-->Chapter Twenty-Two: If.I.Didn't.Have.You/End.Of.The.Road...?[PART TWO] (a few days later)
"AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" Chin screamed, running inside the house as a spray of water followed her.
"YOU ARE NO FUN!" AJ wailed from the driveway.
That was before he felt soap suds splash his back. He turned to study the culprits, Brian and Nick, who had spotted their next victims. They were sneaking up behind Julie and Jenny, buckets full of soapy water in hand, but AJ attacked them with his hose before they could launch another attack on defenseless civilians.
"DIE!!!!" Chin came running back outside with a hand full of water balloons. The only reaction AJ had time for was to turn around before he was assailed with rubber and water.
"Who ever said cleaning isn't fun?" Kevin scooted beside me as I scrubbed the roof of my car. I smiled and shrugged.
We were going to leave the next morning for Disneyland, and the guys had made it clear that our cars were a bit too dirty for their taste, especially too dirty to drive over an hour in. They had insisted on cleaning our vehicles up even before we were allowed to go pick up our ceramics. All three cars were parked in our driveway, already vacuumed and internally cleaned, and a majority of us were already as soaked as the cars.
Somehow AJ had gotten ahold of the main source of water - the hose. Nick and Brian had attempted to grab every bucket in sight. Lance and Howie tried to defend Hannah and Cathy, sporadically launching soapy sponges at whomever looked "suspicious". The dogs had come outside as well, and were getting their own bath.
"GIMMIE MY SPONGE!!!" Jenny ran after Roky. The dog playfully bounded around the driveway, dodging his owner, sponge in mouth. I looked at my watch.
"Are we DONE yet?" I whined. By now we had been outside for almost 2 hours...time flies.(That evening)
The evening was quiet. We had all decided against staying up too late - we wanted to get to Disneyland on time. We had just scattered about the house after Jenny and I had returned from picking up our "works of art"."I will proudly display this in my kitchen, and will never eat off of it," Howie grinned, examining the "radioactive produce" plate as he and Cathy sat in the dining room. She was sitting with her elbow on the table, her chin resting on her hand. She rolled her eyes.
"Where's mine?" she hinted. Howie looked at her.
"Oh, I was supposed to make something for you...?" he tried not to smile. Cathy swatted him. "Okay, okay, hang on," he disappeared for a moment. He returned with something behind his back. "Don't kill me," he smiled, as he placed it in front of her. It was a miniature pitcher. On it where painted words: "I'll help you clean up every spill.""Very symbolic," AJ stated, gazing at the tile Chin had presented him. On it were a pair of sunglasses, and a meticulously detailed necklace with a ring on it. On the bottom the word "forever" was written. Both were sitting in her room, on her bed.
"I know it's not that great. I draw better..." Chin trailed off. AJ silenced her with a kiss.
"Mine is the bad one. I don't paint. I sing," he warned her, picking it up from its resting place on the corner of the bed. Before it made it to her lap, Coke had pounced on it. "OW!" AJ exclaimed.
Chin grinned and pried the cat from the package, setting the feline on AJ's lap. Sprite showed up a moment later, never far away from her play-mate, and hopped up on the bed to curl up beside AJ. Chin giggled and opened the package. In it was a sole piece of paper, stating: "Look on the balcony." She glanced at AJ, who pointed to the door. She got up and went to look on the balcony. AJ picked up both cats and follower her. He found Chin on the balcony, gazing at what he had done, with one hand over her mouth in shock. There, in the moonlight, sat a painted vase full of white roses. He put the cats down and came up behind her, wrapping both arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Alex...it's...Oh...my..." she was at a loss of words.
"For every month that passes that we're together, you'll get 12 roses...but one white rose will be replaced by a red one," he whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, after a year, I'll think of something else...either that, or get you 24, " he chuckled, reading her thoughts."You're gonna think it's stupid," Jenny sighed. She and Brian were sitting outside in the hammock, each cradling their piece that was wrapped in tissue paper.
"How could I ever think that? You made it," he gave her a peck on the check, urging her to show it to him. She smiled and gave it to him. He slowly ripped away the paper and tape, to come upon a plate...on it were silhouettes of a couple dancing in the rain at night on the beach. He looked at Jenny and wrapped his arms around her warmly. "It's beautiful."
"Whatever, mister," Jenny smiled, still in his embrace. He broke it to present her with his piece. It was her turn to rip off the packaging. She came face to face with a statuette that closely resembled Roky. "I'd better not let our dog see this," she grinned at Brian. "He might get jealous.""The drum roll, please," Hannah grinned, giving Lance his wrapped present. The two were sitting in the game room. He cocked an eyebrow at her before ripping it open. It was painted Tasmanian Devil figurine.
"It's TAZ!" he exclaimed. "It pays to have a fan as a girlfriend," he grinned, hugging her.
"What? Just cuz I know what your favorites are?" she smiled, slyly. "Now what about me?" she put her hands on her hips.
