Mr.Right

Chapter 26.

The following days pass by in a blur.

Maverick and I got closer than before after I told him all that happened in the past shitty year of my life.

He's more protective now, I think, like I'm a fragile glass he wouldn't want to break.

I can remember him freaking out the other day when I spilled hot water on my hands while trying to

make coffee. It was cute. Not the hot water stuff though, I screamed like a woman in labor.

Lately, we've gone back to just dieting as he has a lot of work piled up already and won't be able to go

jogging in the mornings as frequently as we used to.

It's been a month since we met and my feelings for Maverick grow stronger every time he cracks one of

his swooning grins at my silly moments. I look at him in the littlest moments, like when he brushes his

teeth, or tug at one of his brown locks absentmindedly, and I am breathless knowing it doesn't take a

million-dollar telescope to notice the crushing beauty of the universe.

I'm scared to tell him. I know he has other issues to deal with and I hate to be one of those issues but I

don't know how long I can suppress this new feeling.

I fling open the door of my wardrobe and stare at it like a dress would jump out itself if I stare hard

enough.

It's the night of the ball party and I can't figure out a dress to wear. I try out a few sleeveless gowns I

find out they're not my style. Why'd I even shop for them anyway?

I finally come up with a dress after turning my whole closet upside down. I almost don't recognize my

own self when I step in front of my mirror.

I'm wearing a Navy blue dress with pearls that are beaded into the lace. It's V necked and stops right

above the beginning of my stomach not to forget the off-shoulder that exposes all of my skin. My outfit

is paired up with stiletto high heeled gladiator sandals.

My makeup, like my outfit, is bold with my lips being the center of attraction. The mascara accentuated

on my eyes makes them pop while my lips are painted in a nude lipstick.

I can't remember the last time I dressed like this. Correction, I've never dressed like this.

"Hey," I see Maverick pop his head into the room. "You done?"

"Kind of," I say, unsure of whether to clean the whole makeup and storm the party with my hoodie and

jean. My eyes sweep up his body and I suck in a breath.

He's wearing a suit.

The night-black ensemble fit his tall, athletic figure well.

He looks younger all suited up. I like it as much as I liked the slight trace of facial hair that often

bordered his full lips like a dark shadow. His hair is neatly styled away from his forehead as usual.

From the mirror, I see him walk up behind me and places his hands on my arms, slowly gliding them

down my own hands. A shiver runs down my spine when he interlocks his fingers with my tiny ones,

crisscrossing each of my arms with his and enveloping my body with his warmth.

He leans down to bury his face in the crook of my neck and nuzzles his nose against my now racing

pulse.

"Why so worked up?" He says into my neck. "You're all jittery."

"I'm nervous," I admit honestly. "What if tonight doesn't go as we planned?"

He raises his head up to look at me. "And what did we have planned?"

I think about it for a moment before frowning at myself. "Nothing."

"Exactly. Just be yourself tonight and avoid trouble."

