hey rockstar

thirty ; valentine

Waiting for Tenley to get home was borderline painful. We relied on Liz to tell us when she left the school which was nearly 5 pm, and all I wanted was for her to come home so I could see her all over again. So I waited, lit the candles and sat in the backyard watching her drive carefully.

Finally her car pulled into the drive and I gotta see her for the first time in two weeks. A red dress on for the holiday, which she hates, and her curls pulled up to fight against the shocking heat. She looked so calm and beautiful doing such a simple thing. As the door opened I turned in my spot, leaning against a pillow to wait for her.

"Butterscotch, what's all this?" her soft voice was echoing as her heels clicked on her flooring. She came through the kitchen door with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. "What are you? I thought you were with...what is going on?"

"I wanted to surprise you," before I could stand she's kneeling beside me with her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. "I know you don;t like Valentine's day-"

"I don't, but you hate it. You didn't have to do any of this, I really wasn't expecting anything. I didn't even know I was going to see you today!"

"Well I wanted to see you. And I wanted to make sure you would have something to remember at least once," she pulls away from me, tears streaming down her face. "Why Are you crying?"

"Because I love you," I can't help but laugh as she cries gently on the blanket shaking her head. "God you're such a dick."

"What!?"

"I didn't get you anything, cause you said you didn't want anything! And I didn't think I was going to see you so I was bummed out all day."

"That's okay, I don't need anything from you - ever," she shakes her head at me, settling her head on my shoulder as she wipes away tears. "Are you done crying? Can i give you your gift?"

"Gift? What do you mean? I thought this was it? And someone cleaned my house so clearly your mum was here," I laugh but nod my head accepting that I don't clean quite as thoroughly as mum does.

"No, I got you a gift, and you can't say no or I'll cry," she rolls her eyes but watches and I pull a small box from behind the pillow. She raises an eyebrow at me as she takes it.

Carefully, and painfully slow she pulls the red bow off the box, opening it even slower. I can see her think through what the item is before I tap it.

"It's one f the touch bracelets. So you touch that and this one," I hold up my left wrist." vibrates no matter where I am. And if I'm not wearing it I get a notification that I missed a touch. I thought it would be nice to have while-"

My words are cut off as her hands reach my face, lips pressing against mine. I kiss her back feeling as more tears fall down her face. I hold back the tears that well in my eyes as she pulls away, pulling the bracelet onto her slim wrist.

"You're a dick," I can't help but laugh at her.

"I love you too," she shrugs, staring at the bracelet. "Do, I planned a picnic for us, I got some sushi from your favorite place, some dessert. There's wine..."

"Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Shut up and enjoy this, we only get a few days," her bottom lip juts out as I stand, going inside for the picnic, a smile on my face.

"I love you for this!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Do you ever think about getting married?" Tenley turns to look at me, her expression almost sure that I am completely drunk as we lay in the backyard watching the stars. I raise an eyebrow back, waiting for her answer.

"Of course I do, I think most people do. DOn't you?"

"I never did before, I kind of thought it was over for me."

"Why?"

"Cause i'm 24. And I have never met someone who I wanted to be with, someone I wanted to have a family with. I thought by 24 my time was kind of over to find everything like that. And being in the public eye all the time, with people watching your every move I was scared to fall in love and have that end again."

"What made you change your mind?"

"I don't even know. I mean you of course you did. From the moment I met you I could practically see our lives together growing and only getting better. So we're two months into this and I wouldn't even hesitate to marry you," I can see her small smile through the darkness, a blanket pulled up over her shoulders.

"Really? I changed your mind that quickly?"

"What can I say, you don't always believe in things until you see them."

"So you really want to marry me?" I only hum in response, waiting to see if she has more to say. "You really do love with your whole heart don't you?"

"It's the best and the worst way to love," I hold up a finger to make a point, resulting in a small chuckle.

"Don't I know it," she looks as though something is weighing on her but rather than pry it out of her I wrap an arm around her. "What about kids?"

"Lots of kids. As many kids as possible. Enough to have a little football team," she laughs and shakes her head at me. "Okay, then just a few? How many do you want?"

"Maybe three? Four? As long as there's more than one."

"Being an only sucked hey?" she nods her head. "Boys or girls?"

"Split. Even maybe. At least one girl - and she would be your favorite."

"If she's like you she'll be my favourite..." her sigh is heavy, leaning into my touch. "What about names, do you have any you really gotta have?"

"No, not yet. What about you?"

"I don't know. I like kind of unique names but not so bad they end up making the news-"

"Like North west? Or Kulture?" I laugh but not my head.

"I agree. Some unique names are worth it and some aren't. I think naming people is hard."

"Oh no doubt, what if they hate their name so much they change it? Or what if the name you pick out doesn't match them as they get older?"

"Sudden;y I don't want to name my children," her laugh is bubbly as she looks at me. "I think names with some kind of hidden little meaning are the best."

"I went to a school with a girl called Honey, because that's what her parents called one another..." I nod my head slowly.

"So like, Olive Darling..." she tilts her head, surprised at the name.

"That's...that's actually really pretty? How did you do that?"

"You inspire me, darling."

"You're so cheesy, oh my god," I laugh, squeezing Tenley tightly.

THIRTY ONE -