ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔽𝕚𝕗𝕥𝕪-𝕆𝕟𝕖

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝑺𝒕. 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏

Two hours later, I was crying in bed with Angela. Angela because she was pregnant, alone, and hormonal, and me because I have no idea what's going on in my head right now.

Jeremiah, Amanda, and Kol were spinning around in my head.

Kol called me several times, but I put my phone on Do Not Disturb.

"I can't believe I'm going to have to do this on my own. And I know that you and Kol said you were going to be there for me, but it's not the same," Angela cries.

I didn't tell her what happened. I said didn't want to talk about it. I wanted to be distracted.

"Have you tried calling Leo?" I ask.

Angela sniffles. "I called. I emailed. I even sent out a message to his Dad's company. But, nothing works. It's like he's a ghost. Maybe....he's gotten my messages and he just...doesn't want to be a father. Maybe he doesn't want to be involved."

"Oh, I'm sure that's not it."

"Yeah, it is. He used to tell me about his fear of being a father. H-He never wanted kids," she cries.

Oh.

Well, that kinda seals the deal, doesn't it?

"I think that there's a happy ending for everyone. So, if Leo is a part of it then he is. And if he isn't..." I look up at Angela who stops crying and waits for me to speak. "Then no matter how you feel, he isn't meant to be."

A knock on the door interrupts our conversation. "I'll get it," Angela says.

She leaves and the bed starts to feel empty and cold. I close my eyes and try to stop myself from crying.

All of this shit could have been avoided if I didn't try to go through for Amanda.

"Maya!" Angela calls out. "It's for you."

"Tell Kol I don't want to talk right now," I yell back.

"It's not Kol," a feminine voice says.

Curiosity spiked through me and I went to the living room.

I see Amanda in the doorway. "Hey, Maya."

"Amanda. What are you doing here?"

"You mind if I talk to you? Alone."

"I'm just going to tell Angela anyway, so she's staying," I say.

Amanda nods and gives Angela a tight smile.

Amanda sits down on the couch and I sit on the opposite couch.

"Brunch was kind of awkward, huh?" Amanda says, trying to lighten the mood.

It doesn't work.

"Why didn't you tell me Jeremiah was your ex? Or at least Kol." she finally asks after a long pause.

"Because I didn't want to ruin brunch. You don't like me which is understandable and I wanted brunch to go well," I explain. "It would only be an hour or so to win you over. I didn't see the issue in keeping Jeremiah and I's past a secret."

But I clearly forgot how terrible Jeremiah is.

"If you had told Kol, he would've understood," she reasons.

"Yeah, I know. He would cancel the brunch, not telling you the real reason and you would be even more annoyed."

Amanda opens her mouth to speak, but then quickly closes it. "You're right. He never would've outed you like that. That's why...he felt absolutely horrible when you left earlier. I think that was the only thing keeping him from beating Jeremiah to a pulp."

I smile softly.

"What about you and Jere?" I croak.

Amanda's face gets visibly lighter and her eyes narrow at the sound of his name. "I hate cheaters with all of my heart," she said. "If he cheated on somebody else, what makes me any different? So, I dumped him."

"You deserve better than him anyway."

Another beat of silence.

"I wasn't in a good place back then," I explain. "I was a heartbroken party girl and you're brother completely took me by surprise. I didn't want to admit it, but I was falling for him as much as he was falling for me. During the holidays I went back home where I saw Jeremiah again. He said some---"

You were fucking unlovable.

"Harsh words and they really resonated with me. Then Kol told me he loved me. And I completely freaked out. I ditched and ghosted him. I tried to reset my life and move on but every single inch of me contained Kol. I realized I loved him before it was too late. I went back to him, talked to him, and set it right. He forgave me and at the end of the day..."

I glance up at Angela who gives me an encouraging nod. "That's enough for me. But I will say sorry to you. I am so, so, very, deeply sorry about what I did to Kol. If I had known...that he would distance himself like that, I would've never done what I had done. I wish I could go back, but I can't. But, I do ask for your forgiveness, so we can move on."

