Current Time: 1:24 pm
The truck door opened. I waved my arm around as the cold air swarmed around my face. His hand tugged mine. My feet were airborne as I jumped out. He grabbed my waist as I reached the ground. The snow around my ankles. I could feel the water seeping into my leggings. He urged my path. Each step, I was knee deep in snow. A few steps slicked over with ice. His arm around my waist he guided me to a door. “Wait right here” he muttered placing my hand on the door handle. The sound of his footsteps trailing through the snow into the distance. I started to panic. Where the hell was I? He wouldn’t lead my blind. I am blindsided, open, and vulnerable. I can’t see anything. He can’t leave me…
Current time 1:27
I heard keys jingling as someone, or maybe something advanced toward me. Heavy breathing, cold air swirled around my face and the jingling was in my domain. I stood completely still, wondering if this was a part of the test. The keys entered the lock, the tumbler clicked. And his hand touched mine. I imagined his face. Replayed the sound of his voice in my head as I stood in silence. Listening to the sounds of the road, of the birds, the trees. The wind.
1 Hour Before…..
Doorbell. I heard a mutter of voices as the door opened. My mother’s voice echoed through the hallway. “She’s in her room” I sat quietly. The TV lighting my room. My Christmas tree in sequence with the music on TV. Her face shined in the door. “Hey Britt.” I exclaimed. Her face was solemn. “What’s wrong?” I spoke with urgency. “I need you to get up and get dressed, Darryl has a surprise for you.” She spoke with little emotion. It was almost as if she was a robot. I stammered a slur of words. “Don’t ask questions. Put something cute on. And hurry up.” I stood up from my bed. Making my way to the closet. “Hurry up, I am going to speak with your mom. I’ll be right back.” She turned into my mother’s room shutting the door behind her. My heart pounded through my chest as I searched through my closet. Each article of clothing stirring memories, fears, wants, hopes, wishes, and most of all dreams. I pulled my clothing from my closet. Laying it on my desk chair, I undressed in the mirror. I pulled my pajama shorts down, nearly tripping over the rug. I pulled my tights up. And a black baby doll dress over my head. I smiled for the mirror. Adjusting my boobs into the deep V neck of the dress I was wearing. Combed my hair into the perfect position. Applied chap stick. Grabbed my black clutch, and threw things into it frantically. I pulled my new red pea coat over my shoulders. Buttoning 2 of the buttons leaving the 3rd open to expose the plunging lines of my dress. I grabbed my clutch and turned around. To the clicking of my mom’s door as the handle turned and my best friend appeared.”You ready?” I nodded. “Well let’s ride but, before we go wear this.” She wrapped a blind fold around my eyes. Her hand grabbed mine as she led me down the steps. My mother’s voice echoed down the walkway as we sped toward the truck. “Good luck baby and I love you”
Current Time: 1:32 Pm
The cold air from the outside counteracted with the warm air of the door. He pulled me inside and the door slammed behind us. His hand led me down some steps his voice guiding. ”Step down” he spoke lightly. Another door opened, and we walked. His arm around my waist leading me in the right direction. He halted me in a stop. And removed my blind fold. I opened my eyes to the brick walls and hallways of my high school. The tech center. I immediately knew where we were. I had no idea why we were there. “Lana,..” I snapped my head in his direction. Before I could mutter a word, he started to speak. “Mr. B know we are here. He gave me the keys to the building. So that I could do this for you.” He was dressed to my liking. In my favorite outfit. Wearing the things I remembered seeing him in. The things that I noted that I liked. Over a year of conversation he still remembered my favorite outfit. And was wearing for me. For this moment. “Lana, I brought you here to make things right. I know I haven’t always been the perfect person. I know that a lot of the things I have done have hurt you.” I looked to the left to see my homeroom. Darryl’s hand reached for the door. Opening the classroom I remembered. All the way down to the smell. He walked me into between the exact place. Across the room from our original seats. He wrapped his arms around me.
”Lana this is where we first met. And if I could I would go back and change so much about what happened but then I might not change anything at all. I’m normally not the one to talk to you about my emotions. And I am rarely the first to make it clear. But, I love you. Every day, well I wouldn’t say everyday but you’re the one I would and could never forget.” My eyes swelled with tears and the fell down my cheeks. His hand wiped away my tears. I wanted to hug him so tight and tell him I love him too but I was awestruck and had no idea what word to use. I couldn’t be eloquent in this situation. The bell rung. It was 1:44. Directed study. Homeroom. Where we met. The first day I set eyes on him, and had no idea he would be the man I loved. And had no idea what we would be or where we would go but I knew it would mean so much to me. My head overflowed with thoughts. He pulled away from me, and began to speak again. “I know I’m stubborn but for a chance I’m going to do something your way.” He dug in his pocket. Pulling out a little velvet box. He kneeled down, looking up into my eyes. I held back what was son to me head over heels over exaggerated ridiculous amounts of crying. He opened the box, inside was a silver ring, a-lined with diamonds. They sparkled against the florescent lights. My heart stopped beating. “Will you accept this ring, in this spot, to make a better life for ourselves? Not to erase the past but, to embrace our future. I want you to know that I’m here to stay. That I want to be here with you till the end. I never want you to forget what happened but I want you to remember who WE are.”
“Yes” I stumbled. He stood up pulling the ring from the box. He placed on my finger. It was a perfect fit. Perfect for us. Perfect for the moment. I fell into his arms. Crying lightly into his coat, he muttered to me. “Do I get points for making you cry?” I smiled at him. His lips lightly grazed my cheeks, he muttered I love you. Kissing my cheek, he reminding me once again. “I love you”
