A Photograph of You & I

Four days later
Aina's P.O.V

"You can come at nine." Bam said as he made his way to his car that was parked outside my house. Seeing as I was banned from Castle Bam, he'd been visiting me throughout the past few days.

"Nine!" I yelled in protest. I'd been away from my friends for far too long. And I was teeming with anxiousness about this 'surprise' that I was to be presented with.

"On the dot, I'll send Dunn to pick you up. Be ready." He called, climbing into the driver's seat and speeding off down the street. I sighed and trudged back into the house knowing that two hours was far too long for me to have to wait.

I had a patience problem.

I slumped into the chair in the living room and turned the television on. Channel after channel featured the same New Years Eve specials, previews, and countdowns from around the world. Nothing particularly interesting. I sighed and decided that I could use the next few hours to get ready.

Not that I actually required that much time, but it would otherwise occupy my thoughts and keep me from thinking too much about what tonight would hold.

Too bad getting ready didn't take as long as I'd hoped.

After a ten minute shower, throwing on some clean clothes, and re-applying my eyeliner I was completely ready to go with the exception of my hair which was wrapped in a towel but soon that would be done and I'd be back at square one.

I ambled into the kitchen and sat at the breakfast table. I saw that my mother had scrawled me a quick note explaining that she'd meet me at the Margera's near midnight.

She knew what this blasted surprise was.

I sighed and removed the towel from my head and began drying my hair. As I did that I went to my room and combed it and styled it until I was satisfied. I took another heavy sigh and I looked hesitantly at my clock.

7:45pm.

This anticipation was going to kill me.

Ville's P.O.V

"Bam seriously, I can dress myself." I reassured my anxious friend. When he'd arrived home he charged me from where I sat on the deck and ordered me inside. From that moment until now, he'd been pestering me about my appearance.

"I'm aware of that." He retorted from where he sat on my bed.

"Well then can you please leave so I can proceed?"

"Fine. But it's almost eight and I want you downstairs soon. I have half of your surprise for you."

I immediately perked up as soon as he'd said this. The highly anticipated surprise had been the bane of my existence for nearly a week. And now I would finally be able to find out what it was.

"I'll be down in five." I replied quickly watching as Bam smirked and walked out of the room.

I quickly pulled on a pair of dark jeans and a Black Sabbath T-shirt. I grabbed a beanie from my dresser and pulled it over my dark, messy curls. Finally, a touch of eyeliner around my eyes and I was ready to go.

The second I opened my door, I was greeted by Bam's face. He stood leaning against the wall opposite my door, the same smirk plastered on his face.

"Well?" I prompted. He wasn't going to reveal this surprise readily.

"What?"

"The surprise?"

"First, you need to a beer." He procrastinated. I sighed with annoyance as I followed him to the Pirate Bar. Little did I know, the first part of my surprise was waiting for me.

A small, dark haired woman sat at the table across from April. People who were just arriving to Bam's New Year's bash surrounded them but these women were aware only of themselves.

But this unfamiliar woman - wasn't so unfamiliar and when I realized who she was, I nearly dropped to the floor.

Aina's mother, Isabella.

"Is this some fucking joke?" I whispered harshly to Bam; the only person I'd told about the woman that I'd been unable to forget. Here he was bringing me so close to her and yet I knew she was far away.

"No." He replied casually, pushing me toward his mother and Aina's.

"Ape, Isa - look who decided to emerge from his room." Bam announced our arrival and I would have blushed had my blood been pumping, as it should, through my veins.

Isabella glanced up at her name and smiled warmly upon seeing me. She rose and held her arms out to me as if welcoming back a long lost family member.

"Oh Ville, it is so good to see you!" Her voice was filled with as much warmth as her countenance had.

"Mrs. Mariani -" I was at a loss for words, I simply accepted and returned the hug she gave me and said nothing.

"Ville, how many times must I remind you to call me Isa?"

"I-I'm sorry its just..." I honestly couldn't believe what was happening.

"Wondering where Aina is?" She guessed. I nodded slowly, wondering if my eyes were betraying my thoughts. I fought desperately to appear to be indifferent, but instead I appeared quite eager.

