The Desired Effect ~ Cameron Liddell

Chapter 3. "Rings"

The woman of my dreams. Well, girl. She's still only 17. Is she a virgin? I don't think so. I don't even know. But she's so amazing. I had dreams about all of this happening before. But I could never put a name or a face to the love of my life. And now I don't have to dream anymore. She's mine. She's going to be mine forever. She's going to marry me. I couldn't stop smiling like a complete fucking idiot.

"Why did you do that?" Naomi clung to my arm as we walked down the street.

"He deserved it. I'm never going to let anyone hurt you." I said surely. She held on tighter. The dripping sensation in my knuckles was probably my blood pouring beneath my skin from punching Danny, but his face hurt more. He didn't even hurt me, she muttered. I'm gonna scare her away. What if she's going to be afraid of me now? What if I just ruined everything by trying to defend her? I don't know how any of this stuff works.

"Are we gonna get rings and everything?" Naomi changed the subject.

"We can go get them tomorrow if you want. Then I was thinking we could probably get everything set for Saturday."

"What's on Saturday?" She looked up at me with her big round eyes.

"To do the wedding."

"That's in three days..."

"And?" Does she think this is moving too fast? I just wanna marry her. I just want to start our life together as soon as possible. I just want her to be my wife and I wanna start our forever together. She had to stand on her toes to kiss my cheek.

"Get in the bloody fucking RV!" James screamed at us from the driver's seat as he slowed down on the street beside us. He stuck his arm out the window and banged on the side of the door. We got in our bunk and skillfully avoided anyone who wanted to ask a question about Danny's bloody face and my bruising knuckles, and I pulled Naomi close.

"Nomes?"

"Yeah?" She smiled up at me. "Whatever it is, yes."

"You don't even know what I was gonna ask."

"I don't care." I went right for it and kissed her, moving myself on top of her. She kissed me back softly and I started to grind against her.

"I want you." I mumbled into her ear, already breathing heavily. I was never great at initiating or seducing anyone in any way, but I figured if we were getting married I may as well do my best. When I started sliding my hand into her jeans she grabbed my wrist.

"Mmm... What were you going to ask?"

"I was gonna ask if you're a virgin." Every word that came out of my mouth felt stupid when I was talking to Naomi. I could never say anything as nicely, or romantically, or poetically as I wanted to. I asked her to leave her life behind and join me and the band on tour for an entire summer by asking if she wants to hang out for a long time. I asked her to marry me while we were sitting in front of the RV, without a ring. I could never do anything good enough for what I thought Naomi deserved, but in my head, the sooner we got married, the sooner I could begin trying for the rest of our lives.

"Oh." She muttered, her eyes darting around the dark bunk.

"Well... are you?" She nodded yes. "Oh. Okay." I moved off of her and lied on my stomach beside her.

"I mean, I've done other stuff. Just not- is that weird?"

"No, you're only 17." I looked at her.

"W- how old are you again?"

"20." It's not weird. Does she think it's weird? I only just turned twenty. It's basically a two year difference. Three legally. And it's not illegal. It's just love. I tried to kiss her cheek but she turned her head and our lips collided. When neither of us pulled away she tangled one of her hands in my hair and put the other one on the back of my neck.