All Notes & Disclaimers are established at the bottom.
(Please leave a comment and enjoy!)
Chapter Twenty: When?
Two days later…after two friends reunited and one of them was introduced to a new one, Blu was alone at the bookshop. He stood near every shelf, smiling and putting up books while a storm was going on all over town. Blu enjoyed the peace and quiet, and didn't mind the sound of thunder and gray clouds. Though he did feel shaky with how much louder it was getting by the hour. So he just continued working. Putting in, or away books, or just organizing everything else for fun until he suddenly heard a knock on the door.
"Ah!" He reacted in a shocked expression, lifting two books up in the air and allowing them to fall on his head. "Ow." He said before walking up to the door. He felt annoyed thinking it was just another customer. But then looked through the peep-hole and changed his expression, seeing that it was actually Jewel. He opened the door and smiled saying, "Hi Jewel." He noticed her wearing a gray suit and had an umbrella over her head, looking entirely beautiful.
"Hi Blu, I missed you."
"I missed you too. Would you like to come in?"
"Absolutely." Jewel happily walked in and let Blu take her umbrella and coat to hang up before they sat down on one of the tables.
"How are you doing today?" Blu asked.
Jewel replied, "Great." Though she secretly had her wings shake. "I'm doing great. You? I can see you're organizing everything again. You okay with that?"
"Sure, sure. There were a lot of books that needed to be put up anyway and with me taking a day off from the Daily Feather, and my mom taking the day off and this storm going, I needed a way to occupy myself. As of right now you're the only one that came here."
"Hm. Well…I actually don't have anything to do either. So, would you be okay if I helped you with the books?"
"You want to help me? Oh, I don't know, I don't think I should have you do any of my work for me. It's…"
"Please?" Jewel took his left wing and showed her puppy dog eyes to make him change his mind. Blu then sighed with red cheeks and replied, "Okay. Just be sure not to try out that ladder over there. It may be the tallest one but it's also the most fragile."
"Yes sir. And thanks." Jewel giggled and helped her boyfriend out with all the books.
The two spent a couple hours in the store just putting every book away, and Blu had a blissful sensation through it all, knowing that his girlfriend was helping. Jewel wanted to feel the same way, but had something else on her mind. The idea of it made her wings shake like small tremors and didn't want to stop thinking about it. So she tried her best to hide it. But with every passing minute, as Jewel tried handing Blu a book, he could see it shaking with her wings, making him suspect something and even more so when he saw how embarrassed she looked.
Blu wanted to point it out but respected her privacy. So they continued working, until it was finally lunch and they sat on the table again, eating and talking over their recent activities. Including Jewel's favorite one.
Blu chuckled, "Wait, so you convinced Garrett and Rebecca to go racing together? Haha. Wow."
"You don't find that weird, do you?" Jewel chuckled back.
"No, no, of course not. Afterall, we officially met on the day I bumped into you and accidentally spilled coffee on ya."
"And despite that, you and I became close friends." She fluttered her eyes in a flirting manner again. "Before becoming even closer."
"Yep." Blu sighed with blushing cheeks again. "And I wouldn't trade that for anything. Though, you don't honestly think that Garrett and Rebecca might go that way too, right?"
"Maybe they will or maybe they won't. I know not every couple is going to turn out like us but still…when I saw them getting along they did look cute together, and the next day, Garrett did tell us about how much fun time he spent with her at the festival."
"Oh yeah. The Galaxy Samba Festival, right? I heard a lot of people enjoyed that, but I didn't think the two would ever go there."
"Well, luckily they did and by the look on Garrett's face, he loved it too. And…with how much he's done for us, helping you with your job, and helping us with getting Ms. T out of the way, I felt like he deserved a good reward."
"Finding a girlfriend?"
"Yep. But if they don't really feel that way and just stay as friends, then that's good too. Unlike Eva, I don't force these sorts of feelings."
Blu laughed at her joke, then noticed her wings still shaking when she grabbed her cub of hot chocolate. So he finally decided to talk more personally with her, like always. "Hey Jewel, speaking of feelings, can you tell if something's bothering you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, while you've been helping me, I noticed that your wings were shaking. And even now they haven't stopped."
Jewel looked at her wings and pressed them under her pits to make herself stop shaking. So she said, "Um…okay, I'm not gonna lie to you, Blu, yes. There is something that is bothering me just a little and it's not the cold weather we're having. And I was hoping to bring it up to you. It involves this…" She gulped and reached into her pocket before pulling out the case. The one that held the wedding ring he bought.
