Lily's face was glowing not only from her own happiness, but from the light of what must have been two hundred candles. A single tear rolled down her cheek. However it was not a tear of sadness, it was a tear of happiness. Because as cliché as it was, Lily wanted her first time with Travis to be after prom. She knew it would only have been two months, but they loved each other more than anyone else they knew.
After that first day at the station, Lily had realized that their physical attraction was undeniable, but she thought before they could move further in that direction, they had to grow as a couple more. Lily had asked Travis to wait until she was ready to go further. He had wholeheartedly agreed. He hadn't asked her yet, if she was ready, but she knew that he knew that she would be ready.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft kiss on the lips. She looked up at Travis into his mysterious grey eyes. The look of love that was shown when they looked at each other was undeniable. She leaned into kiss Travis, but he playfully pulled his head away. She wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer, and their lips met. As they kissed Travis carried her over to the bed, she sat down on the edge of the bed not letting their lips part for a second. Lily slowly started to unbutton Travis' shirt, while Travis slowly undid the back zipper of Lily's dress. They carried on for hours, knowing that it was a night neither of them would forget.
Lily looked over at the clock. Light shone through the crack in the curtains, making it hard for her to see the screen. She leaned her self over Travis' sleeping body.
"8:30," she thought. Lily groaned. On a normal day, that would be a normal wakeup time, but considering her and Travis hadn't fallen asleep until 2:00, it was a bit early. For a while Lily just lay there in bed, looking at Travis, and thinking about how amazing he was and how amazing their night had been. Then again, thinking like that made her think about the fact that they would only be here so long, and not to sleep the day away. So Lily began to wake Travis up in the nicest way possible. She began kissing his lips and eyelids ever so gently.
Travis' lips curled into a smile and he started to kiss back. Without even opened his eyes, he made the same groaning noise as Lily and asked, "What time is it?"
Lily giggled, "8:30 sleepy head, time to get up." Lilly laughed again, knowing that Travis would have wanted to sleep longer, but they could sleep as soon as they got back to Roscoe.
"Sleepy head?" asked Travis incredulously. "No, I'll get up. Ok, it just means I will have to call down to the concierge and move all your surprises up another hour. I wasn't expecting you to be 'up and at 'em' this early."
Lily giggled again as if it were infectious, "More surprises just for me?" she smiled innocently. He just laughed.
"Well, most of your surprises were planned away from the room, or they are going to have to be sent up, but your first surprise is waiting for you in the bathroom, so you can go in there and have a shower and get ready for your first surprise." He grinned as she ran into the bathroom.
When she got in there, there was big box wrapped up on the vanity, and a couple smaller bags, on the vanity around it. Next to it was an envelope. She gently opened the envelope.
"My Gorgeous Lily, as beautiful as you looked in your dress, I realized that you would need something more comfortable and casual to wear today if you and I are going to be out on the town for a while, so I thought I picked something I thought you would like, and I got sizes from your mother. Anyway. Shower. Put on the outfit, and I'm sure you'll be able to find some use for what's in the bags. I will Love you Forever, Travis.
Lily opened the box and screamed, in it was the brand new black and baby blue sweat suit from Lulu Lemon that she had been dieing to get into Toronto to buy. Next she tore into the bags. In one was all her favorite cosmetics and makeup from MAC in all her favorite shades. In another was Kheils Shampoo and Body Wash, and in the last was a pair of Nike casual runners, in the same blue that was in her sweat suit.
Lily turned on the shower. She hopped in, washed her hair, and used the new body wash. When she was finished her shower, she got out wrapped a towel around her wet hair, dried her self, and dressed in her new outfit. She did her makeup, and blow-dried her hair, carrying her shoes out to the bedroom as she wanted to stay in bare feet.
When she got out, Travis was lying on the bed dressed, and reading a newspaper. When she came out a huge smile broke across his face, when he looked at her. She ran across the room and jumped onto the bed, "I loved the presents, thank you."
