Strong ✅

MAKE YOU BELIEVE

T

his was it. This was the day that Aaliyah would say goodbye to any future she had with Jordan. She was marrying Axel today and there was no going back after this.

Aaliyah loved Axel. She really did. Just not in the way she was supposed to. She didn't want to be his wife or have children with him. She didn't want both of their futures planned out for them. She wanted to make her own plans, marry who she'd like, settle her career. Why couldn't she be in charge of her own life? Oh right, because she was in a fucking courtship.

"Honey, it's time." Aaliyah's mom's voice rang through the dressing room.

"Mommy, I'm not ready. I don't want this. I don't love Axel." Tears formed in Aaliyah's eyes.

"Oh, baby, I know, I know, but there's nothing we can do now. It's your wedding day. We can't change anything now." She soothed her.

"Alright." Aaliyah sniffled.

"That's it, baby girl. Now go up there and do what you need to do for us." her mom whispered in encouragement.

Aaliyah followed her mom to the church doors and the realization hit her. "Who's gonna walk me down the aisle?"

"I am." Aaliyah heard the angelic voice she had always known as Mr. Ryan Scott.

"Oh, so my ex-boyfriend is walking me down the aisle? Isn't that gonna knock everyone's socks off?" she smirked.

"Well, I don't know about you, but that dress is knocking my socks off." Ryan flirted teasingly.

"Oh hush it, Scotty."

"You know you love me." He made kissy faces at her.

"Sometimes." Aaliyah said, pecking his cheek.

"You two are friendship goals, just saying." she heard Cat's voice call out behind her. She looked fabulous, wearing a long, black laced dress with it being knee high and the skirt of the dress being white satin. She looked absolutely perfect. She always looked perfect. Ethan was lucky to have someone as beautiful as Cat.

"Hello, Mrs. Garcia." Cat smirked.

"I'm not Mrs. Garcia. At least, not yet." Aaliyah giggled.

"Good luck." Cat mouthed as the bridal march anthem started. Aaliyah gave her a thumbs up and locked arms with Ryan.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, love?" Ryan asked her as they walked down the aisle with smiles on their faces.

"Not really, but there's no turning back now. Is there?" she smirked at Ryan, before he handed her off to Axel at the end of the aisle.

"You look beautiful, Aali." her husband to be said. Aaliyah's dress was elegant in every right. It was a mermaid style floor length gown. Lace covered it from top to bottom and it only had lace on the upper back of the dress, the dress being held together by a line of pearls and accentuated her back. She looked like a barbie doll when she saw Addie. Addie could say few words, but she called Aaliyah a barbie doll.

"You look handsome." Aaliyah complimented Axel. It was the first time she had ever seen his curls in control. His hair was gelled back the way Everett's usually was and he wore a simply black tux and still, he looked absolutely amazing.

The justice of the peace began the ceremony.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to join Axel Adam Garcia and Aaliyah Eleanor Bell in holy matrimony. God has brought us on this sanctioned ground and brought these two individuals together in love and friendship. Age means nothing in the eyes of the Lord and the Holy Spirit. The Lord always has a way of knowing when two beings are meant to be together and when he chose Axel for Aaliyah and Aaliyah for Axel, he knew that throughout every obstacle and trial, they would remain sanctioned together. The Lord has mysterious ways in matchmaking. Sometimes, he chooses the wrong people so that one can truly feel heartbreak and other times, he picks the right persons so that they can truly feel love. In this instance, God picked the right person and he picked them good. Looking at Aaliyah and Axel, all I can see is pure adoration for one another and a bond that many could only wish to have. So, as we bring these two individuals, I ask you that if there is anyone that opposes this union, please speak now or forever hold your peace."

Jordan sat in the audience by Brielle with Addie in his lap. Brielle gave him a look as if to say that he absolutely needed to speak up, but he just couldn't. He knew how important this wedding was to Rosa and Katherine. He couldn't ruin that.

Right by the bride and groom, Isabelle and Ashley wanted to say something too--Ashley wanting to help out Isabelle and Isabelle wanting to profess her newfound love for Axel. Both decided against it. They couldn't betray Aaliyah like that.

"I hear no objects, so we may continue. Can I have rings please?" Axel nodded and grabbed them from his little cousin.

"Axel, repeat after me: With this ring thee wed to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live."

Axel repeated the minister's sentence saying I do and sliding the ring on Aaliyah's ring finger.

Aaliyah repeated the cycle, saying her I do's and putting the ring on Axel's finger.

The minister announced, "I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Axel Garcia. You may now kiss the bride."

Axel smiled at Aaliyah and for once, she smiled back with a genuine smile and leaned in for a kiss as Axel gripped her waist and pulled her closer. They pulled apart in laughter and applause.

In the corner of her eye, she could see a tear fall from Isabelle's eye and in the audience, she saw Jordan glaring at Axel. She knew that getting married was going to cost her many things, but most importantly, it was going to cost her one of the best guys she ever met.

♦

After the reception, Rosa had to help Axel get Aaliyah into his car. She was beyond pissed drunk thanks to the work of Ethan and she was talking like an innocent little child.

"Can we pwetty pwease go nigh nigh?" Aaliyah mumbled as Axel helped her into the car.

"Sure thing, babe," Axel said to his wife. He turned to Rosa and thanked her.

After Aaliyah was successfully in the car, Axel drove out of the parking lot. They weren't going to have a honeymoon like most married couples did. They didn't have enough savings for anything like that, so they were moving into their house straight away. The house luckily was already furnished and that made things easier for Axel.

He carried Aaliyah bridal style to their bedroom and laid her down. He took off his tux and laid into a pile on the floor. Aaliyah turned towards her husband and said, "Can you unzip my dress?"

Axel nodded as she turned her back towards him. He slowly unzipped her dress and only then did it dawn on him that she didn't have a bra on. It was the first time that Axel was ever seeing Aaliyah naked or at least half and he didn't know how to feel, so he tried his hardest not to stare when she turned to face him.

"Axe?" said man hummed in response.

"Can you kiss me?" Aaliyah asked. The alcohol was starting to wear off, her lisp had disappeared slowly but surely.

"Are, are you sure?" Axel asked. Aaliyah nodded in response.

Slowly, he inched toward her and laid a hand on her left cheek, pulling her closer. Finally their lips touched and the world started spinning.

They were both sure that this was nothing, until they woke up the next morning conpletely naked, having vague memories of making love. It was bad. It was oh so bad, but they loved the touch of each other and soon enough, faking marriage wasn't that hard when loving each other came into play.

It became real. Even if they didn't want it too. Aaliyah was truly Aaliyah Garcia and she loved that, even if a year ago she was sure that she'd be Aaliyah Green. They loved each other. They loved each other even more than they thought possible.

There was no longer a need for forbidden love or secrets. It was now just Aaliyah and Axel and they loved that. They loved every minute of that.