I want to listen to him but with Tony at that party tonight, I can't make any promises.

~~~~~~~~

Maverick's car comes to a stop in front of a mansion. I can see the colossal pinewood doors wide open

where the maroon carpet begins. There's a slight buzzing in the air as people I can't recognize walks

around in their long elaborate dresses and suits. Cameras flashes from different angles of the

entrance.

"This is huge," I say as he helps me out of the car and slides his hands down to meet mine. We walk in

together and all eyes darts from every direction to us. "Everyone's looking. Why is everyone looking?"

"Chill out, its normal. Just smile and wave," I do as he instructs as I'm greeted back with smiles and

more stares.

"Isn't the Mayor supposed to be at gatherings like this?" I ask, surveying the large crowd of people.

Yeah, I'm definitely going to shit my pants if I come face to face with the Mayor considering what

happened weeks ago.

"Who cares? He's probably giving birth to illegitimate children," I want to chuckle at his statement but

the way he says it sounds... Personal?

I feel him tense beneath my hands as his features harden. "Tony at 3 O'clock."

My eyes dart towards the direction and I see him in all his glory. He looks macho than the last time I

saw him and his hair is now in curly locks. I thought I was ready to see him but now that I'm watching

him walk up the stage, my breath hitches and the back of my eyes burn at his sight.

Maverick gives my hand a slight squeeze which somehow reassures me.

"I welcome everyone to the 5th Annual Ball," He begins and cheers erupts from the crowds,

everywhere is silent again after some moments. "A year has 365 days; this is the same for everyone,

but how different it seems to a child or young person, to an Adult or Elderly person. There is a long time

till Christmas, a whole year until one's birthday, and an eternity to the summer holidays."

"What I would like to talk to you about is the important period that we call the new year. This is a time

when we make the new year's resolutions, this is the time when we could make some determination

about the things we have been thinking about during Christmas. Sometimes, after some great event is

over, we close our minds on it and forget about what we have done. That is, after Christmas, we pack

our boxes of ornaments and tinsel. The Christmas themes are taken off the radio and we go back to

doing the things that we did before. Of course, when we do that, we miss one of the greatest values of

Christmas."

"I know most of us gathered here are already successful in what we do but here's a toast to the future,

a toast to the past, and a toast to our friends far and near. Happy new year."

There's thunderous clapping heard in all areas of the room. Everyone is clapping. Everyone except

Maverick and me.

"I need to go to the restroom," I say before spinning around on my heels but I'm held back firmly on my

wrist as Maverick looks down at me, with concern clouding his eyes. "I'll be fine."

He lets go hesitantly and I dash off to a corner, wanting to be alone and away from people. Especially

Him.

My chest heaves up and down heavily as I try to steady my intake of breaths. Tony can't have that type

of effect on me anymore. Whatever that happened is already in the past. I can't keep replaying the pain

all in my brain like an old song stuck in your head.

"I didn't think you'd come," I freeze at the sound of the familiar voice coming from beside me. "You

changed, I almost didn't recognize you."

"I'm not here to see you," I say, my voice spitting out coldness.

"Of course not."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want to apologize," Tony says and I almost can't believe my eyes... I meant ears. "I shouldn't have

taken you for granted. It was a dick move which I'll always regret because it cost me you. I know I

wasn't the perfect boyfriend but if you could give us another chance, I swear to God..."

"Shut up!" I yell. My whole body is about to explode from anger. How dare he. "You can't treat me like

shit all these years and expect me to come running back to you just because you 'apologized'. You

don't know what I went through the nights you were away, you never cared. You weren't there when I

needed you the most, or when I even needed you at all. I deserved to be loved and to be missed. I

deserved to have someone who notices the emptiness in the air when I'm not around!"

Almost everyone is looking in our direction already and he too looks speechless by my outburst. My

chest feels a lot lighter now that I'm letting it all out, but there's still more I have to say, so I continue.

"I thought I couldn't move on until He came along, my cure for heartbreak and he's everything you're

not. He told me he was going to make you pay by bringing out the best in me, the best in April. And I

am proud of the outcome because dear lord, you should see the look on your face right now."

"And does he feel the same way I felt, or feel about you?" Tony asks and I pause. The one question

I've been blocking from my mind since. There's a possibility my feelings are not being reciprocated and

Maverick's just being a really sweet person with no ulterior motive, the thought of that possibility

disheartens me.

"He does, more than you'd ever think," We both turn to the direction of the voice to see Maverick

standing almost ten feet away from us. "He's a gentleman, you see, being able to live with an amazing

woman for a month without having her climb his voluptuous body over, and over, and over. I am He. He

is me."

He walks over to us, standing between Tony and me and jabbing a finger to his chest. "And you need

to fuck off."

I'm grinning foolishly from ear to ear when he faces me and cups my face with a hand. "You did well.

I'm proud of you, but there's something I've always wanted to do when I got the chance."

My brows furrow as he lowers his mouth to my ear area and whispers, "Don't freak out." Then in one

swift motion, I feel his hot lips cover mine.