"Hey babe, what's going on?" I said into the phone, I was walking through Stop and Shop, still in my work clothes, to do the grocery shopping for the week, plus grabbing stuff for my parents to come over for dinner tonight.
"Just got out of work, on my way home now. What are we cooking up for dinner tonight?" Derrick asked, I could hear the echo from the bluetooth in his car.
"Not really sure yet, but we'll figure it out." I walked down another isle, grabbing at least five boxes of pasta. "How was work?"
"Same old news, some really rich old guy wants blueprints for this elaborate treehouse for his grandkids, so we started that today, but I have to actually go and visit the house before I can get anything exact. I just can't wait to come home to my beautiful fiancé."
"Aw how sweet," I smiled into the phone. "Well, as excited as I am to see you too, I should probably focus on what I'm putting into this shopping cart before we end up having nothing but chips and frosting for dinner." We both laughed as I turned the corner to one of the random isles of the store, cheap romance novels and teen magazines lined up from top shelf to the floor.
"Yeah, I don't think your parents would be all too impressed with that. I love you, I'll see you soon."
"Love you too, bye hun." I hung up the phone and dropped it into my open purse in the front of the carriage, scanning the walls and laughing at some of the magazines that I remembered reading when I was in middle school; taking silly quizzes about "What nail color matches your personality?" and, "Which Disney channel heartthrob is your soulmate?"
It was all fun and games, until my eyes met this month's issue of Alternative Press, and my mouth dropped to the floor.
On the cover was Tyler fucking Joseph and Josh fucking Dun. And my heart felt like it had just been ripped out of my chest and attacked by a shark. What even is this? Is this real? I bent over to pick up the magazine and actually get a somewhat good look at it, and there they were on the cover of Alternative Press.
"Twenty One Pilots," Is that their band name? I thought as I read the cover, looking closer at their faces and the print on the front. "Release of their sophomore album," Wait, they have an album out? TWO albums out? This is insane! I immediately tossed the magazine into the shopping cart and tried to continue on my way through the grocery store without over thinking it too much.
-
I walked through the door, my arms racked with shopping bags and my purse before I finally could put everything down on the counter. Derrick walked over to me, still in his work clothes.
"How are you darling?" He asked, gracing his hand along my lower back and pulling me into him for a moment to plant a kiss on my forehead, then release me and help put groceries away.
"I'm wonderful," I told him as I lifted the milk carton onto the top shelf of the refrigerator. I honestly was wonderful, my day was fantastic until I saw the magazine, now I really don't know how I feel.
"Well that's wonderful." Derrick smiled to me, reaching into another grocery bag to unpack some more food. "What is this?" I turned from the cabinet I was standing in front of to find the magazine in Derrick's hands.
"Remember way back when we first met and I was dating that guy Tyler?" The words tasted like sour milk in my mouth, it felt so bizarre and unsettling to say.
"Yeah, what about him?"
"Well, that's him and his best friend Josh on the cover. Their band has released albums, and they're on the cover of magazines. They've actually made it." I smiled, despite of everything, I truly was proud of the two of them. It was incredible to look back at them in high school and imagine their new reality.
"Seriously? That's incredible!" Derrick announced, flipping through the pages. "I guess we'll have to give their music a listen some time soon. How crazy is that?" I wanted to listen to their music and catch myself up with their fame, but now that I heard it out loud the idea sounded terrifying. I couldn't imagine having to hear his voice again, and I wasn't too sure if it would be worth it to listen to their music, just to be reminded of everything from the past.
"Yeah, we will." I don't know if I meant it, but it sounded right to say now. After a minute or so, all of the groceries were put away and Derrick was starting dinner while I went upstairs to our room for a moment.
I changed out of my casual work clothes into something a little nicer for dinner. I changed into a white floral pleated dress and navy blue flats to match the floral pattern, and slightly tamed my wavy, shoulder length brunette hair before walking back downstairs.
"Goodness, I'm gonna need you to take over the cooking if I'm gonna have time to compete with that." Derrick smiled from the stove, stirring a pot of pasta before opening the oven to check on whatever else it was he had started preparing.
"My parents are going to be here in a little less than an hour," I told him, checking the clock, "I can take over if you need a minute to freshen up." He was still wearing his slacks and button up shirt and oxfords from work. "But I think you look hot, so don't worry about it too much."
"I don't think I can have you getting heated up too much while we're having dinner with your family, but I can make you suffer until after they leave." He walked over to me and put his hands on my waist, pulling me into him then taking my hand and spinning me like a top in front of him. "After all, it's only fair, you keep me waiting all the time." I laughed and lightly slapped his built chest with the back of my hand before pulling from his grasp.
"Well you have dinner to cook, Mister. I'll be in the dining room." I walked off to the dining room to set the table and put some wine out for everyone on the table. Right as Derrick brought all of the food over in serving plates/bowls, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," my hand graced his arm as he put the salad bowl in the center of the table, and I went to let my parents in.
