The XZ Wedding Part Two

Rhythm Rapture

Paxton Rapture

Asher, child.

Arcadia, child.

"Ugh, you have NO IDEA how much I DO NOT want to fly." Aria whined, clinging to Levi's hand. 

He laughed and tugged her forward. "It'll be okay, Aria. Nothing has happened to you yet, you're perfectly safe. At least this time you'll be with me."

"Yeah, safe. On a giant metal deathtrap.." She grumbled.

"What was that?" Levi asked with a smirk.

"Nothing. Just walk." Aria answered defiantly.

As Levi made his way to the baggage check in, Aria wandered off to the glass walkway that led to the boarding area. She stared out at the snow that had softly began to fall. There was that feeling she couldn't squash again. It twisted her stomach into knots.

"Hey mom," Came a musical voice Aria knew well from behind her. Aria's stomach dropped. She turned and looked into the beautiful face of her 7th daughter. Sparrow had a look in her eyes Aria couldn't quite recognize. 

"H-hello, Sparrow." Last thing Aria knew, Sparrow hated her.

"Funny that Xailee picked you for a bridesmaid. It's not like you were ever there for her either." Sparrow said venomously. 

Aria took a deep breath, the scent of Sparrow's orchid perfume floating on the air. 

"Spare, I'm sorry about Lee. I really am." 

Sparrow shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore. I left him a long time ago. As if I would want him after he had been with you."

"Hey, am I interrupting something?" Levi asked, coming up next to Aria. 

Sparrow surveyed him, smirking, before responding with "Not anymore."

 She turned and marched down the walkway, exiting through the doors to the plane.

Aria sighed. "Might as well get this over with." She grabbed Levi's hand and walked to the doors, boarding the plane to Lucky Palms.

The XZ Wedding Part One

"Hey babe," 

Aria greeted Levi as he and Danielle exited the hotel room she and Levi had shared the night before. A look Aria had never seen before colored Levi's features, but he seemed to compose himself pretty quickly. 

"Hey, Ar, you look beautiful." Levi kissed her and they headed down the hallway towards the gardens. Aria glanced backwards at Danielle who was following them. She smiled at her, and Danielle returned it, not quite letting it reach her eyes.

They were just about to head outside when they heard glass breaking from the room next to them and an indecipherable cry.

But Aria would know that cry anywhere, it was Xailee. Aria disconnected her arm from Levi's and rushed in to see what was going on. Xailee's face was tear streaked and she was shouting at Zac who was cowering, bewildered, on the other side of the room.

"I'm telling you Xai, I didn't do it." Zac begged her, trying to come near her again.

 "I don't BELIEVE you!" She threw another object at him, so quickly Aria didn't even know what it was aside from it being breakable. Levi came in behind her, and rushed over in between his brother and Xailee. He put a hand out to both of them and looked at Xailee.

"Xailee, Zac didn't do anything. He was at the salon. I promise. I have the texts to prove it." 

He put his cell phone in her hand, putting both hands up as if to say 'calm down'. 

Xailee sniffed and pulled the phone to her face, eyes blurry from crying. She choked back tears as she scrolled through, finally looking at Zac in disbelief.

Then She looked over at Danielle. 

"But you said.." Danielle shrugged. 

"I'm sorry Xai, it was a case of mistaken identity. Sparrow was with someone else." 

Aria's ears perked up. 'Sparrow.. Of course she was behind something like this..' 

She pulled Levi to her, burying her face in his chest. 

Xailee looked at Zac. "Oh my God. I'm so sorry." She looked down at her feet.

"I'm so, so sorry."

Zac advanced and wrapped Xailee in his arms. "It's okay baby. I love you. I would never hurt you. You mean the world to me." 

Aria felt Levi stiffen a little, and then relax. She looked up at his gorgeous face, her heart fluttering. 

"Everything okay?" She whispered, He smiled at her, kissing her forehead. 

"Everything's fine." He buried his face in her hair.

Aria looked back over at Xailee and Zac, who were kissing.

 "Ahem, maybe you two should be doing that out there." 

She pointed towards the wedding area. 

Xailee and Zac drew apart and laughed, Xailee kissed his cheek and he headed out the door, turning around at the last minute to say 

"Don't ever scare me like that again, ok?" 

Zac saluted her and off he went.

Danielle slipped out the door before Aria could say anything to her. She found it odd, like she was avoiding her or something. 

"What's up with your mom?" She asked Levi, adjusting her makeup in the mirror and helping Xailee fix hers. Levi shrugged. 

"I don't know." He mumbled. Aria wrinkled her brow but went on about her work on Xai's face.

When she was finished, she wrapped Xailee up in a huge hug, kissing her cheek. 

"You look beautiful baby girl. Absolutely stunning. I can't believe I'm your mother. You put me to shame." 

