Are You Happy Now? - Part 1 (COMPLETED)

Chapter 17: "Penny and Me"

I kept going back to the time when she and I were together and how happy we were. We had so many dreams. I never gave up hope on that future even after I got married to Natalie. I thought somehow Natalie and I were going come to a mutual agreement to end our marriage and I would find my way back to Michelle and we would pick up right where we left off, but there was no point in living in a fantasy that I know now will never become reality. We're both married now, but to different people.

I took a break from writing and I walked over to a chest that I have stored away in the back of the attic. I opened it and I grabbed some photos from within the box. I smiled as I turned them over.

The pictures were mostly of Michelle, I'm in some of them, but they're mostly of her. I loved taking pictures of her. She would get mad at me sometimes because I would always have the camera on her. I couldn't help it, I wanted to document as much I could of our time together.

As I scanned through pictures smiling as I looked at them relieving those moments, there was one picture that stopped me dead in my tracks. I forgot about this picture. I smiled as I reflected back on this particular moment.

(Flashback)

New Year's Eve, 2001-Tulsa, OK

It was just another New Year's Eve party that my parents threw inviting about 50 of our close family and friends. Usually I would get bored at these parties, because there was really nothing to do here. Ike, Zac, and I would always beg our parents to please let us go to a friend's house to watch a movie or something, but our parents said 'no', because we should be at home with our family. Normally the three of us would disappear to the basement. Zac would play video games while Ike and I would find our dad's secret stash of whiskey and vodka and would drink the entire stash until we were completely drunk.

This year though it would be different, since Michelle was staying during the holidays with us, I wanted to take her out on a date, just the two of us. We haven't really been able to spend any quality time alone during the holidays, since my family keeps butting in. My sisters usually wanted to hang out with Michelle and Mackie usually wanted to spend some time with Ike, Zac, and me like we used to when he was very little.

When Michelle and I do manage to be alone, my dad was always here watching us like a hawk watches its prey. He made it very clear, he doesn't want us to be alone in any way. He was afraid we were going to have sex. My dad wasn't totally in the wrong about that, because eventually that step was going to happen, just not right now, since we're both not ready yet and we can't exactly have sex in a house filled with so many people...worrying someone will walk in on us.

Anyway, getting back to the topic, Michelle and I were going to spend New Year's Eve together away from the craziness that is my family.

I remember during the car ride to the restaurant I kept looking over at Michelle who looked absolutely beautiful with her hair done up and she was wearing a bit of makeup.

"What?" she said smiling as she caught me looking at her.

"Nothing, you just look really beautiful tonight." I told her with warm smile.

"Thanks." she said while looking away blushing, which made her look ten times more cute.

I pulled up to the lot of the restaurant and put the car in park. I got out the car and made my way over to the passenger's side and I opened the door for Michelle. I reached my hand to her and she took it while smiling at me.

We went into the restaurant and we're shown to our table and seated. I remember through the course of our dinner we kept talking and laughing. We talked about music what it brought to both of our lives and the dreams we had.