Special disclaimer: This is an AU, in which Azel and Edin are small-town teenagers in love. Basically, the characters are themselves, just in a different setting. I also gave her parents more conventional names (Roger and Anne).
This is a little sappy and silly, but I tried not to go overboard. :P
Another quiet evening in a small town.
Edin Ulir sat quietly on the front steps of her house, kicking at some dust. Greenview wasn't exactly known for its nightlife, the biggest attractions being the drive-in movie theater and the five-and-dime.
Her twin sister Bridget and their younger brother Andrei hated it. Andrei wanted to live in the big city with all the nightclubs, and Bridget had plans to move to Africa or someplace equally rugged and exciting after she graduated high school. Sometimes Greenview got so boring Edin wanted to ask if she could go with her.
But she could never bring herself to leave, and she knew it. Boring as it was, Edin truly loved Greenview and its simplistic charms. Sure, seeing the rest of the world would be great, but everything she knew and loved was right here.
She sighed, turning around and peeking at the old grandfather clock in the living room through the screen door. It was almost seven o'clock, but the sky was as light as it had been that morning.
She heard footsteps just then, moving aside slightly as her sister opened the door.
"Too hot in there," she muttered. "Dad still hasn't fixed the air conditioner yet." She cracked open the can of soda in her hand and drained half of it in one gulp.
"Still?" Edin rolled her eyes. "It's been three weeks already! I think it's about time we called a repairman," she said.
"Well, it's not going to happen."
Bridget and Edin laughed nervously as Roger came through the door, their mother and Andrei following her.
"Dad, that thing's been broken for three weeks and you've tried everything under the sun!" Bridget said. "Face it, you'll never be able to fix it on your own."
"Then we'll buy a new one! That thing's a piece of junk anyway."
"This coming from the man who won't hire a repairman because they charge too much?" Anne snickered.
"I think Dad's just feeling protective of his male pride, Mom," Edin said.
"I am not!" Roger argued. "What if the repairman can't do anything with it either? Trust me, it's better to just buy a new one, then we'll know if it works."
"He's got ya there, sis," Andrei said.
"Well, whatever you do, you better do it soon," Bridget snorted. "It feels like a sauna in there!"
Suddenly, the sound of a car broke into the family's discussion.
"I think that's your boyfriend, Edin. And he's a few minutes early!" Bridget said. Edin's face brightened. That was the second reason she could never leave Greenview: Azel, the love of her life.
"I'll be right back, just need to grab my purse," she said, standing up and brushing the dust from the back of her skirt. Roger frowned.
"Just the thought of that boy sends her into a tailspin," he grumbled. "Anne, I don't like how cozy they are lately."
"I think it's sweet! And he really cares about her," Anne said.
"They're in their last year of high school! Seventeen is too young to know what love is!"
Anne opened her mouth to say something, but held back. She knew how stubborn her husband was about his youngest daughter...even if Bridget was only ten minutes older than her.
Edin came back just as the familiar rusty-red station wagon pulled into the driveway.
"Azel!"
Azel Velthomer. An ordinary, modest young man with messy red hair and bright, earnest eyes. He was a fair student, worked at the grocery store weekends and helped out at the library a few times a week. Roger knew he was a good kid, and he was always respectful to Edin and the rest of the family.
But he was still a boy, and he was still cozying up to Roger's daughter.
"Young man," he greeted as Azel stepped out of the car.
"Hi, Mr. Ulir, Mrs. Ulir, Andrei, Bridget," Azel greeted each member of the family, then turned to Edin. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah." Edin smiled. "We'll be back in a few hours, Dad," she said.
"One minute after midnight and you're grounded," Roger warned.
"Roger!" Anne shook her head. "You kids have fun," she said as Edin got into the car with Azel. As they drove away, Andrei smirked.
"I wouldn't mind calling him brother-in-law," he said. Roger glared at his son.
"Don't talk that way! She's only seventeen years old!" he snapped.
"Dad, you're not thinking Azel's anything like that brother of his, are you?" Bridget had dated Alvis Velthomer not too long ago, and had dumped him after about a week thanks to their constant arguing and Alvis's flirting with other women.
