You're My Everything (J)

Nothing had ever felt heavier than the box in my back pocket.

Part of me expected Grace to see it at any moment, her keen sense of observation kicking in. She would narrow her eyes at me, and I’d break. I wished I could just get it over with, if only to know what her answer would be. Every single thing about our relationship suggested a resounding yes, but what if I was missing something?

“Jasper?”

Shit, this was definitely a mistake. I was going to give my speech, then she’d laugh at me.

“Look, you’re nice and all,” she says, “but I don’t want to marry you.”

“Okay.” I take it as best I can. “Maybe later down the line, then?”

The crowd duets in cackles and cringes. Many people pull out their phone, and I know I’m about to once again find myself as the center of attention. Fuck, how can such a big area be so hard to breathe in? And all the lights were making the room—

“Jasper!” My Starfire pierced through the dark. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

This had been happening more often since I’d resolved to pop the question. I couldn’t go five minutes without anxiety chipping in with the ‘what if’ bullshit that made me want to beat it with a stick. Without my Sky, I wouldn’t have the slightest clue on how to handle it all.

We were backstage waiting for our time to perform. Originally, Grace was supposed to enter as herself, and I would just be an accessory, yet there was more to it now. She still handled her own set, but her boss had pulled some strings to get a second slot, and that was when our song would be played.

Before all this, I was completely oblivious to just how much went into the music-making process. After we’d finished the vocals, it went to the people who handled instrumentals and such, then other stuff happened until it felt more like a tennis ball than a song bouncing between hands. Even picking our group’s name was a pain. I’d thought about something like ‘The Sun and The Sky’ before frowning:

“Do you ever get tired of the name Sky?” I had asked her.

“Why would I?”

“I use it a lot.” I frowned. “Maybe I could mix it up?”

“Well, what’s another way to say ‘sky’?”

“‘Caeli’?”

I grinned. “Nah. That’d be a pretty good name for a plane, though.”

In the end, we’d gone with—

“Shattering Stardust!”

Oh, I wasn’t ready—not by a mile. I had stupidly assumed that I’d have more time to think, like there were a bunch of people before us. Why had I wasted all this time reminiscing when I could have gone over the plan again? We’d sing our first verse; the music would change to—

“Jasper, that’s us!”

She was a vision in gold, her beautiful hair falling down her back. How had I gotten so lucky to have her? I couldn’t let my anxiety stop me from taking the best thing to ever happen to me. Even if she said no, I was more than happy to tell her how I felt. I would do anything to bask in the beauty of my Sky.

Grace addressed the crowd. “Hello, everyone! I know I have my own set as ‘Grace Skybain’.”

We waited a solid minute for the cheers to die down.

“But!” She paused for effect. “I thought it was about time I brought my boyfriend into the mix, as well. Jasper, come here.”

I stepped forward, and Grace hadn’t been lying: the lighting was way too much. I was forced to cover my eyes just to salvage them. Then I saw her glistening, and it was all worth it. Her dress reflected the flecks of gold back into the audience, and I couldn’t help but stare.”

“So—” She whirled on me. “What are you looking at?”

“Sorry.” I could feel the blush creeping in. “You just look so radiant.”

I expected her to be embarrassed. We stood in front of thousands of fans, all eyes on us. I was feeling the pressure too, and I wasn’t even the star! But she surprised me by stepping closer, mic in hand, before sighing dramatically.

“Oh,” she sighed. “And here I thought I was radiant all the time.”

You wanna play that game, do you.

“True,” I agreed, “but sometimes all that beauty hits me like an arrow and I fall for you all over again.”

The people cheered and I knew I’d won. The lights dimmed as we went into position. Frankly, I could barely remember my part as she belted out the most serene sound I’d ever heard from her. Gone was the caged agony of the past, and in its place was a clear tone that reminded me that I’d never taken her to a waterfall. If we went there someday, would her voice outshine its beauty, or would that just be her?

I could hear the second chorus coming up, and I felt my pocket again for the box. I had one shot at this, and I owed the mixer big-time for helping me figure the timing out. Right, time. Time was running out, and I was on the wrong side of the stage. What if I didn’t make it in time? Shit, it was time to sing.

“You. . .”

Her singing was truly amazing. Maybe that’s why I was happy to let my voice dance with hers.

“You are the one that I love. . .”

Truer words had never been spoken. My heart filled with the knowledge that she felt the same way.

“You are the one who completes me—”

Our lines split off here, and I stood by mine until death did us part.

“I love to see you shine.”

A finger rose to cover her lips. I could see her confusion as I sang my verse.

“And you. . .”

Her eyes grew excited, a window into that beautiful soul.

“Must be an angel above. .. “

Only someone sent from way up there could look that heavenly always.

“Sent to remind us there’s always another way through.”

I saw us at that arcade, blasting our way into each other’s lives. I found us laughing at the beach, splashing our worries into the sea. I landed on that morning, where I’d woken up so entangled in the blankets that we’d both fallen down, but none of us had moved. Why would we want to leave paradise?

I grabbed her hand.

“Grace Skybain.” The audience had frozen, and Gracie right along with them. “I love you. I know you’ve known that for a while, but it’s gotten to the point where that’s not enough to express how I feel. Every time I walk into work, I’m imagining you leaping into my arms. When I’m gaming with my friends, I think about how cool it would be to have you join us. If I’m cooking, I want to make your favorite food, and when we’re together, I wish it would never end.”

I grabbed the box.

“I-I don’t have the ring yet.” Shit, why was I stuttering? “B-but. . .”

I got on one knee. Keep it together!

My eyes met hers, and I saw the waterworks forming. “Grace Skybain.”

“Will you marry me?”

The crowd waited with bated breath. This was it. I’d laid out all my cards, and the ball was in her court. Had I laid it on too thick? No, I’d spoken the truth and nothing but it. What if she didn’t like the item I chose? Shit, how long had I been in this position? Was she going to leave me down here forever?

“Yes!”

I stood and she crashed into me. By this point, both of us are crying, and I let out a breathy laugh. Relief nearly had me crashing to the floor, but if I did that then my Sky would fall, and I couldn’t allow that.

Eventually she allowed me to put the jewel on. My Gracie was always losing hair ties, and yet she used them daily. In fact, the only reason she wasn’t already wearing one was because it was missing—not that I had anything to do with it, of course. Either way, I loved how the beautiful rose gem rested atop her newest acquisition. I knew she liked it since she wouldn’t leave it alone. I’d done that on purpose. If she ever got restless, she could spin the small flower.

God, it looked so beautiful on her.

She was beautiful.

And she’s mine.

The show ended without a hitch, the crowd throwing gifts from who-knows-where in celebration of our engagement. Once we got backstage, other stars gave us much the same treatment.

“Grace!” one of them said.

Her face brightened. “Kilson! How are you doing?”

Kilson Caine smiled. “Not as well as you, clearly. Congratulations!”

“Thank you!”

The other well-wishes went much the same way, blurring together over time. If I’m honest, I didn’t remember most of the day after that. I was on cloud nine knowing that I had such a wonderful girlfriend—fiancé—at my side. Nothing else mattered against that.

Even once we arrived home, I was still riding the high. After making her favorite food, I stood as the happiest man alive, and reality didn’t quite sink in until she was resting in my arms.

I ran a hand through her hair, grinning like a fool. I would always be a fool for her. If she said jump, I wasn’t going to waste time asking how high. Why bother when I could just do it without question? Because there were no questions with Grace. She was my everything, my favorite person, and I knew:

That love would never fade.