"Oh." Blu realized.
"Now before you say anything, I just need to clarify this. You see…two days ago, I started having this dream. It was about us. We were married and lived our lives together at a beach house. I was standing at the shore, and you came to me. You were holding me in your wings and we walked on the beach together. Then we had a picnic and thought about all the good times we had together. We lived as a married couple and loved it. And since then I haven't stopped having that dream."
"Wow. Are…are you saying you want to-"
"No. Not yet. I still don't think I'm ready for marriage. But…" Tears started flowing out of her eyes. "but…but I still want it. I want us to be married for real. To take the biggest step in our relationship. To live in the same house and spend everyday together for the rest of our lives and beyond. I'm not ready yet, but I still want it. And thinking about so much makes me cry." Jewel held back her sobbing, making Blu feel sympathy for her as he came up and hugged her.
"Hey, shoosh." He tried calming her. "It's okay, it's okay. Why does it make you cry?"
"I don't know. (Sob) Maybe it's because I feel like…either, I keep holding myself back from doing something brave, or maybe I'm wanting to force you into doing something you're not ready for and it's making me feel guilty."
"Force me? Hey, It's okay. I know you, Jewel, and I know that you would never do that. You and I love each other very much, and neither of us would ever do something brash. And to be honest, I know what you're feeling."
"You…(sniffles)…you do?"
"I do. I have also been having the same dreams too. They…weren't romantic as yours, from what you described, but they were still enjoyable. It was all about us having the best of times together, and treating it all like it was an adventure. It also made me think…even though we're not ready yet, I still want it too and what's so good about it is the fact that I know it will happen eventually. You and I will get married one day, and after that, then the life we had where we did anything apart will be done."
"You think so?"
"I know so."
Jewel felt sincerely happy for how confident her boyfriend was being. So she hugged him back, making their embrace tight and enjoyable, and made them want to stay in their position. They sat, having their wings around each other while looking at the stormy sky. Smiling as they knew that soon the day would come when they would finally come together lawfully wedded.
So they continued hugging with happiness before working on the books again, and went their separate ways for the rest of the day.
"Love you, Jewel."
"Love you too, Blu." Before she completely turned away from the door, she looked back at Blu and gave him a quick but passionate kiss. "Always." She sighed after the kiss, and waved goodbye to him. Blu just stood by the door, feeling more than happy over his life.
One month later…the sun was shining all over town and school was open. Jewel was inside her classroom teaching her elementary students as all eight of them sat in their desks reading aloud, "I do like green eggs and ham. I do, I like them, Sam I Am!" With their teacher, who said, "Good. You kids are progressing very well."
"Thank you, Ms. Jewel." Said one of the students, and before Jewel planned on continuing, one of the other students raised her wing and asked, "Ms. Jewel, will we be going over anything else today?"
"What do you mean, Claire?"
"Well, it's just that…on some occasion there's always a point of the day where you surprise us with something."
"Really? Well, sorry Claire, but even with us being near the weekend I can't say I have any surprises for you guys or myself. But…" Before Jewel could finish, a sudden knock was made and everybody turned their heads to it. Making Claire give her teacher a puzzled look. "…I could be wrong?" Jewel chuckled.
She stood up from her front seat and approached the door before opening it to see…"Blu!" It was her boyfriend standing at the door that time, and when she said his name, the other students jumped off their seats and went over to him. They chanted, "Mr. Blu!"
The eight chicks showed happy faces seeing their teacher's boyfriend, knowing him from all the times he visited Jewel at the school and made her lessons more fun. So he responded, "Hi-ya, kids. How are you all doing today?"
"Good." Said one chick named Lee. "Ms. Jewel was having us read 'Green Eggs and Ham' together."
"'Green Eggs and Ham', huh? Mm. I remember how much I loved reading those old stories when I was younger. But what else has been going on for you?"
Claire, "Well before you knocked, Ms. Jewel said she didn't have any surprises for us this weekend."
Blu pretended to gasp saying, "Really? Ms. Jewel, you make surprises for the kids almost every week. Whether it's giving out candy, playing a game, or making origami toys. How could this week be any different?"
The kids chuckled, as did Jewel when she said, "Well sorry, but maybe while having trouble sleeping last night I couldn't think of anything important for it. Sorry, kids."