"Of course not! If he were like Alvis I'd forbid Edin from even talking to him!" Roger said.
"Is it because he hangs out with that Dozel guy?" Andrei asked. Lex Dozel was Azel's best friend, a bit of a slacker with a big appetite whom Bridget had mistaken for a stoner when she first met him.
"Refer to my comment about Alvis. Azel couldn't be any different from that kid if he tried, anyway!" Roger said.
"Then why are you making such a fuss?"
"Dear, you know how fathers get about their daughters," Anne said gently, in her husband's defense.
"He wasn't like that with me!" Bridget said.
"I didn't need to be! If anything, I had to protect the boys from iyou!/i" Roger laughed a little, then turned serious again. "But Edin's not like you, Bridget...she's quieter, more meek...doesn't like confrontation."
"That doesn't mean she's weak, Dad. It just means she gets to come home after school instead of spending half the week in detention," Andrei laughed. Bridget glared.
"It was one year, and I stopped picking fights after they threatened to kick me out!" she said.
Roger sighed. This was going to be a long evening.
*
The drive-in theater was playing yet another repeat, much to the audience's disappointment. But for the two lovers snuggled in the front seat of the rusty-red station wagon, it didn't make any difference.
"This movie is terrible," Azel snickered. "Look, she just saw him go into that room and didn't know who left her the note!"
"You can see what's going to happen from miles away," Edin laughed. "She'll realize it's him, go crazy, and cook up some elaborate scheme to get his attention instead of just going up to him and thanking him."
"And the audience eats it up like..."
"...like Lex eats an entire bag of corn chips?" Edin finished.
"Exactly," Azel said, and they both laughed.
"I'm glad we weren't so silly when we first started going together," Edin said.
"Are you kidding? I was a wreck!" Azel blushed. "Remember how it took me a year to stop stammering whenever I talked to you?"
"I actually thought that was cute," Edin teased.
"Well, I didn't."
"Oh, you know I adore you no matter how much you stammer!" Edin giggled, snuggling closer to him.
"And I'm crazy about you," Azel said, leaning in to kiss her.
The movie droned on, with the usual predictable string of events and cliched ending. Azel and Edin laughed at the snippets they caught between heated kisses.
"That was terrible!" Edin laughed as the credits began to roll. "Why do we keep coming here if they hardly ever show anything good?"
"Wishful thinking, I guess...they always promise that someday they'll show something new, something interesting, and we want to believe them," Azel said. "That, and...you know, drive-in theaters are..." He blushed, and Edin's heart melted a little. He's so cute when he's modest!
"That's true," she said.
"Yeah...well, I'm getting thirsty," Azel said. "Want to get a Coke at the five-and-dime?"
"Sure!"
*
"...So here we are, Bridget with a stray puppy under her shirt while Andrei and I try to carry our weight in supplies," Edin laughed. "And a police officer about to give us a full cavity search!"
"Did he?" Azel asked, stirring the ice in his glass.
"Just as he was about to, Sunny barked." Edin paused for a moment, sipping her drink. "We end up telling him the whole story, and he told Mom and Dad. Bridget actually cried at the idea of having to give Sunny to the shelter!"
"She really loves that dog, doesn't she?" Azel said.
"She wants to bring Sunny with her when she goes to college next fall," Edin laughed. "Anyway, somehow we persuaded Mom and Dad to let us keep the dog and it all worked out," Edin said. "We all got grounded for lying, but it was a small price to pay."
"Some things are worth taking punishment for," Azel laughed.
Edin smiled.
"Sometimes I can't believe it's only been two years," she said.
"What do you mean?" Azel asked.
"I know we've lived on the same street all our lives and we've been going to the same schools for twelve years, but we didn't really get to know each other until we were freshmen, and even then..."
"It took me until the beginning of junior year to ask you out," Azel said, "but I'd been in love with you since I was ten."
"That long?" Edin put down her glass and reached for his hand. "Why did you wait till we were sixteen to say anything?"
Azel blushed, taking her hand and twining their fingers together.
"Well, I was shy...besides, you were one of the most sought-after girls in school!" he said. "So many rich guys and jocks were after you and I felt like I didn't have anything to offer in comparison."
