Say Those Three Little Words

May 1st, 2009

Today’s the day.

Josh is still skeptical about going, so I have to keep reminding him how great everything’s going to be. I know he’ll have fun, and if he doesn’t, I will hide my head in shame for a few hours before finding a way to make it up to him.

Haha, kidding. I really hope he likes it, though.

“You look great all dressed up, y’know that?” Oli commented, watching as Josh nervously readjusted his tie in the bathroom mirror. The teenager shot him a small smile and, giving up on the tie, ran a hand through his hair.

Oli chuckled and turned Josh around. “You shouldn’t be so scared, J. It’s gonna be fine. I promise.”

He smiled and loosened the knot. Josh wanted to slap himself in the face when he realized that’s all he had to do to make it look right.

“J?” Josh smiled, his nerves lessened in intensity (or he was just distracted, he didn’t really know). “You’ve never called me that before… I like it.”

Oli laughed again and leaned forward to press a soft kiss against Josh’s nose. “Well, good. I’m gonna call you that more often.”

He grabbed the jacket off of the door and helped Josh into it. His face lit up when he saw his boyfriend in the mirror, and he couldn’t help but press a kiss against the back of his neck.

“Stop. You’re making me blush.” Josh muttered.

“Don’t you remember, dear? I like seeing you blush.”



The prom was held at the small building connected by a strip of hallway at the high school, which was usually the cafeteria. When the boys walked in, they were taken back by the transformation. If you were visiting from a different school, you would’ve never guessed that hundreds of kids ate here every weekday.

At the end of the room was a large stage where a local band was playing. A giant banner hung behind them; although the cursive was so complex you could barely make out what it said, even with 20/20 vision. Where the serving stations were, a small buffet was set up, mostly with finger sandwiches and other hors d'oeuvres. Sitting on the counter in the center, where they usually put bowls of fruit, bread, or packaged brownies, was a chocolate fountain. A few people were around it, sticking marshmallows and fruit into the delectable waves.

The floor was packed with people, their faces illuminated by the rotating lights installed on the roof. On the wall to their left, a professional photographer was setting up his gear as a steady line of couples began to form. Oli was impressed that the prom committee, which consisted of only about 3 or 4 people, managed to get enough money to hire him.

Josh dragged his boyfriend over to the line before it got too long, suddenly excited about the night. A girl and her boyfriend gave them a dirty look when they walked up. Usually Josh would’ve been upset, but his excitement led him to kissing his boyfriend as filthily as he could without actual touching. He smirked when the couple walked away; the girl flipping her hair over her shoulder.

They ended up taking three pictures, laughing the whole time.

“This one’s my favorite.” Josh said, pointing at the one where Oli held him bridal style, his lips gently pressed against his boyfriend’s ear. Josh had a cross-eyed, goofy smile on his face. The photographer himself laughed when he took the picture.

After they paid for the images, they spent a good half hour against the wall, watching all the other couples dance with their loved ones or their best friends. It was nice seeing everyone having the time of their lives, and sometimes Oli saw a familiar face in the crowd.

A song that Oli was familiar with started playing. He smiled and looked over at his boyfriend, who was surveying the crowd.

“May I have this dance?” He asked, extending out his hand. Josh looked at it, up at Oli, and surveyed the rest of the crowd before thinking if they don’t like it, they can go get anally attacked by a cactus and taking his hand.

Oli beamed as he led his boyfriend to the dance floor. He couldn’t dance, neither of them could actually, but it didn’t matter because it would be them . As cliche as it sounds, he has been waiting for this day ever since they started dating.

They danced like it was the end of the world. A lot of people stared, but mostly in wonder or amusement. A few dirty looks were tossed around, which Josh only flipped off then ignored the rest of the night.

It was really fun, the teenager decided, and as he looked at Oli, the warm fuzzy feeling overwhelmed him. It was like he couldn’t breathe. So many memories rushed his mind, most of them being all the times he’s looked at Oli and thought I can't believe this man is mine.

He thought about how torn apart his boyfriend looked when they first met, how he progressively got happier the more time they spent together, and how happy he looks now.

Oli’s smile almost never left his face and, for once in his life, he didn’t care about what everyone thought of him. He was happy. He was having fun. He was here with the most important person in his life and no one can take that away from him.

When the song ended, he looked over at Josh, who was still staring at him. “What?” He said, blushing a little. “Was it that bad?”

Josh shook his head, leaned forward, and captured Oli’s lips.

All of his emotions exploded out of him, and he could’ve sworn all the happiness, the adoration, and all the passion he was feeling shrouded them and cut them off from the rest of the world. It was just Josh and Oli, like it should be.

Josh put a hand on the small of his back and pushed forward, dipping his boyfriend as they kissed. Oli gasped, clutching his shoulder with one hand and using the other to run through Josh’s hair.

There was something different about Josh. Oli could feel it, although he couldn’t exactly pinpoint what it was. Whatever changed him, though, Oli decided he liked it.

As a new, slower, song started up, Josh pulled back. He smiled at Oli and brought a shaking hand to lightly touch his cheek. He knew it then. He knew he was feeling the thing he questioned for most of his life, and although it scared him, he somehow knew it was all going to be okay.

“I love you.” He said softly.

He wanted to hug his boyfriend and cry tears of happiness because he has never felt this amazing in his life. He has never cared for another as much as he cared for Oli, and realizing that he’s actually fallen for this heavily tattooed angel made everything seem more real.

Josh swallowed back a sob and kissed him again. “I love you so much and I can’t imagine life without you. Seriously, you saved me. You keep saving me just by being around and I still can’t believe I have the privilege to call you mine, because you’re perfect in every single way and—”

Oli cut him off by smashing their lips together. To say he was happy to hear those words was an understatement. He was ecstatic. He held him close, but it seemed like it wasn’t enough. He needed to be closer, he needed to show Josh just how much he loves and cares about him.

“I love you, too.” Oli said against his lips. They started swaying to the beat of the music.

He recognized the song; it was a song that his mother used to listen to all the time. Now, this song is the soundtrack to their relationship, and every time he’ll hear it, he’ll think of the time Josh said those three little words.

This was their song.

I don’t wanna miss one smile.
I don’t wanna miss one kiss.
I just wanna be with you, right here with you.

Just like this.