A Once in a Lifetime Love

It had been two years since John had asked Alyssa to go on tour with him for the first time. Things were different now. Alyssa had changed her whole life to be with him. She left her home, she left school, and she abandoned her dreams for the love of her life. Some would say that she was naive, that she was just a girl blinded by love, but what they didn't understand was that John was always her dream, he was the one that she had wanted for a long time, so now that she had her dream, she wasn't going to let it go. She thought that by now she would resent John for making her come with him on tour, abandoning the life she knew, but she didn't, she was happy, she was with the one she loved and she loved the life that she had. She had moved to Arizona for him and she differed a year or two off of school, she knew she couldn't go on tour with him her whole life, but she also knew that she really couldn't spend her life without him. She was blissfully in love with the life she had and the man that she was spending it with.

John was in love, something that had never really happened to him. He never wanted to leave her side. They were attached at the hip. It had been two years since he laid eyes on her and in those two years, he never took his eyes off of her. She had adapted to his lifestyle for him and he was forever grateful for her. She got along with his friends, she never complained when they were on tour, she was the perfect girl. He was in love with this girl, she was always the one, he knew from the first night he met her that he never wanted to let her go.

Their life together wasn't perfect, that's for sure. Sure, they had their fights and their disagreements, Alyssa sometimes hated staying in a bus full of grown men all the time. But, it wouldn't be a relationship without a disagreement here or there. Because after a fight, they always made up for it, they always realized how wrong they both were and always made up because that is what their love is. Alyssa had grown close to all of the boys, she was basically the "little sis" on tour, someone they could joke around with and have fun with, she was one of the boys. She had grown close to Garrett especially, because when John wasn't around to talk, Garrett was always the one that was there for her. Garrett was her best friend in general, besides John of course, but with Garrett she felt comfortable telling him what she was feeling. At times, she felt like she told Garrett more about her life more than she told John, which she thought was fine, because Garrett was much more like a brother than anything else. But, she did feel close to all of the boys, and they all treated her like they have known her their whole life. On tour, she became their tour manager since she had grown so close to all of them and they decided to give her a job considering she came on every tour with them. It was perfect.

But, two years was a long time for all of them. They had all grown up and realized that as much as they loved their music, it wasn't everything anymore. Not that breaking up had ever come close to their minds, but John finally realized that he could love both music and a girl unconditionally and both at the same time. Alyssa was happy. She may have not had the dream she always dreamed of, but she had part of that dream and that made her happy. Loving John wasn't easy, especially with hundreds of girls wanting to kiss him and hug him every night, and especially when ex-girlfriends magically showing up to shows. But, once in a while she would see friendly faces like Halvo (another person she had grown close to), Nick, Alex, Joel, and many other faces she loved to see every night. She had grown to love the life she was leading and where John was leading her.

Every Sunday night, no matter where she was or what she was doing, she would call her family back in Denver and see what they were doing.
Her dad answered the phone that night.
"Hi Daddy!" she said.
"Hi Squirt!" he exclaimed.
They explained everything that was going on in their lives that week until finally her dad asked her:
"Are you happy?"
There was a pause.
"Of course I'm happy, why would you even ask that?" she said confused, the question came out of nowhere.
"It's just that you left a whole life behind here two years ago. Kiddo, I feel like you gave everything up for the love of your life and I just wanted to see if you were happy."
Her dad had never been so sentimental before and no one never asked her this question, so she didn't know how to respond.
"Dad, I love John and I know you and mom think it's crazy that I dropped school and left you guys for him. I know that you think he's controlling my life or has suddenly brainwashed me. But, dad what you don't realize is that mom did the same thing for you. She gave up her family, friends, job, school to be with you and you two have been happily married for 30 years and counting. Daddy, didn't you used to tell me that 'love conquers all'? I love John and I've been happier in these past two years than I would've been studying in classrooms all day. I mean, of course I miss you guys and all of my friends, but I can't imagine spending my life any other way. I can't even imagine my life without him. He makes me smile and he brings out all the good in me and he just is so passionate about everything that it's so hard not to love him. Dad, I love him and I know that I would definitely be miserable without him. So yes, of course I'm absolutely happy."
"Good," he responded.
"Wait, what?" Alyssa asked.
"John called me the other day and asked for your hand in marriage and he feels the same way. He's happy an.."
I cut him off.
"WAIT. HE ASKED YOU FOR MY HAND IN MARRIAGE?" Alyssa screamed.
"Oh shit, I ruined the fucking surprise," he said "just act surprised when he asks you."
"Dad! What the fuck? He called you? When did he call you?" Alyssa asked still screaming.
"Crap! I ruined the surprise, I should just hang up. Pretend like you heard nothing. I love you baby girl! Your mom says hi!" he said, then hanging up the phone.

Alyssa stared into the abyss for awhile still holding onto the phone until someone came into the back lounge where she was and asked her if she was ok.
She didn't even know who it was or what they were asking her, the only word in her head was "marriage."
"You look like you've seen a ghost. Are you ok?" asked Garrett.
She then snapped back to reality.
"What?" she asked.
"I asked if you're ok, you don't look so good," he said.
"I'm fine," she replied "has John said anything to you lately?"
Garrett looked confused, "What are you even talking about right now."
"I mean, has he said anything of importance to you lately? Like told you anything that could be life-changing?" she asked.
He looked at her like she was crazy, then it hit him.
"You know don't you?!" he asked.
"What? Know what?" she asked.
"You know!"
"Garrett you suck at keeping a secret, just tell me what you know already!"
"I can't tell you! John swore on the band that if anyone of us told you we would be dead in a heartbeat," he said.
"Garrett! Come on, none of you can keep a secret from me, I'm your fucking tour manager, I need to know everything that is going on! Plus, your my best friend, best friends don't keep secrets from each other!" she said.
"Best friends keep secrets from each other when there are death threats involved," he replied.
"Garrett! Please, you know how good I am at keeping a secret. No one will know. Especially John," she said coyly while batting her eyelashes like a little girl.
"Look. All I know is that you don't have to wait very long. Something is gonna go down tonight. I can't tell you when. But, shit, if you don't act surprised then I'm fucked," he said while walking out of the lounge.