Just for a Moment

I was glad the half day of class flew by. Today made it an official year since Kellin had kissed me, and tonight was again the Winter Festival. I was of course determined to erase the bad memories of last year and replace them with new, good memories. It being the twentieth of December also meant that it was the last day of classes before break. So I was officially free and tomorrow evening I will be headed home with Kellin. Tomorrow evening I would be bringing the first, and if I had my way, the last boy to meet my parents.

These days Kellin was all I could think about. I was surprised I even managed to pass everything with flying colors; I mean my brain was on Kellin mode. Ever since he gave me the ring, two and a half weeks ago, he has given me tons of other little gifts. He said during the festival tonight I would be getting the best one yet. I wondered how he would top the ring, gazed down at it, feeling a dreamy look come over my face. I also reached for the heart chain with our names engraved on it. I fiddled with it as I walked out of class with a goofy grin plastered on my face.

I was thrilled to see that my baby was at my door when I got to my room. I could hardly contain my joy; I ran up to him and kissed him hard on the lips. He wrapped his hand around my waist and slid his hand up the back of my shirt, his fingers making circles on my spine. A little habit he had formed ever since the day of our pool kiss. I break our kiss, to trail kisses down his neck, I felt him shiver under the touch of my lips. I looked up at him suddenly and he looked at me with eyes clouded in haze. I felt the words bubbling to my lips before I could stop them.

“Did you get everything ready for the pit stop between our parents’ houses?” I pressed myself closer to him.

He gave a heart melting smile, “everything is ready on my end. I got everything we need. You all packed and have all your stuff ready?”

“Yes, ever since we made the decision, I have been ready. I am so excited, I wish we could tell everyone but I would hate to spoil the surprise.” I put my head on his chest.

He lifted my head so that I was looking him in the eye.

“We can tell them when we get back,” he kissed my jaw line, “I promise.”

“I know, but I hate not telling Ally.” He kissed my neck.

“Alan will be fine.” He held me even closer against him, and then he sighed and loosened his grip. “I have to go finish packing and filling out the paperwork with JT for winter break. Plus I need to get ready for tonight.”

I wrapped my arms tighter around his neck, “I don’t want you to go.”

He laughed and kissed my forehead, “I will see you later baby. I promise.”

“Fine,” I pouted at him and he kissed my pouted lips before running off.

Since I was in no mood to be left alone with my pent up excitement I headed over to Roxy’s room. When I open the door I walked in on her and Brendon making out. They didn’t even notice as I left the room. Ally it is then. I retraced my steps making a mental note to ask Roxy what was going on with Brendon and her. I barged into Ally’s room and threw myself on her bed.

“Ally, oh Ally, where are you?” I heard a giggle and Ally emerged from the bathroom, in her underwear. A very noticeable hickey on her neck. “What is that?!?”

I shout pointing at her neck.

She blushed and shook her head until her hair covered the hickey, “nothing that I didn’t already yell at err. . . Jack for.” She cleared her throat. “It will fade and never happen again, let’s drop it, okay?”

“Fine but it better not happen again or you both will not hear the end of it from me.” I glared at her and settled back into her bed. “How has work been ever since Rick dropped the I-like-you bomb?”

She threw a stuffed bear that Jack got her at me, “I don’t want to talk about that either. I will however talk about how excited I am to have my old friends come visit me tomorrow.” She clapped her hands together and smiled. “It’s going to be great. I can show them where I work, my room, the indoor pool, the spa, the theater and most importantly they can meet Jack.”

I rolled my eyes, “I am happy for you.”

“What about you? Excited to take Kellin home?” I felt my heart swell with emotions.

“Yes, and scared, nervous, thrilled, and about a million things.” I hugged Ally’s pillow close to my body. “I don’t know, I feel like it’s all just going so fast. I am so scared that he may change his mind about next week.”

“What’s next week?”

I bit my lip, “me going to his house to meet his wealthy mom and his four siblings.”

“He won’t change his mind, he loves you.” She pulled on sweats and smiled at me. “Besides, Kelly would be an idiot to change his mind after telling his family you guys are headed there. I am happy for you guys, really.” She hugged me. “Now teach me everything, I want to get Jack to look at me with that intense loving look Kellin gives you.”

I threw the pillow at her, “Jack looks at you with tons of love my friend, disgusting amounts of it.”

“Pssh whatever,” Ally rolls her eyes and plops on the bed, “it’s nothing compared to you guys. I mean you guys may have been announced officially only a little while ago, but you have been together for like a year now.”

“That’s kind of true, but anyway Jack has been in love with you since day one, so stop being silly.” I rested my head on her shoulder. “This year has been pretty good so far.”

“Especially since Max is gone.” Ally said while playing with my hair.

“Too bad Tally and Sonia are still here.” Ally sat up causing my head to jerk up before falling back onto the bed.

“Sonia? Why do you care about Sonia?” Her eyebrow raised.

