Awkward Much?

 "OMG,"  Jessica squeaked as she practically drooled on Ben, "You're Ben Barnes".

Ben smiled sheepishly as he dropped my hand automatically.  

 "Why, yes I am.  What can I do for you lovely ladies?"  He asked, scanning through all the other girls that huddled around Jessica, their ring leader.

 Jessica squealed and the other love-sick girls, who were most likely in their twenties mind you, followed her lead.  I flinched back from the unnatural frequency they squealed in.  Ben's face was tortured underneath his gentlemanly smile.  He wasn't that into fan girls, I guessed.  Especially not the type who drool and have seizures over spotting him... like now.

 "I didn't believe Elizabeth when she said she'd gotten you to come.  Like... I would have never thunk!"  Jessica gushed out and the girls behind her, eyes wide as lambs, nodded in agreement.  What was this, a Ben Barnes clan?

 Jealousy, I chanted to keep myself from losing my cool, jealousy is bad.

 Ben chuckled and the girls swooned from his charm.

 "Oh please,"  I muttered under my breath.  I caught Ben's lips twitch.  Did he hear me?

 "Well, I never turn down free food,"  Ben joked and the girls laughed a little too enthusiastically.  What the heck?

 "No, in truth I've become great friends with some of her acquaintances.  They encouraged me to come and I'm glad I did,"  He said and then snuck a glance at me.  My cheeks went beet red.  What did he mean by that?

  "Excuse me for a moment,"  I mumbled, my head suddenly light as a feather.  I didn't look at anyone, keeping my eyes on the floor as I stumbled out of the ballroom and into the girls' bathroom.  I went to the sink and splashed cool water on my face, trying to focus my brain.  Staring into the mirror, I saw a haggard girl with deep circles under her eyes.  Was that really me?  I didn't understand what I saw at all.  I thought I was a happy person.  Ok who was I shitting?  I haven't been happy for a long time... since the breakup.  Now I was jealous because fans were talking to Ben?  Wasn't I the same as them?  Just a fan?  

 It was absurd that I was having this conversation with myself.  I sighed, dried off my face, and strolled out into the ballroom.  I tried to act cool and collected when I sat back down at my table.  The horde of girls were still buzzing around Ben.  He glanced over at me, the sound of my chair scrapping giving away my arrival.  I tried to smile but it turned into a grimace.  His eyebrows pushed down, confused.  Then before he could ask any questions, the band, Panic at the Disco (go figure) announced that it was time for the bouquet toss.

The girls surrounding Ben scattered with cheers about the flowers and clustered around the stage that was a few feet in front of us.  Elizabeth sauntered up the steps onto the stage in all her bride glory with a gorgeous white rose bouquet.  Ben glanced at the group of single ladies and then back at me.

"Um, aren't you going to go?"  He asked with a glint in his eyes.  He was curious.  What for?

 "No.  I'm not good at catching things,"  I said.  He caught the double meaning.  He smiled and chuckled.

"I highly doubt that," he said, staring intently into my eyes.  My cheeks flashed red.

"Um..."  What kind of reaction was that?  I was such a dork.  "Um"?  Really?  Where's the bag I can dunk my head into?

He chuckled at my expression and then turned back to the group of girls.  They were chanting, "Throw it, throw it, throw it!"

Elizabeth, all smiles, turned around and flung the bouquet over her head.  It soared over the crowd of girls and...

Right into my lap.

My jaw hung slack as I stared at the roses that might as well be a neon sign to Ben.  I looked up at him.  He was staring at me with the oddest expression and then I heard a certain someone's distinct laugh.  Elizabeth was reeling from the stage, clutching her sides and in hysterics.

Very funny, Liz.  Very funny.