feeling unlovable

i really want to kiss you

She was with someone she loved and that was all Macie asked for.

Yet Macie couldn't ignore the nagging voice in the back of her head that kept yelling that all of this was a bad idea, that this wedding just ruined her daughter's life and Macie frowned, knowing that that nagging voice appeared the minute Marcus left their house last night.

Everything was different now and Macie didn't even know what caused her to think this.

Sighing, Macie turned to her husband to tell him her concerns when her eyes locked on Marcus's figure and every cell of her body froze and her heart raced, that nagging voice in the back of her head getting louder and louder as she watched Emma slowing make her way towards him through the mass of people that tried to talk to her.

Nicholas frowned, noticing his wife's tense figure placed his hands on her shoulders and softly massaged the tense muscle, "Honey, what's wrong?"

Macie gulped, "Did—did you invite Marcus?"

Nicholas frowned, confused on why his wife would ask him this questions. She and Olivia, Felix's mother had been in charge of the invites. All he did was hand Macie the money she needed. "No, I thought you did. Maybe Emma invited him?"

Macie nodded, knowing that what her husband said could have been true. Extremely true, Macie thought as she watched Emma give Marcus a once over before leading him into a storage room at the back of the hall. She must have thought she was being sneaky because she didn't look back to see if eyes were watching her.

Nicholas frowned, confused about everything around him as his wife stood from her seat and trailed towards the storage room, stopping only a few times when family came over to congratulate her.

"Macie?" The older woman froze and slowly turned to her, now, son-in-law who looked down at her with loving look. Macie almost wondered how he could have broken their daughter's heart all those years ago. He was frowning, hands in fists at his sides as he asked the question that was worrying Macie, "Where's is Emma? I lost her in the crowd."

Macie shrugged, knowing she could never expose her daughter when she was alone in a room with a boy that was not her husband. "I don't know, honey. I'll let you know as soon as I find her, why don't you catch up with a few of your cousins? You're going to be taking over your father's business soon, you need some advice."

Felix smiled, excited by the idea and nodded his head. Thanking his mother-in-law before wondering off, squeezing through guests towards one of his older cousins who shouted his name across the hall to get his attention.

Turning to her husband, Macie gestured for him to hurry up with her head and speed up her pace towards the back storage room until her face was almost pressed against the small glass window of the storage room door as she took in the scene in front of her.

"She looks so...happy." Was the words whispered between the couple once they laid eyes on Emma and Marcus. Macie frowned, she felt stupid for not noticing her daughter's feelings when listening in on the phone call earlier that day. She felt as if she could have stopped the wedding, she knew it would have looked wrong but if her daughter was happy with the Hispanic boy then Macie would do anything to keep the two together. It was too late now. Emma was no longer a Harper.

Nicholas sadly looked towards his daughter as she twirled around in Marcus's embrace. He had been so strongly positive that his decision to marry his only daughter to the Hayden's only child would be a good idea. It all seemed selfish to him now as he watches his daughter laugh with another boy, a boy Nicholas thought much of. A boy that Nicholas knew more than his own daughter's husband.

<><><>

Marcus finally felt at ease, this feeling that he got whenever Emma was near was something he never wanted to let go of. He was here, at her wedding and he still couldn't give her up. Especially when after ten years of loving her, she finally was starting to requite his feelings. His heart hadn't stopped racing since he stepped into his old room and his hands couldn't stop sweating and getting even more sticky as they were placed on Emma's small waist. She fit between his arms so perfectly, how could he let her go when he was made for her?

The soft sound of the music from the hall flowed into the room and he hummed along to it. Smiling when their prom popped into his head and he'd danced with her so close to him. Kissing the side of her head, Marcus leaned down to whisper into her ear as he swayed them slowly back and forth, "Thank you for saving me a dance."

Trailing her hand down his shoulder, Emma tried to memorize the feeling of his arms but the material of his shirt was in the way. The feeling of being in his arms made Emma feel complete. Knowing that he loved her and thought she was the most beautiful girl in world made her feel on top of this world. She'd been in love with someone who didn't want her most her life and to finally have someone love you the way you want to be loved made her selfish. She never wanted to let him go but she knew she had to eventually. Emma couldn't help but wish he was the man her parents had gotten her married too.

And Marcus couldn't help but wish she wasn't married, he really wanted to kiss her.

Raising his hands from Emma's waist, Marcus cupped Emma's face, thumb rubbing the soft skin that was pink with blush. Marcus couldn't help the hitch in his breath when Emma leaned into his touch and looked up at him with an expression he'd never thought he'd see. Adoration.

She absolutely adored him in this moment.

"I really want to kiss you." The words were like vomit, coming out before Marcus could stop them and his entire body buzzed when Emma didn't lean away and tell him she couldn't. Because he feared that the kiss they shared last night would be their last. Marcus didn't want to stop kissing her so when she smiled and leaned closer into his embrace, Marcus didn't hesitate to follow her next command.

"Then kiss me."

What people didn't know wouldn't hurt them, Felix had said those words to her once when she'd found out about the girl he was seeing while they were engaged.

Marcus leaned down and kissed her. He kissed her as if it would be their last, he kissed her as if she would be the last girl he kissed and Emma kissed him back. She kissed him with her fears for her life without him like this. She kissed him with the feelings she developed for him over this short period of time.

And together they kissed as two people starting to fall in love.