It's Complicated

24. Right or Wrong?

24. Right or Wrong?

MARIELA'S POV

I had made my decision.

It had been one of the toughest decisions I'd had to make, but I'd made it. Last night had been terrible. I had cried, thrown a tantrum, cussed both the boys out, pondered for a bit, and freaked out some more. My night had been even worse if that was possible since I couldn't even imagine facing the boys again. I knew I would be breaking one of their hearts today, and that had never been my intention. I loved them both in different ways and it would break my heart to have to hurt one of them, but they had given me no choice.

I walked into the high school building and froze when I saw both of the boys standing together, slightly facing away from each other, waiting for me to arrive.

I freaked out a little on the spot and ran outside again to buy me some time. Had I made the right decision? What was going to happen next?

I took a deep breath in, pushed my hair back, and straightened my shoulders.

Be brave, Mariela. You got this.

I opened the doors again and luckily and unluckily both the boys saw me walk in. They slowly walked to me.

Crap.

Major crap.

ALLEN'S POV

I saw her walk in and I felt my heart jump. I braced myself for her decision. If it wasn't me then I swear my heart was literally going to break. I couldn't bear the thought of her picking him, when I knew deep inside my heart that they didn't belong together. She belonged with me and only me. Mariela stopped in front of me. I felt the hope rise up in me, but I squashed it down. If she didn't pick me, the hope would only make the pain worse.

"You know how much I love you, Allen," she started out slowly, looking at me gently. "You've been my best friend since Freshman year, and even though we've only been together for three years, I feel like you know me better than anyone else."

I saw Drew's shoulders drop through my peripheral vision. My heart sang with hope and this time I couldn't squash it. I didn't respond. I waited for her to continue.

"If I lose you today, I don't know what I'll do. But I've made up my decision and this is what I've decided."

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even react. My heart pounded loudly as I waited for her to announce the lucky guy's name.

"This decision was super hard. I didn't want to make, it but you both are forcing me to and I'm so sorry that I have to hurt one of you. Im not taking this decision lightly. I stayed up all night thinking about it." She paused and let out a breath.

She turned to me and I held in my breath. "Allen, I love you."

My heart sang in joy and I almost died of happiness right then and there.

"But not in the way you want me to."

My world caved in, crashed, and burned. Her final decision had been Drew. Maybe she had never cared for me in the first place and I had been delusional this whole time.

The bell rang at that moment and I thanked God for it. I would need some time to myself before I could see Mariela again or face anyone else for that matter.

"I'm sorry," Mariela said, her eyes filling with tears. She stepped up and gave me a hug, resting her head on my shoulder.

I felt nothing but emptiness.

"Mariela, we have AP Gov and we really have to go."

Mariela nodded and whispered another, "I'm so sorry," before she walked ahead. She was almost out of sight but before she went completely out of sight, she turned around with one last regretful, anxious expression on her face.