Tethered (Book Two of The Invisible String Series)

Forever With You: Part One

You know, since the day I met you my life has never really been the same?

I just wanted to wish you one last Happy Birthday before we get pulled into the mass of chaos that is our house. I love you. More than all the stars in the sky.

-Y/N

I move to place the note with the other, letting my fingers trace over the inked words with a small smile. I really need to go find my girlfriend before she kills me with all this adorableness.

As I open our bedroom door I'm met by the sound of music being played lightly from somewhere in the house, and my eyes catch the small pile of rose petals that have been placed outside the door at my feet and frown. The hell? Did Y/N do this when she slipped that note under the door?

My eyes move past the bedroom doorway, and I notice that the petals aren't just here, but that they're actually forming a path that leads down our hallway and descends past the stairs, where I can no longer follow them with just my eyes. My curiosity gets the better of me, and I follow the pedals down the hall and lean over the banister to try and figure out what the hell is going on. There's no one in sight, and I can see well into the empty living room from here, and this only confuses me further. I do notice, however, that the trail of pedals leads down the stairs and into the main hall.

When I'm at the bottom of the stairs, I lean around the corner to try and see further down the hall, only to have my breath catch in my throat. The hallway has been lined with small tea lights that keep the rose pedals confined to a clear path past the kitchen door, which is oddly closed. We never close it.

Okay, I have no idea what the fuck is going on, but I have a feeling that there's not a birthday party waiting for me at the end of this path.

Following the petals and candles, I push the kitchen door open, only to see the path leading out into the backyard and by the time I reach the patio my heart is almost beating out of my chest at the sight before me.

The normally pebbled path that leads through the yard has been lined, creating a makeshift tunnel out of several metal arches that are linked together with white fabric. The inside is filled with thousands of candles, these ones electric, and flowers and petals alike. I know where this mystery is going to lead me and laugh a little as I step out into the cool night air and glance around me. Our entire backyard has been recreated into something that I can only describe as something out of a dream, or maybe a fairytale that I used to read as a little girl. There's paper mache lanterns hanging from the patio's beams, and as I enter the tunnel I notice that the music is much quieter out here, but can still be heard.

As I make my way through the make-shift tunnel I almost trip over my own feet. Our golden mimosa tree has what looks like thousands upon thousands of pictures strung on lighted strips, and the pictures are softly swaying in the breeze. In the tree's upper branches, more smaller paper mache lanterns have been strung along as well.

It's all so incredibly beautiful, and I force my feet to continue forward until I can grasp onto the first picture that's hanging closest to me. I instantly realize it's a candid picture of Y/N and I that must have been taken by one of our friends at some point. I can't make out enough of the background to try and remember where it was taken, as I'm too busy staring at the two of us. Y/N's head is thrown back as she laughs, and I have a soft smile on my face, along with a look that I can only describe as pure adoration. I flip the picture over, realizing that the date has written on the back of it in Y/N's handwriting, and feel my heart melt.

"That's one of my favorites."

I jump a little at her voice, not expecting to hear it and turn to see Y/N leaning against the end of the makeshift tunnel, a small smile on her face. I let my eyes fall from her captivating eyes, feeling my mouth dry up when I notice how she's dressed. Some simple black slacks and jacket, but it's the lace corset top underneath that accentuates her cleavage that catches my attention. But any and all thoughts disappear from my mind as the younger woman steps closer to me, my eyes fluttering shut when she reaches down and brushes her lips across mine. "Happy Birthday, Lizzie."