- Monica & Matt - [years before...]
When meeting someone's eyes for the first time, it's as if the future is set up. That the connection with that person or effect they'll have on you is brought by the very first look two people share, whether it'd be friendship, romance, or just a helpful guide. It's God's plan some would say, the minute two eyes meet - the rest is figured out. And Monica liked to believe that Matt would leave a lasting effect.
The minute their eyes had met, it was as if Monica could see what the future holds in his hazel eyes - like a film was playing across the reflection of his eyes. Of course, that was short lived because Harper, Monica's friend at the time, couldn't help but squeal.
"Is this love at first sight I am witnessing?" She questions, her bold character was sometimes a bit overwhelming to Monica but she had grown to love her best friend despite her boldness that would usually leave Monica a blushing mess. And indeed, Monica's cheeks were flushed a deep red.
"Way to ruin the moment, Harp." Danny rolls his brown, almost black eyes at the brunette. She simply pouts before both of them turn toward the soon-to-be-couple. "We'll leave you two alone, to you know, fall in love and stuff."
Danny had that bold trait too, only he was in denial about it.
The minute their friends had left, Monica tucked a strand of hair behind her ear - her hair was reaching to the bottom of her ribcage, soon she'd realize her love for shoulder-length hair when Matt accidentally gets gum in her hair on their third date, causing her to cut it - before shifting the books in her grasp. She had yet to meet Matt's eyes again, but it was clear that his eyes were still on her.
"I guess we should get started," he comments, shrugging his bag further up his shoulder. Monica looked up with a confused stare.
"Get started with what?"
"Falling in love with each other."
And so they started to fall in love with each other, it was no 'love at first sight' like Harper had said because according to Matt, that would've been too cliché for his liking and no way would he want to tell his future kids how his first love was 'love at first sight'. They spent nearly every day together, going to the local library to study together, running in the park, having movie nights that would lead to cuddles and their favourite, Matt sneaking into her house at night so they could sit on the roof and look at the stars together, side by side with no other care in the world.
"We should seriously be matchmakers," Harper tells Danny who sat beside her at their lunch table, a couple months into Monica and Matt's relationship. From across the table, Matt swung an arm around Monica's shoulders knowing well enough that she'd need his chest to hide her red cheeks. She still couldn't believe that Harper actually did something right since it was common for the girl to mess things up.
"We should," Danny agrees after throwing Matt a smile, happy to see his friend with someone as special as Monica. He knew that they'd go far. "Maybe we could help Travis and Hannah get together; they've been eyeballing each other lately."
"Let's go meddle," Harper says with a grin before standing up from the table and walking toward the previously mentioned teens, Danny follows her.
"Alright, they're gone," Matt says letting Monica pull away from his chest. She smiles at him adoringly before pecking his lips. He grins. "What was that for?"
She shrugs, tracing a finger over the plaid pattern of his shirt. "I just love you."
"I love you too, Mon." His grin widens before he kisses her, ignoring the weight of people's stares on them.
It seemed as if neither Monica nor Matt could stop falling deeper in love. They were now twenty-one, Monica already out of university - which was for a dance major since Matt had egged her to do so after seeing her preform in the school's dance studio after hours, the dance teacher knew that Monica was a good student and that she'd never misuse her privilege - while Matt had one more year, with no career set in stone. They've moved in together, buying an apartment, a place they could call their own. And of course, it was normal for couples to fight but it seemed as if the couple was abnormal. It was rare that they'd ever fight.
"I mean it, Mon," Matt says with a sigh, placing the plate in the sink before turning to face his girlfriend of almost six years. It had been discussed, previously, that Matt didn't think much of marriage. (Maybe the influence of his parents' divorce had affected his view on marriage.) He was just happy to have her there, and being able to call her his. "Open up a studio. We have the money to purchase that one building in the city, and you are such a wonderful dancer... Even your Mum always wanted to open one but never had the chance - you have that chance. Don't let it get away."
Monica sighed and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. I could do this, she tells herself. This is the dream her Mother has had since she was younger and it had been Monica's dream ever since Matt told her how wonderful she was. This can happen. She would own this place with Matt and her Mother. It will be great.
"Okay," she replies softly, meeting his eyes. There it was again, the film reflecting in his eyes of what the future could hold. "Alright, let's do it," she says more confidently with a smile. Matt immediately grins, enveloping her into a hug and pressing multiple kisses to her face.
But sooner or later, the inevitable came up. Staring at the stick in her hands, Monica let out a shaky breath and looked at the ceiling of the bathroom. She didn't know what to feel. There was a human being growing inside of her right now. She was excited, yet nervous. After being with Matt for almost eight years, this should be a piece of cake. But it wasn't. Not after they just started the studio and not after his Father had died just a couple weeks ago. His Father was his best friend, they did almost everything together, he taught Matt everything he knew. And the studio, there are many payments coming ahead as well as renovation - that costs money. This seemed like a blessing at the wrong time.
But he said he wants to spend the rest of his life with me, she tells herself looking back at the stick in her hand. A child would be the next step.
However, Monica couldn't bring herself to tell him until the symptoms became clear. Matt would wake up to Monica in the bathroom throwing up, she was having many cravings though he had assumed she was just on her period until she was craving watermelon - something she hates. That's when he questioned her, asking her if she was sick. She was four weeks pregnant. She tried to avoid telling him because he had gone through a lot, but eventually, she had to tell him.
"I'm... I'm pregnant, Matt," Monica tells him one sleepless night. The hand that was running through her hair had stopped, and a hitched breath was released into the silence. "We're having a baby."
