Chapter 36: New Year

There's only five more minutes to go. Five more minutes before it's the New Year. All of Petalburg is gathered in the town square. May, Drew, Kiara, Caroline, and Norman are all in the center of the square with every citizen on the edges of the square.

May and Drew are by the fireworks display, talking. "So, are you ready?" May asked.

Drew smiled. "Since you're here with me, I sure am."

May didn't respond. She's just staring into Drew's eyes, smiling. After a moment of silence, May exhaled dreamily. "It's like today is the halfway point of the day you became a royal. You've almost been King for half a year."

"Yeah." Drew agreed. "Has it been that long already? Time flies when you're with the love of your life."

May blushed a little. She exhaled and looked Drew in the eyes. "Drew...our...fairytale, like what the Goddess calls it, has been really magical." May said. "And I can't wait for next year to make more memories with you as King and my husband."

"Same to you."

May smiled brightly. "All we've been through...we've been through together." She took Drew's hand. "And I couldn't be happier without you by my side."

(This song is "Love Story" by Taylor Swift. There's changed lyrics.)

"We were both young when I first saw you." May sang. "I close my eyes, and the flashback starts. I'm standing there...in the city and in morning air. See the lights, see the smiles, the people. I tripped, I was all but regal." She sang, giving Drew a small curtsy. Drew smiled. "You pulled me close. Little did I know."

"That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles." May continued, taking both of Drew's hands. "And my daddy said stay away from Juliet. And I was crying on the staircase, begging you please don't go...and I said,"

"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone." May sang. "I'll be waiting, all that's left to do is run. You'll be the Prince and I'll be the Princess. It's a love story, baby, just say yes."

"So we sneak out to that pretty gazebo." May continued. "We keep quiet, 'cause we're dead if they knew. So close your eyes. Escape this town for a little while, oh, oh." May released Drew's left hand and he twirled her with his right.

"Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter." She continued. "And my daddy said stay away from Juliet. But you were everything to me. I was begging you please don't go...and I said,"

May took initiative this time, and she twirled herself to Drew, her back to his chest, while singing. "Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone." Drew wrapped his arms around May's stomach. "I'll be waiting, all that's left to do is run." She spun herself away from Drew, facing him. "You'll be the Prince and I'll be the Princess. It's a love story, baby, just say yes."

Drew took a step closer to May, cupping her neck with his free hand. They stared deeply into each other's eyes. "Romeo, save me, they're tryna tell me how to feel." May sang. "This love is difficult, but it's real. Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess. It's a love story, baby, just say yes." May took a step away from Drew, him lowering his hand but still holding May's left one. "Oh, oh."

May took that step closer to Drew again. "I got tired of waiting, wondering if you were ever coming around. My faith in you was fading. You stopped a wedding when you weren't allowed. And I said,"

May reached up with both arms and she wrapped them around Drew's neck. Drew held her waist with both hands. "Romeo, save me, I've been feeling so alone. I keep waiting for you but you never come. Is this in my head? I don't know what to think. He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring, and said,"

"Marry me, Juliet, you'll never have to be alone." May sang. "I love you, and that's all I really know. I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress. It's a love story, baby, just say yes."

"Oh, oh, oh." She continued. "Oh, oh, oh. Cause we were both young when I first saw you." She finished the song and lowered both arms to her sides.

"It's time." May said.

Drew nodded. "Right. But one thing…"

The countdown started with the people chanting, "10! 9!"

"What is it?" May asked.

"8!"

A royal guard walked up to Drew with two long-tipped lighters.

"7!"

Drew took both lighters from the guard.

"6!"

Drew looked at May. "I want both of us to light them." He held out a lighter to May.

"5!"

May smiled and accepted the lighter.

"4!"

Drew and May nodded to each other before they walked away from each other to stand at the ends of the row of fireworks.

"3!"

Drew and May got to the ends and they looked at each other.

"2!"

Drew and May both nodded and turned on their lighter flames.

"1!"

On that cue, they both connected the flames with the bottom of the fireworks, walking down the row towards each other.

"Happy New Year!"

With that yelled, the fireworks burst into colors in the night sky, making loud popping sounds with each one.

May and Drew finished lighting up the fireworks at the same time and they ended up meeting in the middle. They both smiled at each other. They teleported the lighters back to the castle with their scepter and sword.

Without saying anything, Drew cupped May's neck and ran a hand through her hair. He leaned in, both closing their eyes, and he pressed his lips against hers. May wrapped her arms around his neck.

The fireworks are exploding in the night sky, everyone is cheering, and couples are celebrating with a kiss. They probably all know that if you kiss someone on New Year's Day at midnight, you'll have a year of luck in love.

Drew pulled away from May. "Happy new year...my Queen."

"Happy new year, my King." May said.

After a moment, May and Drew dropped their hands to their sides and looked up at the fireworks.

They stayed like that for a while before Drew looked back at May. He took her hand and lifted it. May looked at Drew to see him place a kiss on her wedding ring.

When Drew lowered her hand, he said, "Here's to a new year full of excitement, love, and ruling together."

