Just for a Moment

I lay in his arms, the smell of boxes and new clothes clinging to his shirt despite the fact that it's Thursday. He always seems to carry that smell everywhere he goes. I prop myself up on his chest, so that I can stare into his eyes. My heart starts melting just with one look. I brush his hair out of his face and laugh as he kisses my neck. I mumble something to him and he laughs some more. I lay my head back on his chest and I feel his body shake with laughter. Of course, now I am laughing too. For no other reason except the fact that his laugh is infectious. I love these simple moments with him, when it's just Vic and I. He straightens up causing my head to plop on the ground. I give him my best scowl and he laughs lightly while apologizing to me. He pulls me up so I can see what caused him to sit up so quickly. He points in Ally’s direction and I see such a happiness on her face. I watch Ally laugh with Max as he twirls her around to the music in their heads. I roll my eyes and place my head on Vic’s shoulder.

“They look so silly, but I guess it is kind of cute. I am just happy to see her so happy. At least she is dating a dance major. They look good even with no music.” I run my hand up and down the buttons on his school shirt.

“Are you jealous?” He widens his eyes in mock shock, “I can dance with you for no reason too. We will look even better, DDR champs remember?”

He pulls me up and next thing I know we are dancing. Swaying to an invisible band whose plays a soundless song. It was just me and my star. I laugh as he dips me, puckering my lips unattractively so I can get a kiss. He waggles his brows and kisses my lips deeply. I feel a warmth course through my chest and fill my body with love. I hear the familiar sound of heels on the path and I know its Roxy coming to get me for class already. Time flies when you want to hold on to every moment. Vic straightens us up and I look over to Max and Ally.

“Lunch is over Als.” I pout and yell towards my sister.

She sucks her teeth, clearly unhappy and Max gives her hand a squeeze.

“Don’t worry baby, I will see you after class.” He kisses her forehead and runs towards the dance classroom.

“Blah, I hate that lunch is so short!” Ally pouts at me as she walks towards us. When she gets close enough she links her arm with Vic's.

“Me too,” Vic’s eyes stay glued to my face.

Roxy taps her foot, “Come on love birds, hurry up with the dramatic see-you-soons." She looks at me, "we have an outdoor dance session Dolcezza, remember?”

“Uh huh,” I stick my tongue out at her. I lean in and give Vic a kiss. “I love you baby.”

“I love you too, more than anything. See you later.” I feel myself blush and he and Ally scurry to class.

“Gross, you two are too much.” Roxy pretends to stick her finger down her throat. “You make me want to vomit.”

I laugh, “Whatever, you were rooting for us the moment I stepped on this campus.”

She locks her arm in mine as we pick up the pace, “That is true.”

After dance class Roxy and I are drenched in sweat. I touch my hair, pulling it off of my forehead. I make a grossed-out face to myself in the mirror.

“This is so gross,” I say as Roxy gives me a friendly dirty look in her reflection.

“I know Dolcezza!" Roxy whines, "Ciara was unnecessarily brutal today.” She looks at herself and shudders. “I can barely feel my arms. Plus I look a disgusting mess.”

I laugh as we grab our towels and head to the showers. We take the stalls right next to each other and sing duets at the top of our lungs as we wash all the sweat off. I can tell Roxy is doing a dance to the song in her stall by the constant ruffling of the plastic curtain. I shimmy while we hit the high note before laughing at how silly we are. We get out at the same time, best friend instincts and all, rush to get dressed so we can meet up with our boys. I run ahead of her, missing Vic so much that I am just dying to see him. As I round the corner of the building, I spot Vic and run straight at him. We fall to the ground on impact and I find myself laughing again. This time with Roxy and Jonny laughing at us in the background. I rest my forehead on Vic’s as I drink in the sound of his laughter, letting it fill me with joy like air fills a balloon. He notices how I am watching him so his wraps his arms around my waist and licks his lips. I blush as I press my lips against his. He rolls us over so that I am under him and I feel the blush spread. He pulls away, winks at me, and then helps me up so we can all work on homework together.

