Candlelit Dinner

(Mike)

I’ve been with my girlfriend for over five years now and I love her to death. Ever since we met our junior year of high school, we’ve been together from that point on. It was like a match made in heaven for us. All it took was one glance at each other and we knew we were for one another. Once we finished high school, we thought we would never see each other because we both chose to go different routes in life, and obviously, we assumed we would never have any time to see each other. I didn’t necessarily choose the band life, it chose me, and she decided she wanted to be a model. How exactly do those two careers fit together? They don’t.

She always knew how to spark things up with me back in high school. Everyone would always talk about us like we were the golden couple, the couple that could never be separated for any reason. The thing is, I’m not about to give the whole “but things change” cliché because it didn’t. Of course, it was hard to keep in touch when we both had a very busy life ahead of us. I was touring constantly and trying to get my life on point, but something was missing, and that happened to be Alysha. I was in dire need to see her or hear her voice. Everything that went on around me reminded me of her. If I saw a girl with blonde hair, it reminded me of Alysha. If I saw a skinny girl with long legs, it reminded me of Alysha. If I saw a girl with tattoos, it reminded me of Alysha. If I saw a couple laughing with each other while drinking Starbucks, it reminded me of me and Alysha. If I saw a girl in a magazine posing for a photo shoot, it reminded me of Alysha and how she told me she was going to do that kind of job. There was no getting her out of my head, that’s for sure.

I missed her, honestly. I was so miserable at times that I was stuck crying myself to sleep. I should’ve just called her, right? Wrong. Even if I called her and heard her voice, sometimes it’s just not enough. Sometimes you need to physically see them in order to feel better. I wasn’t getting better anytime soon. My brother Vic had no chill with me with the way I was acting. In fact, I was getting worse. I kept screwing up on every show when I played. It sucks how some things are just gone from your life and you can’t really do much about it.

After months of not calling her, I let up and decided to scroll through my contacts on my iPhone to find her name. When I clicked on it, the only thing I heard was We‘re sorry. The number you have dialed is not in service anymore. Then I think I heard “Please contact your local…” blah blah blah bullshit and that’s when I hung up the phone. I honestly didn’t know what to do at that point. There was no way I would have any contact with her because I only had her number. I bet you’re thinking that I should have her added on social media almost everywhere, but I don’t. Alysha and I didn’t want to have any type of social networking because that’s where most of the drama starts.

When I finally stopped touring and had a break, I found the opportunity to really explore the rest of California. Living in San Diego my whole life and starting in a band at a young age, I was on the road quite a lot, but I never had the chance to wander around my own state. Before I had the chance to travel to my destination, I had to warn my band mates that I was going to be gone for at least a month, but still in Cali. Of course, they were fine with it. My first stop was Pomona.

Since I enjoyed sipping on drinks so much, I wanted to get a drink from Tim Horton's. The environment inside was calm and collecting, and I really enjoyed the atmosphere with the different coffee smells and sweet deserts. There were only a couple people present inside of the small shop, reading their magazines and eating donuts and what-not.

“Can I get an iced-cap please?” I told the man, pulling out my wallet. After waiting three minutes, I received my drink and found a rather tiny table near the corner to sit at. I noticed there was an unopened newspaper lying on the table so I picked it up and began to glance through everything. For some strange reason, that day felt different. Was it because I was in another city? Was it because I wasn’t touring nonstop? I guess not.

“Mike?” an angelic voice sprouted.

That voice. I know that voice. I glanced up at the human being. It couldn’t be. My eyes widened with shock and my breathing halted. I froze with nervousness and excitement, knowing I was thinking of the right person. I stood up. “Alysha?!”

“Hi!” she smiled, almost too widely.

“Hey!”

“It’s been so long! Can I have a hug?”

She took my breath away. I literally couldn’t speak. So many emotions were going through my body. “Of course you can!” I wrapped my arms around her back and held her tight. I swear, a tear almost leaked from my eye when she rested her head on my shoulder. It was like my dream come true. She was back in my life and it had to be for a good reason.

“How have you been?” she asked me, still smiling.

Not too well was what I wanted to explain to her, but I didn’t want to bring up the bad times. “I’ve been okay. I’m in a band with my bro and two other guys that we met right after high school. It’s been a success, but tiring. The fans are amazing. I still live in San Diego though. I’m just out here visiting. What about you?”

“Excellent! I’ve been in so many photo shoots and more photographers are booking me in with them. I’m happy I chased my dream because I thought it would never come true. I‘m actually out here visiting Pomona as well! I live in Los Angeles now!”

She had so much enthusiasm in her voice. If only she knew how much misery I was in without her, how much I thought of her every single day and night, how I cried myself to sleep when I could no longer picture her in my memory. She was fading slowly every second I couldn’t see her. “I’m pleased to hear that, babe.”

She blushed and slightly giggled. “I miss hearing that from you.”

It’s not that me and Alysha broke up, but we stopped seeing each other because we had no contact with one another. I’m sure she already found a boyfriend because she was stunning and gorgeous. Who wouldn’t want to be with her?

“Listen, I need to say something to you, Mike,” she started. I was all ears. “Sure, being a model is fabulous, but…in all honesty, there were times where I was giving up and didn’t want to continue on. I didn’t know what else to do besides cry.”

“Here, sit and tell me everything,” I said sympathetically, slowly sitting down and placing her in my lap.

