"I know what you're doing," I heard a deep voice say in my ear. I could feel his cool breath against the exposed part of my neck, causing me to shiver.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I replied calmly, my voice came out in barely a whisper and I cursed to myself. I allowed him to know exactly how I felt about his close proximity. I moved away from him, walking farther in the long buffet line.

"Explain sucking on the lime," he said, grabbing his own plate.

I looked at him innocently and shrugged. "I was trying to get that disgusting taste out of my mouth."

"Bullshit," he snorted, pouring some salad on his plate. "You were teasing me."

"Me? Tease you?" I asked naively, giving him a fake smile. "That doesn't seem like me."

Tobias pushed his hair back, clenched his jaw while doing so. "It seems exactly like you Reign. In fact-"

His words were cut off by Rachel leaning over him to grab a plate. I glared at her as she rubbed her body against his. She acted like feeling up on someone was a normal thing to do.

"Hey Tobi," she flirtatiously said, flipping her long blonde hair in my face. Tobi? Since when did she have a pet name for him? Tobias saw my furious face and I could've sworn I saw his lips twist up in an amused smile.

"Hey Rachel. You look nice," he commented.

I scoffed and turned my head, angry at him for entertaining her. I mean surely he knew she was flirting with him. After our history together I would've torn her head off right here, right now. But this was Noel's night and I needed to keep my temper under control.

"Oh this old thing?" I could hear her annoying voice ask.

I rolled my eyes and abandoned my plate, no longer having an appetite. Instead I made my way towards the bar and hoped and prayed they were carrying some red wine.

"I need a large class of wine. Any type of wine; red or white," I told the bartender, rubbing my temples.

"We don't have any wine ma'am," a young guy, who was probably eighteen, told me.

I groaned. Of course Noel would forget to put wine on the list. "Okay. Pour me some scotch."

"One scotch coming up!" He said enthusiastically, pulling out a glass. He started pouring the liquor just as my headache began worse.

"Enjoy." He placed the glass on the mat. As soon as I reached out for it another hand grabbed it.

Tobias took a sip and raised his eyebrows, impressed. "Scotch, my favorite. How'd you know?"

"That was for me," I retorted, gritting through my teeth.

"You don't drink," he replied, taking another sip  from the glass. I signaled for bartender to return.

"Another glass of scotch?" He asked, looking at the glass that was in Tobias's hand.

"Yes."

"No."

I glared at Tobias, wondering what his deal was. The bartender looked between us, confused with who to listen to.

"This is my best friends wedding rehearsal," I told the bartender, leaning over the bar. "I'm the maid of honor. I'm pretty important if I haven't made that clear already. Now pour me another glass of scotch."

The bartender gulped and nodded. Seconds later another glass was in front of me and I took it before Tobias could get his greedy hands on it.

"I always did like a woman in charge," Tobias commented, grinning down at me as I walked away. I scowled at him, not in the mood of his jokes.

"Where's Rachel?" I asked, venom dripping with every word.

"Careful Reign, you almost sound jealous," he said, following me back to our table with Noel and Scott.

I scuffed. "You wish."

"Okay good. If that's settled I'm going to take her back to my apartment and bend her over my bed while I-"

"Don't even finish that," I fumed. I stopped walking so that I could stare at him with anger. His familiar smirk was adding on to my already dampened mood.

"And wiped that smug smile off your face," I hissed.

"Admit that you're jealous then," he teased, still smiling smugly down at me.

"I rather talk to Charlotte," I snorted, walking away from him.

"Fine," he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

I looked at him with curiosity. He normally doesn't give up that easily. It was like he could feel me looking up at him because a second later he pulled me into a headlock, laughing as I tried to weasel out of his grasp.

"Asshole," I mumbled as I pushed him away. He was still laughing as we sat at our table. Everybody was already seated, eating their dinner. Everybody but Julian.

"Everything looks so nice!" Charlotte gushed. "You really out done yourself Noel."

Noel smiled politely at her. "Thank you Charlotte."

Everybody broke up into their own little conversations. Scott even managed to make me laugh a couple of times tonight. This was a night I would definitely remember. 

"So Rachel," I heard Tobias say, making me snap my head at him. I could see a side smirk form on his face as he looked at me before redirecting his attention back on her.

"What are you doing later tonight?" 

If I thought I was boiling with anger before, now I was about to erupt with fury. I noticed how Rachel's eyes lit up with desire as she leaned in closer to him.

"I guess that depends on you," she purred.

I looked around the table, hoping that someone, anyone was paying attention to this so they could put a stop to this before I did something I was going to regret.

"Are you going to drink that?" I asked Noel, pointing to her full glass of water.

She shook her head and pushed it out for me before talking with Scott. I got up and pushed my chair back. Tobias didn't even glance at my direction. Huffing out in vexation I grabbed the glass of water and clutched it tightly.

