Rock With You: A Love Story

young love

Belle's POV

Eventually, we decide to go to bed. It's been a long day of travelling for Michael and I so we were shattered.
"I'll take you up." My mom said, walking up the wooden staircase. I follow behind her, Michael behind me, Lexi behind him.
My mom opens the door into my bedroom. She's made the bed beautifully and laid out a bunch of flowers on my beside table.
"Mom!" I squeal, hugging her. "This is so sweet, thank you."
She smiles and Michael I walk in and set down our bags.
"Goodnight, sleep tight. See you tomorrow", she whispers to me, and kisses my head. "Goodnight Michael, please make yourself at home, sleep well." She says, her hand on Michael's shoulder.
"Thank you, Charlotte. For having me and for being so kind." Michael responds, genuinely.
Lexi walks in wearing her blue pyjamas, covered in cartoons of sea animals. She looks exhausted but probably wants to say goodnight.
I walk up to her and kneel down, "Goodnight, Lex. I've missed you so much and I love you loads, sleep tight." I say, hugging her.
She smiles and yawns, "I love you. Good night, Mikey."
Michael chuckles, "Goodnight sweet." My heart can't take this. They already have nicknames.
She goes to bed and leaves me and Michael in our room.
I have a fairly small room, most of it's taken up with my big bed. The ceiling is slanted, fairy lights lining the corners, making it cozy. I have wooden floors with a little beige rug by my makeup table.
I flop onto the bed like a fish and sigh out of exhaustion. Michael does the same next to me.
That's all I remember, I guess we fell asleep or I was too tired to remember what happened next.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
10:27am

