I was in the midst of falling in and out of sleep - rather there being a noise here and there or just having Baylor on my mind. Every time I felt myself falling asleep, I always had gotten woken up by something.
I was almost asleep.
"Dammit!" My eyes popped open. The night lights that lit up the hallway were on and I saw a dark shadow pass the door I was behind.
I pulled the duvet from over my body and slid out the large, tall bed. I opened the door and began to walk to Baylor's room. I opened his door and the sound of water was running from his bathroom. I began to get sincerely nervous and I ran to his bathroom. But he wasn't in there. His bathroom smelled of barf and it reeked. I shriveled up my nose and cut the water off and sprayed some Febreze and Lysol around the toilet.
"What are you doing?" Baylor asked.
I jumped at the sound of his voice. "Coming to check on you."
He sat his bowl of cereal on his nightstand. "Why are you sleeping in there?"
I looked at him like he was crazy. "Well for starters, you're drunk." He rolled his eyes at that and I huffed. "And I was trying to help you earlier but you shrugged me off. And I'm tired as it is but you had to come home drunk and with an anger problem."
I threw my hands in the air in defense. I began to head back to the guest bedroom down the hall.
"Just stay in here," he said. I looked at him and saw how pleading he looked.
"Why bother when all you're gonna be is be a butthole?"
I turned back around and headed back to the room. He groaned. I closed the door behind me and went to lie back in bed.
The door opened and the light shone through. Baylor stood in the doorway and he closed the door behind him.
"Well if you're not gonna sleep in there, then I'll sleep in here." He pushed the covers back on the opposite side of the bed. He got in and laid on the opposite side of me, looking at me. I turned over, making him look at the back of me.
"Oh, c'mon babe. I'm not that drunk." He placed his hand around my wrist and I hissed.
"That happens to be the wrist that hurts." I snatched my wrist away from him.
"I'm sor-"
"Don't worry about an apology." I laid my head on my arm.
"Babeee," he slurred.
"Baylor, just go to sleep. I'll have some Aleve ready for you when you wake up."
I felt him inch closer to me and he rested his hand on my hip. When he pressed his chest to my back, he nestled his cheek on the side of my head.
"Are you mad at me?" he asked.
I wasn't mad about him being drunk; I was upset that he treated me with a bit of disrespect. I was trying to be helpful with him stumbling here and there and getting sick to his stomach. But he shrugged me off.
I breathed, "No."
He hummed. "Yes you are."
I didn't say anything.
"Is there any way I can make it better?" he questioned.
"Yes you can by going to sleep."
He groaned and unglued himself from me. His body shifted to the other side of the bed and it stilled.
He didn't budge for a few minutes and I thought he had fallen asleep.
I crawled to his side of the bed and I wrapped my arm around his torso and kissed the spot between his shoulder blades like I had done that night he was in the hospital.
"I love you," I mumbled in his ear when I rested my head on top of his.
He turned around and his face nestled in my neck. His hair smelled like my Pantene shampoo. He didn't have the smell of alcohol on him.
"Why do you? Why do you want me?"
"I don't want you, I need you. I didn't know what I wanted in a guy until I met you. Every personality trait you have makes me love you."
He kissed my collarbone and then the side of my neck.
"All of these relationship goals and boyfriend goals that I once read on Twitter and such, I wanted all of that. The guy who takes his girlfriend out to dinner and plays video games with; spoiling his girlfriend and taking her for walks on the beach or kissing her underwater. And sending cute texts and late night phone calls and all of the surprises. I once wanted all of that, but now I have that "cute relationship." The relationship that every girl wants one day; to find a guy that'll love them so deeply. To find a guy who cares the world about her and does anything to make her happy. And I think every girl deserves that one guy. I wanted a relationship like Noah and Ally. But one day, I want people to want a relationship like Baylor and Adalynne."
He moved onto his elbows. Sliding his hand down my back to cup my butt, he kissed me.
"I had dreams before you; plans, goals, and shit. But now you're in my dreams, plans, goals, and shit. It doesn't matter who else is out there. You make me happy, I care about you, I love you. I only want you."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and tangled my fingers in his hair. He rested his forehead on mine. "No other guy can have you 'cause you're Baylor Parker's girl."
I kissed his lips. "No other girl can have you 'cause you're Adalynne Claire's guy."
***
"Where's your mom?" I asked when I came downstairs after I had woken up.
"She had to have a brief meeting at work, she'll be back in a few hours." I nodded my head as a response.
I sat beside him on the couch and he pulled my legs onto his lap. As I watched him play on his phone for the first time in a while, I remembered last night. How he was a bit intoxicated and he said how he basically wanted a future with me. How I'm in his goals and plans. Which he is in mine, oh yes. He stated that I make him happy, and that he cares and loves me. He not only says it, but he shows it. He only wants me.
