Lana loves music, I shouldn't be surprised that she's already got a playlist made for the reception, as small as it is, a little cramped in my grandma's house but it's cozy and we're surrounded by family.
"It took you long enough." Grandma smacks my shoulder as we dance. Alex dances with Lana and Shaina dances with my cousin, I think he's found another girl to love.
"Sorry, grandma." I kiss the top of her head "better late than never, right?" I chuckle. She smiles
"That's right." She dances us toward Lana and Alex. Alex takes the hint and swaps dance partners with me.
"Hello Mr. Bell." Lana giggles.
"Good evening Mrs. Bell." God I love that She is Mrs. Bell. My name is now a part of her name. Lana Mae Bell.
"Lana Mae Bell." Lana smiles.
"It's got a nice ring to it." I snort a laugh and she bites her lip.
"yYeah, it does." She lets me lead her through what little dancing I know. After everything, after every single little thing that's happened and made me doubt Lana's love for me... feels so meaningless now.
"No more secrets." I tell her. her hands tighten on my shoulders.
"Theo I—"
"Hey." Heather stands there in a black cocktail dress, she fiddles with her bag while shifting her eyes to Lana's.
"Lana..." Heather starts, "I imagine Theo told you about the uh... the other night." Heather twists her purse strap around her finger.
"The kiss?" Lana asks.
"Yeah..." Heather is struggling and maybe I should save her the stress of a confession and a tacked on apology but Lana stands there, a soft smile on her lips, her eyes wide open and looks at Heather with kindness.
"I'm really sorry, I was so messed up that night and... well... I've always kind of had a crush on Theo but I never did anything because he's always been so madly in love with you and well..." Heather took a breath "Lana, I am so sorry for what I did and if I caused any strain, not that I could, you guys are perfect together, but still." Heather finally meets Lana's eyes. "I am truly and whole heartedly sorry."
Lana steps away from me and pulls Heather into a hug "thank you for the apology." Lana steps back and takes Heather's hand.
"everything is fine, he explained and I understand." Lana looks to me "it'd be hard to for me to keep my hands off him if he were yours instead of mine." She turns back to Heather. "Please, enjoy the cake and the snacks. Theo's Grandma really knows how to throw together a fast party."
"Thank you, Lana." Heather bobs her head toward me but her eyes are firmly on Lana. "and congratulations." Heather dips out to a less awkward part of the room and I pull Lana back into my arms.
"Most people would have decked her." I tell her resting my chin on her head.
"It wouldn't have changed or fixed anything." Lana says simply "it would have bee wasted energy and ruined this." She raises her hands up, gesturing to the party.
"and I don't want this to be ruined, I just want to enjoy it." Lana sighs contentedly and starts to hum along with the song.
"What song is this?" I ask her.
"I was made for loving you by Tori Kelly and Ed Sheeran." She rests her head on my shoulder and continues humming the songs until she's singing it softly into my ear.
"What about this one?" I ask a minute or so into the next song.
"Seeing Blind, by Niall Horan." She sings, but she's not just singing it to sing. She's singing it to me.
Shaina stands on a chair in her heels with Alex keeping her steady on the ground beside her. or maybe he's just ready to catch her.
"A toast." Shaina raises her glass. "lana, you're the kindest person I've ever come into contact with." Shaina looks directly across the room at Lana and I swear it's like the two connect on some kind of spiritual level because when they're eyes meet it's like they can only see each other.
"I remember when I met you on the subway, we were nineteen I was having the worst day of my life. I had failed an exam and it was raining and my coat had caught in the subway door and you came over like my own personal guardian angel and helped me shimmy out of that dang coat and then you offered me your own." Shaina wobbled a little, either from a bit too much champagne or from the wobbly chair my grandpa never fixed.
"You said you lived right near your next stop." Shaina wrinkled her nose and jabbed a finger at Lana "you lied because my comfort, the comfort a perfect stranger, was more important to you than your own, the next time I saw you on the subway I took you out for coffee... where I found that you don't drink coffee and you also don't use sugar." Shaina rolled her eyes and dropped her head back.
"You were so gentle I thought I might break you by talking too loud but no, you are not easily broken, you are flexible and Lana, you're the first person who taught me there's a difference." Shaina shifts her gaze toward me.
"and you." she says, Alex grabs her by the waist to keep her steady.
"You are her perfect match, you and her together are like a spring rain."
"A spring rain?" I hear Alex whisper.
"A spring rain." Shaina confirms loudly "gentle, nurturing and persistent." She raises her glass higher. "To the most perfectly matched utterly in love couple I've ever seen, Lana and Theo Bell."
Everyone drank to that. Lana took a sip of the sparkling grape juice grandma picked up for her, and smiled at Shaina as Alex lifted her off the chair.
"Well...
Alex says "I'm not gonna climb on the chair because I'm possibly a little tipsy but here goes. Theo..." he seems to take a second to find the words he wants.
"Theo, I'm not a writer like you, I don't make artfully assembled lines but I will say this. I've known you a long time and I've seen you go through a few girlfriend but I have never seen you look at anyone the way you do Lana." Alex winks at Lana. "I remember my sister once asking me 'is there a word other than whipped to express a man who is willing to do anything for his girl' at first I told her know but after watching you and Lana for these last three years..." Alex nods and raises his glass "I'd call it Theo, congratulations buddy, you make a step passed whip look good."
Everyone drinks again and Lana holds onto my arm as a few others take a turn and the party slowly melds into halfhearted dancing and the couch begins to fill up with passed out party goers, including Heather and I lead Lana upstairs to my old bedroom. Grandma just uses the room as a spare now but she keeps my things there. A high school version of me preserved in time.
"Wait." I stop Lana before she can walk into the room.
"What's wrong?" she yawns.
"I'm gonna do this right." I pull her against me and attempt to scoop her legs up but she stops me.
"Better idea." Lana walks behind me and climbs onto my back. I grab her legs to keep her from sliding down and walk her through the threshold.
"here we go." I turn around to place her on the bed first. She lays back and stretched her arms over her head.
"Today was perfect." She says.
"Yeah." I pull her heels off for her before pulling off my own. I shed a few layers including my jacket and my tie before climbing into bed next to her. She curls into my chest, her hand resting just over my heart. She halfheartedly starts humming a song I'm not at all familiar with.
"what's that one?" I ask around a yawn.
"First d..." she yawns "first day of my life by..." she trails off
"by?" I stroke her hair as she slips in sleep.
"by Bright Eyes." She wraps her arms around me and buries her face into my chest.
"Goodnight Mr. Bell." She whispers.
"Good night Mrs. ."
Insert grandma toast.?????