Xailee blushed, fanning her face. "Stop mom , you JUST fixed my makeup." 

Aria kissed her cheek again, hearing the music start from behind them. 

Xailee sighed.

"Looks like it's time to go." She nodded at them. 

"Maybe someday soon it will be the two of you." She hugged her mom one last time and Aria grabbed Levi's arm, heading into line for the walk down the aisle.

While the preacher wove his words of harmony and happiness and never ending love, Aria attempted to get Levi to look at her, just to see his smile. But he avoided her eyes. A sinking feeling set in around the time the vows were about to be exchanged. She caught him looking at her a few times, but each time he averted his eyes right when she looked at him.

"I do," Zac said with certainty, sliding the ring on Xailee's finger.

Aria tried one last time, smiling as best as she could at Levi, but he didnt even glance at her. In fact, she could have sworn his gaze lingered on Sparrow before snapping back to the marrying couple.

"You bet I do!" Xailee squealed, putting the ring on Zac's finger.

"You may now kiss your beautiful bride!" The preacher smiled, and Zac pulled Xailee close, placing a kiss on her lips. They bowed and the gardens erupted in cheers. Aria broke away from the line of girls and rushed to Levi's side.

Aria felt a tear slip down her cheek as she watched Xailee and Zac link arms and happily walk into the reception hall. 

She hugged Levi close, placing a kiss on his lips. 

"I'm so proud of her!" She squealed, jumping up and down. 

Levi smiled, but it didnt quite reach his eyes. Aria could tell something was up, it was written all over his face. He withdrew his hand from hers and pointed towards Xailee and Zac's backs.

 "Should we join them?" Aria nodded, still slightly confused.

She hadn't been paying much attention to Levi since they had been here, she was too excited for the XZ wedding. As Levi walked to the hall, Aria made to follow him but felt a hand grasp her arm. 

It was Danielle and she looked extremely nervous about something. 

"You need to come with me." She said, pulling Aria into a room adjacent to the garden.

Aria walked opposite Danielle and put her hands on her hips.

 "Alright, Danielle. What is it? You look like you've seen a ghost."

 Danielle looked at the floor.

 "Ar, I hate to be the one to tell you this.. But.. Levi.. He cheated on you. With Sparrow. It wasn't Zac. It was Levi. "

 Aria stared blankly at her.

Danielle rushed on. 

"He didn't do it intentionally. She used her vampire mind shit on him. I'm sorry Aria. I really am. He loves you. And he wasn't going to tell you, but I thought you needed to know." 

A svelte form appeared in the doorway, a smirk plastered on her face.

"How does it feel mom? Does it feel like your heart has been shattered? Maybe ripped to shreds? I thought maybe you would love to know how you made me feel." 

She grinned, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"I think you got exactly what you deserved. And I am beyond thrilled I got to be the one to give it to you."

Sparrow turned and walked away, her words heavy in the air.

Danielle turned back around, sympathy coloring her features. The news still hadn't sunk in Aria's head. She looked Danielle in the eyes.

 "How long have you known about this?" She asked calmly.

 Danielle bit her lip. "Levi told me before the wedding." 

Aria looked at Danielle, shock all over her face. 

"Wh-what?" She stuttered, looking over Danielle's shoulder at the doorway as if Levi would be standing there.

Danielle stepped towards her, hand outstretched, as if to comfort her. Aria scowled and pushed her hand away. "I can't believe you would keep this from me! What kind of 'friend' are you?!" Her voice rose in anger.

Danielle's face contorted in rage. "I was trying to keep the drama from ruining YOUR daughters wedding!" She shouted. 

Aria snorted. "If you cared about me or my family you would have told me about your cheating son before I stood by him and kissed him as if nothing was wrong in front of ALL of those people."

Danielle was furious. "I think you need to watch what you say about my son.It's like you weren't even listening to me.. It wasn't his fault." 

Aria put her hands over her ears. "I don't want to hear anymore excuses. I don't believe him and I don't believe YOU!"

Tears spilled down her cheeks in waves. "I can't believe I trusted you! Or your family! How could he do this to me?! How could YOU not tell me?!" 

Aria was hysterical. Danielle's face softened and she tried once again to be there for her best friend.

But as she closed the gap between herself and Aria, Aria placed both hands on Danielle's shoulders and shoved her as hard as she could. Danielle fell backwards, her butt hitting the floor.

Danielle's eyes flickered, her eyes going from insane fury to eerie calm. She picked herself up and dusted off her dress, looking at Aria blankly. 

"You know what Aria?" She began, picking up her bracelet that had flung to the floor. 

"Lose my number, Forget my name. Pretend I never existed. I want nothing to do with you."

She walked to the doorway, looking back at Aria one last time. 

"We're not friends anymore." 


With that, Danielle Smores walked out of Aria's life.