One kiss at a time

20

Mary lays on her bed, crying silently, holding the plushie she had gotten from Simon. She couldn't lie to herself, she loved him so much but after what she had heard from his mother's mouth, it was just so...hurtful. Mary unlocks her phone and looks through her gallery, pictures of her and Simon posing and making funny faces on Snapchat. She sadly chuckled and scrolled through the photos, remembering the graduation day convo she had with him.

Mary squeals as she flips her hat in the air with a smile. She unlocks her phone, expecting a message from her lover Simon. She knew that he was here, his brother was in her grade so it's no shock that he would be here. Mary walks through multiple kids smiling and waving to their screaming parents and friends.

After looking around she spots Simon with a bouquet waving at her with a smile. Mary runs to him hugging him as he spins her in the air with a laugh, soon dropping her on the ground

"Did you see me! They called my name and everything that you said happened...the anxiety was gone and....Simon, are you alright?" Mary asks looking at his sad face.

Simon sighs letting go of her, giving her the bouquet, and playing with his bracelets looking away "I'm sorry..."

"Sorry for what? Did you use the dryer that I left in your room? Simon, I told you not to-"

"I can't continue...this..."

"Continue what?" Mary asks "Simon you can't continue to what...tell me" She yells shaking him

"My mother...she has created an arranged marriage with this girl...I'm sorry I can't-"

Mary walks back shaking her head "Simon tell me it's a lie...tell me it's a lie"

"Mary-" Simon says trying to touch her when Mary walks back

"Don't touch me..."

"Mary..."

"You said we will stick to each other forever and forever and no one will separate us...was that a lie?! Did everything you said after your mother said mean things to me a lie?!" Mary yelled hitting him with the bouquet, flower petals flying around them.

"I know I said that...but it's not a lie...but I...I can't say no...love, you know this" Simon says

"Oh really...so why?! Why are you telling me this on my most...important day! Do I always have to remember you breaking up with me every time I....Simon, it's a joke...tell me it's your joke"

"It's not a joke love...I'm sorry...I will say that time and time again...I'm sorry...I don't know why my mother-"

"Because you don't actually love me...you were just lying to me..." Mary says as Simon walks closer to her trying to hug her. Mary hits his chest, wailing as Simon hugs her gently, silently crying along with her. Mary soon relaxes his hands putting her face on his shirt, hugging him tightly, and crying, his chest getting wetter and wetter as Mary wailed her eyes on his white shirt.

"Hey bro! Mama is calling you to take pictures-" Benedict says stopping his sentence and watching his older brother hug an unknown girl wailing. Benedict looks around before tapping his shoulder "Bro...you're needed"

Simon sighs holding Mary's cheeks, giving her one last kiss, and whispering I'm sorry, soon letting her go. Benedict looks back at the girl as she cries on her mother's shoulder before catching up to Simon, trying to wipe his tears and fix his shirt.

"You good bro?" Benedict asks Simon, Simon shakes his head "I had to let her go..."

"Wait wait wait wait....you saw her?"

Simon nods sitting down on the chair in Benedict's dorm

"How did she react....I mean you two were crying a lot." Benedict says sitting on his bed as Simon sighs

"I miss her...I miss her every day...just...holding her in my arms, her lips...her laugh...her smile...I miss her" Simon says in a sad tone. Benedict sighs "But mama..."

"I don't care...the same marriage that broke me up with Mary was broken the minute I saw her kissing some guy...I wish I never had said goodbye...I thought...maybe I can get her back since she's in your college but...she doesn't even want to...talk to me...she hates me......I am so upset" Simon sighs resting his head in his arms "I know I was supposed to catch up with you but seeing her and the glare she gave me...it hurts" Simon says turning on his phone and looking at his wallpaper, Mary smiling as her hair blow in the wind, a hibiscus flower in her ear and her braces showing with the slight smile she had on.

"Still have the wallpaper?" Benedict asks

"I won't remove it...I will never ever...forget it...She will have my heart forever...till I die"

"Yikes since when did you get so...emo...she has my heart forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever-"

"I'm going to tell dad to cut off your allowance"

"Fineee...I'll shut up...but you can say that it was kind of emo though..."

Simon silently laughed before turning off his phone "So what about you...I heard you got a girlfriend"

"Oh yeah...Aaliyah...you know her roommate...Sammy...pretty...so pretty...like it was love at first sight...made an eye contact with her and boom....I made it my mission to say hi...know her and maybe marry her"

"Marry her....far stretch...you will get passed father but you will never get passed mother...ruined my relationship because she wanted a few money..." Simon says sighing

"Yeah but you didn't forget her...and now you have seen her again so I know you are not going to let her go..." Benedict smiles

"That is true..." Simon

"Here's Aaliyah..." Benedict says showing Simon Aaliyah in a university jersey smiling at the camera. Benedict takes his phone from Simon and smiling at the picture as Simon chuckles

"Never seen a love sick Benedict since your middle school ex" Simon says "So...you going to do those...big event asking her hand as a girlfriend that you did for your ex?"

"Of course...I am going to make her feel special that she will never want to break up with me...and also I am going to be number one" Benedict says with a smile. 

Simon chuckles before sighing remembering what he had done for Mary, how happy she was and how big her smile was when he handed her roses in the hallway as her friends tease her doing kissy sounds and calling her Mrs. Hale.

"Don't worry...you will get her back...don't worry" Benedict says patting Simon's shoulder before entering the bathroom with a smile