Lor rushed to get herself ready quickly throwing her clothes on and combing her hair. Tino had phoned a few minutes earlier to call together a meeting at his house to work things out with Tish and Carver. She was happy that he had decided to take the initiative because she didn't even have any idea on how to talk with Tish and Carver about the current situation. After a little bit more of getting ready she was out the door and on her way to Tino's house. She practically ran the whole way since she was so eager to smooth things out with Carver and Tish. She hated feeling that her friends felt so alienated from her and Tino. In addition, she had a special first date planned. Eventually, Lor arrived and found that Tish and Carver were already there.
"Alright now that Lor is here we can begin. As we all know yesterday there was some tension and maybe some apprehension as to the revelation that Lor and I are dating now. I would like to say now that none of us are leaving this room until the problem is settled. I know this may not be easy, but we have all been friends for years now and I can't think of having such a rift between us. I understand that what we told you was completely unexpected, but the fact is we are in love with each other and we want you guys to accept that fact. Now this doesn't mean that we are hanging out time will be reduced or that we are going to bog you guys down with lovey-dovey stuff (at least not often). We are all friends just now Lor and I are boyfriend/girlfriend, but we want nothing to change. Okay?"
"I understand. I know I didn't accept the facts gracefully yesterday, but it just took some time for me to think about it. I know that you guys are still our friends and that even though you two have a special connection now, you will still be there for us. In fact, I have to say that if the two of you have found love with each other than I am happy for the both of you. You guys are my friends so I always want what is best for you. Sure, I'll probably still be in disbelief every now and then for the next week or two, but I still need to fully adjust. I just want you to know that I believe in you guys and congratulations," Tish replied.
"Thanks, Tish that means a lot. I'm glad that you understand. Like Tino said, we aren't going to ignore you guys or anything. We will still hang together just Tino and I will have our own special occasions sometimes. The main thing here is that you understand so it doesn't cause a divide in our friendship. It's nice to know that we have your support and that we don't have to feel awkward around each other because of this. Now, what about you Carver? Can you accept me and Tino as a couple?"
Carver stared at the three of them for a little contemplating everything.
He looked down at the floor for a little and took a deep breath and finally voiced his opinion, "You know, hearing that the two of you are going out now is hard for me to swallow. I realize that we are growing up and that in these years we grow more 'aware' of each other. However, I never really thought that we would find someone special within our group. In a way, I have always seen us as a group with such a tight knit friendship that there was going no higher than the relationship we had established. I've seen couples and people in love get together and I have seen them fall apart easily too, because they have so much to think about and to consider. We don't have that problem because we are all laid back and we take everything as it is, good or bad. I would see those falling apart couples and it always reminded me that we were stronger than that. We have stuck together through thick and thin because we didn't have something like love weighing down on us. Now you two are bringing that unknown element into the group. What if you two have a terrible breakup and it tears us all apart? What do we do then? I can't imagine not hanging with all of you. I'm afraid that you guys being together could destroy us in the long run. However, I do trust you guys. I have my fears and I think they are legitimate, but I won't stand in the way of you guys being in love. I have enough faith in you guys to believe that maybe you will avoid the same fate as all those other couples I have seen before. So I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I can accept you two together because we are friends and I trust the two of you."
"Thanks, Carv. I understand where you are coming from. I mean my parents are divorced so I know all too well that couples can fall apart, but I promise you that no matter what, we are all friends first and foremost and that I will do everything possible to make sure that we don't fall apart," Tino said.
"I'm glad to hear that, but I do have a question for you, Lor. What happened to you being in love with Thomson?" Carver asked.
Lor's face dropped a bit and she said with a slow, serious voice, "I don't have much to say other than the fact that my love for him was a mistake and that he is not the person I thought him to be."
Carver knew not to pry further and left it at that.
"Well, I think we have accomplished great things here today. You see? This is how you can tell that we are such great friends because no matter what we stick together and we ride on," Tino commented.
The others agreed and they all gave a group handshake to signify their unbreakable bond.
"So what are we gonna do today guys?" Tish asked.
"Umm, actually I was thinking that me and Tino could go on our first date today," Lor said a bit hesitant.
"Oh! Well that's fine. I mean the first date is very special so if you had something in mind, then by all means, go ahead with that," Tish replied.
"Thanks for understanding," Lor said.
"Alright Carver, let's go get us a pizza."
"You got it Miss K."
The two got up and walked out of the room.
However, Carver turned around to Tino and said, "Hey, T, remember you promised."
"Yeah I know, Carv. I won't let you down."
"Thanks, man. Hey make sure to take it easy on her too, eh? Haha."
"Yeah I gotcha. Now go hurry up and get your pizza."
With that, Tish and Carver were on their way.
"Well now then, I guess the next order of business would be you telling me about this date you have planed for us," Tino said to Lor.
"Well, I can't do that. It's a surprise," Lor said with a smile.
"A surprise, eh? Well, I wonder what you can come up with," Tino said with a whetted curiosity.
"Oh, I'm thinking that you will enjoy what I have planned very much," Lor answered.
"Then let us find out," Tino said leading the way out of his room.
Tino liked good surprises. If someone told him that they had a surprise for him and that he would like it, it made him very curious. There was nothing he enjoyed more than some paranoid speculation especially when it was in relation to something good for him. So naturally when Lor had told him that their first date was going to be a surprise that he would like, he was very, very interested. Why, this surprise could be any number of things and any of those looked very sweet in his mind. Even after having only traveled just outside Tino's door a hundred different possibilities had flown through his mind each promising in their own right.
"Okay for this to work you are going to need this," Lor said as she reached in her pocket.
Tino became jittery with curiosity only to be perplexed by the fact that Lor had removed a handkerchief from her pocket.
