That One November Night

Chapter 39: That one November night

She was there already...

Stood alone, freezing amongst the crowd. Beaming like a cupid had just shot her with an arrow intended for me. Beautiful. Nothing but beautiful.

Looking down at the ground as she often did these days, while trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone – truly an innocent child. She had text me saying she had arrived about fifteen minutes ago after I stupidly told her to meet me there rather than driving down together which would have been more romantic. I just listened to what Rob said rather than considering it first. Yeah, I didn't think about that now did I?

As I began jogging over, a florescent green twizzler spun into the air grabbing her attention as her head lifted and the hair covering her eyes fell back like a pair of curtains opened to the morning sunrise. Wanting to waste no more time - I went up to her and just told her what was honestly the first thing on my mind, "Hey, you look stunning". She grinned before waiting for the green glow to dullen before turning to me, "You'd be late to your own wedding" she joked. I hope to god she was joking; it was so ironic given the timing of this evening. Grabbing her hand arm, I noticed that the oversized jumper she was wearing over the super sexy black legging and wedge heels was in fact mine. Looked better on her.

From the middle pocket came one of her hands so that I could have the pleasure of holding it in mine.

***

With the smile stretched from cheek to cheek in a never ending cycle, it was obvious that I was paying more attention to her than to the fireworks but I couldn't stop myself. It was hard to resist her: impossible to resist her – for half the night I hadn't even paid any attention to the fireworks blowing up in the sky; I was too focused on her. I wasn't sure if it was just because I always wanted to look at her or if it was the fact that her reaction was the only thing I was looking for tonight. Either way, I knew that if I were going to ask then I had to do it before the night was over. It was set in stone. Inevitable.

I took in a breath and pulled her body closer to mine, with a slight glance over her shoulder to see me, I saw the sparkle in her eyes as she noticed I wanted her closer.

A bright fuchsia sizzler spun into the air. It began rising into the navy blue sky.

I lowered my face onto her shoulder. "I love you," my voice was squished by the popping of the firework. Had she even heard me? Embarrassing.

The firework had exploded just as I opened my mouth and she was perhaps too fixated on the spilling eruption to pay any attention to what I said. Distracted by colours. Well I knew she was exultant at least and with the night soon to be drawing to a close I sucked it up and went even closer to her ear, "Guinevere, I love you," my voice was low and husky but hopefully it wasn't frightening. From the nervous, I knew that I had already been biting my lips – just as I called her name it had started to bleed– without intention the whole situation had made me nervous. I swallowed immensely pulling my head away from hers, it wasn't as if I never said it so I just assumed she thought nothing of it. Maybe I said it too much and came across as needy? Oh gosh, if she thinks I'm needy then does she really love me? How can I be sure?

With a light giggle, she turned to me. Her long brunette hair captured by the wind, almost falling from her low messy bun as she did so. "I did hear you Connor," her child like expression was fixed on mine like a sheep dog to its herd. I felt myself smiling back as a set of three fireworks were lifted into the air. By surprise, Gwen hadn't turned around to watch the display (not even flinched) as she had been doing the rest of the night. From behind her, I watched them rise into the sky and for just a second I saw what she had gotten so fixated on each year. The swift rise into the air, the separation of the types and then the gust of colours which fall back into the atmosphere. I completely forgot for a moment that she was staring directly at me and not the night sky of handcrafted illustrations.