𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭 𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬| 𝗋𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗒 𝖻𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗇

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

( 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝖺𝖿𝖿𝖺𝗂𝗋𝗌 )

"WHY?" IT WAS ALL SHE could ask. Everything she wanted to say, everything she wanted to ask, she couldn't. All she could muster out was "why".

"We're not good for each other" Atlas mumbled out. He didn't want to break up with her, he never wanted to inflict this pain he was giving her. But to him, it had to be done.

"How? How aren't we good for each other?" Mary asked as her voice cracked. Her voice cracking made Atlas's guilt eat him even more. He quickly kneeled down to her level as she was sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"You know why" Atlas whispered out as he gently brought up a hand to her face, wiping away the tear that fell from her face. "I caused you pain for years"

"I don't care, we over came it"

What did he mean by that? Caused her pain for years. Mary Montez has loved Atlas Kwon ever since she met him in Mrs. Sloane's history class all those years ago. 6th grade. So young, but she knew that he would be her first love, her first kiss, her first everything. And he was.

Atlas however, didn't love her at first sight. He grew to love her. But rejection after rejection and just telling her "I only like you as a friend" she never stoped loving him. Atlas admired her for that, always has and always will. Atlas did truly did love her, and he realized that their freshman year when she began hanging out with Ricky Bowen.

Ricky Bowen. Oh how did he cause problems for the two love birds. Ricky and Mary used to be friend, they are next door neighbors, of course they would be friends, but they stoped because they grew up. But when they were in English 1 together, they began taking once more, and Atlas hated it.

For the past 3 years, Mary only ever had eyes for Atlas, and he knew that. So why was he jealous? He only ever saw her as a friend, but here he was, angry that Mary was hanging out with Ricky, texting Ricky, laughing at Ricky's jokes, showing her colors around him.

But Mary never liked Ricky and Ricky never liked Mary. Ricky liked Nini and Mary loved Atlas. They both knew it, they both were just friends. It was refreshing to have someone to talk to about their problems with Nini and Atlas.

Nini respected it, she knew Mary was in love with Atlas, everyone knew that. But Atlas didn't have confidence in that. So one day when Atlas knocked on Mary's window late at night, that February 14th at 11 pm, Mary let him in.

The two began arguing. A heated argument. Atlas asking question and Mary answering them as if they were obvious. 11 minutes into the argument did Atlas lose his patience with Mary. Atlas let everything off his chest. Telling her he loves her and he's known he's love her every since that day he saw her with Ricky.

Only then did Mary stay silent and listened to him. Once Atlas was done Mary asked him. "You love me?"

Atlas only had one reply. "How can I not love you?"

So how did they end up here? Both hearts breaking. All because he didn't think he loved her like she loved him. The two love each other, that was undeniable. But Atlas knows she loves him more than he ever can. He knew that wasn't right. He needed to love her more than she loves him.

"I'm in love with you Mary. So in love with you, but not as much as you're in love with me"

"What the fuck does that even mean Atlas?" Mary asked, completely baffled at his words.