"What does that have to do with the surprise?"
"Well, obviously, I can't let you see the surprise before you are supposed to," Lor answered him.
Tino's curiosity now increased sevenfold.
After Lor put the handkerchief on him, Tino said, "Alright then I'm ready for this surprise."
"What are you talking about? The surprise isn't here."
"What do you mean?"
"We still have to walk to the surprise."
Suddenly, Tino wasn't too thrilled about all of this. He was going to have to walk around town blindfolded? No way, way too dangerous and scary for him.
"I don't think so, Lor. I can't walk around town having no idea where I'm goin'."
"Well of course not that's why I'm going to guide you. Don't you want me to hold your hand the whole way?"
Suddenly Tino had the desire to go on this mysterious expedition once more. So off they went into the wild unknown for Tino. Despite the fact that he had walked all over the town a thousand times before, with the blindfold on he had absolutely no sense of direction. The trek was long and arduous mainly because Tino kept tripping and falling into bushes and such, though on a few occasions Lor didn't watch where he was walking and led him into a phone pole. A few bruises and scrapes later they finally arrived at the destination.
"Ow, my leg is really killing me," Tino complained.
"I'm really sorry about that. I didn't even see that pipe sticking up," Lor responded.
"Yeah, don't worry about it. I'll survive."
"Anyway it doesn't matter because we are finally here at your surprise. Prepare yourself for a vision of beauty. Are you ready?"
"You know it!" Tino exclaimed.
Lor pulled away his blindfold and Tino looked around his surroundings. It all came rushing back to him, he knew exactly where he was.
"The Crevasse! We are at The Crevasse! I can't believe it! I never would have thought of coming here for a date. This certainly is a surprise. Thanks, Lor."
Tino instantly turned to Lor and gave her a great bear hug. Lor returned the gesture but let go after Tino complained about a lack of oxygen. Tino was amazed by how thoughtful Lor was being. In all his years of being friends with Lor she had always been a tomboy with a brawn over brains mentality, but now he was seeing a completely different side of her. He had to admit that he loved this new side of Lor. Not overly nice, just considerate and thoughtful which is what anyone could really ask for. Tino walked around a bit taking in the beauty of nature. It had been years since he had been to The Crevasse. Everything remained as it had all those years ago. Just like when he was eight and just like when he was twelve The Crevasse stood the same. For a short while he remembered those times when the only thing that mattered was just hanging out with your friends. Back then there was no love to think about, no jobs to think about, no heavy workloads to think about. Those were the days, the days of carefree youth the place that ends too soon and never returns in physical form, only in memories. He could feel a rush of nostalgia coming over him and it almost made him want to cry, but he held back the tears since he didn't want to show what he felt was a weakness in front of others.
"You okay, Tino?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine just thinking about The Crevasse. It's been awhile hasn't it? I'm glad you thought of this. It feels nice to come back."
Lor smiled at him, "You know sometimes you think too much."
"What do you mean?"
"You are thinking too much about The Crevasse and days past. It's important to remember that stuff and all, but when you think about it so much then you start trying to live the past again. That can be very unhealthy."
"I suppose you are right. It's just that thinking is my habit, but what you say is true."
"Do you know what I'm thinking, Tino?"
"What's that?"
"How much I enjoy seeing you happy with this surprise. I wasn't sure at first if you would still like The Crevasse, but I'm glad to see that you do."
"Of course, I love The Crevasse. Look at this place. It's just so beautiful, and it's even better because I get to spend my day here with you. In this wilderness with just us two it makes it feel like there is no one else out there, that this is it. Heh, sorry I'm over-thinking again."
"Don't apologize it sounded nice. What you said is one way to look at it, and I think it's a very beautiful way to think about it."
Tino smiled and walked around a bit more, "Hey Lor, under that tree looks nice let's rest over there."
Tino laid down on the grass there and looked over at Lor who was sitting down next to him. Their eyes were locked together and a happy smile spread across their faces.
"Ahhh, do you know how long I have been waiting for this moment?" Tino said to Lor.
She just smiled and said, "Well, now it is here so you no longer have to wait."
He smiled even wider. Lor giggled at how pleased he was.
"I love you," Tino said to her.
"And I love you too," Lor responded and bent down to kiss him.
Tino lifted his head slightly and closed his eyes waiting for the splendid feeling of her lips, and it felt wonderfully warm as they connected. After sharing the kiss Tino remembered his dream.
"So this is what that dream was trying to tell me. That this was my future," he thought to himself.
"Tino? I have a very serious question for you."
"Sure, what is it?"
"What do you think about what Carver said about dealing with this new responsibility and tearing about the group?"
"Well, I think that what he says is true. This relationship does have the potential to destroy us, but it's only a matter of if we let it do that. Sure, we have new things to worry about with this relationship but like I said before we have made it this far because we believe in each other and I think we will continue to make it for that same reason."
Lor looked at him and said, "Yeah I think you are right but I want us to make a promise. That no matter what happens whether we stay in love forever, or we fall apart after some time together that we will always have our friendship. That we won't tear everything apart that we have built so far."
"I agree and so I promise that I will keep the friendship no matter what."
The two sealed the promise with a kiss and then went back to staring out at the water thinking about the past but talking about the future.
End of Chapter Seven
I am well aware that this chapter is pretty much completely out of character, but it was only because that I wanted to reflect a lot of my own viewpoints in here and that tends to require removing them from character. Although for the most part I can usually have Tino stay in character while reflecting my feelings. Anyway, I think this chapter is more dynamic because of the fact that they aren't in character so I hope you guys don't really mind. Lastly, I would once again like to thank all of you who are reading this and supporting this story.