A/N: Well guys… the last chapter before the epilogue is here! I hope you all enjoyed the triple update on Valentine's Day and thank you to everyone who read and reviewed. I have so many sappy things to say to all of you, but I suppose that can wait for the epilogue. Please, enjoy! :)
Tegan's POV
One of my t-shirts hits me square in the face. I growl, balling it up, and launch it into the air. Much like my humiliating beer pong skills, it misses my intended target Lindsey, sailing past her shoulder, almost grazing her ear, and lands inside my suitcase, back where it just came from.
"I told you I don't want to go out. I want to curl up in bed with my chocolates and be sad." I cross my arms defensively.
"Sara wouldn't want you to do that." Lindsey says, her petite frame practically buried in my suitcase at this point. She stands up straight, her hands on her hips, looking at me over her shoulder. "Jesus, Tegan. Did you pack anything other than shirts and jeans?"
"Yes, I did." I grumble, nudging her out of the way. I flip the zippered middle divider down and open it up, pulling out a bunched up black and white polka dot sheer button up. It was the only dressy clothing I packed.
"It's perfect!" Lindsey grins, unraveling it with a few shakes and holding it up. "Well, if it weren't so wrinkly that is."
"Perfect for what?!" I kick my suitcase shut and plant my hands firmly on my hips.
All I've done today is freak out because Sara hasn't talked to me once. When I woke up, my video chat with her had been disconnected, there were no new texts or phone calls, and I've been trying to get ahold of her ever since practice ended hours ago. I haven't been able to get that sinking feeling out of my stomach, positive I royally screwed up last night when I told Sara my dream date with her would end in a proposal. My phone has been stuck to my hand all day as if they were super glued together, and I've been obsessively willing it to buzz in my hand with a new text or call without any luck. I'm not in the mood to do anything but wallow. What part of that does Lindsey not understand?
"For tonight!" She exclaims, pushing me into our bathroom. "I'll take care of your shirt while you shower."
I start to protest but she slams the door in my face, leaving me alone in the darkness. I flick the light on, get a glimpse of my haggard reflection, and flick the light back off. I strip myself of my comfy post-workout clothes and step into the shower, holding my foot under the running faucet to find the right temperature.
Once I've scrubbed and rinsed the grime and sweat from two days worth of practice down the drain, I wrap separate towels around my middle and my hair, stepping out into the bedroom.
Lindsey's sitting on her bed, dressed in black skinny jeans and a dark purple sweater, holding a small mirror in one hand, applying make up with the other. On my bed is the button up, wrinkle free and still warm from the iron. A pair of my jeans sit beside the top and on the floor are my shiny black boots.
Sighing, I gather my things and head back into the bathroom. When I walk out, hair straightened and teeth brushed, Lindsey hands me one of my many leather jackets and I slip it on before stuffing the pockets with my phone, keys, and wallet.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"I figured we could just walk around until we found something interesting." She answers as I follow her out the front door.
I roll my eyes, slightly annoyed that she didn't even have a plan for what she had been calling our "Big Night Out" all day at practice. I pull my phone from my pocket, feeling lost without it in my hand, and carry it tightly while we wander through the bustling streets, stopping every so often to window shop or to watch a random street performer hoping to gather enough money to get out of the cold for at least one night.
I toss all the change from my pockets into a young guy's open guitar case, impressed by his talent and smooth voice, secretly hoping that the good deed will bring some good fortune my way. I clench my phone tighter and we continue walking, looking for place to grab a bite to eat.
"How about this place?" Lindsey asks after we walk a few more blocks.
I look up from sending yet another text to Sara, feeling my stomach drop heavily to the ground. We're standing right in front of the French restaurant I told Sara about. I shake my head adamantly and start to walk away. There's no way I'm going to willingly torture myself like that.
"Oh, c'mon. It looks good." Lindsey insists, grabbing my wrist.
