College Life: Freshman Year

10

Lauren's POV

"Lauren, open your eyes and get dressed."

"Why?"

"I need air."

"There's air in here."

"I need different air."

My girlfriend has officially lost it. I hurriedly get dressed and she leads me outside. We are about fifteen minutes into our quest for air when I finally decide to question her intentions.

"Mani, where are we going?"

"Somewhere. No more questions."

With each step, we go further into seclusion. There is no one in sight and the voices and laughter of drunken college students are getting faint and almost impossible to hear. The lights from the campus buildings keep getting dimmer until we can barely see them. We are two teenage girls, alone at night in a very dark, secluded place on our college campus. I've seen so many scary movies that start out this way.

"Does this remind you of something?" I ask her.

"The time I visited you in Colorado during winter break?"

"Yeah, and we were in the woods and that guy in a hockey mask chased us with a butcher knife."

"And I tripped and he completely started to gain on us," she adds in between laughs.

"So I stopped to help you up and he grabbed me by the hair."

"And that's when the guy took off his hockey mask and we found out it was your brother."

"I honestly thought we were going to be killed right then and there."

"Me too," she says as she squeezes my hand. "I can't believe you came back to save me."

"Of course I did. No knife wielding maniac was going to get my girlfriend."

She gives me a quick kiss on the lips. "You're so perfect."

"I know," I tell her before giving her a more passionate kiss.

We arrive at our destination five minutes later and I can honestly say that I can't tell the difference between this air and the air we were breathing ten minutes ago, but if Normani is satisfied I guess I will have to live with it.

"Have we succeeded on our quest for air, Miss Hamilton?"

"Yes, we have. Now help me set up." She hands me a blanket to spread out on the ground while she rummages through her tote bag and slips something into her pocket. She lays herself down on the blanket and motions for me to join her. The lights in the area are barely bright enough for me to see Normani, but I don't care. I just want to feel her. This is the first moment today that I've been able to relax with her. We are finished with the hype of Valentine's Day. No more awkward silence. No more gift exchanging. Wait, she did say she still had something for me.

I'm about to ask her about that, when I notice Normani's breathing has changed.

"Babe, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a little nervous is all. You know, finals are coming up soon. Gotta prepare."

"Normani, finals aren't for another three weeks."

"Oh," she replies.

I try my best to calm her down. "Don't think about that right now. It's Valentine's Day and we're all alone in a really romantic spot."

The tone of her voice becomes serious. "Lauren, do you love me?"

"With all my heart."

"Do you see yourself still loving me in five years or is this just a college fling?"

"Normani, I still see myself loving you in five hundred years." This statement manages to get a smile from her.

"Lauren, I'm being serious."

"So am I. I plan on preserving us so we live that long."

"Babe!" she says as she rolls her eyes at me.

Normani isn't acting like herself right now and I'm starting to become worried. She has mentioned to me before that there are problems at home. Is that what's bothering her?

"Normani, are you okay?" She nods.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" She answers me with another nod.

Normani cuddles up to me and I hold her closer than I ever have before.

"I always feel so safe with you, Lauren."

"I'm glad you do, Normani. I want to hold you for the rest of my life."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

I know Normani is leading up to something, but what? Suddenly, she sits up and pulls me up with her.

"Ever since I walked into that elevator you were in, I knew I had to make you mine. After that, we became so close in such a short time that it scared me at first. I never imagined myself ever being in love with somebody, let alone somebody as beautiful and caring as you are. You complete me, Lauren, and I can't imagine my future without you by my side. So what I'm trying to say is…" her voice starts to shake and she pulls out the most beautiful ring I have ever laid eyes on. "…Lauren Michelle Jauregui, will you marry me?"

I don't care how juvenile it may be, but I start jumping up and down and screaming, "I'm going to marry Normani! I'm going to marry Normani!"

"I take it that's a 'yes'?" she asks.

I tackle her, which is an easy task since she is already sitting down. "I'm more than ready to be your wife, Normani." She smiles at me and places the ring on my finger. I can't stop staring at my ring, my engagement ring, the ring that lets me know Normani is as serious about our relationship as I am.

"I'm going to be Normani Jauregui. Lauren, I can't wait!"

"Me neither. When are we getting married?"

"When do you want to?"

"Tomorrow."

"Lauren, that's way too soon," she says with a laugh.

I try to give her my most convincing sad face. "Okay," she says, "How about tomorrow we'll start setting a date?"

"Deal."

"Lauren," she tells me as she starts to kiss my neck. "There's a reason I brought you to a secluded place."

"Which is…"

She starts to slowly undo my jeans and place her hand inside the front of my undies. "It's beautiful out here and I want to spend the rest of the night making love to my future wife."