Chapter 17
Mike's POV-
I sat with my arm around Raven's shoulders as we cheered for Free Rain's football team. It was the last quarter, and they were still going stronger than ever. Raven turned to her new friend, Austin, beside her. I was glad that she was facing her school with a friend by her side. Times like this I wish I could have had the same good fortune.
She turned back to me and kissed my cheek, happiness showed through her eyes, as the people around us clapped for our team.
"I love you."
I smiled brightly and kissed her forehead, "I love you too, Raven."
We both turned back to the fresh green field, just as the time widdled down to a measly ten seconds. The star Quarterback was running with every fume he had left. All of the people in the stands, on both sides of the field, stood to their feet.
A few people around us were booing our star, others were clapping and fist-pumping, encouraging the Quarterback to get over that last yard-line, for the last touchdown.
He was only twenty yards away now.
Fifteen...
Ten...
Only five left...
I began to shout along with the other people, only paying attention to the Quarterback. He was just about over that very last line to make the touchdown when he dived, getting tackled to the ground.
I cheered, bringing Raven into my arms as people around us began to gasp and clap loudly. From the response of the crowds, this could have been a professional game.
"We pumbled them!" Raven's beautiful voice floated up to my ears, above the crowds yells.
I turned to the scoreboard, the final score was 52-23. I smiled and hugged Raven again, feeling her wrap her arms around me, hugging me tightly.
~~ ~~ ~~
Austin took a seat across from me, and his date sat across from Raven. The girls were making small talk, about classes and future plans.
"So, how long have you and Raven been together?"
I smiled and looked over at Raven, feeling my heart swell with love. "For about a year."
He nodded his head and looked over at his date, Katherine.
"Let's hope Kat and I will last that long." Hearing her name, Katherine looked over at Austin; there was something glistening in her eye as she looked at him.
"When are you guys gonna tie the knot?" Austin asked, Katherine automatically turned to me, her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened.
"You guys are already engaged?!" Katherine laughed giddily, her eyes had lit up at the sound of marriage.
I turned to Raven to find she was already looking up at me. Raven smiled and turned to Katherine, showing her the ring.
"It's only been a couple of weeks." Katherine took Raven's hand in hers and inspected the ring, gushing at it's shine.
I saw Austin smile and shake his head, taking a deep breath.
"Make sure to keep that one." I pointed to Katherine who was still blushing.
"She seems like a good one." Austin smiled and nodded his head, moving closer to Katherine as she asked Raven about our relationship.
"It was hard at first, my mom was never there to give advice. It was all my step mom, that's all she did when I was around, ask about Mike." She turned to me and laughed, "I should probably go and spend some time with her and my other family. Just to get away from all the chaos."
"What do you mean chaos?"
A small smile appeared on Raven's face, though it showed how sad she really was.
"My mom just passed away a couple weeks ago, which left my younger brother and sister to live with my dad and step mom a couple hours away. Then I moved in with Mike, to stay close to him. And now school is in, and my brain is on overload."
I rubbed Raven's back slowly as she propped her elbows on the decorated table. The decorations were varied colors of orange, black and red; the colors of a too-soon Halloween.
"Ya know, when I moved here, I felt like it was overwhelming too. It gets easier when you get use to the people, to the way a private school operates, the big city... ya' know?"
I nodded, knowing exactly what Katherine meant. When my parents moved us from the small town that I was born in, we moved to a big city. The minute I got out of my dad's car, I was in the shadow of the biggest building I'd ever seen!
Other people started to fill large tables around us as the game's crowds started to feel hungry. The parties around us filled tables the size of a couch!
The waitress appeared with our food balancing on her arms, looking dishevelled.
"Here ya go! Do you guys need anything else?" We all shook our heads, and she set off to check on her other tables.
"So, were you guys planning to wait until Raven finishes high school to get married?" Katherine asked, picking a French fry off of Austin's plate and popping it into her mouth.
I looked over at Raven, who looked like she was thinking. She turned to me and smiled, pecking my cheek before inspecting her food.
"We really haven't talked about it. I mean, we are both in school, and we've only been dating for 'bout a year--" I started to say.
"It might be some time after I get through college. So we can get a steady life going, get the money settled, think of a future. Ya' know?" Raven talked like she had it all figured out, though I knew she was only wingin' it.
Katherine nodded and we ate silent for a couple minutes before picking up another topic. Throughout dinner, we shared a few more laughs, talking about each other's past. Raven's smile never faded through dinner, which in turn made me smile so much that my cheeks began to hurt.
We got home around midnight, and curled up on the couch to watch the David Letterman Late Night Show before falling asleep, loving that tomorrow didn't start with a early awakening.
A/N~ So I hope you guys really like Mike and Me! I'm maybe gonna get 20 chapters in.... maybe a few more. BUT! {there's always a but} I know there is definitely gonna be an epilogue!