"So, that means, you're not leaving Kol?" Amanda asks.

"No, I'm not. Why?"

Amanda sighs. "You left and have been dodging his calls. He thinks he screwed everything up."

Guilt racks through me. I could've answered a couple of calls. "He didn't mess anything up."

"You tell him that. He said he wanted to take you some place after brunch. Meet him there and set things right. Once you do that, I'll forgive you," Amanda beems.

I think for a moment.

"What's the address?"

---------------------

The Memorial Edge Garden is one of those places you go to look at flowers with your college class as a mandatory assignment.

It's not that I think flowers are ugly or something, but do I want to look at flowers for hours?

Not really.

"Excuse me?" I say to the receptionist who's busy on her phone. "Have you seen a guy named Kol Smith? Very tall, dirty blond, sharp jaw."

"Oh, are you Maya St. Martin?" she asks, suddenly very attentive.

"Y-Yeah..."

She beams. "Excellent. Come with me."

She jumps down from her desk and speedily walks down a hall. Before I know it, she gone, so I quickly do my best to follow her.

We reach a door titled 'Private Exhibit'. She hands me a blindfold. I look at her like she's crazy.

"Mr. Smith gave strict instructions for you to be blindfolded while entering this room. I promised him you'd be blindfolded," she says, getting a little nervous. "My boss will fire me if you are not blindfolded."

"Okay, okay jeez." I take the blindfold and tie it around my head. I hear the door open and I slowly walk forward.

I keep going until I run into what feels like a brick wall. Except brick walls don't usually smell so good. I rub my nose. "Ow."

"Hey sweetheart."

"Kol?"

His fingers interlock with mines and I feel his lips on my nose. "Are you injured?"

I smile. "I'm good. Can I take my blindfold off now?"

"Not yet, but you will soon. Promise."

He leads me further until a waft of lilac enters my nose. "Take off your blindfold now."

I undo the blindfold and the sight before me has tears welding in my eyes.

Buckets and buckets of white roses are crowed around pink roses that spell out Maya. Candles and gift bags lay on the floor next to the flowers.

A takeout box of Sambrino's with strawberry milkshakes are at a table to the side.

A single tear falls down my cheek. "Kol...you didn't."

His hands run up and down my arms. "Baby, I'm so sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have brought up your past with him like that knowing how he hurt you. I just...I was so...hurt and confused about everything. And anger just powered through me and words were the only thing keeping me from punching him."

"It's okay. And I'm sorry for not telling you. I just really, really want your sister to like me," I breathe.

He plants a kiss on my cheek. "She does. She said that you finally being here was enough."

I smile and lean against him.

"Y'know I have been having the same thoughts as you. About us..our relationship."

I sigh. "I don't even know why I said that."

"You did. Because you've been having the same thoughts as me. We say we're together, but we've never said the actual words."

I turn around to face him. His eyes dart from my eyes to my lips then back to my eyes.

"Maya Anneliese St. Martin. Will you be my girlfriend?"

My mouth slightly drops and my eyes bulge. "W-What..?"

"I want to be with you officially in every single way. So, will you be my girlfriend?"

A smile breaks out and I can't stop the tears. I shake my head, furiously. "Yes! Of course I will!"

He lifts me up and kisses me deeply.

This was it. Everything that we've gone through. Every tear, every laugh, every memory. It was all worth it.

Because this was it.

The start of my happily ever after.

The End.

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Oh my God. This is it.

The end of My Greatest Escape.

I started this story way back in March. I honestly never expected to get this far. We're finishing this story with 1.5K reads and we're only getting stronger.

I love each and every single one of you who have stuck by my side through this entire ride.

This is a series called My Greatest.

The next story will be about our girl Angela and her ex-beau Leo. I know not a lot of people like the pregnancy storyline, but I always wanted to try it out.

Don't forget to vote, comment, and share this story with all your Wattpad-loving friends!

I LOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEE YOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUU GUUUUUUUYYYYYYSSSSSS!

I'll see you soon in the epilogue ;)