Me. A girl who is nowhere near perfect. I don't have the perfect hair or the perfect body. I have flaws: acne, stretch marks, thick thighs, frizzy hair at times, a bad temper, and a weird laugh. There's a lot more flaws, but those are personal. But he wants me. The girl who is not perfect, but he says I'm perfect in his world. That's what satisfies me; a guy who is willing to love me for who I am.
"Whatcha thinking?" I looked from his hands to his eyes and he was staring at me.
"How amazing you are," I winked. He smiled.
"I'm sorry for getting drunk and being a butthole to you last night. I get a bit rude when I'm drunk and that's not the real me."
I patted his thigh. "It's okay," I lilted.
He leaned his head on the back of the couch. As I stood, I kissed him on his lips and began to head up stairs to get ready for the day.
Around seven PM, I was worrying about what to wear. We were leaving in thirty minutes to dine at a formal restaurant, and luckily, my hair and makeup was done.
"Baylor, I have no idea what to wear!"
He was in the bathroom fixing his collar and bow tie. Dear Lord I loved it when he wore white.
"Darling, wear what you feel confident in."
I palmed my forehead as I was rummaging through Baylor's closet for a fancy dress.
"Ugh, that doesn't help!" When Baylor walked out of the bathroom and into his closet to stand beside me, I realized I was only in my bra and underwear.
"Wear this."
He picked out a white dress, the same color of his white button-up shirt. It had lace at the end of the dress, and there were two parts of the dress that crossed on the back that made some of the skin on my back show.
"Always believe the boyfriend."
I hurriedly slid the dress on. I slid on some brown leather strappy wedges. Lastly, I sprayed some perfume and put my jewelry on.
"Babe." I looked at Baylor when I grabbed my clutch that so happened to match my dress. "You look stunning."
I pinched the sides of his bow tie and fixed it. "I love how my guy can go from sweats to a white button up, bow tie, dress pants, and shiny shoes in a matter of a few hours." I pecked his cheek.
He played with a curl in my hair. "I do it to impress m'lady." He winked. He took the leading roll from his bedroom to downstairs.
"Mom and Dan are meeting us at the restaurant." I nodded.
"Are you ready?" He asked when he was sliding on his Rolex watch.
I cackled, "The question is: are you ready?" I paused. "Yes, I'm ready."
When he put the car in drive and pulled out the driveway, he placed his hand on my thigh. Just to touch him, I placed my hand on his.
When we arrived, Baylor closed his car door and walked around the car. He opened my door and took my hand. I smiled, reminiscing back to our first date and the formal date we went on before we came here.
He latched his arm with mine, my hand holding onto his bicep. He opened the door for me, which made me smile at him and he returned it.
"Oh, my goodness! Well don't you look absolutely gorgeous, Adalynne!" She complimented. With her figure, I admired how well she kept herself up.
"Well, don't you? I love your dress, it's stunning."
Baylor pulled out my chair and pushed me in. He sat beside me and he immediately took my hand in his and placed it on his thigh.
"Well don't you look handsome?" Mrs. Victoria placed her hand on top of Baylor's hand that was on the table.
We spoke of our day, how well the trip was going, plans for Baylor's graduation, and all of the above. Mrs. Victoria and I mainly talked about dresses and heels while Baylor and Mr. Dan were talking foreign language when it came to cars.
"Ms. Claire, may I have this dance?" Baylor asked when he held out his hand.
I widely smiled at him and took his hand. He pulled me up from my chair and guided me to the dance floor. I turned towards him and he pulled me close to him. His chest was against mine and his arms were snaked around my waist whilst my arms were around his neck.
"Is this our first formal dance together?" I arched an eyebrow.
"I think it is," he answered.
We swayed back and forth. I was mesmerized by his facial features and his height and his hair and his attire and his personality. I was crazy not to think that I wasn't in love with this boy. He made me easily fall for him.
"Rose, what are you thinking?" he lilted as he stared at my lips. I played with his hair at the nape of his neck.
"About you." I grinned. The dance floor was somewhat crowded but it felt like Baylor and I were the only ones on the floor.
"Oh, really? 'Cause you're always on my mind." He winked and pecked a kiss on my forehead.
"My mind has been on that heart-to-heart conversation we had last night," I said.
"I really want a future with you, Rose. I want you to be in my life for the rest of mine," he admitted.
I nodded my head. "Yes, Baylor. I will be there with and for you for as ever long as I can." That was a vow I had taken.
"I want you in my life," I said.
"I promise I'll be there for you. You're m'lady."
I smiled and he pecked my temple. I leaned my head on his shoulder as we swayed back and forth, side to side.
"I love you, Baylor," I whispered.
I felt so safe when his arms were around me. With people escaping from the floor as it was just him and me, that's when I felt like it were only us two in the world while everyone else was watching.
"I love you, Rose."
As the dance ended, so did the song.
My dear, we're slow dancin' in a burnin' room.