***Song: In Your Eyes by The Weeknd
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Madison
"I miss New York." Nick whined as we stepped off of the plane.
I tiredly look over at him with a frown. "Me too."
"I'm not ready for real life again."
"Me neither." I mumbled, mainly because I still have Harry problems to somehow solve. I just don't know how when he won't talk to me.
New York was fun. We got to meet with a coach that would be taking Erica's place for a few months, and when I say I almost threw up from excitement, I mean it.
I have always wanted to meet Surya Bonaly, and now she is going to be our coach while Erica was on maternity leave. Nick caught my reaction on video, bragging about how he has a video to show next year for my birthday.
We got to spend time with Surya most of the time we were there, and she is supposed to make the move to Toronto in a couple days.
Sadly, our week in New York was over and now we have a boring life to get back to in Canada. We walked down to baggage claim and waited patiently for our carousel to start.
"Who's picking us up?" Nick asked faintly, staring down at his phone.
"Brandon." I say through a yawn.
After a while of waiting for our bags, I saw a text from Brandon saying he was here and waiting at passenger pickup. I told him we would be out soon and put my phone back into my pocket when the siren for our carousel went off.
Nick and I got up from our seats and stood with everyone else as we waited for our bags came up.
"You've been off this entire trip. Are you alright?" Nick asked quietly while the both of us waited for our bags.
"Fine. Just...tired, I guess." I brush off, not really wanting to tell him that I almost had sex with my ex in a car.
"You're lucky I'm exhausted, otherwise I would keep asking until you tell me." Nick sighs, covering a yawn.
There were around fifteen bags before we eventually saw our two small suitcases. I let Brandon know we were on our way out before we grabbed our bags and rolled them out behind us, wincing at the harsh wind that hit us once we stepped outside.
Another thing I miss about New York is that it didn't snow while we were there.
"Welcome back, travelers." Brandon greeted as he popped open the trunk, taking our bags from us and chucking them into the trunk carelessly.
"Hey." I replied, hopping into the passenger's seat.
"How was America?" He asks.
"America as a whole is shit. New York was great, though." I answered sadly.
"Miss it already, huh?" He asked, viewing us from the rear-view mirror.
"Yup." Nick and I both respond.
"Don't worry. I have something that will cheer you up." He grinned suspiciously wide.
"I'm not even gonna ask." I sighed, resting my head on the window with my eyes closed, feeling extremely tired. It was almost one in the afternoon so there is now way I'm letting myself sleep. I cannot afford to mess up my sleeping schedule.
The rest of the ride was filled with quiet music, and it wasn't long before we pulled into the parking garage of our building, not at all prepared for whatever Brandon had planned.
We left Nick's bag in the car since we still had to take him home, but Brandon took my stuff for me while we waited for the elevator doors to open.
We got in after letting the people inside walk out first and Brandon pressed our floor.
"Okay, you are starting to freak me out. What is going on?"
I asked him.
"You'll see." He sang, the doors finally opening for our floor. We walked to our door and I shared a weird look with Nick.
"Before you walk in, I need Maddie to put this on." Brandon says, pulling out a bandana from his hoodie pocket.
"Why not me?" Nick asked.
"Because I only have one and this surprise is more for her." He replied, tying the bandana around my eyes before I could even give consent.
"I feel so special." Nick muttered.
Just let it happen.
"Ready?" My brother spoke from in front of me, my vision blinded and filled with the color black.
"No." Nick and I both reply, hearing the sound of knocking on the door.
I hear the door open and hushed voices in the distance before Brandon have me permission to walk inside.
"Okay, come in."
Not even sure where I was going, I stepped forward, already finding myself tripping over the bump in front of the door leading into the apartment.
"Fuck." I cursed, putting my hands out in front of me to feel around. I hear snickering and I so badly wanted to flip the person off if they were laughing at my inability to see where I was going. "How are you going to cover my eyes and not fucking tell me where I'm going?"
"Shit, my bad. Grab my hand." Brandon apologized as he grabbed my hand.
Muttering profanities to him under my breath, I let him lead me to wherever the hell we were going until eventually I came to a stop.
"What on earth is happening?" I questioned impatiently, feeling awkward just standing here without being able to see.
"Take it off." I hear a familiar voice speak. They had an accent, but I wasn't sure who's it was. It was Italian for sure, but the only person I knew with that distinct Italian accent was -
I remove the banana from my eyes quickly in excitement.
"Roma!"
"The one and only." She greeted, wrapping her arms around me as I jumped into my cousin's arms.
"What are you doing in Canada?" I asked her, smiling and hugging her extremely tight.
"I'm here with my girlfriend on her business trip and I thought I would stop by." She answered, still not letting me go. I didn't want her to either. "We have to go to lunch while I am here. I have so much to tell you."