After the second essay and third music history worksheet, I was so ready for my weekend to start. I throw myself on my bed, staring up at my ceiling. I was kind of grateful for this time alone. After an hour and a half of no work getting done, Jonny, Roxy and Vic left my room to actually focus on homework elsewhere. I reach towards my pillows and feel around until my hand lands on the teddy bear Vic won me last week. I pull it close to me, squeezing it to my chest. I think for the millionth time today, I have the most perfect boyfriend ever. I flip over to my stomach and stare at the bear, a goofy smile plastered on my face. My phone rings, a star wars ringtone, I know who that is.

“Hey Tony, what’s up?” I sit up and say, placing teddy back on my pillows.

“Hey, Padawan. I’m just checking to see if you are still on with me and the guys tomorrow? No Vic, just me, you, Jaime and Mike, for some brotherly bonding.”

“I know, I know.” I laugh and roll my eyes as I pick at a loose thread on my skirt. “It’s so we can all get along when I head off with you guys to warped tour this year. I remember.”

“Good!” I hear him shuffle through some papers. “Anyway, back to drowning in homework if I want to have my weekend free.”

I laugh, “Trust me, I understand. See ya' at dinner Ton.”

“See ya', my little Padawan learner.” He chuckles then hangs up.

I roll my eyes, I am not that short. I go back to my desk to finish the last task I have to do before I head over to dinner.

At dinner, I sit with Vic, our hands are intertwined, and our legs are touching. Everyone around us is buzzing with homework complaints, counting the days until the semester ends. Vic and I look at each other eagerly when someone shouts, 45 days till freedom. It is just 45 days until we head to the studio. Just 45 days until Pierce the Veil blows minds on stage. 45 days until we spend the summer together. I squeeze his hand and he squeezes mine back. I am so excited. He kisses my cheek and we both go back to eating. After dinner Vic and I head off to the back lawn of the school. We find a nice spot, lay out a blanket and stare up at the stars. The April air still held a slight chill, I shiver a bit and Vic pulls me closer into him.

“Cold?" He stares into my eyes, running his hand across my cheek.

“Just a small chill, that’s all.” I snuggle into him, “just keep me warm, ‘kay?”

“Always.” I smile at him before resting my head on his collarbone.

“This is so perfect.” I whisper.

“That’s right my monkey, this is perfect.”

I pull back from him and stare into his eyes before I wake up crying. Boy, am I glad I decided to sleep at Ally’s tonight because I didn’t want to explain to Kellin why my heart was broken. In fact, I feel so horrible, as if I somehow betrayed him with that dream. I rest my head back down on the pillow not to wake Ally. I grab her phone to see the time and I notice her lock screen is an old picture of me and her. I smile and see that it’s officially February first. I mentally welcome myself into a new month when Ally gets a text from Vic. My heart starts to pound and the temptation to open it is more than I can bear. Especially with the raw emotions from that dream hanging in the air. I look over at Ally who is snoring lightly with her mouth slightly open. Yeah, she is one hundred percent knocked out. I unlock the phone and the collage she has as her wallpaper causes me to pout. It was a series of pictures of us and in one of them I am kissing Vic while she is doing bunny ears behind our heads. That picture is not helping my situation. My fingers tremble and I open the message.

‘Ally, you up?’ a simple harmless message that I shouldn’t answer.

‘Yeah, what’s up?’ I press send before I had much time to think.

‘I was thinking about what you said the other day. How you said, you kinda hate Kellin even more because he stole your sister away. Like him marrying her without even telling you. I agree with you, I am pretty sure it was his idea to keep it a secret. Because if I would have known you know I would have objected ;) Lol. Anyway, I want you to know that if it was me I would have never done that to you.’

That text was like a punch in the chest. I send a simple thanks, before throwing Ally’s phone back on the nightstand. So that’s how Ally feels? She thinks that Kellin is to blame for all of this? I stare at my wedding band and a fresh wave of guilt crashes over me. I pull it off my finger and stare at my bare hand. I can feel my heart shatter as I gaze at the empty finger. I put the ring back on and lay my head back on the pillow, wondering if I could change my choices to spare Ally, would I?