How to Help Howell?

Part 38

Dan

I was really enjoying my newfound confidence. I used it for the better, which, most of the time, was helping out Phil.

I realized that we really do need each other to make us strong. So after a few more weeks of pure bliss after Matt was taken away and it was just me and Phil smiling and laughing, just happy to be together, I knew I had to make a decision.

If Phil ever left me, I'd surely go crazy again. I was almost positive Phil would never just get up and leave. But we were in love. And I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life. For infinity. That's what we were. There's no other way to describe the two of us. Infinite.

So I did what any sane man would do and I snuck into his room while Phil was sleeping and stole the ring I gave him when I asked him to be my boyfriend.

I looked at the sad little ring, Worn from use and kind of plain for the plan I had in mind. I head straightaway to the jewelers for the ring to be cleaned and snazzed up a bit.

I handed it to the trustworthy man behind the counter and told him what I wanted to do with the ring. He agreed with my plan and took the ring into the back of the shop to be fixed up. He came back to the front and told me it would be a few days or so. That would give me enough time to think of the perfect procedure to get the ring back to Phil. I would need the perfect method to ensure that Phil would forever be mine.

I drove back home in the dark and when I opened our door, at first glance, I thought we had been robbed.

The entire flat had been torn apart, cushions thrown everywhere, tables knocked over, and magazines and books scattered out on the floor.

"Phil, are you okay?" I called instinctively, making sure we weren't actually robbed.

"No, I'm freaking out!" he came running into the room with messy hair and bloodshot eyes with bags under them.

"What happened, what's the matter?" I rushed over to him, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I can't find the-" he stopped to sniffle. "The ring you gave me with the stars on it, it's gone!" he sounded panicky. I couldn't ruin the surprize, so I just tried to calm him down.

"Oh, Phil, we'll find it, don't you worry about a thing. Hey, it's pretty late, what do you say we go and see some real stars, huh? Haven't visited the fountain in a while."

His tired expression quickly transformed into an excited one, a new light behind his eyes that wasn't there before.

"You're so smart. Let me get dressed, I'll be ready in a minute." he went back to his room in a rush to get prepared for our 'date'. The whole time he was gone, I was just thinking of perfect ways to propose. But would he even say yes? What if he wasn't ready, or if he didn't like me enough?

Before any of these thoughts could get to my head, Phil strolled out of his bedroom sporting his usual black skinny jeans, a dark blue hoodie, and a scarf, very keen to spend time with me. With just that energetic and eager look in his eyes, all doubt that I had was diminished. Phil loved me. And he would say yes.

We head out, making our way to the fountain all the while playfully bumping into each other and avoiding stepping on the cracks as we walk along the pavement. After what felt like no time at all, we arrived at our safe haven.

The old, small,  stone fountain in the middle of some square of shops. It was underappreciated, just passed by and sat on by people who didn't really give it as much of a second glance. But this fountain has made our relationship grow to higher heights than ever possibly imagined.

We sat down on the fountain, automatically wrapping arms around each other's shoulders as we looked up to the dark sky to see the most intricate design of small white dots scattered across the black surface, creating an abstract, yet insightful view of the universe around us.

I turned my head and I saw Phil, the love of my life, my everything. And he was staring back at me, smiling wide and a small droplet forming in his eye. Maybe it was because I saw Phil tearing up, or maybe it was because of the powerful feeling that just overtook me, or maybe I was just really tired, but I felt tears developing in my eyes as well.

I looked at him, and he looked at me. And we were home. We were complete. We were infinite.

"Phil," I whispered, face now only a small ways from his own. "We are infinite."