I See Sparks Fly Whenever You Smile

Brook

As most of my time with Alex went, my visit to Los Angeles was over way too quickly - eventful - but over way too quickly. On Monday night when Alex drove me to the airport, I almost made him turn around and go back to his place three times. But immediately the guilt over the idea of missing another day of work became unbearable
and I kept my mouth shut.

Alex was well aware of my intense fear of flying, so he was sure to give me plenty of encouraging words throughout the drive but it really wasn't helping. My anxiety level, once we pulled up at curb side check-in, was already through the roof and then mixed with having to say goodbye to Alex for another two weeks, I completely broke down.
Alex, being the wonderful and perfect boyfriend that he is offered to fly back to Maryland with me for the night so I wouldn't have to fly alone. I almost let him do it until I started to calm down and was able to think rationally again and I realized it was ridiculous. Aside from it being an utter waste of money, Alex still wasn't feeling one-hundred percent better and the extra travelling would have only made it worse. I sucked it up and kissed Alex goodbye one more time and made it through security and almost until it was time to board the flight before I started to freak out again. I called Alex and he patiently talked me down from another anxiety attack.

The older lady who sat next to me during the flight must have realized how terrified I was because she offered to hold my hand during take-off and landing. She'd probably never know how much I truly appreciated that. During the actual flight she told me all about her life - specifically about how she met her husband and all the adventures they had gone on together. She was eighty-six years old and even though her husband had died just a year earlier, she kept on travelling, because he made her promise she wouldn't stop.

I know it was lame and incredibly cheesy, but while she talked about her husband, I couldn't help but wonder if I would have someone to think about like that when I was eighty-six. Then I remembered that I forever banned myself from marriage. But Alex could be my boyfriend forever, right? The idea of "forever" and "Alex" even crossing my mind should have sent my brain into a frenzy. But instead I was oddly comforted by the thought.

Six hours later, my flight finally landed in Maryland. Once I could turn my phone back on, I sent a text to Jenny that I landed and would meet her at the passenger pick-up spot shortly since I didn't have to go to baggage claim. While I walked through the airport, I called Alex and told him all about the old lady I sat next to on the plane.

The entire drive back to our apartment, I gave Jenny a detailed play-by-play of my entire trip, starting, of course, with my Miley Cyrus moment in the bathroom.

Before I left, Alex not so secretly put a mixed CD in my bag. He had burned the playlist of all our songs onto it for me. I played the songs for Jenny and I could tell she was impressed - especially after hearing the song Alex had wrote. It still blew my mind a bit that someone took their feelings towards me and put them into an original song for all the world to hear.

Jenny couldn't help but point out how many of the songs had the world "love" in them and then of course decided that Alex and I were in love. I did my best to assure her that was not true. It was way too soon for me to even consider falling in love again. Of course, I didn't think to mention of whole "Alex can be my boyfriend forever"
theory to her.

The next day I went back to work and my life slowly started to feel normal again. It was amazing how a few days off on the other end of the country could really change a person's attitude. I felt more relaxed then I had in a while. Imagine what it would feel like if I took a real vacation?

By the end of the work week, whatever little tan I had gotten from the California sun was practically gone, and I was counting down to almost the second until Alex would be back home.

A few days before Alex was due to come home I had to stay late after work for a meeting. With all the Senior class events coming up by the end of the year, the needed to enlist chaperons. (Not so) Lucky for me, I was put down as a chaperon for the Senior Prom.

If I was being honest about it, I was kind of excited about the whole Prom thing. I had a rather shitty Prom experience my senior year of high school, so it would be nice to live vicariously through my kids. We were told - since there ended up being extra money in the budget - all chaperons were able to bring a date. I really, really, really wanted to ask Alex. But for starters I knew it was super lame and the date of Prom was right after Alex would be getting back from touring Brazil. The last thing he'd probably want to do would be to go to a high school dance.

Stupidly, I brought it up to him one night on the phone anyway and he seemed kind of excited about it. He needed to double check with his schedule first before he could give me a straight answer which I totally understood.

When he was back in Baltimore finally, he got confirmation that he would definitely be back in time to come with me. He apparently would only be getting home two days before. We briefly argued about it but he won, ending the conversation with "I'm going now shut up," before he planted a sloppy, wet kiss to my lips.

Alex

It was starting to amaze me with just how quickly time was starting to go by. It felt like one second I was flying home from Los Angeles and then I blinked and I was on a plane to Brazil. I blinked a few more times and I was on a plane again in time to be back in Baltimore to go with Brook to her school's Prom. I knew she felt really bad about me going with her after only just getting home, but truth-be-told, I wanted to go. Brook's room mate Jenny told me how Brook had a really bad experience at her own Prom and was sort of looking at this one as redemption. So, I had to make sure it was perfect for her. No pressure, right?