I opened the door and my mom threw her arms around me, attacking me with hugs like she always does. When she finally let go and walked in the house, dad gave me a one-arm-hug, holding a small cake in the other arm. I took it from him and let him in the house, kicking the door shut behind him.
They greeted Derrick with the same excitement and hugs in the dining room. While everyone was being seated, I put the cake that dad had brought over on the counter, then made my way to my seat at the table. It was the same, general light conversation as usual; how is work, what's going on around the house, what has everyone been up to, anything coming up, same old.
"How is the wedding planning coming along? Have you guys started anything yet?" My mom asked from across the table.
"We're thinking next fall, maybe October, but we haven't made anything official yet." I told her, taking another bite of my salad. It was weird to think that I was engaged, and that I would be getting married. It was something I've always imagined, but now that it was actually coming to life it was absolutely crazy to think about.
After clearing plates and slices of cake, it was getting late and my parents were almost ready to head out. While Derrick and my dad watched the news in the living room, My mom washed and I dried the last of the dishes in the sink.
"Mom, I saw the strangest thing when I was at the store today." I kept my voice low, placing another wine glass back in the cabinet. "Tyler and Josh's band is on the cover of a magazine."
"Really? How spectacular!" She didn't even need me to specify, even after all of these years she knew exactly who I was talking about.
"Yeah, I didn't even know that they had started being really serious about their band, but they have albums out and they've been on tour, it's crazy." I shook my head, wiping a towel around a plate before placing it in the cabinet.
"Maybe you should reach out to him." My mom suggested.
"Which one do you mean by him?" I asked, turning my head and looking over to her.
"Tyler, silly." She said it in a whisper too, understanding that it wasn't something to shout from the roof tops. Although I shouldn't care, I didn't want Derrick to hear me and get worried about me overthinking the whole magazine thing, because that's all I was doing. I was just reminded of the past and was having a little trouble wrapping my head around this now. No big deal.
"Are you out of your mind mom?"
"What are you talking about, me out of my mind? Is it so crazy for you to try and connect with him again?" My mom shut off the water and dried her hands before placing both of them on my shoulders. "Alena, I love you. And it is very clear to see that you are very happy here with Derrick, and I'm happy for you. However, it is also very clear that you still miss him. All I'm saying is that it doesn't hurt to try."
"I don't know if I could do that mom." Not without Derrick panicking, not without opening old wounds, I couldn't possibly do it.
"It's not as crazy as you think. But do whatever you want." My mom said before walking into the living room to drag dad home. Before they left, we exchanged goodbye hugs and my mom whispered in my ear, "I support you, okay? You do what you need to do." I smiled and thanked her, but I wasn't feeling any more settled about the whole thing than I was before.
"I'm going up for a shower, thank you for dinner." I gave Derrick a kiss on the cheek before turning to go upstairs to our room. After kicking my shoes off and putting my engagement ring on the nightstand, I walked into the bathroom and turned the shower dial to start the water.
I turned to face the sink and the mirror and ran my fingers through my hair, heavily exhaling and closing my eyes. After quickly recollecting myself, I slid off my dress and hopped in for a quick shower.
I dried off and brushed through my hair, then washed my face before walking out into our bedroom with a towel wrapped around me. Derrick looked up from his book and flashed a smirk.
"Don't get any ideas mister, I'm just putting pajamas on and going to bed." I pointed at him and gave him a glare before skipping into the closet. I stepped into a pair of plaid pajama booty shorts and an oversized maroon t-shirt, and shut the light off before walking out of the closet and closing the door. After sinking into bed next to Derrick, he closed his book and rested it on the nightstand, then wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him so we were spooning.
"I love you hun." Derrick whispered against my neck before planting a chaste kiss near my collarbone. I was so tired that even though I said it in my head, I hadn't realized that I didn't actually have the words come out of my mouth. "If you don't say it back, I don't care what time it is, I'm not afraid to tickle you." He traced his hands to my hips, but I spoke before he could make any move.
"I love you too!" I practically shouted, "I'm sorry, I'm just so tired. Please don't tickle me."
"You win this time, but you better sleep with one eye open." He chuckled against me before slipping his hand up my shirt and resting his cold palm against my warm tummy, sending shivers down my body.
"Good night." I sighed against my pillow, and before Derrick could attempt to tickle me again, I drifted off to sleep.
AUTHOR'S NOTE; YAY FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SEQUEL!! I'm sorry if it was kind of weak, but I promise it is going to be getting a lot better, I already have a lot written and I am so excited to share this with you.
I already have the second chapter written so I should be posting it very soon. SIDE NOTE; I SAW TWENTY ONE PILOTS LAST NIGHT AND IT WAS SO AMAZING I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE IT
Lots of love, thank you for reading, please vote/comment/tell your friends! & stay alive |-/
(Also please remember that all of the dates and details for tours and magazine covers and all of that won't be exact with real life. All of this is taking place in a different year and is not meant to be the same as what has happened in the real world, so don't be surprised if the dates and what not are different or tour destinations aren't in order, this is all just for the story;Thank you!)