Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all of your perfectly thrilling reviews!
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"Maddie?"
Maddie wiped her tears away roughly, her hands leaving black streaks down her cheeks.
"Maddie...everything's going to be alright." Carey sat next to her on the curb, turning her head and stooping her shoulders to look the crying girl in the face.
Maddie released a choked little laugh. "Yeah, every thing is just perfect right now, isn't it?" She inhaled a calming breath. "I mean, I just made a fool of myself in front of everyone! And Esteban – he's probably never going to speak to me again!"
"Oh, honey. It's not as bad as all that. Besides – you've seen how many times my boys make fools of themselves in front of an audience!" The laugh died on Carey's lips when she noticed Maddie hadn't joined in. Her heart softened for the wretched looking creature next to her. She put an arm around her reassuringly and the younger girl leaned into her hold.
"What am I going to do?"
"Well, I think the first thing you have to do is ask yourself one important thing –"
"What?"
"You need to figure out how you feel about Esteban. You need to ask yourself if it's him that you really want."
Maddie straightened back up, sniffing every other second. "I really, really like Esteban..."
"But?"
She focused her gaze on Carey, the woman who acted more a mother to her than her own most of the time. "What if..." sniff "what if..." sniff "what if I'm not good enough for him? What if he decides that he doesn't really like me all that much? What if he goes out with me and then just drops me for Rebecca? Or some other floozy? Or what if –"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down! Why don't we take this one step at a time?" Carey looked at her appraisingly. "First off – there is no question as to if you're good enough for him. You're both very sweet, wonderful people. Ok?" Maddie nodded reluctantly. "Second off – you know he's crazy about you. Everyone's known it for a long time, Maddie..."
"How did you know?" she asked tremulously.
"Well, his drooling habit that only happens when you're around and not looking; that was a tip off..." Carey giggled with a half smile.
"You're just saying all of this to make me feel better."
Carey's face turned serious. "I'm saying all of this because it's the truth. And you worrying about him leaving you for someone else – that's insane. You need to trust him and more importantly, you need to trust yourself."
A lackadaisical smile crept across her thin face. "I suppose I have been acting silly."
"Mmm, everyone's entitled to that sometimes."
"So, you and Arwin, huh?" Maddie had to bite her lip to keep from chuckling at her companion's swift change in expression.
"He's a sweet guy...but really – Arwin?" Carey replied nervously.
Maddie shrugged. "Why not? He's nuts over you..."
"Yeah – 'nuts' being the key word!" Carey chortled.
"You never know..." Maddie told her in a sing song voice.
"Hello."
Maddie craned her neck up to see who interrupted their girlie moment. Esteban stood haloed by the hotel lights behind him and she felt as though a very large orange was pushing it's way down her throat.
"Hmm, I think it's time to get back in there. 'Sides – I have a slightly unstable but strangely adorable guy waiting for me." Carey stood up and retired back inside, leaving the two standing there 'all thumbs'.
"Are you alright?" His voice was thorny.
She peered up into his eyes through clotted mascara. "I must look a complete mess." She ran her fingers over her face messily, hoping to wipe away some of her stray coal marks.
"You look like an angel – like always."
She fought a smile and sighed, patting the concrete. "Sit?"
He complied, taking a seat next to the petite blond. "Miss Maddie – Maddie," he amended, not wanting to be so formal as to use the 'miss' in the front. "What did I do wrong?"
"Nothing! Nothing, Esteban. Really, it's me. I'm just – royally messed up!" She buried her head in her hands.
Esteban reached out and grabbed her wrist gently, freeing her hiding face from her slender fingers. He used his other hand to tilt her chin upward. "Do not worry, flor hermosa. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable."
Her lashes fluttered involuntarily and she squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to block the crystalline deposits beginning to form once again. "I really like you," she forced out before she could think better of it and chicken out.
"Oh, that is good. Because I am over the moon for you." His rough hand enveloped one of hers tenderly and he brought it up to his lips, brushing a soft kiss over it.
Flushed tingles crept up and down her spine like a pack of happy go lucky spiders. "You really do know how to treat a girl, don't you?" she whispered delightedly.
"Eh, when I am not busy with my head in the sand." His lop sided grin flashed brilliantly.
"Can I ask you one thing?"
"Anything, me dulce."
"You know what Rebecca said – I mean about you taking to her from that first night..."
"She is a mean girl who does not know what she's talking of. Do not listen to her."
"But she's right – you went out with her right away, but it took you – took us – this long to even admit anything in the first place."
"It took this long for me to tell you of my feelings because – well, because I did not want to lose you. I did not want to risk our friendship by my telling you how much I want you and you not returning that emotion. With Rebecca; it did not matter if it didn't work out. Plus, I really only went with her to see if..." he left his thoughts unraveled and unfinished, choosing instead to stare down at the tiny pebbles lining the walkway.
"What did you want to see?" she asked breathlessly.
He anchored his gaze to her. "I wanted to see if you would care if I went with another. It is silly, I know, but I –" His bumbling explanation was jolted when her lips met his, silencing another word. He lost no time moving his hands to her sides and scooting closer to her. After a moment, she broke the exchange and rested her head on his shoulder.
"It's not so silly," she picked up the conversation, keeping her head in it's contented spot on him and moving her hand to rest over his tuxedo lapel. She knew she was sporting a foolish grin, but she didn't care. "You know the only reason – I hate to say it, but the only reason that I even came here tonight with Trevor was to make you jealous..."
"I figured as much."
They both snapped around to see poor Trevor illuminated in the doorway.
"Trevor – I'm really sorry." Maddie disengaged herself from Esteban's exhilarating embrace and stood up on shaky knees. "I never meant to hurt you."
"I know. You only meant to use me." His bitter tone cracked at her heart.
"You're right and I'm sorry. I have no excuse. I only hope that you'll forgive me."
"Maybe – one day." Trevor turned around and went back inside.
Esteban stood behind her, wrapping his arms around the front of her waist. This time he was the one who rested his chin on her shoulder. The feel of her back against his chest and his arms cocooning her made her feel safe and fuzzily warm all at once and she knew she was where she belonged.
"I feel awful – he looked so upset."
"He will get over it; you will be friends again. Don't you worry. He just needs a little time."
"I hope you're right. I shouldn't have done that to him..."
"Sshh, do not worry on it right now. Right now is for us." He turned her around in his arms so she was facing him again. He kissed her forehead lovingly.
Maddie exhaled contentedly, snaking her arms around him. She rubbed her cheek into his tux jacket, and he could sense her smile. "How do you think the others will react to us being together?"
He shrugged, simply savouring her in his arms, not wanting to think on anything or anyone else.
"Hadn't we better be getting back inside?" she asked half heartedly.
"Not yet – let us stay out here a bit longer, muchacha." He murmured into her crown of blond locks and she snuggled closer to him.
"I could stay out here with you forever..."
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Well, what you guys think? Too heavy on the corn? What can I say – I'm feeling over sentimental at the moment, I suppose. Oh, also I would love input on your ideas about this – as in, would this be a good ending? Or should I continue, ie. Perhaps with everyone's reactions to them getting together, etc., or would it work better to end here and possibly do the reactions and such in a sequel...so, get to it and let me know your thoughts and what you guys would like to see, eh? That would be simply smashing!