this chapter is just for you guys since because of you guys, i made it to the wattys under romance for this story! please show your support by voting for forever and always his in the watty awards under original fiction in romance from any time between jan. 6-31. thank you all for voting and getting me this far. as a thank you, here's the chapter of maria and jared. enjoy!

Maria & Jared

                                Maria’s Point of View

                The tossing of the bride’s bouquet of flowers was always my favorite part of a wedding ceremony. I’ve never actually caught a bouquet myself, but it was the thrill of excitement I got that made it my favorite part of a wedding. I loved gathering in a group of women who have yet to marry, giggling and screaming as the bouquet is released from the bride’s fingertips, flying towards our direction.

                As Aerial prepared to throw her bouquet to all of us unmarried women, I spotted Riley standing by the refreshments table. I quickly grabbed her, including the two of us in the group of girls and women all varying in ages. Aerial turned her back to us as everyone began to count off, “One, two, and three!”

                Before I knew it, it was all over in a matter of seconds. Everyone around me is screaming with exhilaration as Riley turns to me with a grin. I stare back at everyone confusedly before I stare down, noticing that the bouquet had landed right in my folded arms. “Maria!” Aerial teased, smiling radiantly. “You’re next to get married!”

                I beamed, but my smile quickly vanished when I unintentionally made eye contact with a certain figure watching from across the lawn. My eyes were trapped with Jared’s as he stared back at me with great intensity. Pain immediately overwhelmed my chest as everything surrounding me blocked out.

                It wasn’t until a got a sharp nudge from Riley’s elbow that I snapped back into reality. I felt a pair of arms snaking around my waist as I peered over my shoulder, coming face to face with my current boyfriend, Lucas. He pressed his lips against the crook of my neck as I gave him a weary smile. My eyes shifted back over to where Jared was previously standing, finding that the spot was now vacant.

                “Really guys?” Riley scoffed jokingly before she left to the restrooms. “Get yourselves a room.”

                Once Riley departed, I turned over to Lucas so that I was facing him. A soft song came on the speakers as Lucas took the opportunity to put his hands firmly on my waist, expecting me to wrap my arms around his neck. “Lucas, I don’t want to dance.” I admitted, trying to pry his hands off of me.

                Lucas frowned, raising an eyebrow with confusion. “But don’t you love to dance?”

                I thought back to Jared and how much it sucked that after all this time, he still had the ability to affect me emotionally. Looking back at Lucas, I could tell that in his eyes that he was irritated that I’d rejected him. Even though Lucas was my boyfriend and has been for months now, I didn’t love him. Lucas was incredibly good looking and had great skills in the athletic field, but he had little to no brains. I’ve always liked my men smart- like Jared.

                I mentally slapped myself for thinking about him, again.

                “I’m sorry, Lucas.” I sighed. “I’m not really in the mood to dance.”

                Lucas clenched his jaw, shaking his head. “What’s wrong with you lately?” he asked. “Ever since we got back into your hometown to go to this stupid wedding, you’ve been acting up.”

                “If it’s so stupid then why are you even here?” I asked, clearly fed up with all of the pestering questions.

                “Do you want me to leave?” Lucas lowered his voice dangerously when he noticed that people were starting to stare. “Cause I really have no problem in doing so.”

                From the distance, I saw my mother and Everett’s father glancing over at Lucas and I with worried expressions. I wanted them to not have to think about me so much, especially since today was supposed to be a celebratory day. I took in a deep breath, shrugging. “I don’t care, Lucas.” I sighed. “You can leave if you want because I don’t care anymore.”

                Lucas’ expression hardened with anger. “Are you breaking up with me?”

                I bit my lower lip, adverting my eyes away from him. “Yeah, I’m breaking up with you.” I whispered.

                “Is it someone else?” Lucas asked, his voice filled with rage. “Is there another fucking person?”

                Jared.

                “No.” I lied.

*

                “Are you sure you’re okay?” Riley asked me for the fourth time that night.

