A/N: Thanks for reviewing! And here's the third chapter...long awaited, or not.

Chapter Three

OH. MY. GOD.

I may have thought I've been really nervous before, but it was NOTHING compared to what I was feeling right now.

I mean, you would be too. If you were on your way to tell your mother that you were getting married. What if she was like, "you're marrying him? Are you insane? Susie, no, come on."

But it was more likely to be, "you're marrying her? Are you insane? Jesse, no, come on."

I mean, this was JESSE we were talking about. Jesse every mom's dream date for their daughters.

I shivered a little as we pulled into my driveway. The sun was shining, I could hear the ocean in the distance (complete with Seagulls squawking), little kids were riding their bikes, and I was shaking like someone about to be blown out of a cannon.

Not that I've ever met someone who's blown themselves out of a cannon, or even wanted to, actually. But I imagine that this is how they felt.

He didn't even look nervous. When he stopped the car, I got a look in the review mirror and I was as white as sheet of paper. Only, I realized that I was excited too.

"Querida," he leaned over in the car, as close as the center thingy would permit, "calm down, it's alright."

"How," I snapped, "can you be like that? I mean, how can you know what they're going to say?"

"Well, I'm fine now, but you should have seen me when I came to ask your mother and Andy's permission to ask for your hand. I would have made you look calm," he kissed me on the tip of the nose and got out of the car.

I glared at him as he walked around to open the door, but noticed that I had stopped shaking and that some of the color had returned to my face.

I took his hand and he squeezed mine reassuringly, giving me a look that said, "really, it's okay," and toeing me up the driveway.

Maybe we should have waited longer though…we've only been engaged like, two days or something.

But I think my mom would be offended if I waited longer, or told anyone else first, I mean, it was bad enough I'd already told Paul…so I better get this over with before I see Cee Cee.

He pushed the doorbell and we waited there for a second. Like we had just rung a doorbell. Ironic, isn't it?

It swung open and my mom ushered us inside, something was cooking in the kitchen—I wondered briefly if Andy would let us stay for dinner—and then got a glimpse of my mom's excited face.

"Hey, mom," we were all sitting down in the living room. Jesse and I on the couch, her in this big comfy chair, staring at us eagerly.

So I'd be willing to bet she approved. Of the whole marriage thing, I mean.

"Umn, we've got something to tell you,"

"Yes?" she said in one of those, say-it-already-so-I-can-congratulate-you voices.

"We're getting married," as I said the words a smile started to creep across my face. I liked the sound of it.

We're getting married.

Yay!

Oh, wow.

Jesse was going to be my husband.

I was going to be a WIFE.

My mom hopped up from her seat and I did too. She gave me a big hug and was actually crying she was so happy. I hope she wasn't that surprised I was getting married. I wasn't that much of a lost cause, was I?

Andy walked in from the Kitchen carrying a pot of sauce that looked suspiciously like the stuff he'd come at me with on my Junior Prom night.

"So, when's the wedding?" He said, stirring said stuff.

"Erm, I don't know, but isn't it great?"

Jesse was just sitting on the couch, looking ridiculously happy. I knew his face mirrored mine.

"You have to let us have your engagement party…Susie, sweetie! This is so exciting…"

"Can I cook?"

"Yes! Thanks Andy," he smiled and then sniffed the air going, "is something burn…ohy!" and he ran back in the kitchen.

Maybe I didn't want to stay for dinner.

2 weeks later

I looked in the mirror and readjusted the black clip in my hair, before pulling it out altogether. I had been told that this was going to be casual…I just hoped I wasn't dressing too casually.

I was wearing a pair of blue jeans and new Steve Madden shoes (50 off! I love sales…) that were really cute and matched my black off the shoulder top. I had decided to ditch makeup altogether.

Except for mascara. But that doesn't even count.

Jesse leaned in from the hallway and smiled at me. I smiled back.

"Are you ready Querida?"

"As I'm going to be," he seemed realatively calm…was I the only one who got this nervous all the time?

Was I the only one who worried about crap like that?

Probably.

And he should be calm. He looked fabulous in a pair of black slacks and a white polo shirt that really showed off his tan. And unlike me, his hair was under control. Lucky short-haired person.

"Then let's go," he glanced at his watch—Rolex—and then looked back at me, "we're going to be late to our own engagement party."

"Yah," I said sort of absentmindedly. I was still worried about my hair. He took my hand and toed me from the room.

He stopped me before I opened the door to the apartment and looked into my eyes. I looked back at his handsome face, marveling at the fact that he was mine. All mine.

Forever.

He pulled me to him roughly yet gently (if that was even possible) and planted such a kiss on me that I felt it all the way down in my toes. Like the kiss that he'd given me in the graveyard that day. And just like in the movies, he bent me backward over his arm a little bit.

I ran my fingers through his hair as he kissed me harder. Finally he pulled back and just smiled at me.

"I will always love you Querida, know that," he said, and it was way too serious. The way he said it. Just…everything.

"I love you too Jesse."

And I knew that I always would.

Fifteen minutes later we were almost to my mom's house. We were rounding the bend that I now called 'The Macarena Bend,' because of the whole thing with Michael Meduchi.

And then I saw the headlights, and my entire life flashed before my eyes. I swear to God, that was what happened.

I saw myself watching cartoons on Saturdaymorning,I saw Jesse as I had seen him as the first time and a thousand various other imagesflashed through my brain.Jesse steered the car to the left, crashing into the hills and then everything went black.

A/N: Review, you know you want too.

Nikki and Koizak