"Well, just to show you, I've been attempting to be a great fan of yours," he said, giving her her present. She opened it to find a glossy painted horse.
"Aww - first a beautiful necklace, and now something for my desk - what more could a girl ask for?" she giggled."You're gonna kill me, but here," Nick placed his wrapped piece in Julie's lap as they sat on the sofa in the family room. She raised an eyebrow at him as he sat down beside her. She opened it to find a mug with "Jules & Nickers" painted on it, inside a heart. "Brian told me it was too mushy, but I don't care," he whispered into her ear. She ran her hand across the smooth surface.
"I can't believe you wrote Nickers on there," she laughed.
"As long as you're the only one who uses that name, I won't let it bother me...it's only fair since I get the privilege of calling you Jules," he smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her into his lap.
"My turn," she set her package in his hands. He tore the paper away to find a frame decorated with Nintendo characters. "Thank Sarah the ar-tiste for helping me with this," she stated.
"I will...but first...Thank you," he kissed her."Forgive any simplicity on my part - I had to help Julie with something intricate for Nicky, and I'm a perfectionist," I confessed softly, handing Kevin his present as we both sat on the floor of my room.
"I guess all those artistic standards I have set for you should be thrown out the window?" he smiled, as he began to peel away at the packaging.
"Never listen to those girls. Chin's the artist, I just attempt stuff," I shrugged.
"Whatever you say." He shook his head, still fighting with some tape. He found a small, blue plaque that I had made him. The lyrics I had found a few days ago were written on it.
"You can, uh, hang it on your wall, or something..." I muttered. "I know it's not much," I looked out the window. "You don't even have to put it up. It was sort of stupid of me cuz no one is supposed to know about those lyrics, and all..." I trailed off.
He ran his hands over the glossy surface, then looked at me.
"Of course I'm going to put it up!" he assured me. I gave him an "oh really?" look, and he shook his head. "It's perfect. And hey, if anyone should complain about a non-useful, simplistic gift, it should be me," he stated, handing me a small package. It was my turn to look at him oddly. I opened the package to find a small, glossy, blue box.
"I guess it's good that we like the same color," I smiled at it.
"Open it," he suggested. I did what I was told. On the inside, the same lyrics had carefully painted in different shades of blue and black. "Great minds think alike, huh?" he leaned over and whispered in my ear.(The next day, around 2PM, at Disneyland)
"Thank the lord for clam chowder." Nick patted his belly, satisfied with our lunch.
"Not to mention Map Girls," Kevin added. I slightly turned to make a face at him as I led the way to Space Mountain.
We had gotten to the park at 9AM, after an interesting, somewhat chaotic morning with different persons sleeping in, spilling things in the kitchen, almost letting the animals loose in the street, losing hats and dark-glasses, getting car sick, one car getting lost from our three-car caravan...and so on.
The trip had already brought back a lot of memories from over a year ago. Wow - had it been over a year already? We had been on Rocket Rods and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad with Howie and Cathy dragging us, reminding us that we hadn't gone on them together before. I had already been forced on Splash mountain again.The Haunted House had been less of a scramble of more than one person wanting to sit with another person - come to think of it, most of the rides were like that, when compared to our visit a year before. It was a bit of an un-written rule that the couples would ride together...duh. Cathy and Howie seemed to be in on the conspiracy, too - where did this leave me? With Kevin, of course. I had been silent during the wait for Indiana Jones, but I don't think anyone had noticed.
Even thought it was almost 2, we had somehow crammed in more activities than last time. Nick had gotten himself and Julie each Mickey ears with their nicknames on them. Brian had bought Jenny a princess tiara, and AJ had gotten Chin a whole bunch of Mardi Gras beads during lunch when some employees had thrown them out the window down to waiting visitors in New Orleans Square. By the way, if you were wondering, we were WAY too civilized this time to have a food fight [...of course, the water in Splash Mountain had been a different story]. The guys had all gotten us churros, too. Everything just seemed...perfect. Too perfect?(At 8PM)
We were all sitting in front of the castle, waiting to see some parade. (Warning: never give the guys cotton candy...most of it ended up on us, instead of in them.) Without attracting much attention, AJ had pulled Chin away from our group, and led her to the side of the castle, where the wishing well and the statuettes of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs stood.
"Alex, the parade is gonna start soon. Why are we here?" she whispered, as they stood in the moonlight. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, facing him.
"Chin, I've never said this to you, because I didn't want to rush things. You told me Jack had never said it...that no one had said it," he spoke softly, looking into her eyes, "and I was afraid that if I said it... your fear would kick in...and I didn't want to lose you...If I didn't have you with me--"
"What are you talking about?" She put her hand on his cheek.
"Your fear, Chin, " he breathed, holding her close.
"Oh..." she didn't know what else to say. "You don't have to worry about it--"
"Chin," he took a deep breath. "...I love you."
"Alex," she sighed, and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. "You'll never lose me. You'll always have me...I love you...You don't know how good those words sound..."