                By now, the sky had darkened and lights and candles were the only thing that kept this party from being completely dark. It might seem like a death trap to walk in a garden that was only lit by dimmed light but in reality, it was actually quite magical.

                “I’m fine, I promise.” I reassured Riley.

                It had been hours since Lucas left the wedding. Most people would be quite saddened about a recent breakup, but I wasn’t. I didn’t feel a single inch of pain. I didn’t know if it was because I was just that heartless and insane, or if it was because nothing could compare to the pain I felt when I found out that Jared slept with that sorority girl over Christmas break. Jared and I weren’t dating at the time- we were taking a brief break from one another. But what hurt most was it wasn’t even after four days that we decided to take a break that he went and slept with her.

                I was back at home, visiting my family for Christmas break. It was in the middle of the night and I was in my old bedroom, back at my parent’s house. There was a knock on my door, loud enough so that it woke me up. I found Jared by the doorway, out of breath and panting.

                “J-Jared?” I tried to make out the figure in the darkness, my vision blurry from just waking up. “What the hell are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Cancun?”

                It was then that I noticed that Jared was crying. Tears were streaming down his face uncontrollably, and I questioned whether he was drunk or not but he swore that he wasn’t. I believed him the moment I took a whiff of his scent, unable to detect any alcohol on him. “I needed to see you.” Jared’s voice cracked. “Maria, you’re going to hate me but I did something really, insanely, fucking stupid.”

                My heart was beating against my chest rapidly. The ideas ran across my head as my fingers trembled. “What?” I whispered, fully awake by now.

                “L-Last night,” Jared’s voice shook, “I slept with someone.”

                I could’ve died right then and there. Hot tears rolled down my cheek as Jared reached his hands out to try to wipe them away from my face. I immediately slapped his hands away, feeling myself slowly break. “Y-You did what?” I quietly asked, anger washing over me.

                “She was just some girl in the sorority.” Jared tried to explain. “We were all drunk and I really missed you and she was there at the moment and we just-.”

                “Shut up!” I shouted. I was fully aware that I had woken up everyone in the house, but it was the least of my worries. “I don’t want to fucking hear it! Get out!”

                Jared tried to calm me down as he placed his hands over mine, his skin burning my flesh. “I love you, Maria. My God, I fucking love you so much, please don’t-.”

                “I hate you!” I pushed him away with both hands. “I fucking hate you, get out of my face!”

                My vision was becoming darker and darker by the second as I began thrashing at his chest, punching him with as much force as possible. “Don’t fucking talk to me ever again!” I cried.

                Jared was going to say something- something incredibly stupid, but Everett beat him to it. The lights were suddenly turned on, and Everett and his father came bustling in my bedroom, pulling Jared away from me. “Maria, please!” he cried from the end of the hallway.

*

                “Take my hand, I’ll teach you to dance. I’ll spin you around, won’t let you fall down.” A familiar tune came on as couples gathered onto the center of the dance floor, slowly swaying to the beat of the music.

                This was our song.

                I watched from the distance was Alex and Aerial danced with one another, her head resting on his shoulder as he pulled her close.

I envied their everlasting love.

                “Do you want to dance?” a voice asked from behind.

                The sound of his voice sent shivers down my spine as I glanced up at him.

                Jared.

                I didn’t know what came over me when I nodded. I took his hand in mine, the sparks still there.

                “Cause lovers dance when they’re feeling in love, spotlight’s shining it’s all about us.” The song played.

                I gulped as I stared down at my feet, stiffly holding onto the back of Jared’s neck as his warm hands held my waist with ease. The memories and pain came flooding back as my heart accelerated.

                “I still listen to this song sometimes.” Jared whispered.

                I scoffed, refusing to look him in the eyes. “What’s so special about this song?” my voice was cold and unforgiving.

                “Do you hear that love? They’re playing our song.”

                “It was our song.” Jared muttered.

                I laughed bitterly, but I felt the tears welling up. “There’s nothing that is shared between you and I.” I said with monotone. “Not anymore.”