My heels drag noisily along the pavement as I'm reluctantly pulled in like a terrified child being dragged to the dentist. It's silly, but it feels wrong being here without Sara. I look around, hoping I'll see something that'll turn me off and kill my dream date fantasies but it's perfect. It's busy, but quiet, and every couple looks so in love. In fact, there only seem to be couples filling up the tables. It seems kind of strange that Lindsey would choose this of all places. When I told her about what I had said to Sara I never specified which restaurant so I guess maybe she thinks coming here will somehow make me feel better, but so far it's not working.
I follow behind Lindsey, who follows the hostess around a corner to a section of booths with high backs for extra privacy. Lindsey gently pinches my arm and I look up from my shuffling feet. She's grinning wide, her eyes twinkling, and I smile back weakly, a bit weirded out, and turn my focus straight ahead. I stop dead in my tracks, my jaw dropping so hard that I'm legitimately surprised it doesn't crack the cobblestone flooring.
"Sara?" I whisper in disbelief. Fifteen feet in front of me, Sara stands in the exact outfit I described to her, a black button up with a red bow tie, jeans, and her red Converse. Her black rimmed glasses sit on her nose that scrunches adorably as she flashes me her dazzling smile. In her hands she twirls a single red rose.
I rub my eyes with my fists, positive my mind is a playing a cruel trick on me, but when I look again, she's still standing there, more perfect than ever. I look to Lindsey dumbly, still not fully understanding what's going on.
"Go get her!" Lindsey laughs, slapping me on the back encouragingly.
Sara's POV
I motion for Tegan to get over here, feeling like I may burst with happiness. She rushes forward, shaking her head and smiling with her gums the entire way, the zippers on the foreign leather jacket hanging off her shoulders jingling noisily with each bounding step. I wrap her up in my arms, squeezing her as hard as a stress ball.
My feet lift from the ground as Tegan twirls me in a circle. I bury my face into her neck, grinning so wide it hurts, and inhale deeply the sweet scent that could only belong to my Tee. My feet touch the ground and we stare deeply into each other's eyes, grinning goofily like lovestruck fools. I offer her the rose and she lifts it to her nose, her eyes fluttering shut. She lets out a tiny sigh as she smells the flower then she opens her eyes to look at me, raking me up and down in a mix of disbelief and amazement.
"Is it really you?" She asks.
"Yeah, Baby. It's really me." I nod, chuckling, and reach to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. I flick my gaze down to Tegan's always inviting lips and back up, waiting for her to kiss my cheek.
"Thank you." She whispers, leaning forward, pressing her lips to my cheek, and I can't help but blush like an idiot. There's nothing like having those lips touch my skin.
"Oh, c'mon! Kiss her for real!" Lindsey goads, interrupting our moment. She's standing a few feet away, looking at us like a proud parent. I'll never be able to thank her enough for helping me pull this off, especially on such short notice, but now that Tegan knows I'm here, I don't want to focus on anything else but her and making her dream date come true.
Tegan laughs, looking briefly at Lindsey, loops her arms around my shoulders, bringing us closer. The few short seconds of anticipation drive me wild, making my head spin, and if I didn't have such an impatient personality, I wouldn't mind just reveling in the palpable tension. But I've dreamt of kissing Tegan every night since she's left and I don't want to wait any longer.
I pull her impossibly close by her loose button up and hold her steady at her waist. My thumbs draw lazy circles on her bare skin and I tilt my head, leaning in. Our lips meet eagerly, passionately; I've never felt so light and so alive.
We part unwillingly at the sound of someone clearing their throat loudly around us and rest our foreheads against each other, breaking into a fit of giddy laughter. I peck her once more quickly and we slide into opposite sides of our booth.
I look through the menu while Tegan idly plays with my fingers as she stares at me lovingly, her chin resting in her palm. I order for the both of us, along with a bottle of Pinot Noir, and wrap my hand around Tegan's, relieved to be holding her, even in such a small way.
