Life of Max ✔️

Thirty-five

DEAN

I'm so damn nervous. I shouldn't be. I've been with Ives for six months, and we love each other, and we're really serious about each other. Still I'm nervous to ask her to come on tour with me this summer. I'm a little worried she'd be bored, though, since I'll probably be practicing and playing a lot, but I can't even think about being away from her for two months.

I've wanted to ask her this for so long, ever since I found out we were going on tour, but I've put it off until I was one hundred percent sure it was okay for the other guys and our new management. They said it wasn't an issue if we shared accommodations, and she is really small, so she'd fit perfectly on my lap if we ever needed to save space for some reason in the bus.

I realize that it's probably stupid, and I'm kind of worried she'll think I want to propose to her, which I do, some day, but that would be way too soon right now.. Right? But I've prepared a picnic by the stream. We haven't been here much during winter, but since the cold left and the warm weather slowly came back, we've been here a lot.

I'm just waiting for her to walk up through the light woods, in the cute, flowery summer dress she wore to book club today. I said I needed about five minutes to prepare before she could come up here for our lunch break, and I don't have class later, either, since we're done with the final assignment for that class.. So I can stay out here all day with her, if she wants to.

Shit, I'm whipped.. I'd do anything for her.

I take a deep breath, and look over the scene one last time. I don't have time to do anything else with it, so this will have to do. I have set up some candle-jar-things here and there, a huge blanket on the ground, a cooler with a few sandwiches from the cafeteria and water, which isn't too fancy, but I know she likes it. Fuck, I wish it was better..

I hear some rustling behind me, and spin around.

No time to make any changes now, I think as I see her walking through the trees and the green leaves. I'll never get tired of seeing her. Her smile is wonderfully big, and her blonde hair is hanging loosely down her shoulders. It's been a while since she touched up her roots, so her natural color, the one she hates, is showing, but she seems not to mind it too much. I love her either way. She could have green and red spots in her hair and I wouldn't think she was any less beautiful. Maybe a little odd, but that doesn't stop me from loving her.

As she comes closer, her smile grows, and she looks around us at the setup. I swallow nervously, and reach out to hold her hand, while she takes it all in. She then turns to me, still smiling, and her eyes are glistening with emotions.

I put my hand up to caress her cheek, and I can't help but return her smile. She makes me so happy, it's crazy. I can't ever see my life without her, so if she doesn't want to come with me this summer, I don't know what I'll do. Maybe I'll travel back and forth.

"This is amazing," she whispers to me, and kisses the corner of my mouth softly. "Is there a special occasion or something?"

"No, I just love you, and wanted to surprise you," I answer, smiling down at my girl.

"I love you too," she says, and I lean in for a kiss.

The kiss is soft, but filled with love and adoration from both of us. I'm so in love...

I need to stop being so sappy, and ask her if she wants to come. I need to really sell it, though. I don't want to be selfish, either, but I can't handle the thought of not seeing her at all.. If she doesn't want to go, that's completely fine. We'll probably call each other, and text, and video chat whenever we're both free. She has been talking about seeing as many of the shows as she can, so I know she wants to support me, but I'm not sure she would want to drive around with me and a bunch of men for two months straight...