"You know none of that matters to me, Azel," Edin said.
"I know that now, but I was young and stupid back then!" Azel said. "Glad I finally came to my senses, though."
"So am I. I couldn't imagine being with anyone else but you," Edin said.
Azel's heart fluttered. He released her hand, then reached into his pocket.
"I have to confess something...I had an ulterior motive for coming here," he said. Edin blinked, then frowned.
"Azel, I love you, but just because Lex and Tiltyu are...you know, doesn't mean we have to keep up with them," she said.
"N-no, it's not that!" Azel blushed as red as his hair. "I'd never spring that on you, something like that should be planned and discussed...besides, I..." He took her hand and slid something onto her finger. "I don't believe in having sex before marriage."
Edin gasped.
"Azel, are you..."
He swallowed, his blush deepening several shades.
"As soon as we've graduated from high school, I want to marry you," he said. "I hope my class ring is enough until I can afford a real wedding ring."
Edin's hands flew to her mouth, and Azel gulped nervously. Please let her say yes. He watched her lower her hands, gaze at the ring, trace its stone with her fingertip.
Finally, her face broke into a smile.
"Oh, Azel...of course I will!" she gushed, pressing her hands to her chest. Azel sighed with relief.
"Ah, thank God...I was afraid you'd say it was too sudden," he said. "And then there's the matter of telling your parents, and I know your dad's not especially fond of me..."
"He will put up quite a fuss. Tell us we're too young to even be thinking about marriage, accuse you of filling my head with nonsense..." Edin rolled her eyes. "It'll be pretty hard to persuade him to see it our way."
"But he'll have to! Your father's a smart man, surely he knows a good thing when he sees it! We love each other, why shouldn't we start our lives together as soon as we can?" Azel said.
"I know, but we also have to see this from a practical standpoint...maybe they'll make us promise to wait until we've settled in at college, or have been there a year," Edin pointed out. "But I don't mind waiting. Even if I have to wait until we're out of college to marry you...it'll be worth it."
Azel smiled. She had this gentle way of pulling his head from the clouds without yanking him down to reality's hard pavement.
"You're right. Besides, unless we elope a wedding is going to take months to plan and prepare for," he said. Edin blushed.
"I hadn't even thought about that! And there's the costs...maybe waiting wouldn't be such a bad idea," she said.
"You think if we tell them we're going to wait, it'll convince your father not to hit me?" Azel asked.
"I hope so." Edin reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "I love you, Azel."
"I love you too, Edin."
*
It was half past midnight when they came sneaking up the walk. The plan was to sneak in one last goodnight kiss, then for Edin to slip around to the back so she could get in without waking anyone up.
They hadn't counted on Roger sitting in the den waiting up for them. Just as they broke from the kiss, he turned on the porchlight and opened the door.
"Nice of you to show up," he snapped. The look on his face could've sent a bear running for cover, and Azel nearly bit through his lip trying not to show his fear.
"Dad, I can explain," Edin began, but just then Roger caught sight of the ring on her finger.
"Is that an engagement ring?! You're not even outta high school and you're thinking of getting married?!"
"Dad!"
"You go on up to your room while I have a talk with this boy," he ordered, taking Azel's arm firmly and leading him to the couch. "Young man, you have a lot of explaining to do!"
"Mr. Ulir, I can assure you I didn't do anything impure with her, we were just walking by the lake and lost track of time!" Azel protested. "You know I would never-"
"I know all about boys your age. I was one once!" Roger growled. "You're good at lying, playing innocent, pretending you-"
"Roger!"
The three of them turned around to see Anne standing in the doorway, her hands on her hips. She wore a robe and the locks of hair not in curlers hung limply along her shoulders. She fixed them all with a hard stare, but it was clearly only meant for her husband. Roger actually flinched.
"Anne, I was just-"
"About to lose your temper and scare Azel? I can see that," Anne said crisply. "Roger, dear, before you go criticizing them, do you remember a balmy June night twenty-five years ago?"
Roger blinked.
"Of course, it was the night I proposed to you."