"I can't believe you're here. I can't believe you did this for me." Tegan says, shaking her head, still in a state of disbelief.
"I would do anything for you, Tegan." I say simply, shrugging my shoulders. I'm honestly a bit surprised she's so surprised, as if I wouldn't have dropped everything to do this for her.
"I'm so lucky to have you." She smiles, but it's that kind of shaky smile where her lips are pressed together tightly and her nostrils flare because she's also trying not to break down. I squeeze her hand reassuringly though I know that the tear rolling down her cheek is due to happiness.
Our food arrives and I wait while Tegan takes a bit, chewing my lip nervously. She hums happily, and I sigh, relieved that she likes what I picked out for her. She washes it down with a sip of wine and I dig into my own plate, thrilled to be listening to Tegan tell me all about the city in person. All the way through dinner she talks non stop, pointing at different places out the window with the end of her fork, showing me more pictures on her phone I haven't seen before.
When our waiter appears to clear our plates away and offer to show us the dessert menu, I politely decline and pick up the bill. As he walks away, I shove the cork into the half full wine bottle as best I can and slip it into my backpack resting at my feet.
"Sare." Tegan tsks, nudging me with her foot.
"What? I paid for it." I argue.
The waiter returns with the receipt. I write in the tip and my signature, slip my bag onto my shoulders, then Tegan and I are out the door. She grabs my hand and leads us down the block towards the bakery.
"So, how long will you be here?" Tegan asks quietly, swinging our connected hands in the space between us.
I grimace, wishing she would have asked anything but that. "Until tomorrow," I frown.
"Oh," is all she says, looking down at her feet.
"I have two interviews on Monday, so." I tell her, feeling my stomach drop in nervous anticipation just thinking about it.
"That's awesome, Sara." Tegan praises me, her mood lifting just like that. She moves in to kiss me on the cheek.
"Montreal is pretty." I say after a moment, taking a deep breath of the cool, fresh air.
"It's not so bad." Tegan agrees. "I like it better now that you're here, though."
I smile and pull Tegan into the nearest alleyway, suddenly anxious to have alone time with her. I'd rather have Tegan for dessert, anyway. I push her against the brick wall of one of the buildings we stand between, my knee nestled between her thighs, and my hand lying flat in the middle of her chest, feeling faint pulses from her quickening heart beat. My other hand grips her waist, my fingertips pressing into her soft skin. I can feel the rise and fall of her tummy against mine as she breathes.
"I love you." She says, gazing into my eyes intensely.
Her words hit me and I realize this is the first time she's said it all night and that I have yet to say it.
"I love you, too." I say, loosening my hold on her. I kiss her like I intended, grazing my tongue along hers, but don't try taking things farther, and neither does Tegan. I lay my head on her shoulder, now hugging her waist, both my feet planted between hers. Breathing in her scent and being held in her arms, I realize sex in an alley is not what I want and it's not part of Tegan's dream date.
I pull away, Tegan giving me that puppy dog look; her eyes wide and head tilt to the side curiously.
"What's wrong?" She asks.
"Nothing," I say, pulling her back onto the sidewalk. "Let's go get dessert."
Tegan's POV
We walk into the bakery, and head over to the display, looking over the different flavors. I know I said I wanted to share a Red Velvet cupcake, but I tell Sara she can choose whatever she'd like. I've been here multiple times over the weeks, either with Lindsey or some of my other teammates, and even by myself. I'm sure I'll be back again before I head back to Vancouver if my craving for one is that bad.
"Babe, how does Cookies and Cream sound?" Sara asks, looking over her shoulder and toying with her necklace. Until now the necklace had been hidden under her top but I'm glad it's finally made an appearance. It looks perfect on her.
I smile proudly to myself and step around an older gentleman to where Sara stands. I wrap my arms around her from behind and she turns her head so I can kiss her. I hunt for the cupcake in question, and nod my approval, drooling over the mountain of white frosting topped with an Oreo cookie.
