You're My Mate... Forever

Chapter 6

"Oh!" I say, touching my arm as well.

"What?" Max says, looking confused.

"Max, I need to talk to you," I say, not being able to hold it in.

"Alright. Go ahead." he says with a shrug.

I hesitate. "In private,"

"I'm not moving away from this cake," Megan says defiantly.

"Fine," I say. I stand up and walk out the door, Max on my heels. It's cold outside, and being in my small dress, I immediately start shivering.

"You're cold," Max observes. "Here, take my jacket." He takes it off and cloaks it on my shoulders. I smile at the gesture and appreciate it; his coat is very warm. Then I remember what's happening to me tomorrow.

"No," I say, taking off the coat and giving it back to him. "I can stand it."

"Max, I don't know how to say this, especially when I'm getting married tomorrow, but... I think, well, I think I love you," I say, wanting to crawl into a hole.

"Did you feel a pull, too?" He asks. Does that mean Max is a werewolf, too?

"What?" I say, surprised. When Max doesn't reply, I decide to answer his question. "Yes, I did feel a pull. In my navel."

"Fantastic," he says. He pulls me forward and kisses me. I forget all about Andrew, all about my wedding, I forget everything. All I can think of is how smooth Max's lips are against mine, which, by the way, is very smooth.

I'm not sure how long this continues, but the next thing I know I'm being interrupted. I pull away from Max and turn to the source that had tapped my shoulder. I gasp.

***

"Andrew, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," I kept repeating. I had been crying for the past twenty minutes. After Andrew had found me kissing Max, he had pulled me into his car and was now driving me back to Ben's house.

"I don't want to hear it, Lexie," he says, his eyes looking sparkly.

"Andrew! I - I'm sor - ry!" I say through pants and gasps.

"Lexie,"

"Andrew, I didn't me - mean for it to g - get out of ha - hand like th - that!" I say, sobbing now.

Andrew pulls up to a red light and takes the time to run his hands through his hair.

"Lexie, I know how you feel," he says, and he's crying now. Why is he crying? And how does he know how I feel?

"Lexie, at my party, the guys and I went to a bar, I refused the alcohol, like I said I would, and the guys didn't really care. But the bartender kept on trying to convince me. Eventually, she walked me to a back room and the next thing I know... the next thing I know I'm having sex with someone that isn't my wife." The light turns green and he does a U-Turn to go back to his apartment instead of Ben's house. "The worst part was, I didn't do anything to try and stop it. I just let it happen."

"Andrew, you didn't do worse. You were forced into it." I say, hating myself for what I was about to say. "I actually kind of wanted my situation to happen."

"What?" He said.

"We went to Olive Garden, and Max Haley was with us. And well, just as the appetizers came, I almost touched hands with Max. I was a bit upset that I didn't, but I ignored the feeling. Then, I saw him laughing and I felt a pull in my navel." Andrew looks beaten. "A pull in my navel," I repeat, more for myself than Andrew's sake.

"Lexie, can we still get married?" he asks.

"I hope so," I say, grabbing his hand off the steering wheel and holding it tight. "I really, really hope so."

***

I wake up the next morning to a loud rapping on my door.

"Megan," I mumble. I hear Andrew's soft chuckle.

"Lexie! Are you in there!? Lexie! HELLO!?" she shouts through the door. Andrew quickly gets up and opens the door a crack.

"Megan, we have neighbors!" he snaps.

"Is Lexie th-" the door cuts her off my slamming in her face. I hear the door lock with a click and I laugh. Megan persists though.

"Lexie, YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED TODAY!" she screams. I sit up quickly and immediately start crying.

"What're you doing in there? Are you crying of happiness?" she calls. Andrew finally decides to open the door.

"Come in," he says rudely.

"Well, we are not in very good moods, today, are we?" she says, taking a look at me. "What happened to you last night? You didn't even finish your cake!" I just shake my head.

"Max didn't come back either! What the hell happened to you two?!" Megan says

"Lexie and I had an emotional night last night." Andrew says defensively. I nod and then put my head on Andrew's chest, still sniffling.

"Wull - what happened?" Megan said, her eyes getting big in what I knew was sincere tenderness and curiosity.

"I'm a dirty, rotten cheater!" I cry out, and then I bury my face in Andrew's shirt, fresh tears cascading down my cheeks onto the soft, warm fabric. "I'm a cheater,"

"I am too," Andrew says, his voice steady.

"No," I say loudly. "Andrew, you are not a cheater. No matter what. You didnt want what happened to you to happen - you tried to prevent it... I encouraged mine..."

"Lexie, stop!" Andrew says forcefully. "Stop it right now! All I know is that I love you," I stare into his hazel eyes. "The main question here is... are you still willing to marry me?"

My eyes burn with tears and I blink multiple times. "Of course. I will always want to marry you,"

"Holy shit, that was the most romantic moment I've ever seen in my life," Megan says after a few seconds. I glance over at her and there are tears in her eyes. "That was even better than when Rachel said she loved Ross in Friends..."

I laugh because Megan has always told me that was her most favorite romantic scene in the history of romance, and I would never have imagined her saying anything is better than that.

"Well, come on, sweetheart," Andrew says, kissing my forehead. "You need to get ready to get married." I kiss his lips softly and then Megan whips me out of the apartment and to her car.