'~ No no no no no~' Logan thought to himself. Unsure of what to say, he stared at her, unable to hide his stunned expression.
" what's wrong?" Marie asked in confusion, " I mean, I know it's a little unexpected, but I..."
" hey, Marie, no don't worry about it, of course I will, I'm... so happy for you." he stuttered, flashing her a sad little smile.
Marie laughed softly, and threw her arms around him happily, hugging him tightly. " thanks Logan so much, you have no idea how much this means to me!" she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.
Logan squeezed his eyes shut, and held her tightly, breathing in her sweet scent, not wanting to let her go. When she pulled away from him after a few moments, a sense of longing filled his chest. He felt he needed to be close to her.
Logan smiled, and swallowed back the grief that threatened to overwhelm him.
" So who's the lucky guy, that you've been trying to hard to steer clear of me?" he asked bitterly.
" Logan, it's not like that, it's just that, you and Remy are a lot different and I know that you don't like him..." Marie stammered.
Logan looked at her in bewilderment. Remy? Logan felt a surge of anger rising up his throat, he absolutely HATED that guy. How could she do this? he tried to hold back his rage by clenching his fists together tightly, but it wasn't helping.
" What! NO! Marie, no, you CANNOT be serious! I told you...." he yelled.
" See Logan! this exactly why I didn't tell you before! I knew this would happen." she said, her eyes welling up with tears.
" Maybe, you would have been better off not telling me." he muttered.
Marie shook her head at him in fury.
" Logan, you're my best friend, and I really was hoping you would just be happy for me. Remy makes me happy, and I'm going to marry him." she stated matter of factly.
Logan flinched as her statement sunk in. '~why couldn't 'I' make you happy?~' he thought to himself.
" we're having an engagement party tomorrow in the ballroom . I would really like it if you could be there." she concluded, before turning her back on him abruptly, and running angrily back to the mansion.
He wanted to run after her, to wrap his arms around her and tell her how much he loved her, but he knew it was too late.
Logan sighed hopelessly, and leaned back against the trunk of the willow tree.
If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Marie. but why, did it have to be Remy? Anyone, would have been better than that guy.
Logan growled at the thought of Marie going home every night to that sleazy scum bag, a sick feeling settled in his stomach as he imagined Remy's slimy hands on her soft, deadly skin.
He slammed back a shot from his flask of cheap whisky, and made his way to the bar. It was going to be a long night.
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" don't worry about Logan, he loves you, and he'll get over it, eventually." said Ororo, passing a quart if ice cream over to a very flusterred looking Marie.
" She's right, and you have NO reason to be upset tonight, you just got engaged! you should be ecstatic." Jean added, putting her arm over Marie's shoulders supportively.
Marie managed a small smile. " Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. it's just Logan, he... he... ugggh,I don't know, he makes me sooo mad!" she said, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.
" oooohhhh, Rouge! Look at this one!" Jubliee chimed in excitement. she was sitting on Marie's bed, flipping through a catalog of wedding and bridesmaid dresses.
" It's beautiful Jubes, but have you seen one you haven't liked yet?" Kitty laughed.
" well sorry! I've never been a 'Maid of Honor' before!" Jubilee grinned haughtily.
Kitty sulked and tossed a pillow at her.
Jean and Ororo chuckled softly at thier immaturity.
" This wedding is going to be so much fun!" Jean said in excitement. " I'm so happy for you Rouge, you and Remy make the sweetest couple."
" yeah, where is Remy by the way?" Ororo asked curiously.
" I don't know, he mentioned he had some meeting with the professor out of town." marie replied with a shrug.
" that's strange, the proffesor hadn't mentioned it." Jean said.
" hmmm." Marie said thoughtfully.
There was a moment of awkward silence between the four of them.
" I really like the coloring of this dress." Jubilee announced to intterupt the silence.
" yeah me too." said Kitty.
Marie blocked out the chatter of the four women as they rambled excitedly on about wedding details.
She thought about Logan. was it wrong for her to marry Remy? Even if they both knew that she would rather be with Logan? even if Logan had no desire to be with her? Earlier that night, when she had hugged Logan, she had almost felt as if he wanted her. ' ~ no Marie, you just want him to want you.~' said the tiny, skeptical voice in the back of her head.
Marie remebered the first summer Logan had come back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It was warm, though late at night, and the stars shined brightly in the sky. Marie and Logan sat up in the highest branches of the willow tree, gazing up at the stars, as Marie leaned against Logans shoulder, trying her hardest not to fall asleep, wanting to stay forever in this blissful moment.
" Logan?" she murmered.
" yeah." he replied sleepily.
" I love you."
Logan smiled. " I love you too kid."
Marie sighed and shook her head ." no Logan, not just like ' I love you.' I'm In love with you." she replied, holding her breath in anticipation of his reaction.
Logan hesitated.
" you shouldn't say that marie." he said. He sounded upset.
" why, it's the truth, I thought I should tell you...."
" no, no you shouldn't of. You're only seventeen. You have a crush on me. You don't know how to be in love with some one. Trust me. "
Marie turned away from Logan as her eyes blurred with tears. She felt her heart tighten in her chest. She needed to get away from him.
" Marie!" Logan yelled a frantic warning down at her as she jumped with little effort out of the 20ft high branch she had been sitting on , and landed smoothly to the ground on her feet, losing no speed as she ran gracefully back to the mansion. It always amazed him how she could do things like that.
She could hear the deep quick pace of her heart beating in her chest, until the sound throbbed almost painfully in her ears, but she didn't stop running. She ran and ran, the wind whipping against her face, the tears streaming down her face, but she couldn't stop running, not until she had reached the safety of her room, and locked herself in. She didn't come out for three days. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marie squeezed her eyes shut tight as a tear threatened to escape them. She remembered that night as if it were yesterday.
'~God damn him~' She thought to herself. He had made her feel like some foolish, boy crazy twelve year old. He still managed to make her stupid most of the time, though she never admitted it.