“I was very depressed with the way I was living. I was having the time of my life, but I was missing the most important thing that ever happened to me.”

“And what might that be?”

“You, Mike. I was missing you and all your funny jokes and stupid, but hilarious comments on my clothes and hair. You always knew how to make me laugh. You used to snuggle with me under the moon when it was cold and we would always cuddle close to each other under the blanket and drink hot chocolate. I missed the time where we would drink wine and have a romantic dinner. You always knew how to make me feel better when I was sick and when I couldn’t go to school, you used to show up at my house with flowers and chicken soup. I also remember you used to bring a different note card to school every day senior year and it always had the cutest sayings on it. You even snuck out at night almost all the time just to see me so we could go catch a late-night movie together. I miss all of that. And I miss you. I want that again, but only with you.”

“I can make that all happen again, except the things that dealt with high school because we already graduated.”

She giggled at my comment and hugged me again. “I would love that, Mike. I would love it very much.”

Her smile gave it away that she wanted to be with me again. Of course, I didn’t deny her. I was still in love with her, after all. “You’re not seeing anyone, right?”

“No. There are many handsome men in this world, but none of them are as handsome as you. I couldn’t get you out of my mind. There was no way I was going to date someone else,” she blushed. She checked her gold watch. “I must get going. Umm, here’s my business card with my number on it. I’m sorry if you ever tried to call me and I didn’t answer. I switched the phone company and got a new number. Please keep in touch?”

“Yes, of course.” I took her card and shoved it in my pocket.

She winked at me before leaving the shop and said, “I’ll see you around.”

So you see, we didn’t necessarily break up right after high school, but we parted ways with our lives because we choose different careers. Now that I finally got to keep in touch with her, Alysha and I decided to travel all over California together…as a couple again. And the first place we went to…was Starbucks.

The second place we traveled to was Fresno. We went to Megafest that featured bands like The Word Alive, The Color Morale, Beartooth, and Sleeping with Sirens. I think the venue was called Woodward Park Amphitheater. It was such a blast and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. I even got to chill with my buddy Garret Rapp for an hour after the show. The third place we went to was Orange County. We checked out the Stream of Dana Point called Salt Creek. I know a creek sounds dirty, but it wasn’t even a creek! It was a beach. So what did we do? Get our feet wet, of course! The fourth place we went to was Los Angeles, where Alysha lived. I observed her small apartment and it wasn’t much, but it was suitable enough for her to live in.

“Sometimes I like to stay at home and have the photographers come here and take pictures of me. It’s in the comfort of my own home so why not?” She smiled pleasantly and directed me to her room. “And uh…here’s my room.”

“It’s cute,” I told her, staring at her. “It suits you.”

“Yeah well, it’s all I’ve got right now, but I’m hoping to move back to San Diego very soon.”

“That would be awesome,” I smiled. If she moves back to San Diego, then the distance won't be as harsh.

After we visited her apartment, she wanted to take me to the most expensive restaurant in all of Los Angeles that same night. I told her that should’ve been my job, but she didn’t mind, of course. When that night was over, she packed her bags the next day and headed over to San Diego with me. Vic and I still have a house to ourselves when we’re not touring so Alysha and I are gonna spend some time there alone.

When we reached San Diego, I brought her into our bus so she could meet all my band mates, or at least Tony and Jaime because she didn’t know them. She already knew Vic before we started the band.

I’ve been with Alysha for about four months now and we’re spending the whole day together. We’re honestly inseparable now and nothing can break us apart. I was having a candlelit dinner with her tonight and I wanted it to be perfect. I hope everything goes as planned. While we were sitting and eating dinner, I stared at her.

“What?” she blushed.

“Nothing, you just look gorgeous as always.”

She smiled at me. I even heard a quick giggle out of her.

I cleared my throat. “Alysha?”

“Yeah?” she said softly.

“I’d like to propose a toast,” I said, holding up my champagne glass. “Hold the toast,” I laughed.

“Hold the toast?” she questioned, holding up her glass as well. “What do you mean hold th- oh my God.”

I set down my glass and removed myself from the table. I got on one knee and prepared my mini speech.

“Oh my God, Mike!” Alysha beamed.

“Where do I start?” I sighed. I took her hand in mine. She covered her mouth. “Alysha, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. Since high school, I knew you were the one for me. There were times in life that I thought I wouldn’t make it without you, and to be honest, I wasn’t. I was miserable and depressed. I didn’t know what the hell to do. Ever since you came back in my life, I knew the right decision was to wife you up. You got the goods, babe. If you can only find it in your heart to be my special one, I know for a fact that life will be good to us. I can't live without you. I know this speech is short, but it was the only thing I could come up with. There's a billion things in this world that I can live without, but you're not one of them. So what do you say, my love? Will you make me the luckiest man and marry me? Let me pound on something more than my drum kit a couple times a month.”

She giggled, which made me chuckle along.

“Awww, Mike. You’re the cutest. Of course I’ll marry you!” She jumped up and hugged me tightly.

I dug through my pocket and snatched up the diamond ring I was going to put on her finger. She was in awe when she saw it.

“It’s beautiful,” she breathed.

“You’re beautiful,” I told her. I slipped it on her finger and stared at her. "You're so perfect. I love you." I kissed her soft lips gently and everything around me was fading. It felt like we were the only people living in the world at that moment. Everything just felt so right and I know there's better to come for us. I can't wait to see what life pushes our way. Because without her, I'm nothing.