Chapter 4

I was woken up by my phone ringing.

Oh, it was just a dream. Dang…

I picked up, "Hello?"

"Finally! You answered! I've been calling and calling for hours!" Jonathon yelped.

I look to my phone. 5 missed messages. Oops.

"I'm sorry. I got home and just passed out. I've been asleep for a while," I apologized and reassured.

I looked out the window; it was dark out. I really did sleep for hours.

"Oh, good. You need it. You just had me worrying. Is anyone else home?" He asked. His voice seemed calmer.

"Um, no." I listened for sound. I heard nothing, so no one must be home. "I don't think so. I don't hear anyone," I told him.

My brother must be out, and Mom was still at work.

"Okay good. I'll be there in 15. I have news." And before I could say another word, he hung up.

I laid my head back onto the pillow and decided to rest my eyes for a couple more minutes. I was so tired, I was out in seconds.

"Oh, Sleeping Beauty," I heard Jonathon lightly sing.

I giggled and opened my eyes. He was kneeling at the bedside.

He got up and laid on the bed next to me. I laid my still dozy head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around me.

"So you had news?" I looked up at him.

He smiled as he caught a look at my sparkling stars. That's what he called my eyes, and it made me blush every time. He was such a hopeless romantic, but I loved it.

"Well," he began, "My step-dad heard about the wedding. And you know how he loves you…"

It was true; his step-dad did love me. He thought I was perfect for Jonathon. Too bad Jonathon hates him.

Jonathon went on, "So he told me he's been saving for a wedding. He's going to pay! For the whole thing!"

My eyes lit up. "Are you serious? Oh my god! That's great! Does that mean your mom will be okay with it? Since he is?" I asked. I hoped.

He looked down. "Well… not exactly. He may be able to persuade her, but that isn't a promise." He looked back at me with a forlorn expression.

At this moment, I didn't care about that. All that mattered is that someone other than us wasn't against all of this.

I kissed Jonathon, "I don't care. I love you so much. How could anything else matter?" I said with a smile.

The sad look on his face disappeared. "I love you too, but I can see your eyes rolling into the back of your head. Go back to sleep, babe."

I nodded and laid my head on his chest. Almost instantaneously, I was deep asleep.

When I got to the front of the chapel, I kissed Jake on the cheek and he walked back to his seat. I looked to Jonathon, whose smile was gleaming. Just from that, my smile spread from ear to ear. I took his hands and stood across from him. Across from my future husband… It was perfect.

The pastor spoke as I half-listened. I was too busy watching the whole church filled with people, watching Jonathon's smile grow more and more as he looked at me. I had been dreaming of this moment for years on end, and for it to actually be true was just… mind-blowing.

Out of nowhere, there was a gunshot. Jonathon fell to the ground, grasping at his chest. I felt to my knees and pulled his hand away. Blood…

I ripped open his tuxedo and there it was. A bullet wound.

The man I was about to marry was now lying in front of me, dead…

"Samantha, wake up babe." Jonathon whispered softly, nudging me a bit.

My eyes darted open. "Jonathon? You're alive! Thank God! It was just a dream!" I exclaimed, pulling him into my embrace.

"What? Alive? I've been sleeping, why would I be dead?" He looked at me inquisitively.

"Oh, uh, nothing… just a bad dream," I stuttered as I laid my head back down.

I looked out the window. It was light out. We must've slept through the night. It was amazing waking up next to him. I turned my head back to him only to see him smiling back.

He is so cute…

That smile always had the ability to make me smile, and he knew it.

We talked for a bit and then went downstairs to go eat. It was around 10:30AM on a Thursday, what is there to do? We both thought about it for a while but came up with nothing, so we just decided to stay home and watch a movie.

It was a cold, foggy day. Perfect for a fire. We lit one and cuddled close to stay warm while watching the movie.

I kept thinking about my dream.

Who shot him?

Why?

Where did the shot come from?

Were they aiming for him… or me…?

My thoughts were interrupted by Jonathon stirring. I looked over to him and he was fast asleep, just rolling in his sleep.

How cute.

He seemed tired, so I decided to let him sleep.

The next day, we had to go to his house to discuss everything with his step-dad. His sister was at work, along with his mother, so it was the perfect time.

We got there and I began to walk inside when Jonathon grabbed my arm and swung me around. He kissed me so softly yet so passionately.

"I could tell that you were nervous," he smirked.

I glared, but couldn't help but grin like crazy. He laughed at that, and led me inside.

"Hey Mr. J, we're here!" I announced. I always called him Mr. J, only because he told me to. He would always tell me how 'Mr. Jacques' was too formal, and Mr. J made him feel like a teacher, and I would always laugh at that.

"Hey kiddo! Glad to see ya! So, Jonathon told you about my little…proposal?" He chuckled at his "funny" wordplay.

I smiled, "Yea, are you really going to pay for it?"

Jonathon smiled at the excitement that he could sense in my voice.

"Yes I will, under one condition." Mr. J said. Jonathon's glance turned quickly from me to his step father.

"You didn't tell me there was a condition!" Jonathon yelled.

"I know. I knew you wouldn't agree if I told you. Samantha needs to be here for this."

"Just say it…" I said, waiting for something bad. We'd been through so much, one more thing wouldn't hurt.

Will it?

"Okay, I will pay for any expense for the wedding. Only if Samantha gets through high school. You two need to be out of school. Samantha, you can get married before or while you're in college, but NOT in high school. I won't allow it. Remember, I love you both. It's for your own good."

I could tell that Jonathon was steaming. He had worked so much already. I thought about it though. Mr. J was right. Having to deal with school, a wedding, and marriage would be too much…

"Deal." I said calmly.

"What?" Jonathon's glare darted to me.

"He's right." I said. "I need to focus on school. And it's not like we're going to break up. We've been together for two years. We have never fought, not once. And we love each other very much. I just need to get through school, you know that."

He looked down, then back to me.

"Okay…" He agreed.

"Great! Now you two rascals get outta here before your mother comes home." Mr. J said, shooing us out.

"That went well." I said sarcastically.

Jonathon just grunted and got into the car. He drove us back to my place.

He didn't want to wait. Jonathon was not a patient person.

I thought it was cute.