You're Only a Wish Away.

“And then they lived happily ever after.”

The ending credits rolled along the screen and a simple melody harmonized the rush of feelings flowing through my veins. Tears welled up in my baby blues, a mixture of love and loneliness, even a tinge of jealousy for those lucky Disney princesses, but I made no movement to wipe them away.

Caleb, lounged out beside me, was also motionless, and if I let on that I cried again at this movie, he would refuse to let me live it down. A sudden obnoxious sniff came from the direction of Caleb, and with wide eyes, I turned my head slowly to look down at Caleb’s face, flashing blue and white from the flickering image on screen while steady streams of salt water collecting on his blotchy face. He looked up, and his hurricane grey’s caught mine for just a second before he jumped away, rubbing at his eye sockets furiously.

“Caleb, are you crying?” I asked incredulously, mouth slightly agape at such an unusual scene. Caleb sniffed again, resorting to his t-shirt to clear away the already obvious evidence.

“N-no! I just, I was just, uh, these are tears of pain at your choice of malicious torture! Five hours of fairy tale bubble gum princess happily ever after bullshit is enough to make even the toughest guy beg for mercy!” Caleb shot back defensively, before ducking as a bowl flew over the top his head, barely missing the tips of his unruly golden locks. He stood back up, face shocked as to why I had taken to throwing tableware at him, until he noticed the answer written on my face with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes that glowered.

“Happily ever afters are not bullshit! You, come with me.” I reached across the space between us, snatching up my best friend’s wrist between my fingers and thumb and tugging him down the hallway, and into my bedroom. Caleb was left loitering at the door, while I began rummaging at the bottom of my wardrobe, desperate to make Caleb see the errors of his ways.

Caleb began to slowly make his way around my room, touching random objects scattered along my dresser, and taking in the Disney Princess theme that I still clung onto despite my nineteen years of breathing. I watched from the corner of my eye as his delicate fingers danced along the shelf to a Cinderella snow globe, picking it up delicately and giving it a graceful shake, before setting it down and admiring the glassy eyed figures be caught up in a snowstorm.

Smiling to myself, I let out a sound of triumph as the pads of my finger tips skimmed the silky fabric, and I grabbed out the rest of the material. With a winning smile, I lay the outfit out over my knee, and looked up for Caleb’s opinion.

“What... is that?” He asked, eying up the clothing in question.

“Well you know that week when you went on that road trip?”

“Yeah?”

“And you asked what I would do without you to entertain me?”

“Yeah?”

“And I said that I would find a hobby?”

“This was your hobby? Making a Prince Bullshit outfit? Val, Hun, you do know you’re insane right? A complete nutzoid?”

“Shut up, Cay, you’re only making it worse for yourself!” I sung, before pushing the outfit into Caleb’s chest and directing his body toward the bathroom. “Now, go get your sexy ass in there and put it on!”

Caleb stopped at the door frame, and looked at me with a look of pleading and mild disgust. “Do I have to?”

I arched an eyebrow, and Caleb ran into the bathroom, a satisfying click of the lock following. Moments later, Caleb came out wearing his Prince costume, white puffy sleeves included. His face was one of unimpressed boredom as I squealed at my creation.

“I feel like a queer marshmallow,” He complained, poking the sleeves and cringing as they bounced back. “And where is your costume? Huh?”

I gave him a look. “I don’t need a costume, that is completely irrelevant to this situatio- whoa! Caleb! Caleb Jared, you put me down right now!”

Caleb swung me over his shoulder with ease, and with his free arm, he picked out a simple blue dress, wrapping it around my head before sauntering over to the bathroom, pushing me inside with a grin, and shutting the door.

“I hate you,” I spat at the wooden door before following Caleb’s demand. Slipping the crisp material over my head, I felt it slide along my body, hugging every contour, and I felt a spark run through me, that slight feeling when you feel like something more. Slowly, I revealed myself to Caleb, and he stood there, Prince costume and all, with his jaw slacked and eyes glazed.

“You look... stunning,” He choked out, before returning to his normal, cocky behavior. “Shall we, my lady?”

“We shall,” I said with a small smile, accepting his outstretched hand softly. Either it was all those princess movies we watched, or just the lighting in the dim hallway, but whatever it was, Caleb was starting to come undone in my head; I was seeing him as someone else. Not that goofy kid I had grown up with, but someone... someone new, some else entirely.

