Pretty Eyes & Bow Ties

Surprise Parties

The school year ended yesterday and while other kids tossed books in the garbage cans and celebrated, I got to thinking.

I have four days.
Four days until Eri's birthday. His birthday the day before he gets on that plane and leaves me.

All the family's things had been packed and safely shipped to their new home in Washington, just waiting for them.

So I had plans to send him off with a bang.
-
"Streamers?"
"Check." Karma grinned, tapping something on her phone.
"Gifts?"
"Check."
"Cake?"
"Check."

She stopped and turned me around, fixing my bowtie.
"Amazing datefriend who loves him with all their heart."
"Karma! We're not dating."
"Ya'll practically are!"

I smacked her hands away but smiled nonetheless.

"So everyone should be coming-"
"PARTY'S HERE BITCHES!" Rye screamed from the doorway of my house.
"-soon." I finished lamely.

In ten minutes everyone was collected in my living room. All of Eri's friends, my parents, Estrella and a special guest I had gotten thanks to a little help from the certain soft hearted police officer and warden.

"He's coming!" Estrella hissed, putting her phone down.
Diego had taken Eri and the twins out to get ice cream for the eldest boy's birthday before he was meant to come over to my house so we could just 'hang out together'.

Everyone dove into hiding spots while I waited for the knock on the door.

I grinned as I heard the faint rasp of knuckles against the wood.
"Hey!" I greeted inconspicuously, leading Eri and the others in.
"Diego, my dad does have that tool your looking for. They're in the living room."

I lead them into the dark room and watched Eri's brow furrow before his eyebrows shot to his hairline when everyone yelled "SURPRISE!"

He jumped back and grabbed my shoulder, completely taken aback.
"W-what?"

He looked around at all the faces, at all the people that love him, before locking eyes with me.

"Did you.."

I nodded with a grin.
"Yes. It's all for you. And this isn't even the biggest surprise."

I lead him deeper into the room where the mound of gifts sat, all surrounding a giant box.

"Open it. The big one." I urged.

With slow careful movements, he unwrapped it,  stepping back and slapping a hand over his mouth when he saw what was inside.

"Hey, hermano."

Romero carefully climbed out of the box, pulling his starstruck brother into a bear hug.
It took him a moment before Eri hugged back hard, sobbing into his brother's shirt.

"I-I th-thought..."
"Haven and Estella pulled some strings with the warden." 

He stepped back and lifted his leg to show off the house arrest anklet strapped to it. "And I have to go back in a few hours but it's enough time to spend your birthday with you."

Eri gave a watery laugh then turned back to me.
"You did all of this?"
I nodded again, at a loss for words.
He stepped forewords and  pulled me into his chest.
"Thank you. Thank you." He cried, making me cry and hug back.

Estrella and Dad sniffled in unison and wiped their teary eyes, Diego and Pops holding their respective partners close to them.
"What are we all standing here for?!" Eri finally shouted as he stepped back.
"Let's party!"

We ate. And laughed. And sang. And celebrated the existence of one of the most amazing  boy's I've ever met.

It stuck me when everyone was curled up together either on the floor or couches watching a movie.

My best friend, th-the love of my life, Eri...is gonna leave.  It sounded cliche and sappy but the thought made me tear up and have to step outside for awhile.
It hit me hard.

I sat outside for a good twenty minutes, watching my breath fog around me and feeling the tears track down my cheeks.
He's gonna leave.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

I glanced up to see Eri staring at me.
"N-nah. Go ahead." I mumbled, lowkey wiping the drying tear tracks off my cheeks and silently thanking whatever god convinced me not to wear makeup today.

He delicately took a seat on the short brick wall with me, sitting so close that I could feel the heat radiating off of him.

"Thank you. Again. For everything."
"It was nothing."
"No. Seriously. You did so much. Too much. All for...me." He spat the last word out, the monosyllabic phrase dripping in confusion.
"Of coarse I did it for you." I shot back.

I love you.

"I love you."

We both gasped in unison, mine being slightly sharper then his.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to say that! I just meant I love you as like fr-"

My last words were muffled...by the mouth that connected with my own. I squeaked in surprise, pulling away.

Eri was shaking, fear clear in his eyes.
"I'm sorry." He whispered.   "I-I shouldn't've-" I grabbed his face, urgently pressing our mouths together once again, leaving him to be the one who flinches in surprise this time around.

It was soft. His lips. His breaths.His hands on my cheeks. He was just so god damn soft and slow and beautiful and yet he kissed with so much unspoken emotion and love that I hadn't even noticed I started crying until he swiped his thumbs over my cheeks as he continued to kiss me.

He is going to leave

When we did finally pull away he stayed close, pressing our foreheads together.
"I-I love you." He panted, absolutely breathless. 
His eyes met mine, glittering in the low light of the moon. So pretty and alluring that I couldn't help but smile and kiss him again, a short and sweet peck like all our other kisses had been, though they had never been on the mouth. 

  "It's about time!" 

We jumped away from each other, finding the entire party watching us. Eri turned away bashfully, my hand finding his and intertwining our fingers.

"I know, huh?!" I called back making everyone laugh.
-
By midnight everyone cleared out. Everett arrived with his new van and long healed arm to come pick up our friends, a few police officers arrived earlier and took Romero back, Diego took the kid's home and Estrella and Eri stayed to help us clean up.

When it was time for him to go, Eri leaned down and kissed my forehead, the tip of my nose, then finally my lips. The feeling, the knowledge of who was kissing me, still made my head spin. The sweetest most wonderful and handsome boy in the world loved me...and was going to move to Washington...tomorrow.

-

I was up until the wee hours of the morning...thinking.

Everyone had given their last goodbyes to Eri and his family before they left the party. Karma and Eden cried. Benny was close to it. Romero had bid his family safe travels and a 'See you soon.'. I'm going to the airport tomorrow by Eri's request to send him off.

Send my ,literal boyfriend of four hours, off to live across the country for god knows how long.

For the first time in months, I cried myself to sleep.