Unexpected Call

"Have you two been sitting here the whole time?" Marie asked as the group moved over to them.

"Yep." Malachi said without any care that Marie sounded annoyed. "Didn't feel like coming back for a dose of melanoma." Ariel glanced at him, he was leaning back with his eyes closed, she felt a smile. She liked his odd sense of humor. It was witty and a bit off beat.

"Why did you not want to come back? You shouldn't have made him sit here with you." Natasha said annoyed.

"She didn't, she wanted to go back. I didn't feel like it, and asked her to stay so she did." He got up stretching. "You should calm down Natasha, it's not like your sister is out to get you." He moved around her and she looked at a loss with his words.

"Well we're heading for food now." Nick said. "So let's go." They moved toward the cars and there were two of them. Natasha's red sports car and a black SUV kind of car that Nick drove. Malachi thought it a waste to have either imported here. Just a symbol of status.

"Uh, you're still soaking wet. I don't want you in my car." Natasha said looking at Ariel. Ariel just kind of looked at her.

"Where should I go?" Ariel said lost.

"Is it really that big of a problem?" Malachi asked Natasha.

"Yeah, she'll mess up the interior. And why are you so quick to jump to her defense. You don't even like her anyways." Malachi just stared at her.

"So I should be cruel because I can?" He asked her calmly and she just stared at him across the roof of the car.

"I'll ride with you two, she can go in Nick's car. He doesn't care." Ariel just turned without a word and moved over to Nick's car. She got in the front as Kyle and Sam were in the back seat already. Which she was okay with. As long as she didn't have to sit next to Kyle.

"Sometimes that girl. I swear." Natasha said. She spoke about Ariel like she was two. Malachi wished to just leave but seeing that she was his ride. He seemed pretty much stuck here. He could run home, but that would be hard to explain.

"What do you expect?" Marie said getting in the backseat. "So, when are we going dress shopping?" Marie asked, seeing that she was going to be the maid of honor.

"Soon." Natasha said happily. Malachi just stared out the window, he watched the SUV that was following them in the mirror.

"Who's standing up for you Malachi?" Marie asked.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters!" Natasha said. "I don't know how many you'll pick." He turned his sharp gaze on her.

"It'll be easy for you, the only person I care to have stand up for me would be Cameron. All I need is the best man."

"Oh, well I'd thought perhaps you had several people." She said looking uncomfortable with his gaze. She glanced at him, her blue eyes quickly meeting his. She might act superior to most and give him attitude but he knew that he intimidated her. Good, he wasn't going to be walked on by her.

"Well I don't."

"Oh, well I have Marie, Sam, and I wasn't sure about Ariel, but three is a good number. Don't want any of those fake bimbos."

"Ariel, you'd let her stand up for you?" Natasha sighed at Marie's tone.

"Well yeah I guess. I mean she is my sister. She probably won't ever get to be a bride or do such a thing again. Figured I'd be nice and treat her to being a bridesmaid. I'll just make sure to really drill it into her not to screw up."

"Because she acts so ridiculous all the time. Can't calm her down, she's so worked up every time I see her." Malachi said sarcastically.

"Well not bouncing off the walls." Natasha said with a laugh. "She's just naturally clumsy." Yeah, when she was shoved into things. Malachi thought. He wasn't sure why he felt so defensive toward Ariel, he just didn't like the treatment she got. She was a good person at heart. He didn't bother explaining that he was being sarcastic. It tended to go right over Natasha's head most of the time.

They pulled into a parking lot and got out as the other car following them did as well. They were out of their car first and waiting while the rest got out and filed around. They started to move toward the restaurant as Natasha paused as her phone went off.

"Hello?" She said in an odd way, as she didn't recognize the number on her screen. "Yeah, I'm her." She paused while walking. A few of the others did as well as she turned around putting a finger to her other ear to block out sound.

"What…." She sounded like her throat was constricted a bit. "What kind of accident?" She was quiet and the rest stopped. Ariel moving closer to her sister who waved her off.

"An attack is not an accident!" She shouted into the phone and hung up. "Ariel! Come on we're going, it's mom and dad." She said, running toward her car. Ariel right behind her. Malachi decided to follow as well, the others shouting after them.