I spent the whole day I was home from Brazil, while she was working, scrambling to set everything up for her. I needed to make sure my tuxedo perfectly matched her dress. I had to pick the perfect corsage and I had to arrange for a limo service that would pick us up and drop us off at the Prom. I knew it was lame and corny, but I also knew that Brook would enjoy it, no matter how much she argued with me that it was unnecessary. That was really all that mattered. I was beginning to realize I would do just about anything to make that girl happy. Really, anything.

I'll be there in like five minutes, okay?

I sent that text to Brook when I pulled up in front of her house with the limo. I didn't want to risk her waiting for me outside and ruining the surprise. I jumped out of the limo, telling the driver we would just be a few minutes. He didn't care though, he got paid for the whole nightregardless of how long we stayed here.

"She's just in the bedroom putting on her shoes," Jenn explained to me when she let me into the apartment. "She's a nerd and she's super excited about this. So try not to fuck it up," she said to me with a wink.

I nodded slowly. "Fucking up is very, very low on my To Do list tonight. Don't worry."

"Good," she said, walking into the living room and I followed her.

"Is that Alex?" I heard Brook yell from her bedroom.

"No. It's your other rock star boyfriend," Jenn yelled back, settling herself on the couch.

"Well get rid of him, Alex will be here soon," Brook played along.

Before I could think of any kind of clever come back, Brook stepped into the room and quickly took my breath away.

It was no secret that I found her to be beautiful on a regular basis, but on a night like this, with her hair curled just right and her makeup done just enough to make her features pop and that dress... She well surpassed stunning to me.

"Wow," was all I could utter as she stepped closer to me.

She smiled, kissing me lightly. "That's the reaction I was hoping for."

I struggled to find my voice and other words, but when I tried to speak nothing but "Wow" came out again.

Brook smiled, straightening out my tie. "You look pretty wow too, Alex."

"Thanks," I smiled, biting back a laugh when Brook glared at Jenny as she snickered at us from the couch. "Here," I said, grabbing the box with Brook's corsage off the coffee table and carefully taking it out.

"Oh, Alex," she smiled. "That's so pretty. Thank you," she beamed as I slipped the band around her wrist.

"You're welcome," I said, kissing her again. "Ready to go?"

"Yes. Please get out of here. The mushy gushy stuff is making me sick," Jenn mumbled from the couch and Brook shot her another glare.

"Don't wait up," Brook winked at Jenn as she grabbed her tiny purse and a small sweater before heading towards the door.

"Oh I'll try. I know how wild high school prom's could get," Jenny snickered again and Brook stuck her tongue out at her before carefully making her way down the stairs.

I've noticed in the six or so months I've known her, she always wore this incredibly high heeled shoes, but always seemed terrified to walk in them.

"No you didn't," Brook gasped when we made it to the front of the house and her eyes landed on the long white limo in front of her.

I nodded slowly. "Oh, but I did."

"You're out of your mind," she said, struggling to stop the smile on her face. "Absolutely out of your mind."

"You're welcome," I said before she lightly kissed my lips.

The driver stepped out of the car and opened the door for us. I held on to Brook's hand tightly as she managed to slide herself into the limo without falling over her heels or letting her dress slip inappropriately.

"You really think I look okay?" she asked, turning to me in the limo.

"Brook, you could throw a garbage bag around your body and I'd think you look more than okay."

"You're sweet," she said, seemingly unconvinced. "You don't think it's too young, right?"

I raised my eyebrow a little confused. "I'm sorry... When did you stop being young?"

She groaned. "You know what I mean. I don't look like I should be attending the prom, instead of chaperoning it, right?"

I nodded. "You look fine. I promise."

"Just fine?" she pouted.

My eyes widened and panic started to set in. "What? No! I said before that you looked wow- and I- Uh..."

"Alex!" she interrupted me. "I was kidding. Relax, okay?"

Now it was my turn to frown. "Wow, Brook. You really had me going for a second. That wasn't cool. I know how important tonight is for you. And the last thing I'd want is to mess it up."

"I'm sorry, Alex. It was just a joke. I didn't think you'd take it so personally. So far you've already made this night super special. I'd never-" she paused when she saw my face turn into a smirk. "Jerk," she mumbled, shoving me away from her when I leaned in for a kiss.

"Oh, you big baby," I laughed. "I was just playing along."

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah," she rolled her eyes, eventually letting me kiss her. "That's strike one, buddy."

"Uh oh," I smirked. "I better be on my best behavior for the rest of the night than, huh?"

She laughed. "Yeah. Good luck with that."