Courage to Fly (EDITING IN PROCESS)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Kayla's POV

"I'll take that," Niall said slipping off the purity ring I generally wore on my left hand.

"Wait, what, Niall!" I said dropping the spoon I was holding and reaching for his hand. He giggled and kissed me on the lips. He popped a ring box in my hands.

"What?" I asked looking at it and then opening it. "Niall..." In the box was a small solid silver claddagh ring.

"Happy anniversary, babe," he said kissing me on the forehead.

"What is this for, though?" I asked.

"Promise ring," he said, "I thought this was useless for you to wear," he said holding up my purity ring, I blushed, "so you needed something new, you remember what Cheyenne told you last month, right?"

"Um...yeah..."

He smiled and walked over to me, taking the ring from me. "This," he said trading the ring I usually wore on my right hand onto my left and slipped the claddagh onto my right hand with the heart facing inward, "is my promise to you," he said. He kissed me lightly on the lips. "Happy one year, beautiful girl,"

I smiled and hugged him tightly so that my ear rested on his chest just where his heart was beating. He held me in his strong arms and laid his cheek on the top of my head.

"Do you have one too?" I asked.

He laughed. "No, not yet, I'll get one when I propose to you,"

I laughed. "You think we'll be together that long?"

"Hopefully longer," he said, looking down at me. I looked up and he lightly kissed me on the lips.

"Oh!" I said hopping up from the stool and heading for the stairs. "I forgot! I got you something!"

"What is it?" he asked, starting to follow me upstairs.

"No!" I said spinning around and pushing him down one step. "Get in the kitchen! Stay in the kitchen! Go, go!" I said pointing in the direction of the kitchen.

He held his hands up and laughed at me, turning around and walking back down the stairs to the kitchen. I ran up the stairs and opened the door to the storage room. I climbed my way through the mess into the back. I am seriously surprised he never noticed this thing in here. I picked up the smooth black case with the big red bow on it. I dragged it out of the room and carried it down the stairs.

"Close your eyes," I said from the bottom of the stairs. "Have them closed?"

"Yes," he said.

"Okay..." I walked into the kitchen and looked around the wall to see if he had his eyes closed. He didn't. "I said eyes...closed...."

He rolled his eyes and then closed them. "Better?"

"Yes," I said, walking through the kitchen. I set the case on the counter in front of him then backed up a step. "Okay," I said, "Open!"

"What?" he said as soon as he saw the guitar case. He grinned and put down the CD he was holding. He laughed and opened the case. "Oh, my God..." he whispered.

Inside was a Gibson SG Standard in Heritage Cherry with a black fret board trimmed in white. He let out a breath and gently, lightly touched the strings. I smiled as I watched his expression as he looked at the guitar. It was beautiful, and I was in awe the first time I set my eyes on it, I could only imagine the reactions going on inside his head.

He picked the guitar up and gently set it on his knee, strumming a couple of chords.

"She's..." Niall said, "she's beautiful...just like you," he said looking up.