All You Are Is All I Need

The fire from the bonfires light the beach and it showed as Ricky drove up. There was a normal tradition at Stonefalls High that right after the senior graduation, there was a bonfire beach party (six fires actually). Nobody in the school would know about it until their senior year and usually the two people who planned it the previous year would pick another two people to plan the next year and so on. Along that there was a secret location that was spread around by text messages or emails only through the senior class.

“Expect to be stolen later on tonight.” Ricky promised giving me a kiss.

“Ok.” I laughed as we went our separate ways.

We weren’t clingy towards each other but at times we were, but we both knew that we needed our space sometimes.

“Colby Jack Cheese!” Marcy, my best friend, called waving me down to go sit with her, Della and Mark.

I laughed and gave her a hug. That was everybody’s nickname for me, Colby Jack or Colby Jack Cheese in Marcy’s case. I wasn’t complaining it was actually a good name. Marcy and I had known each other since I had moved freshman year from California to North Carolina.

“Hey, where is Ricky?” Mark asked.

“Over there with Dave.” I said pointing my thumb towards them.

“Damn it, I don’t want to be the only guy, Della I will see you later.” He said giving her a kiss and going.

“Where is Ricky going again?” Dell asked.

“Virginia. And then to San Diego for a while.” I sighed remembering the whole process.

I had known it well already because my Mom was in the military and since I didn’t really have a dad and when my Mom did have to leave we went with my Aunt for the eight months. But it was 10 tours and 3 deployments. But you got used to it after a while.

“Oh. Are you going with him?” Marcy half panicked.

“I want to but I’m going to art school in Rhode Island.” I shrugged at our plan.

“I see.” She nodded. “Well I think you two are going to last.”

I laughed and shook my head. Another thing about us was our sense of reality. We both knew that we were only in high school and that some things like that couldn’t last – another one of our conversations we had before we started dating- but we could both deal with that.

~|~

“It was the worst date ever but were going on another one.” Marian and Quentin laughed explaining their disaster date.

"Hey Rick." Quentin nodded.

"Hey. Do you mind if I stole Colby from you for a while?" He said knowing he was going to take me anyway.

"She's all yours." Marian smiled.

No matter how many times he would yank me away from somebody when we were talking, I would never get tired of it. We went some distance away from the party and sat on a blanket he had already out.

"I'm not surprised that you planed this." I laughed as he lit the candle that was there also.

"You don't have to be." He sighed taking me into his arms when he sat behind me. “I missed you tonight.” He said reminding me that we hadn’t been together the whole entire time.

“I missed you too.” I laughed a little and snuggled closer into him. "You know, I'm going to miss this." I said knowing it was going to be different.

"Me too." He said looking down at me while I stared at the water. "I love you Colby." He said to where I could tell something was wrong.

"I love you too." I said not wanting to destroy the moment by asking him what was wrong.

It went quiet with the exception of the faint noises of the party and the crashing of the waves. As Ricky held me I felt his body tense up a little and his heart race. That was another habit he had when something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" I asked looking up.

"Nothing why?" He said trying to play it off.

"You're tense and your heart is racing, Ricky, what's wrong. You're scaring me."
I said putting my hand on his face.

He took my hand off his face and held it, then kissed my palm.

"Nothing is ever wrong when you are around." He said.

"Ricky, just tell me what's wrong." I said.

He laughed a little and looked down. "No matter how used to you I am, I still get nervous."

"Nervous about what?" I was confused at his mood. It was normal but all the same he was hiding something.

He sighed and took a deep breath. "Marry me." He said softly.

"What?"

"Colby, for the past few weeks I've been thinking of what life was going to be like. You going to art school and I'm going into the military and I... I can't picture any of it without you. I can't see life without you.

"Yeah it's a huge step but I am willing to do anything to keep you with me. I want to wake up every morning and see you next to me knowing I get to spend everyday of my life with you."

He was so serious about this. I loved him so much and I didn’t doubt anything. I tried to think of what it would be like without him but I couldn't.

No matter how hard I tried to I couldn't.

"Yes." I said softly.

"Seriously?" He asked a little shocked.

I looked up and gave him a kiss. It was the best one we've ever had. It made me forget everything around us as if we were floating in black and it was only us.

After the kiss instead of answering I thought. I was going to marry him…

Seriously…