Memories and Promises, Chapter 2

Eva was a wreck.

She was sitting on the old exercise bench in her old room, alternating between burying her hands in her faces and frantically wringing them. Her heart feeling like it was trying to pound its way out of her chest. She had stepped out of the shower a few minutes earlier and was still wearing her robe. A formal dark blue pantsuit was laid out on the bed, all ready for her.

Her appearance had also changed since "Total Drama" and beginning her relationship with Gwen. Her body was a still strong, finely-toned machine and her ebony hair had grown longer and was now only pulled back into a ponytail when she worked out. The uni-brow was gone, shaved to two thick brows over her amber-yellow eyes. Her wardrobe had also expanded to include more than just gym apparel; outside the gym she often wore pantsuits or jeans and t-shirts.

After the rehearsal dinner last night, she tossed and turned most of the night, unable to sleep or think about anything other than the next day. Finally, she headed to her gym and spent most of the night working out hoping to tire herself out. Now she regretted the decision; she was exhausted in the morning and could barely keep her eyes open. Then she tried to wake herself up with some coffee, but she drank too much; three pots, in fact. Now her anxiety was full-blown caffeine-fueled panic.

Now she sat in the chair with her face in her hands, mentally running through a checklist of requirements for today.

"Marriage license…check; hotel reservations…check; payments to caterer and DJ…check… "

Eva abruptly lost her train of thought again. Frustrated, she finally looked at herself in the mirror hanging on the wall and she focused on a calming technique, recalling why this day was the happiest of her life…

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Eva tossed another log into the fire and watched as the flames grew and embers popped and sputtered.

It was her high school graduation night. One of Eva's field hockey teammates had invited the rest of her team over to her house for a party. They were all celebrating the biggest accomplishment of their lives; Eva had come just to support her team before they all went off to their respective futures, but now preferred to spend some time alone.

Eva sat down on the log and stared into the flames. Things were going well for her. At the age of 18 she was already a champion weightlifter and kickboxer, and she carried her field hockey team to the championship. Every university in Canada had scrambled over each other to offer her an athletic scholarship.

There was only one thing missing in her life: Gwen.

Eva sighed longingly. At first, she hadn't thought anymore of Gwen than any other contestant on the show; she was simply there to win. But when she was kicked off the first time, she continued to watch the show and she started to respect and admire Gwen. The goth girl, despite her waifish appearance and build, proved to be more resilient and made of much stronger stuff than Eva had credited her for; she won more competitions for her team and herself than anyone else, including Chef Hatchet's military basic training-style competition. Had Eva not been kicked off, she would have considered Gwen a worthy adversary. Also, she stayed true to herself and, unlike many of her competitors, was not a poser, a fake, or an utter moron. Plus, she hated Heather which made Gwen more than okay in Eva's book.

Eventually, Eva realized she was feeling something very strong for Gwen. She started watching the later seasons just to see Gwen even for a few minutes, she visited websites looking for pictures of Gwen, and she would catch herself thinking about Gwen at random moments. She spent many sleepless nights trying to figure out these feelings. Finally she realized what exactly it was she felt for Gwen: it was love.

But Gwen had her relationships with Trent and then Duncan, and all Eva could do was sadly watch her from the sidelines and her feelings behind her stern expression and kickboxing drills. Eva had been alone for a long time, she was used to it; but with Gwen, she realized she didn't want to be alone anymore. Finally she'd gotten her chance at that party to tell Gwen how she felt, and it had ended in total disaster. Her old anger had come bubbling up again, but she wasn't sure who she should be angrier with: with Gwen, or herself.

What she would give for a second chance…

"Eva," came a soft a voice behind her.

Eva's head whipped around and she was shocked to see Gwen standing there, looking more than a little nervous. The goth girl looked great. She still wore her normal outfit. Her hair was longer but still had its teal streaks.

"Gwen…hi," Eva said after a moment, not sure what else to say.

Gwen stood there for a few awkward seconds. "You mind if I sit down?"

Eva nodded. "Go ahead."

Gwen sat down. Both girls quietly stared into the flames together for a few moments before Gwen broke the silence. "So, just graduated, huh?"

Eva nodded. "Yeah. You graduated yet?"

"Just the other day. I read you were graduating and I…I wanted to see you."

"Why did you want to see me?"

"I wanted to talk to you, about…you know, what happened that night."

Eva's face turned red. "Gwen, I'm…"

"Wait, please just listen." Gwen looked into the fire for a moment before continuing. "I'm the one who should be sorry. You opened yourself up to me and…I feel like…no, I did throw your feelings in your face. It's just…you surprised me; I had no idea you felt that way about me."

Eva nodded in understanding. "I get it. You just want to be friends, then."

Gwen blushed and turned to look at Eva. "Actually, I haven't been able to get that kiss out of my mind."

Eva turned to look at Gwen in surprise, their eyes meeting. They just gazed at each other before Gwen leaned forward and brushed her lips against Eva's. As Eva felt herself give into the kiss, she also felt Gwen's cool, pale hands cup her face and warm lips deepen the kiss; and Eva knew she had found what she needed most of her life. She wrapped her strong arms around the goth and savored the feeling of the kiss.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Gwen pulled back and looked up at Eva. "I love you, Eva," she said softly.

Eva smiled, her heart singing and her copper eyes looking deep into Gwen dark ones. "I love you, Gwen."

Gwen smiled back and they turned back to the fire. Gwen rested her head on Eva's shoulder as the bigger girl wrapped her arm around Gwen's, and both girls basked in the warmth and glow of the fire as well as that of each other's company.

All was right with universe.

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A knock on the door jolted Eva out of her flashback.

"Eva? Are you alright," came her father's voice in Bulgarian. Eva and her parents had immigrated to Canada from a small village in Bulgaria when she was seven. Eva had been speaking English most of her life and lost all traces of her accent, but her parents still had thick accents; the family still reverted to their mother tongue when it came to close, personal family matters.

At first Eva's parents had more than a little weirded out about their daughter falling in love with another girl; but when they saw the difference Gwen had made in Eva's life and how happy she was, they saw Gwen as Eva's savior and were convinced she could no wrong.

"I'm fine," Eva answered.

"Can I come in?"

Eva sighed before responding. "Fine."

Eva's father opened the door and came in, shutting it behind him. He was a large, barrel-chested man. In one hand he held a bottle of vodka and two glasses in the other. He poured some into the glasses and handed one to Eva. "My father did this with me the day I married your mother," he told her. They both knocked back the strong drink before he continued. "I was so scared that I almost ran away in the middle of saying my own vows."

Eva smiled ruefully, in spite of herself. "Is it really that obvious?"

"You're not the first person in the world to feel nervous on their wedding day," he said with a smile and a chuckle. "Eva, you're the strongest person I've ever known. If you can pull a school bus with your teeth, then you can marry Gwen and live a happy life with her."

Eva managed a smile. "Thanks, dad." Her father gave her a final pat on the shoulder and left so Eva could get dressed.

Eva spent a moment reflecting on what he had told her. He was right, she told herself; if she could do half the things she had done, then she could attend her own wedding.

With a sigh, she started to change.