Ups and Downs
Chapter 11
Alex.
I was standing at the end of our bed packing my suitcase while Tay sang a lullaby to our daughter. I smiled at the sound of her voice. She was so talented.
"You ready for tomorrow?" Tay asked as she came over to me and helped fold clothing.
"I guess. I'm glad to finally be done with high school," I answered and zipped my suitcase shut before sliding it to the floor. Tay nodded and turned away from me but not before I had noticed the tears starting to leak from her eyes. "Oh, Tay. Don't cry. I'll be back before you know it," I comforted her as I wrapped my arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek.
"What if you meet someone else on tour? What if you realize you don't love me anymore?" she sobbed. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her melodramaticness.
"Tay, you know that's not gonna happen. I love you. And Brooklynn. This will work out. You'll see," I promised.
"I'm gonna miss you," she mumbled into my chest as she turned around and wrapped her arms around me. I leaned down and kissed her before pulling her into the bed.
"I'm gonna miss you too, but it'll be okay. It'll all be okay." She nodded as she cuddled up into me. I turned off the lamp and kissed her forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too," she answered sleepily.
Tay.
I woke up to Brooklynn fussing. She was two and a half months old now. I woke Alex up and sent him to the shower before getting out of bed and getting my daughter.
"Shh, shh. You're alright," I said to her as I picked her up. I changed and fed her before going downstairs to make breakfast for everyone else. Today was graduation and Sam was graduating as well as all the guys. I put Brooklynn in her high chair while I cooked. Alex came behind me and started to kiss my neck. I closed my eyes as I savored the touch of his lips to my skin, completely aware of the fact I would be craving this feeling in a couple of days.
"I was thinking we could have some fun tonight since we'll be apart for a while," he whispered huskily into my ear. I just bit my lip and nodded, afraid I wouldn't be able to control myself if I turned to look at him. I felt his smirk against my head before he kissed it and went to play with our daughter.
"Don't we have a date tonight too?" I asked him as I served breakfast. Everyone was slowly trickling down the stairs.
"Yeah. Nothing special. Just a little walk in the park after dinner," he answered and started eating. After breakfast we hurried to graduation. Alex and Sam went to get ready while the rest of us found seats. I was in between Lindsey and Cass with Brooklynn on my lap, getting judgmental looks from most of the parents. A few parents were sending me looks of pity.
"God, people can be so rude," Cass said. I just shrugged.
"I'm used to it. After all the bullying, none of it really bothers me anymore," I responded.
"I don't know how you do it Tay. This is a lot for anyone," Cass told me. I was about to respond when the ceremony started. It wasn't long before we were out to eat with all the guys and their parents.
"You're beautiful. Did you know that?" Alex whispered to me, squeezing my knee gently while holding a sleeping Brooklynn in his other arm. I blushed and sneaked a kiss. This lunch would also be the formal goodbye for all the guys. Sierra and Cass both sat snuggled with their boyfriends while casual conversation was passed around. I was going to miss this. I was going to miss having all the boys around. I wasn't sure how I would survive the last two years of high school.
~
I couldn't wait for dinner to be over. It had been awhile since Alex and I had some alone time. Although it was just a simple walk in the park, I was grateful for it. I wanted to enjoy Alex's presence with no distractions before he left. After dinner we bathed Brooklynn then left her in the care of mother before we headed out. It was a nice night. The sun was setting, there was a nice breeze, it felt very peaceful.
"Tay, I love you," Alex told me suddenly.
"I know, Alex. I love you too," I answered as we walked hand in hand.
"And I love Brooklynn." I smiled at the thought of her.
"How could you not?"
"I got you something," he said as we sat down on a bench.
"Okay.." I replied. He pulled out a pretty ring. It was gold and had my birth stone in it.
"It's a promise ring. I know I've been frustrating about our relationship status, but we are definitely back together. I'm yours and you're mine. And I promise to you that I won't leave you or Brooklynn. I love you so much Tay," he told me. I looked at the ring, then at Alex's face, then at the ring again. I smiled and looked up at him.
"I love you too," I told him and pressed a passionate kiss to his lips.
