The One Fanfiction

Chapter 7

        Maxon and I sat on my bed facing each other. He stared at our intertwined fingers while I stared at him. A warmth radiated off of him in waves. He seemed so happy I hated myself for wanting to talk about it, but I had to know.

        "Maxon?"

        "Yes, love?" I smiled at the nickname.

        "Before my breakdown, what happened?" He answered immediately as if the scene had been playing through his mind on repeat.

        "You said you loved me for the first time. I was about to reply when you got this scared look in your eyes." I nodded. Should I tell him about my hallucination?

        Yes, I would tell him. If this was going to work, there had to be honesty. "My breakdown wasn't exactly a breakdown."

        "Excuse me?" He questioned.

        "Well, it was a breakdown, but you should know what I thought I saw." Maxon looked at me curiously, but gestured for me to continue.

        "I saw you. It was right after I said I loved you. It was as if it was real life. So, anyways, I said I loved you and you did nothing. You had this sad look in your eyes. I felt like you had rejected me." A few tears ran down my face, but Maxon wiped them away. I continued, "I couldn't deal with the thought that after all that we've been through you didn't love me. It tore me to shreds. Now, I know how much I need you."

        Maxon took my hand and put it over his heart just like I did that morning. "You feel that beating? It's my heart. Now, it belongs to you." I slid my hand up to his shoulder, then to his cheek. I traced his cheekbones lightly with my thumb. He let out a low moan of satisfaction.

        Maxon pulled me close and layed back, my hand still stoking his cheek. We stayed like that all night, breathing in each other's scents, not wanting to let go. A question flitted through my mind as he held me. Where would we go from here?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

        On the plane ride home, I thought of Aspen. How would he react when I told him about choosing Maxon? Would I even tell him. I could just avoid him. He'd get the idea, right?

        I decided to do that. At least until I stopped feeling so raw. My head was still spinning from the whole hallucination ordeal. My heart ached at the memory. I wonder why I saw that. Then, it dawned on me.

        Right then, that was my greatest fear. Rejection. Heartbreak. Losing Maxon. Again, I realized something. I was never meant to be with Aspen. He was just helping me get to where I am today. A guide to help me find Maxon.

        I turned turned my head to look over at Maxon. He was sound asleep and he had every right to be. Maxon had probably barely slept while I was in my coma. I admired his handsome face. The way the sun glinted off his tousled hair. His lips twitching ever so slightly as he dreamed. Then there was the- snore?

        It was extremely loud and very obnoxious. I couldn't help but crack up laughing. Maxon jerked up in his seat. His expression sent me made me cackle even harder. He looked around trying to find the reason I was red as a tomato and grinning like a lunatic. I managed to point a finger at him. He furrowed his brow in concentration. When Maxon finally figured out what'd happened, his cheeks flushed deep scarlet. I slowed my breathing, but couldn't wipe the smirk off my face. I stood up and walked across the aisle to where he was sitting. I sat down next to him. Luckily, the jet had couches with no armrests so it was easy to get comfortable. Maxon shifted to lay on his back. He rested his head in my lap. I played with his hair and a sense of rightness flowed through my veins.

        Images ran through my head. Maxon down on one knee. Me, walking down the aisle, dressed in white. Maxon cradling a beautiful baby girl in a little pink blanket.

        Maxon looked at me and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

        I gave him a tender smile and replied dreamily, "The future."