"When do you leave?"
"In two days, sadly. What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Nothing that I know of." I gasped. "I have to take you to this Italian restaurant downtown. The food is almost as good as Nonna's."
Her eyes widened. "Really? Nothing is ever near as good as Nonna's. We will go tomorrow, yes?"
"Hell yes." I nodded and she giggled.
"Okay great! By the way, your friends are so beautiful. The English ones. I met them an hour ago." She smiled before nudging my side. "Hooking up with any of them?"
"No." I chuckled. "Actually, one of them is my ex."
"Oh that's right. The curly one?" She hesitantly questioned.
"That's the one." I confirmed before finally taking in my appearance. "I'm gonna take a quick shower to get the airport off of me. Are you gonna stay?"
"I wish I could. My girlfriend and I have a date tonight but I'll come back in the morning."
"Okay, sounds good." I smiled, pulling her in for another hug. "I love you."
"I love you too, babe. See you tomorrow." She kissed my cheek before heading for the door. "Bye B, Nick."
"Bye, Roma." Brandon opened the door for her before nodding to Nick. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah." Nick ruffled my hair - as if it wasn't already a mess - before following my brother out the door. "Later, Mads."
"Bye, Nick." I locked the door behind them and huffed as I walked into my room tiredly, ready to strip off my clothes and take a well needed shower.
As I walk past my bed and into the bathroom, I notice a small gift box on my nightstand along with a pink sticky note.
Skeptically, I pick it up and read the note first.
I was gonna give this to you before you left.
I know you probably don't wear the bracelet anymore, but it is worth a shot.
Happy very belated birthday, beautiful. I hope you like it.
Love,
Harry
I grin a little too widely at the note before I took it off of the gift box and removed the lid, my grin falling when I saw the tiny charm that sat inside. I felt my eyes sting with tears as I pinched the charm between my two fingers and pulled it out gently.
He is right. I don't wear that bracelet anymore, but I still have it and I don't plan on getting rid of it. I stared at the small silver charm in awe, feeling emotional as I brushed my thumb over it lightly.
It was a single ice skate, and out of all of the charms he had gotten me for that bracelet, this one was already my favorite.
It was simple, but very beautiful at the same time.
I wish he could have given it to me in person so he could see how much I love it; how much this gift means to me.
I set the box down on the nightstand before walking over to my closet, sliding the door open and stepping inside. I pull open the drawer of my dresser that had my jewelry and I grab the bracelet, putting the charm onto it with the rest and setting it down gently on the dresser when I saw something in the drawer that caught my eye.
I reached into it and pulled the shining object out, sighing quietly to myself when I realized what it was.
I stared at the peace ring as I held it between my fingers, the few tears in my eyes reminding me of how much meaning this ring has.
• • •
August 10, 2016
"Where do you see yourself in ten years?"
I turn my head to look at Harry, who was picking at the grass between us. The sky was so beautiful at night. Harry and I were at a park, just laying down in the grass and staring up at the stars.
"With you." I answered honestly, and his face broke out in a grin.
"I like the sound of that." He chuckles, reaching beside me and grabbing my hand, locking our fingers together.
"What about you?" I asked, resting my head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat.
"Married to you." He kissed the top of my head and I close my eyes, smiling and enjoying this moment. "I'll be this famous photographer or something, and you will still be skating, but we will definitely be married."
His answer made my eyes water because of how happy it just made me to hear him say that. I wanted that future for us too.
"Married, huh?" I teased and I watched as his cheeks became pink.
"Mhm." He hummed. "What do you look for in a proposal? Would you like if the man did something big?"
Still not believing we are talking about marriage at nineteen years old, I go with the conversation anyways.
"I never really thought too much into it, honestly. I'd like something intimate, and it's a bit of a stretch but...I've always wanted to be proposed to in Italy. They would take me to this field my nonna lives near on the coast at night and it's be just the two of us there." I started explaining, imagining the moment in my head. "I would like for it to be under stars. They are perfect for a moment like that." I finish while looking directly up at the stars lighting up the dark sky above us. It is truly the most beautiful thing I've ever laid my eyes on - well, besides Harry.
"I'll keep that in mind." He whispered to me, but I couldn't help but frown.
"How do you know something won't happen in those ten years and we won't be together?" I asked him, opening my eyes back up in curiosity.
I've never had the best luck with relationships and I was afraid of losing the only guy I've ever been in love with. How do I know this won't be just another relationship that comes to a shitty end?
He pulled the silver "peace" ring off of his left pinky and grabbed my hand, sliding the ring on my right ring finger.
"I'd never let anything happen to us. I'd never hurt you." He says with so much honesty, causing me to lift my head and look up at him. He held his pinky out and I smiled, wrapping mine around his.
"I promise you that, angel."
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