"I can't!" Alex shouted, his voice echoing through the church. All eyes snapped toward him. Sophia, standing beside him at the altar, looked at him with wide, questioning eyes. His mom gasped, and Uncle Ramon looked like he might faint. But Alex didn't care. He couldn't go through with it. He couldn't marry Sophia when his heart belonged to someone else.
He looked at Sophia, his voice full of regret. "I'm so sorry, Sophia. You deserve someone who can give you their whole heart. And that's not me."
Sophia's eyes softened. "I know, Alex," she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. "It's okay."
Relief washed over him, but there was no time to waste. He had to find Ethan.
"I have to go," Alex said, turning to leave.
"Alex, where do you think you're going?" His mom's voice was sharp, but he couldn't stop.
"I have to follow my heart, Mom," he called back as he ran down the aisle.
He burst out of the church and into the bright sunlight. He scanned the crowd, his heart pounding. Where was Ethan? Had he already left?
Then he saw him. Standing across the street, leaning against a tree, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and hope.
"Ethan!" Alex yelled, running toward him. Cars honked as he darted across the street, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered except getting to Ethan.
He reached Ethan and stopped, breathless. "I messed up," Alex said, his voice shaking. "I almost made the biggest mistake of my life."
Ethan looked at him, his eyes searching. "What are you saying, Alex?"
"I'm saying I love you," Alex blurted out. "I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember."
Ethan's eyes widened, and a slow smile spread across his face. "You do?"
"Yes!" Alex cried. "I do! And I can't live without you."
Without another word, Ethan pulled Alex into a tight hug. Alex wrapped his arms around Ethan, burying his face in his shoulder. He was finally where he belonged.
The crowd from the church had spilled out onto the sidewalk, watching them with shock and confusion. Alex didn't care. He pulled away from Ethan just enough to look him in the eyes.
"Let's go," Alex said. "Let's get out of here."
Ethan grinned and took Alex's hand. Together, they ran. Away from the church, away from the expectations, away from everything that had held them back.
They ran until they reached Ethan's car, a beat-up old convertible. They jumped in, and Ethan started the engine. With a squeal of tires, they sped away, leaving the confused crowd behind.
"Where are we going?" Alex asked, his heart soaring.
"Anywhere you want," Ethan said, his eyes sparkling. "As long as we're together."
Alex leaned over and kissed Ethan, a long, lingering kiss that sealed their promise. They were finally free.
As they drove, Alex pulled out his phone. He had a lot of explaining to do. His mom, his dad, Uncle Ramon… and Sophia. He knew they wouldn't understand, but he had to try.
He typed out a quick message: "I'm sorry. I had to follow my heart. I'll explain everything later."
He hit send and turned off his phone. He couldn't deal with the fallout right now. He needed to focus on Ethan, on their future.
They drove for hours, not really knowing where they were going. They stopped at a small diner for burgers and fries, laughing and joking like they used to. It felt like no time had passed, and also like everything had changed.
As the sun began to set, they found themselves driving along the coast. The ocean stretched out before them, vast and endless. They pulled over to a deserted beach and got out of the car.
The sand was cool beneath their feet as they walked hand in hand toward the water. The waves crashed against the shore, a soothing rhythm.
"This is perfect," Alex said, breathing in the salty air.
"It is," Ethan agreed, squeezing his hand.
They sat down on a log, watching the sun sink below the horizon. The sky exploded with color, a breathtaking display of orange, pink, and purple.
"I can't believe this is happening," Alex said softly. "I've waited so long for this."
"Me too," Ethan said. "I was just too stupid to realize it."
They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company. Then, Alex felt Ethan tense beside him.
"What's wrong?" Alex asked.
Ethan hesitated, his eyes troubled. "I… I have to tell you something."
Alex's heart skipped a beat. "What is it?"
Ethan took a deep breath. "Before I came to the church today… I got a phone call."
"From who?" Alex asked, his anxiety growing.
"It was… it was Sara," Ethan said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Alex's blood ran cold. Sara. The woman who had shot Ethan's brother. The woman who was crazy enough to do anything.
"What did she want?" Alex asked, his voice trembling.
"She said… she said she wasn't finished yet," Ethan confessed. "She said she was going to make us pay for ruining her life."
Alex stared at Ethan, his mind reeling. "What does that mean?"
Ethan shook his head. "I don't know. But… but she sounded serious, Alex. Really serious."
Suddenly, a pair of headlights appeared in the distance, heading straight for them. Alex squinted, trying to make out the car. It was coming fast. Very fast.
"Ethan," Alex said, his voice urgent. "Get down!"
But it was too late. The car swerved off the road, heading straight for them. There was a screech of tires, a deafening crash… and then everything went black.
Alex woke up gasping for air. His head was pounding, and his body ached. He was lying on the sand, tangled in Ethan's arms. He looked around wildly.
The car was gone. But Ethan wasn't moving. "Ethan!" Alex cried, shaking him gently. "Ethan, wake up!" Ethan didn't respond. Alex pressed his ear to Ethan's chest, listening for a heartbeat. Nothing.
Panic surged through him. Ethan was gone. And then Alex saw something that made his blood run cold. Lying next to Ethan was a single white rose. And attached to the rose, a note. With trembling hands, Alex picked up the note and read the words scrawled across it: "Now you'll never be happy."