“Besides being a complete jerk to Vic, you mean? She is besties with the wicked witch of the everything-is-free club.” I censor my thoughts, refusing to lower the standards I have in place for myself. “Anyway, are you excited about tonight?”

“Yup, Vic is my date since Jack isn’t feeling too well.” She pouted.

“Be careful, if tradition holds, he is a lousy date.” I got up, “I have to go get ready, so I will see you tonight.”

Tonight I decided to go with a simple red strapless, sweetheart neckline, long dress. I tried not to think too much about last year, how dolled up I got to get my heart broken. I looked down at my ring, and an irrational part of me feared a repeat of last year. I shook away those thoughts and focused on getting ready. This year everything would be simple, like the relationship I have with my Kells. Simple and stunningly beautiful. I primped and readied myself for a night with my love and my wonderful friends. I was happy when Roxy came in as I was putting on my earrings; I needed to know about what happened with Brendon.

“I broke it off with Jonny!” She proclaimed before even closing my door. “Brendon and I have been texting back and forth since he told me he missed me. Well, I couldn’t deny that I still love him when he asked me. We are going to pick up where we left off. He gave me the engagement ring back and spoke to JT. He said though it’s frowned upon to date students, we are in two different departments. So that takes away lots of elements of favoritism playing a part. Plus, we have a history before this place, so he can still keep his job. So we can date and he will be close by." Her lips stretched into a grin. "Jonny got his second strike last week, so soon he will be on his way out of here and I can be free of the whole thing.”

I turned and faced her, “Wow, that’s a lot to take in at once.”

She finally closed my door and laid down on my bed with a huge smile on her face, “I know.”

“Wait a minute,” I give her a once over, “why aren’t you dressed?”

“Brendon and I aren’t going, we are ordering Chinese and watching movies in the theater tonight.” Her face lit up as she said it.

I pout a bit before smiling back at her, “it won’t be the same without you.”

“I know Dolcezza but trust me; you will have fun without me.” She lifted herself from my bed. “I better get going, I told Brendon that I wouldn’t be long.”

She gave me a quick hug and then skipped out the door. I mean it, she literally skipped, the girl must be happy. I guess I will be heading to the back lawn alone tonight since Kellin had to set up some stuff. As I was walking out my room, I saw Vic, a part of me ached when I saw what he was wearing. A dapper black suit and clean white dress shirt. The outfit that I had hoped to see him in last year, the one that could have changed it all. I walked up to him and smiled.

“You look handsome. No Sonia tonight?” I adjusted his tie as I spoke.

“No, monkey, no Sonia.” He gazed into my eyes for a moment and I saw that his eyes were filled with regret. “You look beautiful by the way.”

“Thank you,” I took a step back and curtsied for him.

“My monkey, I. . .”

“There you are Vic!” Ally came out of her room, “you took forever.”

I started to laugh, “You're one to talk.”

I was happy to walk with them to the back lawn. It was cute hearing the way they spoke to each other. I had never hung out with Vic and Ally together before. I can see why they are best friends. When we got to the venue the place was filled with orchids. My very favorite flower, I wondered if Kellin had anything to do with this. Then I noticed there was only a table for two set in the center, I turned around and Vic and Ally were gone. Headed to the real location of the Winter Festival no doubt. There was a small stage with a guitar set up directly in front of the two person table. Yards and yards of sheer white material and white lights hung off the trees. Candles flickered against the slight breeze from the cold night air. I walked deeper into this flower forest and there stood Kellin in a tux. He smiled as I approached him, my heart racing out of control.

“Hey,” I said shyly.

“Hey, ready for your surprise?” He took my hand in his.

"There is more than this?" I asked him.

He simply laughed.

I didn't say anything else, I was afraid that words would fail me.

A violinist, a cellist, the guitarist, and a pianist walked on to the stage. Kellin led me to the table in the center of the set up. He pulled out my chair for me to sit, kissed the top of my head and headed to the stage himself. He sat on a stool with a mic in front of it.

“This is a song I wrote for you after the Open-Mic last year. I never had the courage to sing it to you then, so here goes nothing. It's called, In Case of An Emergency dial 411.” He nodded and the guys began to play.

After the first verse I was crying, each word was tailored to the place I was in that night. The place I let myself fall into from time to time. He was singing to me and telling me that he will always be here, he would always be by my side. He was right; this was the best gift yet. I couldn't ask for anything better than to have him sing to me. Actually I couldn't ask for anything better than for me to just to be with him. When the song was over, he sang me a few covers of our favorite songs for me. Then he joined me at the table so we could eat while the musicians played.

“You do realize that there is no one more perfect to me than you.” Kellin said this to me while holding my hand from across the table. “I can’t even remember life before you and now I only want to know life with you.”

I squeezed his hand, “ I am not going anywhere, I swear it.”

The rest of the night we danced and laughed away. I didn't get back into my room until about three am, but that night had confirmed for me that I was making the best choice on how to spend my winter break.