"That's the rest of your surprise, Ville." Ape said happily. Bam shot her a look that was full of disappointment.

"Ape! I wanted to tell him!"

"Oh you would have made the poor boy wait and wait." Ape replied.

"Enough! Come on everyone, there's a party going on - save the bickering for another day." Isa announced, gathering the attention of a few people around us.

"Alright. I'm going to get her since Ape already ruined the surprise. I'll be back later." Bam proclaimed stomping off out the door, grabbing a pair of keys on the way.

Isa and Ape pulled a chair next to the ones they reoccupied and I took it, sitting with my head in my palms. I could feel their uneasy glances on me but I ignored them.

'She's coming...she's coming...' Was all I acknowledged as it reverberated in my mind.

Aina's P.O.V

By the time 8:45 rolled around I felt exhausted from the anticipation. When I heard a loud knock at my door I jolted up with a start and jogged over to the door, thinking I knew whom it would be.

I opened the door to find Bam waiting impatiently.

"I thought Ryan-"

"He's trashed already."

"Oh, okay let me grab a coat." I said. I took the nearest one of mine off the rack and pulled it on hastily as I followed Bam to the Lambo.

"Show off." I muttered as I opened the door and climbed in.

"I try." He said, catching what I hadn't meant for him to hear. "You look good."

"Thanks, so do you." I replied looking over his dark attire. Black jeans and a black long sleeved shirt. I smirked at his wayward hair and looked ahead as he began to drive.

The first few minutes of the car ride were silent. Neither of us reached for the radio. I began to grow more and more anxious as we approached the house. I noticed my leg had began bouncing up and down and I willed it to stop, but my nerves wouldn't allow it.

"Nervous?" Bam asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Mildly." I replied, trying to conceal the shakiness of my voice with indifference.

"Liar."

"Well what can I say Bam? You aren't exactly known for your wonderful surprises." I retorted.

"This one is good. I promise."

I knew better than to argue with Bam over his word. He would become increasingly offended and I didn't want that at all.

The rest of the ride was silent and as planned, we arrived at nine o' clock on the dot. I quickly got out of the car and began walking down the driveway not bothering to wait for Bam.

I could see from the outside that this party was going to get severely out of control before the night ended. I grinned and quickened my pace only to be pulled back by Bam.

"Hold it." He ordered, dialing a few numbers on his cell phone. He waited a few seconds before simply saying, "Okay" then hanging up the phone.

"You held me up to make a phone call?"

"I needed to know where your surprise was located. Come with me to the back porch." He said, linking his arm with mine and leading me closer to the house.

I could barely contain my excitement as we got closer. From below I heard Ryan and Dico kicking people off the porch and sending them either inside or off to the trampoline that was already overflowing.

As we ascended the stairs I became aware of several sets of eyes on me at once. Once a top the deck I saw April and my mother standing closest to the sliding glass doors. Dunn, Dico, Raab, and Novak all sat in the wrought-iron chairs that sat around the table. And finally Phil and Don Vito were in the smaller, plastic chairs in another corner.

"You brought me here for a gathering?" I asked, somewhat let down.

"No, we brought you here for this." April said pulling open the sliding glass door and following my mother inside. I felt Bam moving me closer to the door but still keeping a good distance.

A few moments passed and uneasy glances were exchanged. Finally, April came back out and she strode quickly to Bam's side. Her grin could hardly be contained on her face.

"What is going on?" I heard Bam whisper. But his question was soon forgotten as my mother emerged, with a tall, lanky man on her arm.

He wore dark jeans and a Black Sabbath T-shirt and his dark, and silken curls were escaping from a beanie. He grasped a beer bottle tightly in his hand. But he wouldn't look up.

"What's going on here?" I asked. "Mom, please tell me you aren't remarried or anything."

Fits of laughter erupted around me. I blushed and went closer to my mom and this stranger.

"Aina, I believe you need no introduction." Bam announced as he wrapped his arm around the man who seemed to be shaking.

Slowly, he lifted his face to the light and soon, everything about my safe, boring, predictable world came to complete and utter halt.

"V-Ville?"