Cricket On Tour

I went shopping today and it was faaaabulous. I miss malls, and Bloomingdales, and smelling like a pretty girl and not like a stinky boy. And, I need new clothes to make me look smokin’ compared to Holly, because the day she has better clothes than me is the day I dig myself a grave and jump in it. Although, I think I’ve become too attached to the boys, because I feel empty without them. So, a little separation is good, I guess. I’m just glad to back at Home Sweet Coach!

“I’mmmmm baaaaaack!” I said skipping up the stairs into the coach and swinging my bags around.

“Do we have room for all the crap you bought?” Rian asked wide-eyed when he saw my mountain of bags.

“Yeah, we’ll just leave your stuff here.” I joked sticking my tongue out at him. “Oh, Alex!” I squealed when I saw him. “I got you a present!”

“Cricket, you shouldn’t have!” He laughed. “I don’t even know how to drive a stick yet!”

“Haha,” I laughed dryly and pulled a navy beanie-hat thingy out from my back. “I got you a new hat-thingy-bobber!” I said gleefully and shoved it on his head.

“Aw, too presh.” Jack said in a girlish voice.

“Whatever Jack, you know you’re jealous you didn’t get a present.” I said sticking out my tongue again.

“Well, I love it.” Alex said giving me a kiss (sigh, I know!). “It’s no Corvette, but it’ll do.”

“Thanks, I had a hard time choosing between the black and the navy,” I said mock seriously. “It’s a big decision, but I think I made the right choice. I mean, it’s all about the nautical look this summer.”

Annnnd cue the confused look from Rian as he realizes he knows this. Thank you InStyle podcasts!

“I’m hungry.” I announced and started walking towards the “kitchen.” “Where’s the food?”

“Nope, no way.” Alex said grabbing my shoulders and pushing me back on the couch.

“But I’m hungry!” I whined. Boys don’t understand how exhausting shopping is.

“You’re not eating because we’re going on a date.”

“A real date!” I squealed.

“Yes,” Alex said laughing.

“So, no Jack popping in to ‘see if the car got parked in the garage’, or that we 'wrapped it before we tapped it'.” I said narrowing my eyes. I mean, seriously, all of our dates were on a stinky bus watching Stepbrothers, how gross is that?

“Right, no Jack, only a fancy restaurant.” Alex said smiling.

“Do you mean to tell me, sir, that I get to dress up?” I don't joke about this shit.

“I would be disappointed if you didn’t.” he said grinning more.

“Ohmigod! This is just the best ever!” I said jumping up and running to my new bags of clothes I just bought. “There’s so little time to decide what to wear!” I said frantically.

Alex stared at me and laughed.

“Don’t look at me! I’m not dressed or anything!” I could go for days without putting on makeup and hanging out with Alex like no big deal, but as soon as the word “date” comes up, I freak out and have to look perfect, it’s just how it works.

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I finally got dressed for my date (enter girlish squeal here) in all my new clothes, including an extremely sexy black spaghetti strap mini dress, gold gladiators, and topped off with some gold bangles and a necklace. I mean, not to toot my own horn or anything, but I looked smokin’ hot. I mean, I was so tan from spending day after day at Warped and my hair had grown like four inches and was also highlighted from the sun, let’s just say, I was feeling pretty cocky about myself tonight.

“Hey Handsome.” I said smoldering when I emerged from the backroom. Alex’s mouth dropped to the floor.

“Wow…I mean, damn, I mean…you look beautiful Crick.” Alex finally stammered out. I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him.

“Where the fuck is my girlfriend!” Jack wailed and went outside already dialing his phone. Lanie was pretty much nonexistent on the bus. She walked in one time, asked, “how in the hell we lived like this,” and walked out. Our plan of acting like we were having a great time without her wasn’t working, so I was going to have to move on to plan B, but I could worry about that later.

We left the bus and made our way to the car Alex had called in for the night. He even opened my door for me. This was such a legit date.

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“So, just so you know, when we get married and buy a house and all that jazz, I think we should get a house with a little apartment over the attic.” I informed Alex as we walked hand in hand down the street to the restaurant.

“Okay,” Alex said squeezing my hand. “Why’s that?”

“So Jack will have a place to grow old and eat our food.” I said giving him a sideways grin.

“Good plan,” he cracked up. “So, have you thought about that a lot, you know, the future? Our future.”

I looked at him, I didn’t want to freak him out, but yeah I had. I even know our kids’ names. But, I also wanted to test him and see how committed he was. It’s a crazy girl thing.

“Actually yes,” I said with a sly smile. “We’re getting married in two and a half years at the Plaza, in June, of course. I’m going to become a crazy awesome record producer, you guys will worship me, and we’ll have homes in Connecticut, and England, just so we can go back to the Mother Land for you, and a summer home in Italy, cuz I want it. Oh, and we’re having sixteen children.”

I’m only half joking here. But, definitely not sixteen kids.

“Alright, sounds like a plan.” He laughed. “I love it. I love you Cricket.”

Oh. My. God. He finally said it! After eight months of skirting around saying those three words, here it is, right in the open. I turned and beamed at him.

“I love you too, Duckie.”

“You are such a nerd.”

"Don't judge me!" I wailed jokingly and dancing around him.

He laughed again and stopped in the middle of the street to swoop down and kiss me. This definitely ranks as the greatest night of my life. Even better than Lanie's masquerade ball/birthday party when Alex and I finally got together.

"Hey, I've got a surprise for you. I mean, this is a date night after all and I don't think we want to have to deal with Jack's obnoxious kissy noises." Alex said obviously nervous.

I gave him a look and turned to the building we were stopped in front of. It was the Hilton in Albuquerque. Oh, he so had an agenda tonight, but I was totally willing to go for it. Seriously, we'd been dating for 8 months and hadn't even done the dirty yet. And now, I was totally okay with letting that change tonight.

"You are one sneaky guy, Mr. Gaskarth." I said with a smirk. I was fine with him taking advantage of me, but I was going to call him on it!

"I mean, we don't have to if you don't want to," Alex said trailing off.

"Oh, I want to." I said giving him my best smoldering look.