#bc it's not totally benjie and georgia

[ncstings]

idk it was a cute idea i had that could probably lead us into hcs

“when was the last time you got on facebook?” her eyes are cast down, scrolling through her phone with her purse in her lap, the words coming across mindlessly. she knows benjamin doesn’t check often.

“maybe three weeks ago. really only check when cecile posts something.” he casts a look to her when he makes a turn. “why?”

“no reason.” she shrugs, tilting her lips downwards. “i was just curious.”

he snorts, his eyes back on the road. “you don’t ask things just because you’re curious. what do i need to know? or are you trying to keep something from me.”

her mouth hangs open, and she puts a hand on her chest. “i’m not trying to keep something from you. how rude of you to assume that.”

“now you’re offended, which must mean you’re keeping something from me.”

“i’m not! i was just curious.”

“i’m going to check my facebook the minute you get out of this car.”

“you really shouldn’t. i mean it, don’t do something just because you think it’s going to piss me off.”

“is it?” he raises his eyebrows. “jesus, what am i going to find on there?”

“nothing, i was just curious!” she exclaims.

benjamin stops at the redlight, looking at her with skeptical eyes. he lifts his hips to reach into his back pocket, pulling out his phone as he maintains eye contact.

“oh now that’s just dangerous.” she rolls her eyes. 

“tell me what i’ll find or i’ll look while we drive.”

“i normally don’t say this because it’s not usually true but you’re a fucking idiot.” 

he looks at her, the light in front of them turning green. he lifts his foot off the break and wags his phone around, clicking the side button to unlock it.

she didn’t even want to bother challenging him. probably why he even tried pulling this stunt. “fine.” she sighs. “my sister is getting married.”

benjamin keeps his eyes on the road, his face scrunching. “how would i have known that? i’m not friends with your sister.”

“i know.” she holds out a hand. “but when i was on the phone with her the other day, she gave me shit about it so she said she, along with the rest of my family, were all going to friend request you.”

“okay.” he shrugs. “so what.”

“so what?” her eyes bulge and she huffs, running a hand through her hair. “they’re all nuts! i don’t want them anywhere near you.”

“no georgia, you’re nuts.” he pulls up to the building, putting the car in park at the entrance. “if you’re family is anything like you, i think i can handle them, at least on facebook.”

“yeah but i’m cool and crazy. like a fashionable nuts. they don’t even have good personalities.”

“well that’s just cold.”

“i’ve earned my right to insult them.” she looks away. “anyways, i just wanted to warn you and get ahead of it before they start berating you.”

“berating me with what?” he laughs. “you are acting as if they’re going to reach through the screen and choke me.”

“they might as well.” she rolls her eyes, putting her phone into her purse and looping her arms through it. “they want us to come. i already told them no but they think they can convince me through you.”

“ah,” he nods. “well why aren’t you going? your sister is getting married, that’s a big deal, and also your thing.”

“i don’t want to.” she shakes her head. “we can talk about this later. the girls are waiting for me.”

“we definitely will.” he nods, and unlocks the door for her. when she opens the door, he speaks up. “hey,”

she stops, turning her head to look at him with arched brows in annoyance.

“i’m on your side. just want to know what’s going on.”

she nods, readjusting her purse before leaning over the middle console to give him a quick kiss. “i’ll give you a call. i promise you i will be at least tipsy.”

“have a nice time.” he brushes his fingers through her hair. 

she climbs out of the car, shutting the door behind her. it’s a quick walk to the lobby of the convention center. and sure enough, sitting at a bench, each with a little paper cup of coffee, are the beautiful blondes who promised to come.

“where is mine?” georgia quips, stopping in front of them.

without response, maggie pulls out a cup from between them. “they didn’t have an espresso machine so i got you an americano.”

“you know an americano is made with espresso.” georgia narrows her eyes, taking the cup.

“what?” her eyes gape, looking between the two. “did you know this?” she looks to charlotte.

“it was cute, i didn’t want to say anything.” she snickers.

“what the hell is that then?” maggie says softly, the two women standing and beginning to head into the convention.

goergia takes a sip, and her eyes widen. “definitely not an americano.”

when they reach the door, georgia flashes them the printed off tickets, and he nods. just as quick as she pulled out the tickets, she moves just as quickly to take out her ipad. 

typically, the wedding convention is a serious endeavor georgia usually tackles on her own. it’s a weekend experience of looking at the list of booths weeks in advanced to plan out her plan of attack. it was about networking, collecting swatches, building connections. she’s been every year for the last five years. many know her by now. but her career has blown up in that time too, and some people just know the name when the card is presented.

when benjamin saw her at her desk, papers laying about, sticky notes on the papers with frantic notes everywhere, he asked why she wasn’t taking charlie and maggie. she asked him why he didn’t taken vincent to his lectures.

then he brought it up again when they were all having dinner together and she just about slit his throat. of course, maggie’s eyes glowed at the suggestion. it was hard to say no at that point. she looked so excited, how could georgia tell her no?

it also didn’t help that vincent called her a week later to ask her to help him pick out a ring. not that he really ended up needing her help in the end since he found one that was better than anything she would have picked. but once that happened, it was pretty clear she wasn’t going to go alone.

so sure, go look at pretty wedding dress displays, florists, venue pictures, and then go have drinks and complain. georgia told herself whatever she didn’t get to today, she’d make up for tomorrow.

but today was for having fun. she was good at that. 