May smiled. "Here's to us."

"I can't wait to see them again!" May said excitedly.

"Me neither." Drew said. "Do you think they miss me?"

"They're your parents. Of course they miss you."

Drew smiled. "Thanks for agreeing to let us go visit them."

"I was happy to do it. They're my family too."

Like they said, May and Drew are going to visit Drew's parents. They're riding in a carriage to LaRousse City. They have time off from ruling, so this is what they decided to do today on New Year's Day.

The carriage came to a stop. May and Drew looked to the right to see the carriage in front of the gate of Drew's mansion.

Drew stood up. "I'll open the gate."

Drew exited the carriage and walked to the large fence. He pressed a password onto a number pad. The gate started moving to the left. Drew walked to the carriage, entering it.

"I can't wait to see their reactions to seeing us." May said.

"Me neither." Drew agreed.

The carriage started moving again, entering the property.

When the carriage parked in front of the mansion, Drew and May exited it and went to the front door. Drew rang the doorbell.

They waited a minute before the front door opened and they saw Julianna gasp. She then immediately pulled Drew into a bear hug, accidentally causing his crown to fall off of his head.

May was quick to reach out and catch Drew's crown before it hit the ground.

"Umm...Mom, you're suffocating me." Drew said, running out of breath in his mom's hold.

"Oh. So sorry." Julianna released Drew. Drew took a big gasp of air.

May giggled. As soon as Drew had all his air back, May put his crown on his head.

Drew smiled at May. "Thanks."

May nodded. They both looked at Julianna.

"Sorry about the hug." Julianna said. "I'm just so happy that you two could make time to visit us! Come in, come in." She stepped to the side, letting May and Drew enter the mansion.

"We have some free time, so we thought we'd come over." May said.

Julianna closed the door behind them. "I'm so glad! And I can't wait to hear how everything has been going at the castle."

Julianna led May and Drew to a living room where Steven met them. Julianna and Steven sat down on a couch with May and Drew on a couch across from them.

"Welcome home, Drew." Steven said.

"It feels good to be back." Drew said. "I'm glad you guys are doing okay without me."

"Well...I wouldn't say that we're...always okay." Steven said, glancing at Julianna.

Julianna just looked away, laughing nervously. May and Drew looked at each other and back at Drew's parents in confusion.

"You see...let's just say…" Steven started. "...your mom has been missing you a lot since you left to live at the castle."

"What happened?" Was what Drew asked.

"Well…"

Flashback...

"Steven, do you think Drew is doing alright?" Julianna asked.

Steven looked up from eating his dinner. "Of course he is. Why do you ask?"

"Well...what if he finds out that he doesn't like being King at all. He'll break May's heart if she knows that."

"That's crazy."

"Or what if he gets homesick, but he can't come home because he has royal duties to do?"

"It's not like he's on a boat or anything. And that is his home now."

"But what if he doesn't like the pressure of ruling the kingdom? What if he just...gives up on being King?"

"He's Drew." Steven said. "He's not one to give up on anything. Remember how he never gave up on May? No matter what Norman said about him and May being separated, he still wanted her. Her and only her."

"Yeah…"

"Trust me. Drew is already used to royal life. He'll be fine. And he always has May with him. She'll take care of him for us. I know she will."

End flashback.

"Mom, you were really worried about me that much?" Drew asked.

"Of course I was." Julianna said. "You're only eighteen and you went to live with May in the castle. You're still a baby."

Drew blushed. "Mom...I'm not a baby."

"You're our baby."

"Mom…" Drew complained.

May giggled. Drew looked at May.

"It's not funny."

"It's pretty funny." May said, giggling. Drew's blush worsened and he looked away.

"Mom, why do you have to embarrass me in front of my wife?" Drew asked.

"Sorry, Sweetie." Julianna said. "But I don't see the problem with that. May isn't mad or anything."

"Nope!" May said happily. She looked at Drew. "It's really cute how your mom still calls you a baby."

Drew sighed, blush disappearing. He looked at May and narrowed his eyes. "You would say that."

May laughed a little. "And I'm not judging you for it. I'm happy to learn more about your life before we even met."

Drew smirked. "I wonder what stories your parents could tell me about your past before we met."

May blushed and shook her head violently. "No, no, no! Let's not do that. No need to do that. I say we just go back home." She quickly stood up and grabbed Drew's wrist, pulling him up to his feet. She started dragging him away. "No more stories. I don't need to hear any more. And we don't ever have to talk about this again."

Drew chuckled.

"Do you two really have to leave so soon?" Julianna asked.

"Why don't you stay longer?" Steven asked.

May and Drew stopped and turned around. "We'd stay longer, but we have royal duties to attend to." May said.

"Right...okay then." Julianna said.

"We'll definitely visit again." Drew said.

Julianna smiled. "We look forward to that. See you again, Your Majesties. And May?"

"Hm?" May questioned.

"Please take good care of Drew for us. He's all in your care."

"Mom!" Drew yelled, embarrassed.

May laughed. "I'll take care of him. I promise."