"No," he almost whispered. His quickly sat up, the only light that treaded into the room was from the moon that peaked between the curtains. His eyes were widened, his hands were shaking, and he was taking deep breaths. "Monica, please tell me that this is a false alarm."
This startled Monica, she sat up and tried to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder but he flinched away. "I went to the doctor's this morning. I am pregnant, Matt... aren't you happy?"
They way her voice broke made Matt's heart tighten. He squeezed his eyes shut and closed his eyes. "No way, that child isn't mine. This can't be mine."
He sounded like he was trying to convince himself, but was failing because they both knew that he was Monica's first. And she was his.
He left the next day. Monica was heartbroken. She thought that despite the terrible things that happened, this would be the greatest news - they were having a child, that's amazing news. Sure, having kids in early twenties was not their ideal plan, they've talked about having kids before - which makes his reaction all the more confusing - and how they would want to have kids in their late twenties. That clearly didn't happen. Was that why Matt freaked out? Because things didn't go according to plan?
She blinked away the tears before calling up her parents, informing them that she was paying them a visit. If only she knew that this visit would ruin her relationship with her parents. The talks about saving herself for marriage - no matter how times she told them that Matt never wanted to marry - and how her Mother could see through his perfect façade and how they 'told her so'. She didn't want to humiliate herself by telling Harper, and no way could she tell Danny. All she had was the support of her brother Jeff.
He went with her to every appointment, provided her with a room in his home and any necessities, helped buy important baby needs, helped her sell the apartment her and Matt previously shared, drove her to the hospital when she was in labor, and kissed her forehead when she held her baby boy in her arms.
Jacob Riley Highland.
.
- Harry & Monica -
Monica thinks back to those moments every now and then, though they seemed to be coming less ever since she started having feelings for Harry. But the events from last night, telling Jake who his Father was, and telling Harry about Matt just made them resurface again, her mind once again reeling; wondering why Matt had left so abruptly. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, why did he leave? He has always wanted kids, why didn't he want one then? He said he'd never hurt her, why did he?
"Earth to Monica," Harry sing-songed, waving his hand in front of her face. She blinked twice before remembering where she was. It was Sunday, November first, and Harry's lesson had just started. He frowned at her. "That's the fifth time you've zoned out. You've got something on your mind?"
She stepped back and shook her head. "Forget it."
"You know you can tell me anything, right?" He asks, taking a step forward, eyes wide and worried. He knows that look, it's the look he'd have every time he'd think of Katelyn, meaning that Monica was most likely thinking about Matt.
Matt, though Harry didn't know him, seemed a bit peculiar. Harry didn't know what to think of him. From the descriptions Monica has given him, he knew he would be good mates with the lad but when she mentioned the abrupt leave, he didn't know. He wanted to know why he had left. He had wanted kids, why did he freak out? Harry honestly was tempted to track this man down and pester him for an answer because they've been together so long, had their whole lives planned and he just skipped out, leaving a wonderful heartbroken woman to fend for herself - aside from the help from Jeff.
"It's just..." She sighs and sits down on the floor, Harry following in suit. "When I think about Matt, I miss him. I want to be with him again. Despite the fact that he had left Jake and I; I want him to somehow find me and ask if we could start things over. Is that crazy?"
"Not at all," Harry says, glancing down at his joggers. He pursed his lips before looking up at Monica again. "He was your first love after all."
Monica stares at her jazz shoes for a moment before meeting Harry's eyes. "I miss the feeling of being in love."
Her statement was met with silence. Harry simply stared back her, unblinking. His hair was in complete disarray, his breathing was fast since Monica had suggested they do zumba, and Monica loved it. His jade eyes amazed her, how in some lighting they were light and in others dark, sometimes they'd even look blue. They were so much better than her eyes.
When Harry finally blinked, he realized how close they were. Merely inches apart. Harry sucked in a breath when she leaned into him.
"Monica," he stops her. He squeezes his eyes shut, heart beat fast as he realized what nearly happened. Monica and I nearly kissed. He rolled his lips into his mouth before pushing himself back to stand up. "I can't do this."
Feeling dejected, though knowing that leaning in was not a smart move, Monica stared at the floor. She didn't know why she had leaned into Harry because she had just talked about her ex as well as the fact that Harry did not fancy her in the way she did him. She didn't know if it was because he wasn't ready or if she was just not his type. Thinking he had walked away, Monica looked up, only to see him still standing in the same spot.
"I'm sorry," he whispers before turning around, nearly bumping into Tim and Mara as he left the studio.
- - -
(A/N): wow. That escalated quickly. I felt like this was a bit rushed but whatever. I'm just glad that I got a chapter finished because it's been like, forever since I've updated. Hope you enjoyed it!
Importance of Chapter: well, this give you some insights of Matt and Monica's relationship. HE IS NOT A BAD GUY. Matt is seriously a great guy, HE HAS A REASON FOR LEAVING WHICH WILL BE REVEALED SOON. Okay, and then moving away from the flashback, there is the almost kiss. This kiss was not intended, for Monica nor Harry. One moment they were talking the next they were leaning into each other, and it is too soon for them to kiss anyways. This was Monica breaking point, despite the fact that it wasn't extreme, but it's a step to getting better. She knew, herself, that this kiss was a mistake - neither are ready. This happened for a reason, you'll find out in the next chapter.
SONG OF CHAPTER: WHEN YOU'RE GONE - AVRIL LAVIGNE
Importance of Song: this is the song about Monica's feelings. How she wants Matt to come back. How she misses him so much and wishes that they could be a complete family.
150 votes & 100 comments!
P.S. another gif of Matt Taylor x (changing his hair to brown bc he has more pictures with brown)
©2014 TypicalFangirlx. All Rights Reserved.