"Well in that case, it's a good thing I do have a surprise with me. It's really something meant for you more than the kids."
"Really?" Jewel was confused, but somehow, Claire had a feeling in her heart and knew what it was.
"Yep. Do you mind if I come in, please?"
"Not at all."
She opened the door much wider, allowing Blu to walk before reaching the middle of the classroom, and he said, "Gathering around, kids. This is a big announcement I have for your teacher." Once he said that, Jewel's intuition kicked and had the same feeling as Claire.
So she went to Blu, and he held her wings.
He said, "Boys, know that what I'm about to do will be a good thing to remember when you reach my age." He cleared his throat, then took a deep breath while holding Jewel's wings more lovingly before saying the special planned words. "Jewel…you and I have been going out together for so long. Already we've shared a lot of adventures. We've had them and they were nothing short of amazing. Spending time with you is always amazing and I wouldn't trade any of the good moments we've experienced for anything in the world. And…while I understand that we both may have felt unready with the thought of taking the next step…but I can't really imagine any couple that is completely ready. So they work together and do their best. And to me, working together always makes the dream come true. And my dream is this…" He knelt down, and revealed the wedding case and the ring itself. Making all the kids show either a shocked expression or a happy one, including Jewel. "'Ms. Jewel', will you marry me?"
Jewel blocked her beak, seeing the beautiful wedding ring after so long, and pondering on the words Blu said…made her feel both blissful and unsteady. She knew that both of them weren't ready to take the biggest and most important step of their lives, but understood how strong his words were and felt completely touched on how honest and kind he was. So by freezing for one moment, she looked at all the girls in her class giving an "aww" impression while most of the boys pretended to gag, making her laugh inside. Even when she noticed them crossing their wings, hoping she'd say yes.
Then by looking at Blu's eyes, she felt as though it was the first time she ever really gazed at them, reminding her of the feelings she had when they first met and when they were married in their dreams. Which made her shut her eyes, breathe slowly, and finally say…"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Jewel gave the best response and most of the chicks cheered, "Yeah!" Feeling totally happy for their teacher and her boyfriend.
"Blu and Jewel are getting married! Blu and Jewel are getting married!" Three of them sang out of happiness. Blu also responded in the best way, by standing up and spinning around her as he hugged her so dearly. Jewel hugged him back, feeling too good.
Then she whispered to him, "Did you mostly do this because you thought I wouldn't say no in front of the kids?"
"No, of course not. Though, to be honest, that thought did cross my mind."
Jewel chuckled and just kissed her fiance's cheek, and by looking at the kids again, being happy or at least more respectful, it made her think about her own kids. But made her realize how much bigger her life was going to be.
Notes & Disclaimers (Nov 14, 2022):
• Rio is Blue Sky IP.
• This is a prequel to Alexriolover95's story.
• The idea of Blu proposing to Jewel in front of her students was thought of by Alexriolover95.
Now with that done…WHOO! I suppose you didn't expect that, did ya?! There was a chapter that focuses on Garrett Ese meeting a new friend, and another one that focuses on Blu finally asking the question you were all hoping for. What did you think of that? Now, despite reading these two chapters, just know that the first nine in this series are still "under maintenance." I know it's been a while, but hopefully I will still get them done. Same also goes for the other ones that are under maintenance.
I also know I haven't been showing much activity here, and the year is almost over, but just know that, despite what slow pace I may show, I am still going to be as active as I can be.
In fact, please feel free to check out some of the recent art I've shared.
• deviantart com / t8ecr34t0r / gallery / 85171689 / heroes-in-the-rain
• deviantart com / t8ecr34t0r / gallery / 85221647 / sonic-paint-splatter
Plus short summary story:
• deviantart com / t8ecr34t0r / art / C-s-Summary-Collection-8-936730752
Hopefully the website does not disapprove of me sharing these. And if I get these done faster (editing my stories), then I'll finally be able to share all of them on DeviantArt and Wattpad.
In other news, you noticed how the top of the notes included today's date? Well, this is now something that I wish I could've tried in the beginning. Whenever I post a new story/chapter, I'm going to include the date of when I published said chapter. Hopefully it will be a good idea, and for times when I edited the chapter, I'll try to include at the date of when it was edited too.
Speaking of new, when I am done editing the chapters for this, you'll notice something new and hopefully enjoyable in it that involves a marriage certificate.
Until then, thank you all for reading once again, and enjoy your time.