"Then I'll say them whenever I can," he smiled, as she pulled away a bit. "I love you, I love you, I love you..." He rested his forehead and nose on hers before he kissed her.(later that night)
"Uhmmm..." Nick spoke up as we walked along the Main Street to get back to our cars.
"Yes?" Julie turned to him.
"Is it just me or are they holding hands?" He pointed to two of our friends in front of him.
"What?!" Jenny popped into the conversation, whispering loudly.
"Shhhh!" Julie swatted her and pulled her close. "Look..." Julie pointed.
"Guys, it's not very nice to point and whisper..." Brian walked up, slipping his arm around Jenny's waist.
"Yeah. Who might you guys be gossiping about?" AJ spoke loudly. All of us stopped and looked at them.
"Can we move aside so not to stand in the way of people in the street?" I stressed, rounding up everyone to the sidewalk.
"Well?" AJ grinned evilly at Julie, Nick, Brian, and Jenny.
"It was nothing..." Nick began and glanced at Howie and Cathy who immediately looked away, "We just thought we saw Kat and D. holding hands..."
"Were you?" Jenny blurted out. Brian covered her mouth with his hand and rolled his eyes. Everyone laughed but Jenny as she shrugged her shoulders, innocently.
"Yes...we were... I mean..." Cathy glanced at Howie, who nodded and smiled gently at her, "That's what couples do, right?" she grinned.
"You two are...?" Hannah bumbled. The both nodded.
"AHHHH! Congrats!" Chin was about to go hug them when AJ pulled her back with his arm around her waist.
"You don't have to hug everyone who gets together, hon..." he whispered to her. She pouted.
"See, I told you so," Brian began, looking at AJ.
"What?" AJ gave Brian a questioning look.
"I told you if Chin liked you back you, your relationship would be strong..."
"Ummm... okay..." AJ frowned. "So?"
"Just saying I told you so..." Brian grinned.
"Yeah, well, at least I didn't need a hug from a certain someone to get some sleep!" AJ shot back.
"What?" I raised an eyebrow.
"We did some research and concluded that Brian's previous inability to fall asleep was due to a lack of hugs from Jenny, though I thought AJ didn't believe us..." Kevin informed me.
"Well, now I do," AJ replied.
"Whatever, guys..." Jenny rolled her eyes.
"Well Nick had trouble sleeping, too!" Brian shot his friend a smile.
"The whole Billboard Awards thing..." Howie informed us.
"Is that why your hair was like that?" Julie turned to her boyfriend. He shrugged and grinned.
"That's all in the past..." Nick swung an arm around Julie. "I have Julie now. That's all that matters..."
Everyone pretended to coo and Julie blushed a little.
We continued walking, taking our time.
"Something wrong, Nick?" Hannah asked when she had noticed him studying the sky.
"Just thinking..." he smiled and turned to the group, as he walked.
"Yes?" Lance squeezed Hannah, who was in his arms.
"Maybe that... We DO live in the perfect world..."
"What?" I asked, confused yet again.
"What are you talking about, Nick?" Cathy raised an eyebrow.
"Well," Howie began, "Nick figured that in the perfect world..."
"Every one of us would be paired up with our best friend. Like Brian and Jenny. AJ and Chin. Howie and Cathy... all together," Julie finished.
"Wait..." Jenny spoke up and stopped. We all stopped with her.
"Something wrong?" Chin asked her.
"Well..." Jenny turned to Kevin and me.
"WHAT!" we both exclaimed at the same time.
Nick cracked a smile and Julie giggled. Lance shook his head as Hannah grinned evilly at us. AJ raised an eyebrow at us and Chin bit down on her lip to stop from laughing. Brian rolled his eyes and covered Jenny's mouth, for the second time, to stop her from speaking.
"Anyway..." Howie spoke up, trying to save us. He wrapped an arm around Cathy and said "Let's get going, guys... it's getting late..."
"Right..." Chin turned and pulled AJ along.
"I'm gonna kill you," I muttered to Jenny as I walked up to her.
"I wuv you too." She hugged me, before running off to punch Brian. "Why do you keep covering my mouth, mister?" she grinned, swinging an arm around his waist. "I was just gonna add that we were missing a couple for our 'perfect' world," she smirked innocently. He wrapped his arms around her.
"That mouth of yours is lethal," he grinned, whispering into her ear, before he kissed her.
"Where's that camera of yours?" Lance asked Hannah as we continued to walk down Main Street, having broken apart into little groups again.
"I ran out of film," she confessed, smiling.
"We're saved," he laughed. "Though it's a little late..."
We passed under the tunnel, walking to exit at the gates that were ahead of us.
"So..." Kevin came up to me.
"Yeah?"
"Nothing."
"Okay..."
We glanced at each other. He cracked a smile and shrugged, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans, his eyes darting to watch the ground in front of him. I placed my hands in the pouch of my sweatshirt, and looked straight ahead. We had fallen behind the others. I fiddled with something in my pouch and took it out. A nervous habit - I used my chapstick.