'The One' (One of Us)

'The One'

He is the one.

I never thought I would be able to say that. I didn't think I was the sort of person who'd fall in love. Especially at the tender age of nineteen.

Now, I know what people will say to me, 'Juliet, you are so young, you don't need to fall in love right now, you still have so much life to live', but if I turn down this man, the one for me, then I might never find it again, and this feeling is too much. I can't turn my back on it.

Especially not now. He's taking me to meet his friends! This is the most exciting day in our relationship so far. I can't wait, but I definitely need to impress them all.

"How do I look?"

There's no one to answer me, but I ask anyway. I ask myself more than anyone else. Not that I have any answer. I mean, is this dress friendly enough? Sexy enough? Will Alex like me in it? I suppose that's the main thing. I need him to like me even more than anyone else. It's his opinion that matters most of all.

Is it weird that I'm meeting his friends before he's seen what I got going on underneath this dress? It's unusual, sure, but I think tonight might be the night. I'm staying with him anyway because he lives out in the sticks, so I have my best underwear on in preparation.

"Oh God...was that the door?"

My heart hammers in my throat, my pulse speeds too quickly, I can hardly contain myself. But I don't let any of that free. I make my way to the front door with my cool, calm, collected face on.

I know Alex is the one for me. He tells me the same, but I don't want to give him any reason to think otherwise. If he sees me panicking, it might put him off.

"Coming."

The door swings open and there he is, in all his glory. The talk, dark, and handsome man who I get to wrap my arms around and hold forever more.

God damn, I'm so damn lucky.

"Hey there, Alex." I swing my hips, drawing his attention downwards. If I catch him staring down my body then I know it's on. "How's it going?"

"You excited?" His eyes remain firmly on my face, gentleman that he is. He's bound to be a freak in the sheets though, the quiet ones normally are. "My friends are all really happy to meet you. They've heard all about you..."

"All good? You haven't told them anything bad about me have you?"

He tosses his head back and laughs. "There's nothing bad to tell."

"Hmm, you might be right about that one!"

And then...we're on the way.

Alex has an old car, he doesn't have much need for new things, so it takes us a while. I spend that time trying to gather myself up so I'm on top form. I want to portray the best of myself to these people.

I've never cared before, meeting the friends of partners, it's never bothered me. I always thought I was just too confident to give a damn about the opinions of other people but now I know the boyfriends weren't important enough to me.

Alex is...he's the one.

***

"It's lovely here."

I don't know how to describe it, even to myself. It's like a commune or something. Tents surround me, they are as far as the eyes can see, and judging by the fact washing lines hang outside a lot of them, people seem to lived here fulltime.

"I know, I love it."

Alex's face lights up like a Christmas tree. I haven't ever seen him like this before. I've seen him happy, but here, he's shining.