"I'm glad you liked them, but I'm sorry to say but that's not all the presents you'll be receiving today." He broke into a grin, "in fact I think I'll explain what my plans are for you for the rest of the day. About a week ago I talked to your parents, and asked where you had planned on living when you were at U of T. I informed them that I had decided to stay and attend U of T as well. They told me that they really hadn't talked about it with you, but had said you mentioned that you wanted to be somewhere close to me. I then asked your parents, if we tried to find a small apartment close to U of T, would that be ok. They said yes. But what your parents don't know is that my parents are moving back to Hong Kong in two weeks, and so about 3 months ago, we went into Toronto right before you and I got together, and they bought me an apartment just a couple of blocks away from U of T. So in actual fact, I'm asking you to move in with me. If you say yes, we can go there today, and spend the rest of the weekend there. My parents left us a credit card so we can buy all the things we need for it, and so when ever we decide to move in, it will all be ready. So is that as yes or a no?" Travis asked questioningly. Lily smiled, and just kissed him, breaking into tears of happiness for the second time in twenty four hours.
"Of course I will Travis, but what about my parents, aren't they expecting us home today?" Lily asked whipping her tears.
"Nope, they are going to meet us here tomorrow night to help us finish up the apartment hunt, so we are free to stay all weekend." Travis grinned, "Now before we do that, there are a couple of other things we need to do. First before we go do that we are going to need to pack up all our stuff in that suitcase," Travis pointed over to the closet, in it was a small black roley suitcase that had the name Travis Strong Stenciled into the side. "Then when we leave we can find someplace to go for breakfast, but before anything happens, I have one last thing I want to give you."
Travis reached under the pillow and pulled out a ring box. Lily gasped, "oh my god Travis, you didn't have to get me jewelry you have already gotten so much for me and it has all been perfect." Lily kissed him gently and smiled, "Honestly."
"No, I need to give this to you Lily. When I met you three years ago, I knew you were the one, you became my best friend, and I knew that I was ever lucky enough to spend the rest of my life with you, that I would be the luckiest man alive. This ring, its not an engagement ring, I thought that would be a little too much for only three months of dating, and as much as I love you, I think we need to wait a little longer to make a decision like that. In any event though, I did buy you this ring, so it can be whatever you want it to be, a ring from your boyfriend, a promise ring, whatever, its your choice."
Travis pulled the ring out of its box and slipped it on Lily's finger. It was a beautiful silver band, with a large square cut, silver encased amethyst.
Lily looked up at Travis again, crying tears of joy, "Travis, I'm glad its not an engagement ring," Lily laughed at that one, "But I want it to me a promise ring, I want people to know I am yours. However, I don't want it to be as permanent as an engagement ring, as much as I love you, and even though I know I see you as a very permanent part of my future, we need to be a normal couple and take it as slow as we can under our circumstances. But I love the ring, not as much as I love you, but I love it." Lily kissed Travis gently, "But now, we must pack and go, we have a new apartment to see to, and after our long night I'm starved." Lily hopped off the bed and started putting hers and Travis' stuff into the suitcase.
On the way to the new apartment Travis and Lily picked up coffee and muffins at Starbucks, promising to get a more substantial meal later. After picking up the coffee they haled a cab and headed for the new apartment.
When they pulled up at the apartment Lily was a little confused, there were no buildings in the area that looked remotely like they could afford. She looked at Travis questioningly; he looked over and said he would explain what was going on when they get there. Travis paid the driver and they got out and headed for the elevator as they passed the doorman they said hello.
When they got into the elevator Travis pressed a button for the second to top floor, the button under the one that said 'penthouse suite'. When they got to the top, the doors opened into a spacious foyer that was tiled in white tiles, and a rich dark red color on the walls. There was one door the opened on to the foyer. Travis' apartment was the only apartment on this floor.
When Travis unlocked the door to the apartment Lily just gasped, "Travis there is no way we can afford it. We can't live here." The apartment had the bare essentials; all the appliances were in there was a bed in the master bedroom, a few pieces of furniture, bit nothing that would fill up this enormous apartment.