I groggily open my eyes, to see the curtains being drawn wide open letting in mass amounts light. I squeal and pull the covers over my head. Michael was fast asleep next to me. His gentle curls perfectly fallen around his smooth face. His lips sweetly parted, his eyes tight shut. He looked just as beautiful as ever.
"It's morning!" I hear, from under the muffled duvet.
"Mom, no." I say.
"We're going into town. Wanna come?" She says, she sounds like she's been awake for hours.
I groan, "We need to sleep, just go without me."
"Okay baby." She says as she shuts the door quietly behind her.
Michael was still sound asleep. I just watched him for a while, as he breathed with pure innocence and beauty. My love.
I soon got up and began to get ready in the bathroom, so I didn't wake Michael. I had a shower and then french braided my hair into two, and applied some makeup. I threw on a pair of loose, patterned trousers and a pink bralette.
I stepped down the creaky stairs, my bare feet tapping on the wood. The house had an aroma of cinnamon candles. I went through the family room into the kitchen.
I got out a couple of plates and placed them gently on the dining table in the corner of the kitchen. I began cooking some bacon, eggs and all the other full English breakfast foods.
Once done, I swing open the kitchen door that led out to the garden. The air felt fresh and floral, making me smile. It was a perfect summers day, I stepped down onto the cold, green grass. I took the plates and placed them on the wooden table on the patio. There was a view of the glassy river, and of the top of town. It was breathtaking.
I turned around to go and awake Michael for breakfast, but apparently he was up already.
He was stepping out the kitchen door, onto the grass in his red fuzzy dressing gown. He was looking at his feet as he slowly walked over to me, and just threw his arms over me for a hug.
We just stood hugging each other, until he spoke, "I love you."
"I love you." I respond. This man is so sweet, that's the first thing he said to me today. I'm so in love.
He plopped down onto one of the four wooden chairs by the table, and smiled.
"You made us breakfast." He gently spoke.
I nod and sit opposite him.
"Thank you baby." He said.
"You're welcome, M", I replied.
We ate our breakfast, the warm sun beaming onto our skin. Michael was all covered up, I don't know how he wasn't too hot.
"Aren't you hot in that?" I say to him.
He shakes his head and carries on eating his hash browns.
"I'm hot in just this outfit." I respond, kind of to myself.
"I don't really do..sun." He said slowly.
"What?" I say confused.
"Well, I have vitiligo. I...can't really just bathe in the sun. It doesn't do as good as it does bad." He says shyly, embarrassed.
"I never knew you had vitiligo. How come you never told me?" I say carefully, knowing it's a sensitive subject for him.
"I thought you might...love me less." He said walking into the house with our plates, I'm following behind him.
He puts down the plates by the sink and looks up at me, with pain in his eyes.
"Michael, you really think that?" I say, hurt.
He nods, not breaking eye contact.
"Michael, I could never love you less than I do right now. You are the best thing in my life, and always will be. I love everything about you, in fact, this only makes me love you more. You're so perfect to me, I don't see any imperfections when I see you. I see a strong, kind, loving, sweet man who I am completely in love with." I say, holding his neck with my small fingers.
He quickly hugs me tightly, his head on my neck. His warm breath makes me smile, my face against his fuzzy gown.
"I love you." He whispers, "More than you'll ever understand."
He pulls away from the hug, and kisses me passionately. I know he meant it. His hands held my head lovingly, as our lips moved perfectly in time. He kisses down my neck and on my collarbone, a gentle moan escapes my lips.
Minutes later, Michael goes up stairs to prepare for the day. We had a late start, but I love that. We also needed that.
Michael's feet creak up the stairs as I begin to wash up the plates.
The front door swings open.
Mom and Lexi walk in, holding loads of shopping bags.
"Wow, why have you got so much?" I say, laughing.
"We're having the family dinner tonight! I told you on the phone when you were in New York, remember?" She says.
I do remember, although I completely forgot until now.
I gasp. "Oh! So the entire family's coming?"
"Yes! Nonna too!" Lexi shouts, jumping up and down. She loves our Nonna.
"Michael's coming too though, right?" I say, unsure.
"Honey, of course. He's apart of the family now. In fact, where is he?"
"Getting ready. And thank Mom, really. He's the best guy I've met."
I gush.
"I know. I can see it in you're eyes how much you love each other.
I'm so happy for you." She says hugging me.
"Thank you Mom." I say.
Lexi walks back in holding a shopping bag, struggling as it's practically the size of her. "Lex! I'll take it." I say grabbing the heavy bag.
"Where's Mikey?" She says to me, happily. She's obsessed.
"Upstairs getting ready." I say, but when I turn back around, she running off. "Lex—!" But she's gone. I hope she doesn't annoy him.
Me and Mom unpack all the shopping into the fridge for a while, and continue catching up considering we were all half asleep last night. We talk about Lexi's soon birthday, my moms yoga friends and everything under the moon. Talking to your mom is truly one of the best feelings.
After a while, I realise Michael and Lexi have been together for around 30 minutes and I haven't heard a peep from either of them. I decide to go up and see what they're doing.
I hear quiet, muffled voices in Lexi's bedroom so I gently push open the door.
Her room is painted a pale blue, her favourite colour. Her bedding has dinosaurs on, and her curtains are covered in polka dots. She has small pieces of furniture, like a mini wardrobe and chest of drawers. Toes and dotted around the ground, her little pink rug is scrunched up from walking on it.
I look to her little bed, to see Michael sat facing away from me. His curls have now been styled and his wearing a blue shirt with black jeans. He's talking to Lexi, but they don't know I'm here.
"How old is he?" Lexi says excitedly.
"He's around 4 now." Michael says gently.
"Can I meet him?" Lex squeals.
"One day. He's gonna love you." Michael says.
"What's he called?" She says, still facing the other way.
"Bubbles." Michael says quietly.
They both giggle and I walk towards them more. I see that Michael is braiding Lexi's hair for her, she's sat with her legs crossed on the bed while he's perched on the edge.
This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I forgot Michael's love for children, and how good he is with them. It makes me imagine a family of our own, I'd love that.
"Does it look pretty?" Lex says.
"It looks so pretty, you look just like you're sister." Michael answers.
Lexi turns and hugs Michael, "thank you Mikey."
"You're welcome, cutie." He says, patting her little head. Her caramel hair is put into tidy French plaits, like mine.
"Belle!" Lexi hops off the bed and runs over to me. "Look at my hair!"
"Wow! It looks so pretty!" I exclaim, impressed with Michael's skills. They look better than mine.
Michael stays sat on the bed and smiles at me. He looks so sexy and cute at the same time.
"When did you learn that?" I say to Michael, smiling.
"Grew up with a lot of siblings. I guess Janet taught me." He shrugs, beaming.
I chuckle and sit on his lap. Lexi runs over and sits on my lap, making a pile of us.
We talk and giggle together, my heart fluttering the whole time.
My mom walks in, "Well what have we got here?" She chuckles.
We all just laugh and smile at her.