She Used to Be a Pearl

"Don't open your eyes!" I warned her from the drivers seat.

"Okay. I promise." She replied with her eyes squeezed shut tightly.

"Good." I chuckled as I unbuckled my seatbelt. I got out of the car and jogged around to her side before opening her door. I took her hand and she stood up out of the car slowly. I closed her door and held onto both of her hands tightly. "No peeking."

"Well when you say that, it really makes me want to peek!" She cried.

I laughed and kept pulling her along until we reached the door. I pulled out my newly acquired key and fumbled with the lock until I finally got it open.

We stepped inside and I felt a blast of cold air. She shivered and I pulled her body close to mine. "Can I open them n-now?" She asked with her teeth chattering.

"Just one more second." I told her.

I pulled her gently across the treaded floor and open the plastic door that led to the giant ice block. I carefully stepped inside and pulled her with me.

"Open."

Her eyes sprung open and soon filled with a little bit of confusion.

"Remember how at that Christmas party somebody asked you what you missed the most about Christmas at home?" I started. She nodded, still confused. "You said you missed just walking on the ice and how much fun it was, because even if you fell, you'd just fall into snow."

"John... How did you remember that?" She grinned.

"I remember more than you'd think." I told her slyly. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!" I challenged as I took off in my formal attire that I still donned from the party.

She chased after me in her flats and red dress.

"Did you rent this whole place out?" She shrieked as she skidded across the slippery surface.

"Sure did." I replied, holding onto the railing as I turned to look at her. Her hair was in fluffy loose curls and her make up wasn't as perfect as it was previously. But she still looked perfect. Her smile was dazzling as she slid across middle of the rink like she was a pro.

"John this is awesome!" She giggled. As soon as she finished her sentence she slipped and fell straight down.

"Are you okay?" I called from across the rink.

She was laughing harder than I'd ever heard her laugh before.

"Come here!" She called as she turned her head towards me.

I carefully made my way over to her. She was laying on her back and still cracking up when I got to her.

"Help me." She pouted as she stuck out her hand.

I reached down and locked our fingers together. Before I knew it she pulled me down with her and went into fits of giggles.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"I don't know!" She cried. "I think I drank too much."

She calmed down and eventually we laid on the chilly ice together in silence.

"This is the most fun I've had in awhile." She spoke up.

"Well then let's keep having fun!" I exclaimed as I carefully got on my feet. I pulled her up with me and we held hands and slid across the ice.

After a few more slips, falls, and laughs we got out of the rink and sat on the bleachers.

She kept shivering, so I took off my jacket and placed it around her small frame, even though I was freezing.

"Thank you." She smiled. She knew better than to argue with me about it, because I would win."This was incredible, John. I love it." She said leaning into me and placing her head on my shoulder. She leaned up and pressed her soft lips to my cheek momentarily.

I grinned and we sat there looking out over the ice. Then I remembered the purpose behind this. I cleared my throat and spoke.

"Hey, I wanted to talk."

"Mmkay, about what?" She asked happily.

"I know that we're engaged and we just had the party and everything, but I think that we should just wait awhile to have the wedding." I told her.

Her face fell, but she tried to hide it.

"Oh, okay. That's fine." She nodded as she stood up.

"Caty, let me explain-"

"No, it's fine. Let's just go." She shrugged as she started walking away.

"Caty! That's not how I meant it. Would you just listen to me?"

"I already know what you're going to say. You're gonna give me some bullshit story about how you want to make sure that we're ready for marriage when the truth is that you just made a stupid impulse decision that you regret! Then, someday when we're having another fight you can just break it off again!" She yelled to me from the spot she stood.

Her shout echoed through the empty rink.

"That's not it at all! Could you just hear me out before you jump to your stupid ass conclusions again?" I yelled back.

She stood there trying not to cry. I could see her lip quivering and she put her head down.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

I walked towards her slowly and wrapped my arms around her. I rubbed her back up and down before she finally hugged me back.

"I love you, you know that right?" I whispered in her ear.

"I know. I love you, too. You're amazing, John."

"You need to trust me more. I think I deserve more credit than you give me." I complained.

"You're absolutely right. You're the most wonderful, perfect man that anyone could ask for."

"No I'm not. You're the perfect one." I whispered with my lips pressed to her ear.

"Then why don't you want to marry me?"

"I don't want to get married soon because next year we'll be doing little to no touring and I want to help you with everything. I don't want you to feel like you're getting married to yourself." I explained to her while she was still in my arms.

"Will you move in with me?" She asked out of the blue.

"What?"

"Well, if you don't want to that's fine but I just thought that maybe we could live together. Amanda is always with Kennedy and I hate being alone all the time..." She trailed off.

"Yes I'd love to move in with you, baby." I chuckled as I kissed her forehead. "Can I stay over tonight?"

"You mean this morning?" She chuckled. I looked at the clock across the room and it was almost 3 am.

"Yes. Yes I do. So what do you say?" I asked hopefully.

"I say..." She smirked playfully. "Let's go home, sweetheart."