Quite Possibly the Best Day Ever

I walk across the college campus slowly, the snow crunching beneath my feet. I take in my surroundings: the tall, leafless trees; the shoveled sidewalks; the pure, white snow everywhere. I shiver and remind myself that this is my dream school – a little cold shouldn't be a problem.

I should probably explain how I got here to begin with. Shouldn't I be at Berkley in California? What am I doing at my dream school all the way across the country?

Well, I got accepted to MUNY, but considering my situation of not being able to go, I asked them if there was any possible way they could hold my spot. And somehow, they agreed, but only for a year. So I spoke with my dad, and after a lot of arguing, he finally said that if I gave Berkley a chance and got all A's my first semester there, he'd let me switch and help me pay for MUNY. I don't think he really expected me to accomplish that, though, because when I called him and told him how I spent every night studying and managed to achieve the straight A's, he seemed shock. Still, he kept to his word and helped me switch to MUNY.

Because I spent so much time working to get the good grades, Ally and I haven't really talked as much as we should. She's still my girlfriend and everything (at least, I hope she is) and we do talk. But she has no idea I'm here. She doesn't even know about the deal with my dad.

I walk into a McDonald's I see on the street and sit down at a table, pulling out my phone and calling Ally.

"Well, Moon Boy, how nice of you to remember your girlfriend."

I roll my eyes and smile when I hear her voice. "Girlfriend? What girlfriend?"

"Ha-ha. Hilarious."

"So, you settled in okay?" I ask, switching the topic of conversation.

"Yeah," she says with a sigh. "What about you? How's that California winter treating you?"

"What winter?"

"The one I'm feeling over here with snow up to my neck."

I chuckle. "Well, that's not saying much, shortie."

"Cute."

"So what're you up to?"

"Just school work. I'm trying to get ahead in my theory class because I was kinda having trouble with it last semester. I wish you were here to help me."

"Me, too," I say, grinning because I am here and I can help her and it's been months since the last time I saw her in person and in just a few minutes she'll be in my arms again.

"I'm at that café I told you about." I can hear the smile in her voice. "The one with the coffee that'd keep you up all day, even if you were up with nightmares all night."

"Oh, that one," I say. I can easily get directions there from a local – apparently it's super popular.

"Yeah. Speaking of, how are your nightmares?"

"I think I'm finally growing out of them," I say. "Or maybe being with you makes me so happy that they're going away."

"You're cute," she says with a giggle.

"I know. I should probably let you get back to work."

"I guess so. Let's talk tonight, okay?"

"Okay."

"Promise?"

"I promise we will talk tonight. Maybe even sooner."

"Okay," she says, her smile evident in her voice. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I reply. "Bye, Als."

"Bye."

I hang up the phone and get up. After getting the directions to the café from someone outside, I make my way over there – fortunately it's only a few blocks – and walk inside.

Quickly scanning the small room, my eyes almost immediately land on the familiar chestnut-ombré curls and I grin. Her back is to me, so she has no idea that I'm only a few feet away. I slowly walk over to her.

"Excuse me, miss, I'm new here. I was wondering if you could show me around?" I ask, attempting to change my voice so she won't know it's me till she sees me. Strangely enough, it works.

She freezes for a second, probably in surprise because a random stranger is talking to her, but then she speaks, albeit a little shakily. "I'm actually super busy," she says, not looking up.

"You could show me around later."

"I have a boyfriend."

I grin, but then frown because she still hasn't looked up or realized it's me.

"I don't see him," I say, continuing with the act.

"Because he's not here."

"Ah. And if he was? What would you do?"

"I would tell him that he is an absolute idiot if he thought a lousy British accent would fool me," she says, turning to look at me.

"Surprise!" I say with a grin, throwing my arms in the air excitedly. Then I knit my eyebrows and drop them, frowning as what she said sinks in. "Wait, what?"

She doesn't say anything, instead standing up to hug me tightly. I immediately hug her back, burying my face in her neck. I inhale her scent and let it intoxicate me as I relish the feeling of her in my arms again.

"What're you doing here?" she asks quietly, her voice muffled by my coat.

"I told you," I say at the same volume, lifting my head to place a kiss on the top of her head before nuzzling my nose in her neck again, "I'm a new student here."

"Wait, you go here?!" she exclaims, pulling back to look at me.

I nod and explain my agreement with my dad, grinning the whole time. I watch as her face lights up more and more, and after I finish she jumps into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist, ignoring all the stares we're getting. I catch her, wrapping my arms around her tightly, and smile.

"We're going to college together!" she squeals. I chuckle and lean my forehead against hers.

"So, about that tour…?"

She giggles and I set her down.

"I must warn you, I do have a boyfriend."

"I would never get in the way of that, of course. Who's the lucky man?"

"Well, his name's Jordan-"

"Nope!" I exclaim, wrapping an arm around her. "Not going there. Not today."

She giggles and packs her stuff into her bag before taking my hand and leading me out of the café.

"And I'm pretty sure that's everything," Ally says as we conclude my tour in the quad. I smile and kiss her cheek.

"I love it here."

"Good. It is your dream school, after all. Speaking of which, how's that record deal going?"

I shrug. "Nothing yet. I think I'm gonna focus on college for now. And…something else."

"Something else?"

"Yeah."

"May I ask what that something is?"

"Well, it involves you."

She smiles and I take a deep breath, swallowing my nerves.

"You know I love you."

"Of course."

I nod. "I love you so much, Ally. And even though we've only been dating for a year, that's long enough for me to know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Her eyes widen. "Austin…"

"I-I know we're young," I interrupt her. "And we'll both be super busy with college and everything, but…I-I couldn't wait anymore." I bite my lip and get down on one knee, pulling the small velvet box that's caused me so many sleepless nights out of my pocket.

I look up at her, expecting to see her looking nervous or unsure, but all I see is a huge grin and slightly watery eyes. I sigh in relief and smile, too. "Ally Dawson, will you marry me?"

"Of course I'll marry you, idiot!" she squeals, grabbing my arm and pulling me up off the ground so she can hug me. I laugh – half in pure joy and half in pure relief – and hug her back tightly. Then, I pull away and slip the ring on her finger.

Before I get the chance to say anything else, she grabs the collar of my shirt and crashes her lips onto mine. I smile as I kiss her back, still feeling all the butterflies, all the heart pounding, all the mind racing that I did the first time.

"I love you, Ally," I whisper when we pull away.

"I love you too, Moon Boy."

"You know, I'm gonna get to call you Moon Girl pretty soon."

She grins and presses her lips to mine gently.

"It just doesn't have the same ring to it."

"No, but it feels great saying it. Ally Moon."

"You're cheesy."

"You love it."

"I do."

My smile widens, if that's possible, and so does hers.

Things aren't gonna be easy. I'm sure she knows that just as well as I do. But we're gonna get through it. Because no matter how many fights, tears, or insults we go through, we'll always find our way back to each other.

If you had told me two years ago that I'd fall in love with Ally Dawson, I would've laughed in your face. Now, I can't imagine myself anywhere else. But hey, I guess that's just what happens when you force a friendship.

Well, after almost two years, like five hiatuses, and about ten million arguments with myself about whether I'd actually finish this story, it's done. I'd just like to thank every single one of you for caring about this story and reading it and loving it, whether you just read the whole thing in one sitting or you've been with me since December 21, 2013. I love all of you SOOOOOO much, and thanks again for sticking with me. So, for the last time (in this story at least), thanks for reading, and please review! I love all of you more than anything else in the whole universe!

~Maddie :)