A Million Reasons (Clony)

Chapter 24

-A Year Later-

The freshly fallen leaves blew across the cemetery. She had a tombstone now. Hannah Baker. Never seen again. I had intended to do this alone, but, instead I stood with Tony holding me as I was crying.

I have no idea how long we stood there. Maybe a few minuets. Maybe a hour. By the time I realized we had been there for a while the sky was darkening.

I turned to the sound of a car on the loose road running through the graveyard. Miguel got out of his car and walked over to us. Jeff soon followed with a brown paper bag he placed on the bench.

We all hugged each other.

"I know I didn't know her and I can't even begin to imagine how hard it is. But I would like to do something if that's okay with you?" Miguel spoke up. I nodded.

The first star appeared in the sky.

"Where I grew up, we celebrate a persons life." He grabbed the bag bringing out candles, a picture of Hannah, golden flowers, a coffee cup, and skulls?

He handed me a box of matches.

"Would you like to do the honors?" I kneeled on the ground with Tony beside me. I struck the match and it lit on the first strike. My hand shook like a earthquake was controlling my body. Tony stabilized my hand with his and we lit the candles together. Mig placed the coffee cup beside her headstone. "It's traditional to have the persons favorite food or drink. Jeff told me she liked hot chocolate from Monet's." I nodded again. He continued to decorate the altar until it was a beautiful radiant of golden light. Aztec Marigold flower petals were sprinkled about.

He stood up and looked at me, walked over and hugged me. I bursted into more tears and Tony took over. I fell to the ground on top of him. The whole time he was gently caressing me. "Come on, let's go home."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey you know what today is?" Tony asked me, on the way home from school. He has been spending the night at my house a lot for the past month. "The one year anniversary of our 'third' slash 'first' date."

"Oh yea." I smiled at him. He took me home and sent me to my room for some reason. I walked up the stairs, looking at him, questioning with my hands and eyes. He just gestured to keep going up.

When I opened my door I gasped as I saw a black tux neatly spread across my bed. On the tux was a note:

Put this on and meet me downstairs.
                                           -Tony.

I hurriedly changed into the tuxedo and walked down the stairs and found Tony at the bottom, hair combed neatly as always, also wearing a suit.

"What are we doing..?"

"You'll see."

~*~

"We are going on our first date again?"

"Yep. I had to babe." He kissed me, leaning over. "Wait here." He got out of the car, and opened my door, grabbing my hand and pulling me out.

"Mr. Padilla?" The waiter asked. Tony nodded and the waiter.

"Clay, I want this night to be exactly how it was a year ago."

And it was. We got the same food and I sat next to him instead of across the table the same as last time. After dinner we walked the rest of the way down the pier to watch the sunset.

"I know I said I wanted this night to be exact-" he started. "I guess I lied. There is one thing I want to do differently."

"What?" I said finally peeling my eyes off the sunset to meet his gaze. But I didn't. I looked down to find him on his knee.

"Clay." He reached into the breast pocket of his coat and brought out a small box. "Will you be mine?" He opened the box and revealed two silver rings that both had infinity signs engraved all the way around the band. I felt my vision get blurry.

"I already am." I hugged him and he lifted me up and spun me around. Kissed me, and that moment seemed as if it were infinite.

Super sorry for being gone for 84 years. Yeaaaaaa... well schools back in session so you know what that means. Like, no updates.
                                        ~Jonathan.