"Remember how late we came in after 'celebrating'? Remember how my father caught us and just about ripped you a new one?" Anne asked.
Roger closed his eyes, and suddenly he was seventeen years old again, standing before a large, angry man while Anne stood in the background, wringing her hands.
"Boy, I only want what's best for my daughter, and you're as far from the best as they come. You're just a farm boy, you're not much to look at, you're not too bright. When I picture you and my daughter ten years down the line I see you with a gaggle of kids, struggling to make ends meet as you're stuck in the same dead-end job you've got now. And frankly, even if you were a millionaire I wouldn't trust you as far as I can throw ya. You boys are all alike, and I'll be damned if I let my little girl get her heart broken by the likes of you!"
He sighed and let go of Azel's arm. Azel sighed with relief, rubbing where he was sure there would be a bruise tomorrow.
"Mr. Ulir?"
"I remember," Roger said. "Your father didn't like us being so cozy, Anne, he didn't think I was good enough for you. Lousy bastard, if it were up to him I would've left town so you could marry some rich ass!"
"Now you know that's not true," Anne said. "My father was a fine man, and he meant well. But he was stubborn and overprotective when it came to his only daughter."
"You can say that again," Roger muttered.
"But he was wrong," Anne said. "Sure, we struggled at first, but look at us now. We have a wonderful life, three beautiful children, you've had the same steady, well-paying job for over a decade..."
She walked over and wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"And Edin looks at Azel the way I'll look at you for the rest of our lives."
From their lookout post at the top of the stairs, Bridget and Andrei mimed a gagging motion. "Man, our parents are sappy," Andrei whispered.
Roger glanced at the lovebirds, who now sat nervously at the edge of the couch.
She thinks the world of him, and he's been nothing but good to her since they started dating. And he does have a lot more going for him than I did for me at his age.
After what seemed like an eternity, he spoke.
"I still don't like the idea of you rushing into this marriage thing, but...I know when I'm licked," he said. "I've been a real jackass about you two, and you've been such good sports. Any other couple your age woulda run away and eloped after six months."
"I'd never dream of getting married without our families there," Azel said.
"I know. You're a good man, Azel. A nervous man, but a good one nonetheless," Roger said. "And I know you'll take great care of my daughter. So..." He swallowed the last of his pride, its saltiness stinging his throat. "You have my blessing."
The couple leapt to their feet and embraced, squealing with joy.
"Thank you!"
Bridget and Andrei finally came downstairs, Sunny on their heels.
"I knew you'd cave, Dad," Andrei teased. Bridget came over and hugged her sister as she let go of Azel.
"So have you set a date?" she asked.
"Actually, we're going to hold off on that until we've settled in at college and have more money," Edin said. "It's sure going to be hard, though..."
"I'll have to ask my boss for a raise," Azel added. "And then there's the matter of planning a wedding around our classes, and finding a place to live if the dorms don't let married couples live there..." He cringed. "Wow, suddenly it all seems so overwhelming! You really think we can make this happen?" he asked.
Anne smiled, leaning closer to her husband.
"I know you will. It's like I've always said-what's meant to be will always find a way!" she said. Andrei rolled his eyes.
"Now that's as sappy as it gets!" he laughed. Bridget whacked him with a pillow.
"It's sappy, but it's still true!" she said.
Roger's face became serious again.
"Now, about your coming in late," he said. "Edin, I will have to ground you for the next few days. Rules are rules."
"So much for celebrating with Lex, Tiltyu, and the rest of the gang tomorrow night," Edin sighed. "Can't you wait till next weekend, Dad?"
"No."
"Well, I had to try!"
Azel glanced at the clock.
"I'd better get going. Alvis might not ground me for being back late, but he's probably worried," he said. He exchanged farewells with the family, then one last kiss with Edin before going out to his car.
"Drive safely!" Anne yelled after him as he left.
*
Azel pulled into the driveway of the Velthomer house, practically dancing his way to the front porch. Alvis's car wasn't in the driveway yet, meaning he probably wouldn't be back from his date for another hour. He let himself in and continued dancing his way up the stairs to his room.
"I'll tell him tomorrow," he said, falling into bed without bothering to change into his pajamas.