“your sister’s getting married.” maggie points out, the three of them starting to walk down one of the rows.

“don’t remind me. virginia has called me three times already.”

“wait, i thought you haven’t talked to your family in a while.” charlotte asks.

“i don’t. i give my customary christmas phone calls and that’s been it for years.” she sips her cup. “they want me to come for the wedding. she got engaged a month ago but they’re moving forward with it pretty quickly.” she holds the cup to her lips. “she’s twenty six, and getting married before me. she’s already sent me pictures of her in her dress.”

“okay.” maggie clears her throat. “sorry i brought it up, we wont talk about it. we’ll just look at these pretty flowers.” she steers them towards a table, her fingers brushing over one of the bouquets. “this is so pretty.”

that slippery little thing. shoving her dress in georgia’s face after only a handful of times in the last decade. but it’s all different now because she’s getting married. as if they’re the best of friends. georgia can’t tell if virginia wants something out of her, or if she just wants to be terrible. wouldn’t be surprising if it’s both.

but maggie was right, the flowers were beautiful. she has to step forward and start flipping through one of their books. she needs to stop thinking about it.

they make their way through multiple booths. georgia shakes many hands, gives out her card to a dozen people. she’s with her friends but she still talks business in scattered moments, taking down some notes and things to think about for later. of course, the girls don’t mind, they stand off to the side and flip through swatches while georgia gets all her answers.

it isn’t until they see the mannequins that they stop. georgia likes to save that part of last. it’s usually her favorite. she knows there’s nothing that can get you quite like a dress. she knows, and she can see that reaction in maggie when she looks over it.

“they’re so beautiful.” her eyes get glossy just looking at them and georgia can’t help but grin, putting a hand on her back. 

a clerk comes up, beaming just the same. “looks like i found the bride to be.” she sings.

“oh,” maggie shakes her head, “no definitely not. just looking.” there’s clearly a bit of disappointment in her eyes as she looks over it.

“she’s being dramatic.” georgia squeezes her shoulder. “any day now. she’s just with a guy who really knows how to take his time.”

the clerk chuckles, and gives some quick quip. georgia introduces herself and shakes her hand. 

“i’m sure he’s a great guy. typically whenever we work with the guys they just say how nervous they were to pop the question. that’s usually why it takes them so long.” the clerk adds after the pleasantries.

“i have never known vincent to be nervous.” she snorts, her hand playing with the necklace around her neck. “not like i’d say no. i’ve always told him i want to spend my life with him.”

“yeah, he’s also a bleeding romantic.” georgia rolls her eyes. “don’t think he could give you anything shy of something out of a movie. you know for one of her birthdays he hired a band to play this one terrible ed sheeran song in front of their house. i wasn’t there but she tells me it was very romantic.”

the clerk coos with her hand placed over her chest. “that’s so cute. see, men just don’t fully click sometimes. they do the things and they’re perfect but getting engaged is just where they stop sometimes. it’s like they short circuit. but he’ll catch up.” she looks around her, and then smiles. “do you want to try one on?”

“oh---.” maggie blushes. “i--- i couldn’t. i know these dresses are so far out of my range even if i was.”

“but you should be able to feel like a princess, right?” she returns, grinning wide.

“what’s the harm in trying on one dress?” charlotte adds with a casual shrug.

“okay okay.” she nods, and they’re quickly moved back.

charlotte and georgia take a seat on a bench while maggie is moved to a pop up fitting room.

georgia sips her coffee and looks to charlotte beside her. “i went to the bridge troll’s restaurant.”

her friend chuckles, shaking her head. “okay, what did you think?”

“it was good.” she nods. “he came by our table once. i didn’t tell him we knew you but he’s very dashing. not my taste at all but---” she shrugs.

“yeah sometimes i wonder if he’s even my taste.” she shrugs.

georgia gives her a look. “stop. if he wasn’t your taste, you would have left him in the dust and you know it.”

she huffs, tipping her head back to finish off her coffee. “yeah he’s just far from easy.”

“when are they ever?”

“vincent.” charlotte points out almost immediately.

“yeah.” she sighs, looking out in front of herself. “a rare breed.”

“maybe i just don’t like nice guys.” charlotte rubs her jaw, looking at the ground as if coming to some grand conclusion. “oh my god, i’m one of those women.”

“welcome to the club.”

“alright ladies, are you ready?” a floating head peaking form behind a curtain asks, cutting them off from their conversation. 

then, maggie steps out, and both women gasp. it’s breathtaking. of course, maggie’s always been a sight, but it’s something different when covered in white lace. as if now in glittering tulle and her figure flattered perfectly, she is an etherial beauty being sent of to another realm. a realm of holy matrimony.

“jesus, mags.” georgia gapes.

maggie steps up to look at herself in the full body mirrors. her hands run over her front, and down the fabric. “wow.” she breaths, and the glossy look is back. “this is gonna be me someday.”

“yeah.” georgia grins. “someday soon, maggie. you’re going to look this beautiful and you’ll get married.”

that gets her to choke, laughing through the tears as she continues feeling over the fabric. she turns her head back to look at the clerk, still laughing. “you’re so good at your job.”

they all laugh, and maggie runs her fabric over the tulle, getting lost in the fabric. getting lost in all that it means.