Rising Sun

Epilogue: Hayley

The Ohio State University was slow-moving on the first day of the fall break. The sidewalks were nearly empty save for the few bikes that rode by the dorm windows, and most of the students had left the night before to travel home to see their families for the holiday. There were only a few students left on campus, most of them procrastinating their drive, and Hayley Gibson was one of them. She was packing a week's worth of clothing into her small backpack, carefully trying not to disturb her dad's birthday gift. In the five years they'd lived in Ohio, he had become a Buckeyes football fanatic, and she found the perfect gift for him: an emblazoned jacket with his favorite player's number on the front breast pocket, and a larger print on the back.

Hayley couldn't wait to get home and see her family, she hadn't seen them since the summer. Her parents were doing a smaller-scale Thanksgiving dinner this year in Ohio, instead of going to Denver like they had every year prior. Her grandparents on her dad's side had both passed away within the last year, and they felt it wasn't necessary to travel out to see her aunt and uncle. They were going to try "Skype" instead, which Hayley would have to set up for everyone.

"Man, I should have packed yesterday." She groaned in frustration, realizing she hadn't even packed her toothbrush or makeup, after zipping up the bag. She pushed herself up off the floor and stood on her wobbly legs that had fallen asleep underneath her, and shuffled to the in-suite bathroom. The joys of being a junior in the engineering program included not having to endure the communal freshman hell.

"Don't look at me, I told you to pack a week ago." Hayley peered out of the bathroom door and narrowed her eyes at the guest on her bed. A girl with piercing blue eyes and a heart-shaped mouth stared back at her, with a knowing gaze. Her girlfriend, Mallory, had been trying to change her habit of procrastination for the last two and a half years they'd been together.

The Gibsons had invited Mallory home for Thanksgiving, as they had for the previous two years. She was from England, and hadn't even heard of the concept of a Thanksgiving feast until her sophomore year in the states. She was a year ahead of Hayley, and had transferred to Ohio State to finish her degree during the spring semester of her freshman year.

"Don't test me." Hayley remarked as she walked back into the room with her cosmetics bag in hand, and zipped it up in her pack. She picked the stuffed bag up off the floor, so she could put it down on the bed beside Mallory.

"Or else?" Mallory pried, and Hayley gave her a wicked grin. In one swift motion, Hayley swung her legs up onto the bed, on either side of Mallory's waist, pinning her down. Mallory looked up at her with inviting blue eyes, and leant up to kiss her delicately. Every time they kissed, Hayley felt like it was the first time they were exploring each other, and she was grateful they were alive at the same time. Hayley sat up slowly, and cleared her throat, getting a chuckle out of the brunette underneath her.

"What are you being weird for?" She asked, and Hayley shook her head, biting her lip nervously.

"I'm not weird, shut up." Hayley laughed uncomfortably, and her cheeks flushed furiously. "Okay, I was going to wait until Christmas Eve, but your parents were too excited." She said, and carefully detangled her legs from Mallory, to stand up from the bed.

"What are you on about?" Mallory cocked her head slightly to the side, studying her girlfriend.

"Just close your eyes." Hayley said softly, grabbing Mallory's hands in her own and putting them over her eyes. "No peeking!" She scolded, letting her hands fall. When she was sure Mallory wasn't looking, she inhaled deeply and shook her shoulders out, trying to calm her nerves.

"Hayley, we're going to be late. What are you doing?" Mallory giggled, and Hayley shushed her. She sucked in her breath as she got down on one knee before her. Her hand trembled as she reached for a little velvet box under her bed, and quickly glimpsed at the delicate diamond ring inside. She closed the box again, and felt her eyes brim with tears. She'd saved up for over a year to buy a ring, and couldn't wait to put it on her love's hand, even though she knew they couldn't actually get married. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with Mallory, she wanted nothing more.

"Mallory, open your eyes." She said softly, and Mallory peered between her fingers, her hands dropping instantly as she saw her girlfriend kneeling before her.

"Hayley..." she let out an exasperated breath, and her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Mallory Edwards, I can't wait to start my life with you." Hayley proclaimed. "Please say you'll do the same."

Mallory nodded her head, and cupped her hands around Hayley's cheeks, her forehead dropping to rest on top of her head. "I can't wait to start my life with you." She said, and kissed her on the lips. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, before Hayley pulled back to grab the ring. Mallory extended her left hand, and it glided effortlessly onto her finger.

"Now, we actually are going to be late." Hayley joked, and stood up, grabbing her bag off the bed. Her now fiancé stood up behind her, and kissed her again before they headed out the door, to spend time with their loved ones.

FIN