"We can always go back to your place and-"

I didn't let Rachel finish her sentence. I pretended to trip over something, making me accidentally spill my water all over her face and chest. Rachel gasped loudly as the water made contact with her. Everybody looked at her in shock. She jumped up from her seat and looked at her now ruined clothes.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" I lied, faking that I was worried. "I'm such a klutz!"

Rachel glared at me as she grabbed some napkins. "You did that on purpose!"

"Reign," I heard Noel bitterly yell. I saw her face and I could tell she was pissed off at me.

"Oh would you look at that!" Tobias exclaimed, bending down. I could see in one of his hands he had a bread roll tucked away secretly. "There was a piece of bread on the floor. You must've tripped over that."

Humor was glistening in his eyes. He won and he knew it. I let out a ditsy giggle, covering my mouth while I did. "I didn't even see that."

I could tell Rachel didn't believe me. Her mood only worsen as she saw Tobias stick up for me. I was out of the woods with Noel on the other hand. I saw her shoulders relax as Tobias held up the piece of bread, the alleged culprit that made me trip. Rachel stormed away to the bathroom and I was glad that she was finally gone. I sat back down in my seat, feeling accomplished. Noel and Scott rose from their seat. Noel began clacking her glass with a fork. The loud chatter slowly began to subside until there was no noise at all.

"Hello everyone and thank you for coming out to celebrate our rehearsal dinner which is much more than that," Noel's energetic voice boomed. "This is also a chance for us to gather around all of our love ones who can't make it to our destination wedding. We're extremely upset that you can't make it but just know you're there in spirit!"

I couldn't help but smile at my best friends warm and friendly spirit. She was so charismatic and loving. You could practically see a halo glowering over her head.

"Fun fact. Around this time, five years ago, I denied my now fiancé to a date," she said, shooting Scott a guilty yet comic look. "I mean I was in a relationship people! I thought that I was in love and that I found the one. Only I was wrong. Four months later, my then boyfriend dumped me the day before prom."

A series of gasps and damn! were made across the banquet hall. Noel giggled a little before continuing.

"I know right? He was such an asshole as are most football players, no offense guys. He was always an asshole if I'm being frank, but that was my first serious relationship so that's how I thought love was. It wasn't until I was sobbing on the bleachers I realized what love really was. Love is all about accepting someone for who they are. Love is about giving people a second chance, or a third chance and if you're stretching it maybe even a fourth chance, but no more than that! Then you're just a fool suffering in a cycle. He doesn't love you girl!"

Everybody laughed while others faked laughed. I guess we know who isn't really loved.

"So there I was, bawling my eyes out on the bleachers a day before prom while still wearing my cheerleading uniform, wondering what the hell I was going to do now. Then that's when I met the skinny boy within enormous Afro for the second time."

Scott looked away embarrassingly, his cheeks a tiny light pink.

"He handed me his hanky," another round of laughter and a few awes, "and let me cry on his shoulder until I couldn't produce anymore tears. He didn't ask me any questions, he didn't even ask if I needed anything. He just sort of knew. The next day he was taking me to prom."

Noel looked at him lovingly, her lips stretching into a wide grin. She turned her attention back to us, her eyes filled with delight.

"And now here we are, surrounded by all the people we care about, about to get married next week. I just wanted to thank you Scott. Thank you for walking into my life when I was already lost. Thank you for shining a light in my most darkest times. I'm sure my parents would be glad to know that I'm marrying an honest and noble man like you."

Noel choked up at the end, tears already spilling out of her eyes. Scott pulled her into a loving embrace, his own tears glistening.

"Hey," I heard Tobias softly say.

It wasn't until I turned my head to face him that I realized my own face was wet in tears. Tobias grabbed my hand from under the table and rubbed it in a soothing manner. I gave him a watery smile before removing my hand away from his. I grabbed my own champagne glass and stood up.

"To Noel and Scott," I toasted, raising my glass up high.

"To Noel and Scott!" I heard a hundred voice say in unison. Noel gave me her own teary smile and soon we were both giggling by how ridiculous we looked.

~*~

"Ah, okay I have to go," I told Noel, interrupting her dance with Scott. "I'm going to stop by the hospital and see if they would let me see Julian."

"Awe okay," Noel sadly replied, squeezing me into a hug. "Tell him we missed him at the party and that we'll come and see him tomorrow."

"Will do."

Scott pulled me into a hug next and smiled broadly at me. "Thanks for coming Reign."

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," I replied, returning the smile back.

I was looking all around for Tobias before I left but he was nowhere to be found. He was probably off smoking somewhere or flirting with Rachel again. Whatever it was, I was too tired to figure it out. I desperately needed to sleep in my own bed tonight. I retrieved my coat from the coat room and walked outside. The snow was now grey from all the dirty shoes that stepped it in.

"It's so cold!" I yelled. My body was shivering furiously. I should've brought a warmer jacket but of course I decided to be fashionable first.

