But I Never Promised You

We didn’t talk on the ride back to the apartment.

I tried to keep my mind blank. I couldn’t believe he was leaving for eight months.

When Alex parked the Cadillac in the parking garage, I practically sprinted for my front door.

Once I was inside, I collapsed to the floor, finally letting the tears spill out. The only boy I had ever loved was leaving me.

I wasn’t stupid. I knew what happened when they went on tour. I had heard the stories about the one night stands. I never thought I’d be dragged into the middle of it. I knew what I had to do, I just wasn’t looking forward to doing it.

“Mika, are you okay?” Alex asked.

I hadn’t even heard him come in.

“No.”

I felt him pick me up off the floor. “I’m sorry, Mika. I’ll call the label and tell them we can’t do the tour.”

“Don’t do that, Alex. It’s a huge opportunity for you guys.”

“What about you, Mika? You’re more important to me than some tour.”

“Alex, I’m going to say something and I don’t want you to try and change my mind.”

He gave me a confused look. “Okay.”

“I’m not stupid, Alex. I know what happens when you go on tour. You meet new people. I…I just can’t put myself through that. I love you so much, Alex. I just don’t think I could handle it if you met someone else and forgot about me. I…” I paused, a small sob escaping my lips, “I can’t be with you anymore.”

“Mika, please. I love you. I don’t want any of the girls that we’ll see on tour.” He ran his fingers through his hair before he continued, “When I made the reservation, the label hadn’t called yet. I was going to take you there to ask you something else, but I guess it doesn’t matter anymore.”

Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet, black box. He set it on the table in front of me before turning away from me. I reached down, picking up the box and opened it. Inside sat a gorgeous diamond ring.

“Alex, is…” I paused. I was in too much shock to say it. “Is this an engagement ring?”

He nodded. “Yeah, it is. I was going to ask you to marry me, but…”

I ran over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissed him. He arms instinctively wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to him. He pulled back sooner than I wanted him to.

“But what about what you just said?”

“Alex, all I know for certain is that I love you. I’m just scared of getting hurt when you go on tour.”

“I won’t ever hurt you, Mika.”

I looked into his eyes lovingly. “Is there something you want to ask me?”

A confused look crossed his face until he saw the ring in my hand. Taking the box from my hand, Alex dropped to one knee. “Mika June Oliver, will you marry me?”

I looked down at his beautiful face and smiled. “Yes.”

I watched as he placed the ring gently on my finger before standing up again. He smiled and took my hand in his. “You’ve just made me the happiest man alive.”

I hugged him. “I love you, Alexander William Gaskarth.”

“I love you, too.”

I backed away from him, taking him by the hand. He raised his eyebrow at me. “What are you doing?”

“You’ll see.”

I walked backwards, pulling him along until we reached the door to my bedroom.

“I like where this is going.”

I blushed. “You’re going to be gone for eight months. I want to give you something to remember me by.”

“Mika, I couldn’t forget you even if we didn’t do anything except cuddle on the couch tonight.”

“I know, that’s just my excuse for wanting to have sex with you.”

He chuckled at me. “You don’t need an excuse.”

I blushed and pulled his shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor. He closed the gap between us and placed gentle kisses along my jaw-line until he reached my lips, lifting my shirt over my torso while kissing me. He broke apart to pull it over my head before reattaching his lips to mine and backed me up until the back of my legs hit the bed. Then, he picked me up, still kissing me, and gently placed me on the bed, crawling on top of me.

While leaning over me, his lips traced over my jaw-line down to my neck, nibbling my skin gently. I reached my arms up, running them down his chest to the top of his jeans, where I hurriedly unbuttoned them and pulled the zipper down. I could feel him smirk against my skin as I slid them over his hips. He finished kicking them off as he unbuttoned my own jeans. Once both of our jeans were on the floor, Alex placed quick kisses down my neck and chest. He stopped at my belly button when it started to tickle me too much. He slid my thong off and traced his fingers in circles over me, instantly giving me a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach. He slid his boxers off next and threw them to the floor. He pushed himself up next to me and I could feel him at my entrance.

“Are you ready?”

I nodded and he pushed himself into me.

After we had finished he lay next to me. “Is there any way I can convince you to come on tour with us?”

“Get me a job on tour so I can pay for my apartment and I’ll come.”

He smiled. “We still need a merch girl and the label pays the girls that run the stand.”

I smiled then, too. “Go call the label, Gaskarth. Tell them I’m going on tour!”