I was standing at the end of our bed packing my suitcase while Tay sang a lullaby to our daughter. I smiled at the sound of her voice. She was so talented.
"You ready for tomorrow?" Tay asked as she came over to me and helped fold clothing.
"I guess. I'm glad to finally be done with high school," I answered and zipped my suitcase shut before sliding it to the floor. Tay nodded and turned away from me but not before I had noticed the tears starting to leak from her eyes. "Oh, Tay. Don't cry. I'll be back before you know it," I comforted her as I wrapped my arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek.
"What if you meet someone else on tour? What if you realize you don't love me anymore?" she sobbed. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her melodramaticness.
"Tay, you know that's not gonna happen. I love you. And Brooklynn. This will work out. You'll see," I promised.
"I'm gonna miss you," she mumbled into my chest as she turned around and wrapped her arms around me. I leaned down and kissed her before pulling her into the bed.
"I'm gonna miss you too, but it'll be okay. It'll all be okay." She nodded as she cuddled up into me. I turned off the lamp and kissed her forehead. "I love you."
"I love you too," she answered sleepily.
Tay.
I woke up to Brooklynn fussing. She was two and a half months old now. I woke Alex up and sent him to the shower before getting out of bed and getting my daughter.
"Shh, shh. You're alright," I said to her as I picked her up. I changed and fed her before going downstairs to make breakfast for everyone else. Today was graduation and Sam was graduating as well as all the guys. I put Brooklynn in her high chair while I cooked. Alex came behind me and started to kiss my neck. I closed my eyes as I savored the touch of his lips to my skin, completely aware of the fact I would be craving this feeling in a couple of days.
"I was thinking we could have some fun tonight since we'll be apart for a while," he whispered huskily into my ear. I just bit my lip and nodded, afraid I wouldn't be able to control myself if I turned to look at him. I felt his smirk against my head before he kissed it and went to play with our daughter.
"Don't we have a date tonight too?" I asked him as I served breakfast. Everyone was slowly trickling down the stairs.
"Yeah. Nothing special. Just a little walk in the park after dinner," he answered and started eating. After breakfast we hurried to graduation. Alex and Sam went to get ready while the rest of us found seats. I was in between Lindsey and Cass with Brooklynn on my lap, getting judgmental looks from most of the parents. A few parents were sending me looks of pity.
"God, people can be so rude," Cass said. I just shrugged.
"I'm used to it. After all the bullying, none of it really bothers me anymore," I responded.
"I don't know how you do it Tay. This is a lot for anyone," Cass told me. I was about to respond when the ceremony started. It wasn't long before we were out to eat with all the guys and their parents.
"You're beautiful. Did you know that?" Alex whispered to me, squeezing my knee gently while holding a sleeping Brooklynn in his other arm. I blushed and sneaked a kiss. This lunch would also be the formal goodbye for all the guys. Sierra and Cass both sat snuggled with their boyfriends while casual conversation was passed around. I was going to miss this. I was going to miss having all the boys around. I wasn't sure how I would survive the last two years of high school.
~
I couldn't wait for dinner to be over. It had been awhile since Alex and I had some alone time. Although it was just a simple walk in the park, I was grateful for it. I wanted to enjoy Alex's presence with no distractions before he left. After dinner we bathed Brooklynn then left her in the care of mother before we headed out. It was a nice night. The sun was setting, there was a nice breeze, it felt very peaceful.
"Tay, I love you," Alex told me suddenly.
"I know, Alex. I love you too," I answered as we walked hand in hand.
"And I love Brooklynn." I smiled at the thought of her.
"How could you not?"
"I got you something," he said as we sat down on a bench.
"Okay.." I replied. He pulled out a pretty ring. It was gold and had my birth stone in it.
"It's a promise ring. I know I've been frustrating about our relationship status, but we are definitely back together. I'm yours and you're mine. And I promise to you that I won't leave you or Brooklynn. I love you so much Tay," he told me. I looked at the ring, then at Alex's face, then at the ring again. I smiled and looked up at him.
"I love you too," I told him and pressed a passionate kiss to his lips.