One More Night Is All We Need

Some say that looks could kill. Others say that they can get harmed by sticks and stones but words will never hurt them. And yet, there are those few people who will say that words can hurt the most. In my case, only one syllable can potentially make me drop dead on the hardwood floor.

"Mom?"

Tina stared at me with wide eyes. She knew my mother. She knew how long she could stay on the phone, always with something to talk about even if it was completely pointless to everyone else except her. We can still remember those times when we'd stay in my room while she bragged my father to death about how the neighborhood kids were rebelling against their parents by getting pregnant and running away and that I would never stray away from them because I was a precious gift from above who they couldn't imagine would start a bad streak. Oh, boy is she in for a surprise.

"Yes, Honey! We're coming back for a several months! Isn't this great!"

"Just peachy," I rolled my eyes. From my lack of interest, she should have gotten the hint that I didn't really care, but from the looks of it, she wouldn't even notice if I shot a gun through the receiver. "But why?"

"Your father had a job transfer and they gave us options on where he could work. We chose Tempe!"

Damn you, company that transfers people.

"Great..."

"Oh, how is, uhm... Oh, what's his name? Jeremy? Jacob?"

"His name is John, Mom." I said over her babbling.

This is going to take a while.

John's Point of view.

I watched Kyra from behind the kitchen door. Even frustrated she lookedamazing pretty. I sighed and turned my attention to Kennedy and the others, "So, what's going on?"

Kennedy sighed as well, "You guys remember Kyra's folks, right?'

Just as he finished that sentence, Garrett and Jared exploded with laughter.

Garrett through his head back, "KYRA!!!" He shrieked with a shrill voice.

"Shut up!" Kennedy hushed him.

I laughed, "What's up, Kenny?"

He bit his lip, "Well, my mom called me this morning and they're kind of coming back."

"Back?"

"As in they're moving back to Tempe."

They fell silent.

"Wait, how long?" I started to panic.

He scratched his head, "Several months. Maybe a year."

"Shit," I hissed. "They're going to find out about the baby."

"That's going to be something kind of difficult to hide, John." Pat sighed.

"Naw, you think?" Garrett hit him on the back of the head.

"I expect that call to be her," Kennedy looked out at the girls.

I let out a nervous breath, "What are we going to do? We can't tell her parents!"

"We might have to." Kennedy lamented. "But, if it calls for it just to level up the guilt, maybe you should..."

"Should what?"

"Tie the knot."

"Wha--Tie the knot? As in ask Kyra to marry me?" I looked at the others with an incredulous expression.

"Well, I don't know, John. Maybe you should." Garrett sighed. "It would definitely decrease your risks of being murdered by Kyra's parents before the baby is even breathing."

I gave them all nervous looks. I laughed once, "But we're twenty years old! What if she realizes this, me and her, if this is a mistake? What if she finds someone who's better than me? What if--"

"What if you completely avoid it and she does in fact find someone else?" Kennedy cut in. "I highly doubt you'd let that happen. You care about her too much. We know you, John. And we know her, too. You two love each other too much to let each other go. Well, maybe you should prove it to her."

"How do you feel about her, John?" Garrett asked me so simply.

I grabbed onto the corner of the wall with my good hand. I rested my head up against the wood. My muscles tensed then settled down again. I closed my eyes and sighed, "I love her. So much. More than I could ever imagine. I can't imagine my life without her. She's like the air I breathe, the water that I run my fingers through, the sunset that I look into every night and the sunrise I gaze at every morning. She's beautiful in everything she does. And..." I found myself smiling at the end of my sentence.

"And?"

I stood up straight and slid to the floor, "Who wants to help me pick out the ring?"