Dare awoke to the bright morning sun. She turned her head over on her pillow. "Hi," she said softly.
Justin smiled. "Sleep well?" He propped himself up on one arm
"You tell me," Dare said. She sat up and stretched. "You didn't leave," she noted.
He gave a quizzical look. "You wouldn't let me, actually," he said.
"You were going to?" she asked with a hint of panic in her voice.
"Just to sleep in the other room," he answered, looking at her skeptically.
"Oh." She was relieved and smiled to herself.
Justin chose not to ask and inquired, "Breakfast?"
"Sounds good!" Dare nodded and yawned.
* * * * * *
Dear stupid diary, wrote Dare. She tapped her pen on her paper for a minute or two, then finally began writing.
I can't even believe I'm writing in this stupid thing because journals, I always thought, were for people with normal lives. You know… with time to write and all. Yeah. I never have time to write. The last time I wrote was… when I was a junior in high school. Haha. Go figure. Anyway, the reason I'm writing is because for a short while, I've become normal. I don't think anything magical has happened in a long time (besides the day-to-day spell) and telling Justin about me being a werewolf. Yes, I told! He took it extremely well. If he'd been me, I would've had a heart attack or something. Either way, he's still the best person I've ever met. Haha. (Right next to Lacey?)
Lupin and I had a row earlier this week and I still can't get it off my mind…. I just feel so guilty all the time, now. I mean… he and Tonks.
Okay, that's not why I came to write in this stupid thing. Really, it was because I'm bored and have got nothing better to do until later today. (I'm picking up David's daughter, Eva, and baby-sitting for several days while they fly to Scotland to visit Serena's (David's wife) parents. Eva's a little bundle of joy, I swear she never cries (the best kid ever.)
Anyway, I'm writing to talk about Justin. It's just… I want to have something to look back on because… well, I don't want to get my own hopes up, but Kori says it has to happen soon. And Lacey says it's going to happen every time we go on a date. (and she always gives me tips too.) Either way, I can't wait for it to happen! And maybe I mean that literally. We graduate from grad school this year and I just don't want… well… I want us to be… together before all that comes. Anyway, I'd better go. It's only eleven and Justin wants to go on a lunch date. Cheers!
=]
-GDB…. (Soon to be GDC?) =\
* * * * * *
They went to the Meteor Café, which was still a favorite place of theirs. (Now with a sentimental value, having been the place where they'd gone after the first time they met.) Afterwards, they went back to Dare's house and lay down lazily in front of the TV. It was windy, cold, and snowing outside. The news said a blizzard was at hand, and Dare was determined to keep Justin from driving through it all. After much begging (and a couple guilt trips), Dare won and Justin said he'd stay until his interview, which he refused to miss, "Snow, rain, tornado, or earthquake," he counted off.
"Ergh," grumbled Dare. "Fine. I have to drive to the airport anyway and pick up Eva in an hour, so I won't be able to stop you." She thought for a moment, then added, "But I could put a charm on the door that stops you from leaving." She laughed out loud.
Justin glared at her. "I would send you to an insane asylum when you got back home."
"That's not nice," she said, still laughing. "I better go make something. I'm sure Eva will be hungry when she gets here." She got up and went into the kitchen.
She made a sandwich and stuck it in the refrigerator. While cleaning up, Dare heard Justin call her from kitchen.
"Be there in a second," she answered.
When she came back into the living room, the TV was, surprisingly, off. She gave the TV a confused look and then looked at Justin the same. "Are we suddenly anti-TV?" she asked.
He shook his head, then said, "No, I just- I need to talk to you."
Dare flushed. Nothing in the movies that began "we need to talk" or anything along those lines ever ended well.
"Sorry," said Justin hurriedly, realizing his wording was bad. "I didn't mean that. It's nothing bad!" he smiled and she sighed with relief.
"You scared me!" Dare said.
"Sorry," he said again, smile gone. "Dare, I need to ask you something."
"Okay, shoot!" she said, happier now that she knew this wasn't going to end like a bad chick-flick.
"Dare, I don't really know how to do this, which is good, I guess if you think about it. Well, I- okay. I'm already doing badly." He blushed, but Dare smiled and he continued. "Well, I've been thinking it over and over and I guess now is a better time than ever, so, well, I guess what I'm asking is," Justin paused and Dare drained of all color as he slipped to his knee with a little black, velvet box in his hand. "Genavieve Dare Belacqua… I love you with everything I am, and I can't imagine us not together. And I apologize for this not being as cliché as I had planned it." Dare's hands were covering her mouth, holding back the scream that was dying to come out. "Will you marry me?"
She was speechless, to say the least. Her head swam, her heart stopped, and her breath quickened. A million thoughts rushed through her head before finally resting on one thing; the advice Lacey had given her almost everyday.
"Number one," said Lacey, professionally, "Act surprised even if you aren't."
Not a problem, thought Dare.
"Number two," rang Lacey's voice again, "Try to smile, otherwise it looks like you're devastated and you would rather die than say 'yes' to the bloke in front of you."
No luck, Lace,thought Dare, My body died – face not working.
"Number three, and most importantly," went Lacey's voice. She always said this one with one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Dare, "Remember to say 'yes'!"
"Uh… Dare?"
Dare snapped back to reality.
"Dare, I kind of need an answer," mumbled Justin helplessly.
"Yes!" she said finally. "Yes, of course!" She laughed as relief washed over Justin's face like a wave.
He breathed out and stood up, took a silver ring from the little black case and slipped it on to Dare's left hand.
She gasped when she saw it up close; a skinny, silver band with a small ruby and two little pearls on either side of the gem. "Justin! It's beautiful!" She gazed at it in shock.
He laughed, "I thought you'd like it."
She leaped at him, and kissed him. It was that kiss, she realized, that she'd been waiting for since she could imagine falling in love with the perfect guy. "The engagement kiss" she called it. Lacey would always laugh and shake her head whenever Dare brought it up.
They broke apart and Dare rested her head against his warm chest and sighed. After a good minute passed, she realized what the time was and mumbled, "Crud."
"What?" asked Justin, surprised by the sudden change in mood.
"You're going to be late if you don't leave soon and me too!" She looked at her watch and she continued to mutter, "Crud, crud, crud," while collecting her coat, shoes, keys, and other things. Justin had gone upstairs to the computer desk to fetch a couple papers he needed for the interview.
"Don't forget that I'll be back late because of the interview I have for the Michigan hospital," Justin told Dare, running his hand through his hair.
"Yeah," mumbled Dare. "I know." She hated when he went for job interviews that involved jobs far away. Only because of her own selfishness, though. If he got a job far away, he'd obviously have to move and she didn't want to have to make that choice of friends or love. It was horrible. Of course, now that they were getting married, she didn't have much to choose from. "Well, good luck," she muttered darkly. As soon as she had said the words, a glow appeared around Justin, almost quite literally, as if someone had shown a spotlight on him from all sides.
He beamed a smile and said, "Thanks!"
Dare had a knack for setting off spells that she didn't even mean to do. The good luck spell was no simpler than what it sounded like. It was good luck that followed a person for a day or so. She mumbled something incoherent and nodded to him.
He kissed her on the forehead and rushed out the door. Dare held out her hand and the glow disappeared from Justin as she watched him make his way down the long driveway.
She sighed as she watched the glow of luck dance in her cupped hands. She held out her hands again and let it trickle slowly out and go chasing back after Justin. She wasn't going to be completely selfish. He could have the luck. She smiled afterwards, grabbed her jacket off the coat rack, and headed out the door to the airport.