She instructed us.

"Why are weddings this stressful?" Lucas asked as we started.

"Who knows?" I whispered.

"So when the whole wedding thing is over doesn't that mean that you won't be here often?" He took off his glasses and cleaned one frame with the sleeve of his sweater.

I nodded. "Yeah that's what it basically means."

"But I think you might be here a little bit more. I mean my mum likes you and she and your mum seem to start becoming really good friends."

"Yeah...but still."

"Still?"

"Still means..." I trailed off, carefully choosing my words in my head. "That I'm not even sure if I'll see you that often outside of school."

"That would suck. I mean Greg and Phillip seem to like you."

"I like them too. Phillip's just full of joy and Greg kind of seems like an underdog in the family."

"Underdog?"

"Yeah it's probably one of the only words I can find for him but he's great. How much of your family going to be here for the wedding?"

"Well...my family has a lot of cousins and second cousins and third cousins. And then Natasha has a lot of family and family friends like our family does so this wedding is going to be huge. So thank God that our backyard is big enough."

"Big enough? You could build another house with the property your parents own."

Lucas smiled in amusement before nodding. "I feel extremely grateful to be part of this family you don't even know it."

I watched the way he looked over at some of his brothers, the family not complete yet but he looked at them with ease before shifting back to me. "I, um..."

"What?"

"I noticed that you would do anything for your brothers-for your family. Anything. Even Joey."

Lucas bit his lip and slowly he nodded. "I would. Even for Joey. Because yeah we fight and now we don't get along as well as we did before we entered high school or for the past couple of months where...he kind of just..."

"He what?"

"He just completely distanced himself from me especially the summer but to this day I know that I would still do anything for him."

It was then I realized I had reached a point with Lucas. I was able to get him to explain something with more ease and learned that he really loved his family.

"You're a pretty great brother Turtle."

He smiled at the nickname by the time we reached the ending of the trail to the place where Ivan and Natasha would get married near a long hedge separating her uncle's house and the Cahill's.

We walked towards where his brothers were standing. "I know you don't have any siblings but you take one of mine. Since you like Greg so much he's up for the offer." He joked.

Greg reached over and punched his brother on the arm. "I heard that you dick."

"I was kidding," Lucas reached over and grabbed Greg, putting him into a headlock that Greg managed to get himself out of. "You think he's great now?"

"I'm her favorite Cahill. Of course she thinks I'm great." Greg told Lucas with a smirk, standing by my side.

I couldn't help but laugh when Greg hugged me. He was definitely one of my favorite Cahill's. Lucas rolled his eyes and Greg mocked him. "Aw Lucas are you jealous?"

Lucas reached over to smack his brother upside the head hard enough for Greg to let go of me. "Okay, fuck I was just kidding."

"Greg language." Liz yelled.

"How did she hear me from up there?" Greg wondered, hugging me again by the waist. He was around my height and I knew he could grow up to be a heartbreaker but not just with his looks but also his personality. He probably is one at 13.

Phillip latched onto the other side of me and I looked at the both of them shaking my head. I turned my gaze onto Lucas who was already staring at me with a small smile on his face.

"OKAY," Natasha yelled, making me look away from Lucas. "Greg you're next."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"He did what?" Sarah asked, almost dropping her Starbucks drink.

"Yup," Mary Anne said and I buried my head further in my arms. "I have it all on video."

"Oh God I remember that. This woman stops dancing with me to take a video of them dancing." Eduardo muttered, shaking his head but leaning his head on Mary Anne's back as she adjusted on his lap.

"They were so cute," Mary Anne gushed and I buried my head even further, wishing I could dig a whole from being part of the topic. "He wouldn't stop looking at her."

"And he still didn't ask you out?" Kim asked me.

I didn't bother answering, knowing that one of my other friends were going to answer for me. Sarah did. "Lucas is kind of shy. Haven't you noticed?"

"The man pulled a stunt and attacked Siddy's cheek with his lips-" Eduardo started.

"He didn't attack-" I tried to argue but knew it was of no use whatsoever.

"If he's not going to ask her out, Sydney you might as well put him out of his misery and do it yourself."

"Why does she have to ask him out? Shouldn't Lucas ask her out?" Kim asked.

"Why? Because it's apparently traditional for the guy to ask the girl?" Zen asked, his head propped on his fist, looking bored.

"Kind of." Kim spoke up.

Zen rolled his eyes and that alerted us that they were going through some kind of fall out already and this might make it worse. "That's completely ignorant. Even as a guy I kind of figured a girl would want to be independent and could do as she liked-like ask the guy out."

"Did you just call me ignorant?" Kim hissed, dropping the pencil from her hand and starting to get up.

Sarah and Eduardo who reached around, pulled Kim back down as I sighed, tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. "Guys, it doesn't even matter."

"Why?"

"One, I'm not allowed to date. Two, I'm not even focusing on Lucas, I have Regionals and that is where my head is at."

"Oh yeah, isn't it on the 14 to 16?" Sarah asked, already having the information.

"Yeah," Eduardo said, suddenly looking tired. "And Mrs. Yousiff and is making us work. It's happening again. She's pulling the longest weekend rehearsals. We came in seven in the morning and didn't leave until nine on Saturday."

"We go to one of the best art schools in the country-world in fact- that has their very own dance team," Sarah pointed out. "Of course Elena Yousiff is going to make you guys work. C'mon you know her background."

"What's her background?" Zen asked, playing around with the fries on his plate.

"National ballet dancer," I mumbled, leaning my head on my hand. "Came from Russia and trained there until she moved to America when she was fifteen. One of the best dancers in the world. You get recommended by her to go places you're automatically in-"

"Well someone knows a lot." Mary Anne smiled at me.

I shrugged in response and Eduardo looked down at me. "You ready for your solo?"

I nodded. "Yup. I've been ready for weeks. I just feel like I might-mess up or something."

"You're not going to," Eduardo told me. "You're Sydney Acosta, famous Canadian and Worldwide dancer. If anyone can do it, you can."

That's the kind of pressure I've had for a while now. That pressure that made me live up to a name that dancers at this school knew. The kind of pressure I had to face and dominate.