"Babe get your ass out here our parents should be here any minute!" I yell in a joking tone from the living room of the apartment looking down at my watch. Connor runs down the hallway, practically sliding on the wooden floor in his socks and almost running into the couch. I laugh at his goofiness and a smile spreads onto my face as I see my boyfriend and look him up and down. God, I'm lucky.
He turns on his heels so he's facing me and smiles nervously.
"I'm nervous for them to meet." He says and I shake my head.
"Don't be. They're gonna love each other. Well, they better cause I don't think you're going anywhere anytime soon." I adjust the collar on Connor's shirt and he grins at me.
"I love you." He whispers and I run a hand up and down where I know his spine is. I draw on his back with my finger, tracing down his back bone through his shirt.
"I love you too." My voice is barely there, instead I look at Connor breathlessly.
He's beautiful. Green eyes I can get lost in. They look as though his eyes contain millions of trees that stretch on infinitely. His hair is soft and curls slightly, the brown color contrasting and bringing out his eyes. We've been dating officially now for a year. We've both met each others' families before, but today will be the first time they all meet each other. I'm terrified, though I know they'll get on well. Connor keeps insisting that his family will be more embarrassing but honestly, nobody can be more embarrassing than the Mellets.
The doorbell rings and I look at Connor one last time.
"Here we go." I say and walk to the door. As soon as I open it, I'm faced with my mum jumping onto me.
"Tokkie!" She yells out and wraps her arms around me, only letting go when she sees Connor approach. My mum moves onto him instead and I greet the rest of my family, hugging Sage last before I help to grab bags. They're settled in for just minutes before another car pulls up.
In walks the Frantas, displaying a familiar scene as they did with me. I greet everyone with hugs and watch as the ten of them all begin to talk. Our apartment seems instantly smaller with 12 people inside all crowded in one room. I spot Sage from across the room and she stands up and walks with me to the bathroom. We step inside and close the door and she raises a single eyebrow at me.
"Are you doing it?" She whisper-yells and I take a deep breath.
"Yes. I am." I say and Sage instantly smiles.
"Oh my god really? Do you have the ring?" She asks and I nod my head again, delving into my pocket for the small box. I open it up and give it to her to inspect.
"Holy shit Tok. Does he know at all?" I shake my head and look at her and see a glisten in her eyes. Sage knows every part to the story of Connor and I. She knows the heartbreak we went through and the problems we faced. Suddenly her arms are wrapped around my shoulders.
"I'm so proud of you Tokkie." She says, her voice muffled against my shirt. I hug her back, looking over her shoulder and at myself in the mirror.
"Now, let's go out there and get you a fiancé." Sage smiles and I force a smile out. I'm terrified. Holding this ring box in my pocket just feels insane to finally be doing this. Fiance, I think, I like the sound of that. But Connor Franta-Mellet just sounds even better.
〰
I watch the clock tick. Five minutes. My palms are sweating already. From across the table Sage keeps looking at me, giving me small smiles and mouthing encouragements. By now, everyone at the table knows my plan except for Connor of course. I'm sitting next to him, and his hand is on my knee as he sips wine and jokes in the banter of conversation. I chime in every once and a while, drinking lots of water to avoid feeling like I'm gonna puke. Finally, I stand up. The table goes quiet.
"I'd like to make a toast," I say and look at everyone at the table, "To our messed-up, slightly embarrassing family." Everyone smiles and cheers, but I don't sit down and instead look over at Connor. "Well, I guess now comes the time when I reveal to you all why having you all here is so important tonight. I don't know if you guys can tell or not, but I'm pretty in love with the person sitting right here to my left."
I look down at Connor and smile before I turn back to everyone, "And I can sit up here and talk all night about Con but I'm just gonna do something instead alright?" With a reassuring smile to Sage, I turn my body so I'm facing Connor and I reach into my pocket. Slowly I lower myself onto one knee and Connor's eyes grow as big as saucers and his mouth drops open. I smile looking at him and he turns his body so he's sitting facing me as I'm kneeling.
"Connor Joel Franta, you saved me from my worst and now you bring out my best," I open up the small box, "Will you marry me?" The words leave my mouth with ease, and I wonder why I was scared in the first place. Connor nods repeatedly and I stick one hand out to grab his and put the ring on. Slowly I slip the engagement ring onto his ring finger, looking at him the entire time. Everyone in this room is either crying or videotaping, some both. I look up at Connor still and he pulls me into his body and kisses me in front of everyone.
Our families all clap and I look at my boyfriend so in love and grateful for him.
"I love you Troye Sivan Mellet." He whispers and I wipe a tear from his cheek.
"And I love you Connor Joel Franta. Forever." I say and stand up, still holding Connor. He looks at all of our family members around the table.
"You all knew about this?" He yells out and they all collectively nod, "You little fuckers!" My fiancé is still crying tears of joy when our family members all begin to request pictures and hugs.
If you would've told me a year and a half ago I would be engaged to my best friend after we had an affair I would tell you to fuck off. But here I am, having just proposed to Connor and talking with my soon to be in-laws and my family. Sage hugs me, and though the people around us are talking loudly I hear her words loud and clear.
"You did good big bro. I can't wait to be an aunt." I smile and think about that. Me and Connor with a family living the dream. God, I cannot wait to be married to my man.
After the excitement dissipates, my dad stands up and lifts his drink.
"Well, now we really are one big messed up, embarrassing family. To Troye and Connor, the soon to be Franta-Mellets. Or Mellet-Frantas. Whichever works." We all lift our drinks to that and I take a sip of my champagne. Connor and I are now sitting in a single chair, Connor sitting on my lap with an arm draped around my shoulders. I wrap one of my arms around his waist to make sure he doesn't fall off of my lap, and I pull Connor in closer to me.
The scars have healed. No longer do I have nights where I just lay alone and sulk and question everything. I trust myself again, and I've learned to accept the mistake I made. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter that I slept with Connor out of pure lonesome one night. What matters is that we managed to make that work. We managed to move past the fact both of us fucked up and actually fucked and we made a new life. Together. But after everything has resided, I realize one thing.
Perhaps it was all just a papercut.
〰〰〰
AND THATS IT. PAPERCUT IS OVER.
thank you to everyone who took the time to read this book of mine with a horrible updating schedule! I hope you enjoyed it and I can't wait to drop my next short story :) it's already in the works and is coming soon.
lots of love,
madi aka frantamelon
YOU ARE READING
papercut.
Short Storypapercut. typically caused by a sheet of paper, a papercut inflicts a short burst of pain that eventually goes away. not lasting, transient. after a fight with his boyfriend, troye shows up at the apartment of an old friend of his named connor for...