                Jared’s grip on my waist became tighter. “I understand that you’re still mad,” He whispered, “but would you believe me if I said that I still love you?”

                Yes.

                “Never.” I lied.

*

                “I want to see you again before we have to go back to school.” Jared said as I was about to get into my car to make my way home.

                I laughed. “That’s funny because I’d be happy if I never got to see you again.” Jared stepped closer to me, real close. He pushed me up against the hood of my car, leaning over me as his breath fanned dangerously over my lips. I showed no signs of fear as I gave him a menacing glare, pushing him off of me. It was then when I felt how rock solid his chest had gotten over the years and how he barely budged at my touch. “Get the fuck away from me.” I snapped when I realized that I was too physically weak to pry him off.

                “I can’t do that.” Jared persisted. “I can’t- not again.”

                “You’re horrible.” I snapped angrily. “Where’s that fucking sorority slut when you need her?”

                Jared ‘s eyes flashed dangerously. “Maria, don’t-.”

                “Don’t say my name.” I mumbled. “You have no right.”

                “You can’t hold a grudge forever.” Jared said with defeat. “What is it going to take for you to forgive me? I made a mistake, everyone fucking does. Why can’t you just-.”

                “I’m sorry if I can’t get over the fact that the only person I’ve ever loved went to fuck the first thing he laid his eyes on the second we broke up.” My voice staggered as I stared back at Jared dead in the eyes.

                When the hell did I get so bold?

                I felt Jared freeze, his shoulders tensing as his face morphed into an unreadable expression. Taking his shocked state to my advantage, I pushed him off of me, immediately feeling cold and empty without his touch. I ignored the feeling as I got into my car, quickly starting up the engine to escape Jared.

*

                “Do you have everything you need to get back on the road?” My mother asked me as Everett’s father tossed my last suitcase in the trunk for me.

                I nodded, smiling as I gathered in her arms for one last hug. “Yes, mom, I double checked.” I assured. “You don’t need to worry.”

                My mother rolled her eyes as she pressed her lips against my forehead. “Maria, you would never understand how hard it is not to worry about your own daughter until you have one of your own.”

                I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath of air as I released myself from my mother’s arms. “I love you, mom.” I smiled. “I’ll call you when I get back to my dorm.”

                “Stay safe!” my mother hollered as Everett’s father put his arms around her shoulder.

                “Call us if you need anything.” He smiled.

                My university was in the same state as my hometown, but it was a three hour drive away. Normally, I would’ve groaned at the thought of having to drive for three hours straight, but this time, I was actually relieved. I needed this time for myself just to think- process everything that’s happened over this short period of time returning home. There was so much to think about, from my abrupt breakup with Lucas to seeing Jared for the first time in years.

Everything was so chaotic.

                The first hour and a half passed when I was on the highway, cruising along the roads by myself. There seemed to be little traffic today, only a few cars actually on the highway itself.

There was a car honking from behind me. At first, I wasn’t sure if they were honking at me since it was hard to tell in the dark, but once they started pulling their car directly behind mine, I pulled over to the side of the highway.

                Once I got out of my car to see who was following me, I immediately stopped in my tracks.

                Jared.

                Jared, that fucking idiot.

                “What the hell are you doing here?” I snapped as Jared got out of his car, slamming the door behind him.

                “I love you.” Jared said, grabbing a hold of my shoulders as he pressed his lips on mine.

                My head suddenly felt light weighted as I felt myself kissing him back weakly. I closed my eyes, feeling a tear slide down my cheek as Jared held on to me tightly. I was sure that if I didn’t have Jared right then and there to support my weight, I would’ve fallen almost immediately.

                Oh Jared, you don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve felt like this.

                It’s been years since I’ve felt so invincible.

                “W-Why are you crying?” Jared asked as he felt my tears staining his cheek.

                “Shut up.” I snapped, pulling his neck towards mine as I kissed him with all of my will.

                We pulled away from each other for a second, just a mere second.

                I took it as an advantage to tell Jared how I really felt.

                “I love you, too.”