We head back into the street, cupcake in tow in a plastic to-go container, searching for a spot to share our dessert and finish our wine. We walk for about a mile and find ourselves on the edge of a park with a huge pond, still partially frozen in spots from the harsh Montreal winter. I lead us down a shoveled path, finding a secluded wooden bench.
"Wait," Sara stops me when I try to sit down. She pulls out a blanket from her backpack and I try to sneak a peek at what else she found necessary to pack for our one night together but it's too dark to see. She lays out the blanket and we sit down, staring out at the pond, passing the wine back and forth, enjoying the peaceful silence.
I rest my head on Sara's shoulder and she kisses the top of my head before popping open the cupcake container, tearing off a bite-sized chunk and feeding it to me. I moan in delight and lift my head, swallowing. I flash a gummy smile at Sara. She giggles, reaching up to wipe off a bit of smeared frosting from my lip with her thumb. She aticks it into her mouth and sucks it clean.
"Yum," she grins, taking her own monstrous bite.
It doesn't take long for us to finish off the cupcake and wine, leaving us with nothing but time for us. I snuggle into Sara, massaging my chilly palm up and down her thigh while she plays with the baby hair at the back of my neck, whispering how happy she is to be here and how much she loves me. My thoughts can't help but wander to how and if we'll be spending the night together intimately. It's not like I can't take her back to my room at the dormitory but I don't think I can bear having Sara here without being able to have her inside of me. I sigh sadly and look up to the clear night sky.
"What's on your mind?" Sara asks.
I frown and force the thoughts away, not wanting to ruin the little time we have together. I know we'll figure it out when the time comes. "You," I say, pulling her in for a kiss, letting myself relax and my worries disappear. At some point she climbs into my lap and I've got my hands under her coat and shirt now, stroking the muscles in her back. Her hands are tangled in my hair, tugging, and for a second, I think we're about to do it right here, in the openness of this park but Sara pulls away, bracing her palm against my chest, insinuating that I don't try to make a move.
She says my name so quietly, for a moment I think it's just the wind. Looking past me, letting out a large puff of air, Sara chews obsessively on her bottom lip, looking gloomy, apprehensive, or something totally, completely different. For the fist time, I can't read her emotions, let alone begin to understand them. I have no control over my stomach plummeting or my heart doubling its pace in a second flat. The neurosis starts to kick in and I have to remind myself that if Sara had anything bad to say, she wouldn't have flown across the country for just one night to take me on the most perfect date of my life.
"Sare?" I question hesitantly when she makes no move to say or do anything more.
Her smile is unsure and she kisses my forehead softly before reaching over to her backpack. I slide my hands around to her stomach, giving her room to stretch. She straightens back up but from what I can tell she's empty handed. Weird.
"Sara." My voice is stern, demanding Sara to tell me what on Earth is going on with her.
"Just wait a second." Sara runs a hand through her hair while the other one rests at her side, curled up tightly in a ball. She gulps, takes a deep breath, and holds up the proof that she had in fact retrieved something from her bag. "It's not a diamond like you asked for, but it was my grandmother's. She told me I'd find someone special to give it to someday, and I honestly didn't think I'd find you so soon, Tee, but I did. You're the one, I know you are."
My eyes lock onto the ring held between her finger. The silver band is braided, and it's topped with a small peach pearl. It's so simple and elegant, definitely unconventional, but then again so is Sara. It's more perfect than any diamond could have ever been. Before my brain can even think of something to say, Sara crawls off my lap and kneels on the dead, wet grass.
"What I'm trying to say is... Tegan Rain Quin, will you marry me?"
It's all I can do to nod my head furiously, and hold out my left hand. It's a struggle to keep myself from either passing out, puking up my dinner, screaming, or all three as Sara slides the ring onto my finger, nestling it perfectly into place like Cinderella and her glass slipper.