I saw Tobias walk out of the banquet hall and the next thing I knew he was squishing himself next to me, squeezing the life out of me as he hugged me to death.

"What are you doing?" I complained, trying to push him away but my struggles were useless. He was way too strong.

"I'm trying to keep you warm."

My cheeks redden and it wasn't from the cold. I stopped struggling and let my head rest on his chest. I could hear his heart beat and it was one of the most calmest things I've ever heard. His hands rubbed my arms and I began to feel myself beginning to get warm.

"Better?" I heard him ask.

I could tell he was cold too, he kept sniffling every five seconds. I nodded my head, making my cheek brush against his hard stomach. I began sneezing, the cold tickling my nose.

"I noticed that you do that all."

"Do what?" I asked.

"You do stuff in pairs. Your sneeze in pairs, you grab chips in pairs, everything." I laughed at his realization. I really do all that.

"I had a weird dream again," he said a moment later.

"What happened this time?" I asked, looking up at him. His cheeks were rosy and I could see his eyes glistening from the cold.

"I was the moon. I was cold and lonely, just waiting for the sun to return but it never did."

Tobias was looking away from me. It was as if he was seeing something, a scene from his life that was troubling him. I knew it had to be abandonment issues. Everything I've learned proved that it was. I didn't press him though; if he wanted to tell me he would soon enough.

"The sun always returns. But by the time it does the moon has given up," I told him.

He was still looking away from me. I gently cupped my hand around his cheek and made him face me. His eyes that usually looked so full of life seemed dull and tired. My heart ached at his expression. He seemed so lost, so hopeless, and there was nothing I could do to help. I wished that for once I could hear what was going on in his head. I don't know what hurt more; the fact that he was in pain or the fact that I didn't know how to help him.

"So don't give up. The sun will come and shine it's warm rays on you."

"You're my sun," he confessed softly.

My heart fluttered as I stared at his face, lost for words. He was slowly sewing my heart to his.

"Why do I have this feeling you're about to mess my life up?" I uttered.

He smiled a sad smile that pulled another one of my strings from my heart to his. "As if your life wasn't a mess already."

He was right. My life was a mess and it seemed to only get messier. I heard a honk which made stepped away from Tobias's welcoming arms. A taxi finally arrived and I looked up at him, my eyes scanning his face.

"Thanks. I should go now," I mumbled, opening the taxi door.

"You could always come over," he said, scratching his head. His nose was pink and I could tell he was going to get sick soon if he stayed out here any longer.

"Julian is probably wondering where I am," I mumbled embarrassingly. Tobias's demeanor changed and I realized I just ruined the night.

"Have fun," he said curtly. Before I could respond he was already walking back in the banquet hall.

"Tobias!" I yelled after him.

When he didn't reply I rolled my eyes and told the cab to leave without me. I kicked off my heels, grabbed them by the strap, and began to ran after him, literally.

I saw the back of his slender body began to walk into the dinner room and I panicked. I couldn't go back there after I said my goodbyes to everyone. Without knowing what to do, I threw one of my heels at him which hit him on the back of his head.

"What the..."

Tobias rubbed the back of his head in confusion before turning around. He had a deep scowl on his face as he looked on the floor where my heel rested. His eyes looked up and met mines. His scowl only got deeper.

"Did you really throw a heel at me?"

"You were ignoring me," I huffed out, walking towards him so I could retrieve my heel.

"People usually have a reason for that."

"Oh yeah?" I challenged, slipping into my heels. "And what's yours?"

Tobias shook his head and turned around. "Goodnight Reign."

"Can we get through one day without getting in a fight?" I yelled after him, scowling at his back.

Tobias stopped walking. I heard him sigh before he turned around. His shoulders are slumped as he stood in front of me, defeated.

"I don't want to fight with you."

"I don't either," I agreed, walking closer to him. "I just to end tonight on good terms."

"Does that mean you're not upset about me flirting with Rachel?" He asked, smirking at me. "You didn't have to throw water on her you know. I could've asked her to come over when you weren't around."

I slapped him hard on his chest as he continued to joke around. He chuckled as my hands hit his chest and grabbed onto them before I took them off.

"I'm kidding. You know you're the only one for me," he smoothly replied.

I snorted from his cheesy line but felt my heart quicken by his words. He leaned down and pressed his lips just under my ear, my weak spot, and I felt myself gasp from the intensity. He pulled back from his long, torturous kiss, and smiled down at me. 

"Goodnight sweetheart."

This was a long chapter and a quick update so I hope you guys enjoyed this!

What was your favorite part about tonight? (Including the last chapter also)

If you guys want to do another character Q&A comment down here. If we get enough yes's we'll do it again :)

I also wanted to let you guys know that we are nowhere near finishing the book. We're only 3 months in the story and we have 2 more left however, those last 2 months are going to have you at the edge of your seat. I have a lot in store for this book so please continue to support me through this journey!