The television blared something Disney in the background as we relocated to my balcony, just standing quietly, both with soft smiles as the city lights twinkled soft secrets to those listening.

“You know, with all the years knowing you, I don’t think I will ever understand your infatuation with this princess stuff. It just seems too superficial and it’s like, lying to little kids about dreams coming true and all that,” Caleb mumbled, trademark smirk glued onto his thin lips as he turned to me, waiting for me to take the bait.

“Of course you wouldn’t, you‘re a guy,” I said, turning to him with a playful smile as the edges of his mouth dropped quickly, but no comeback came to his rescue.

“Alright, Prince Charmless, is there something you wanted to ask me?” I questioned, a phony British accent heavy in my voice.

“Oh yes, indeed my lady. May I have this dance?” Caleb asked, British accent included, as he bowed forward and outstretched his hand. Our fingers intertwined as the starting bars of ‘Ever, Ever After’ began on the television, by miracle or chance, I couldn’t be sure, but I silently thanked the universe for being as it is.

With Caleb’s arms in charge of the direction of my torso, we began to dance in lazy circles, a relaxed movement that came easy.

“So, do tell me more about this ‘happily ever after’ business, would you please?” Caleb asked, sending out a dazzling smile, one that radiated the beauty of a star and it felt like the whole galaxy was held in place by that beautiful grin.

“Now who’s infatuated with the idea?” I said, poking my tongue out at the boy in front of me. “I guess... it’s a promise made to every little girl, that their happy ever after and Prince Charming can be attained if they just believe. I guess most kids let go as soon as reality hits, but with me, I’m still here, clinging,” I mumbled, trying to ignore the pathetic vibes oozing from every sentence I spoke.

“Well, how is this happily ever after supposed to happen?” Caleb asked, looking more in depth in this conversation than I thought possible. Was he humoring me?

“Well,” I started off slow, really thinking hard about it. “It’s hard to explain, only I’ve never experienced it, I’ve just been told everything I know. But I think, you can reach what is real by making-believe. Because making-believe is like the heart’s wish, and a happily ever after is only a wish away.” I finished with a whisper, my eyes glossy as I realized my heart had been wishing it’s hardest, but never got through.

Caleb pulled my body closer, his large hand resting on my back, and dipping into each contour of my spine softly, a gentle whisper of a touch. His mouth breathed close to my ear, and suddenly, he was whispering it to me.

“Maybe, you just need to wish a little louder.” For once in my life, I wasn’t caught up over my own fear of wanting something more to happen, and instead, I jumped in, head first.

“I wish,” I whispered, soft against Caleb’s shoulder, “that I could find my happily ever after. It doesn’t have to perfect, just real, so I know I was right to keep believing when other’s stopped.”

My eyes flashed open with just enough time to witness the flash of golden brilliance as a star lost its balance and tumbled from the sky. My wish had been heard. I turned back to Caleb, eyes alight with hope and I realized he was still staring at me with that soft smile, swaying me gently, and it wasn’t the first time the thought passed my mind that Caleb could possibly be magic.

And then something magic really did happen. Caleb’s eyes never left mine as he tilted his head slightly and brushed his lips against mine, innocently at first before pressing harder as my heart kick started into gear and I kissed back. My head was spinning, thoughts in a flurry as my heart pumped harder than it ever had before, and suddenly, everything was perfect. No more waiting and wishing, this was what I had wanted all along, I just hadn’t known it then.

Caleb leaned back from that perfect kiss, his smile apparent as our foreheads rested against each other. I grinned back, feeling as if I could implode and be consumed by such a large quantity of endorphins and happiness.

“Val, I know I’m not perfect, I’m nowhere near a Prince Charming, but let’s face it, you’re not exactly a princess either. You don’t like dressing up, you burp in public, and you are a sloppier eater than I am, but if you changed, I would be heartbroken, because you are the girl I have fallen for. I know and love everything about you, and I hope you feel the same, because you’ve got me believing that this fairy tale thing could be true.”

I really did implode with happiness, my grin splitting wider as I whispered out my final words. “I think you were my happily ever after all along, Caleb Jared.”

“Well, it’s about time!” Caleb said over dramatically, rolling his eyes playfully before scooping me up in his arms, the safest place on earth, and kissing me with the most love, passion and adoration I had ever felt.

And it was true, in his eyes, I was a princess, and in his arms, he was my happily ever after.