wander

43|birthday ideas

I open the front door laughing along with my dad. I shake my head as my laughter wears off and I see Romeo at the top of the stairs, taking each step to hug me. He pulls me in and kisses the top of my forehead.
"Hi!" I say shocked at his sudden gesture.
"I missed you." He whispers.
"I missed you too." I whisper back to him.

I pull away and our hands drop until the last second, I turn back to my Dad he opens his mouth to speak.
"I forgot to ask, what do you want for your birthday?" He asks sweetly.
"Birthday?" Romeo's voice because clear in the hallway.
"Yeah?" I question, why is he so shocked?
"How come you never told me?"
"It never came up." I respond.

"So? Is there anything you want?" He repeats his question.
"No, you've already made me the happiest by letting me stay here." It's true, there's nothing more I could ask for.
"Come on! I have to get you something for your birthday!" He whines like a child.
"Really, I couldn't ask for anything more." I repeat my thoughts.

I tug at my dress, signalling to the guys I want to change, Romeo notices.
"Go change into something comfy then we can watch a film yeah?" He says in a casual tone. I nod and head upstairs.

Romeo's POV:
I listen in closely to make sure her bedroom door closes, when I hear it I turn towards Leo.
"I know what to get her. When's her birthday?" I question, it may take time to sort out her present.
"17th September. I know it's still over a month but I want it to be perfect." He cringes at his organised plans.
"Okay that's good." We have time.

I lead Leo to his office and sit in the chair opposite his. I lean my back into the chair and rest my hands on the desk.
"What's your idea?" Here we go.
"It may be hard but I think it's possible. You know the lake she always talks about back in Louisiana... well I was thinking, what if we bought the land. So it can be private property and she can go there whenever she wants, well when she's in Louisiana of course."
"Romeo I- that's going to be hard." He sounds uncomfortable.
"I know," I sigh, "But can we try. For her?" I'm  trying my best.
"Of course. That would be an amazing birthday surprise." I smile as he agrees to my idea.

I get up from the chair and reach for my laptop in the lounge. I'm going to research the exact location of the lake. I take the location from when we took photos on my phone and search in the location it gives me. I scroll a little and find the place. There's one photo but I know it's the right place by the wooden basket on the deck. I flip the screen around to show Leo. He searches the website into the search bar of his laptop. 

"Got it, now leave it to me. I have a very specific way with words and I don't need you interfering. Understood?" I know he's half joking but a part of me tells me he's dead serious. I nod in understanding. I close my laptop shut and leave the room as he dials a number. A number about the property I assume. I smile to myself knowing Chiara is going to be shocked when she knows what we have done.

I walk up the stairs and knock on Chiara's bedroom door.
"Come in!" Her voice is far from the door. I open it and look around the room and she's not in here.
"Sorry just washing my face." She giggles as she pulls the door open to reveal herself scrubbing at her face.

I lay across her bed and listen to the music she has playing softly in the background. I take her phone, unlock it and scroll through her playlist. She's playing 'Us by James Bay', the song I sang to her at the lake. Everything comes back to that lake. She hums along as the song comes to an end. I take a look at the name of the playlist. It's a capital R with a white heart emoji. I smile tugs at my list. The smallest gesture makes me so happy.

She appears back from the bathroom with her hair tied up and her face free of makeup. She straddles over me and nuzzles her head into my neck. Her hands run across my back. I flop back onto her mattress and she flops to the other side of the bed. 
"We should go downstairs." She whispers as I smooth her hair down.
"Okay." She lifts her body off the bed and pulls me with her.

We flick through some channels and decide on one of the competition shows. I groan as some of the acts are boring as fuck. Chiara laughs at my comments to each of the acts. Her eyes focus on each of the people singing and makes a sour face when one of the acts goes off key and her teeth sparkle as she smiles. A boy the same age as Chiara waddles on stage as if he's pissing himself.

He holds his guitar awkwardly and bites his bottom lip with nerves.
"Come on kid. It's not good to show your nerves." I say, maybe it was a little harsh.
"Woah someone jealous?" Leo teases, he must have also noticed Chiara's pupils get bigger as he walked on stage. I give him a stare and he puts his hands up in defense.

The boy strums his guitar and my eyebrows raise. His voice wobbles as he tries to sing. I watch Chiara as she tries to hold back her giggle. She covers her mouth with her hands to cover up her smirk.
"I could do much better than him." I scold. I stand up to get my guitar, "Hold on. Give me 5 minutes and I'll be right back." I run out the front door and over to my house. I pick up my favourite guitar. 

I'm back sitting on the floor, Leo and Chi sat watching me carefully. I play the chords to 'thinking out loud' by Ed Sheeran. My voice is soft and my fingers easily move between the strings. Candles are lit around the room and the rustic design of the room makes everything feel so homely. They take in every second and as I finished singing Chiara wraps her arms around me.

"You are much better than him." She kisses my cheek and pulls back.

"You really are Romeo, that's one of the few times I've heard you sing but you really do have have talent." Leo compliments.
"Thanks." I reply, keeping it short. 

We eventually go back to Chiara's room and I balance my guitar against the wall. I take my shirt off, fold it and lay it across the dresser. I climb into her bed and she ties her hair into a loose bun. She takes my shirt from the dresser and walks to the bathroom. I blush since I know she's going to wear my T-shirt. I wish she'd done it sooner, like I said before, the smallest things make me even happier. My legs become hot and the waistband of my jeans digs into my skin. I can't sleep in jeans but I don't want her to feel uncomfortable if I sleep in my boxers.

She walks out the bedroom with my shirt dripping from her shoulders. The t-shirt reaches her mid thighs and if she reaches up it will be pulled up to her torso. She covers herself with the duvet and I shift awkward in my jeans. The Italian summer night binds my skin to the denim.

She raises an eyebrow to my awkward movement.
"No, no! It's not that I swear. It's just too uncomfortable to sleep in jeans." I defend.
"Just take them off then." She easily states.
"Are you sure?" I have to know it won't make her uncomfortable.
"Romeo I'm very sure." 

I tug at my jeans and I see her sneak a peek or two. I don't say anything, I know that will embarrass her. I then take the duvet and cover my lower half. I wrap my arm over her and bring her closer. I hear her light snores and I close my eyes to soon fall into my own dreams.