Travis walked Lily over to the couch, and sat her down, "Lily, I wasn't completely honest with you earlier. When my dad was asked to come back to Hong Kong to work I had already applied to U of T and been accepted, being 18 I told him I wouldn't go, but my parents said they couldn't afford to live in two places. Then after they talked to the people at the embassy, the embassy said, I could have one of the apartments in this building free of charge. You see this whole apartment building belongs to the embassy; all the apartments look like this. When my dad was offered the job here, my parents specifically requested that it be a permanent move, and that my dad could do whatever work his job required but still be based in Roscoe. Of all the people that worked for the embassy anywhere in the world, we always moved the most. The embassy said they could guarantee my dad a minimum of 8 years, enough for me to finish university, but seeing as its only been three, the embassy has given us this apartment, plus the money to furnish it, buy groceries, make any repairs we need, send my parents back here 3 times a year, and on top of all that send me to school all free of charge until they can move my parents back to Canada at which point my parents will have the option of buying any embassy apartment for half the price they are worth. For me to be able to stay here in Canada and my parents be able to afford for me to stay, I have to live here, and more than anything I want you to move in with me."
Lily smiled, "Well, that makes a little more sense, and of course I will still move in with you, but I am going to call my parents and explain what has happened with the apartment hunting, and instead of them coming down to help us finalize, they can come down for dinner and to see the apartment.
Lily called her parents and explained what was going on. At first they seemed hesitant, but then agreed after Lily explained that its probably safer here than it would be anywhere else. When Lily hung up she asked Travis to give her a tour as he had already been inside the apartment. When they had come in the from door there had been an entryway with a large closet, that opened into a family room, there was a kitchen with space fro a small table, a spacious dining room, a office/ library a master bedroom with an en suite bathroom, two spare bedrooms and another bathroom. The apartment was easily one of the nicest houses she had ever been in, but if she was allowed to live here free of charge, she might as well take advantage of it, especially if it meant getting to be with Travis.
Travis explained to Lily that with the two spare bedrooms both their parents could come out and spend Christmas with them, etc. and they would have space for them.
Lily and Travis spent the rest of the day at Ikea buying furniture for the apartment, as well as plates, and things like that. Then they headed off to the Bay to buy sheets and towles. For pots, pans, TV, VCR/DVD a sound system they headed to Cosco, knowing they could probably get a pretty good deal on that stuff plus food. Their last stop was too Rona, to buy paint, light bulbs, hooks, towel rods, curtain rods, everything to furnish their new apartment. They had brought home what small things they needed for that night like sheets, plates cups, knives and forks. But as for the rest of the stuff they had arranged for it all to be delivered bright and early the next day.
Travis and Lily got home and took all their bills out of Travis' wallet. Expecting to have spent a disgusting amount, they started to add it up. But were surprised. They had spent most of the day comparing prices, and had often picked the item that had the lowest price. They had gotten a desk at Ikea for $99, and tow beds for each of the spare rooms for $500 each. All in all they probably spent close to $70, 000, which was more than they could probably afford, but good considering they had bought a dining room table and it was such a large apartment.
The next morning they were surprised by a knock on the door they got out of their bed and walked through the extremely empty apartment and opened the door, trying to hide them as they were still in their pajamas. Standing their with a bag of bagels and cream cheese from Tim Horton's was Mr. and Mrs. Randall, Simone, Ray, Robbie and Parker. Lily all of a sudden didn't seem so tired anymore, and started jumping up and down screaming. Travis somehow managed to stay cool and opened the door wide for everyone to come in. While the visitors got settled in the kitchen making bagels, Travis dragged Lily into the bedroom to get dressed as the movers were coming anytime now.
After they got dressed they went into the kitchen to catch up with everybody. Within minutes the buzzer rang and it was the Rona truck announcing that all the painting supplies were there as well as everything else they had ordered. Within minutes everything was upstairs and the next truck arrived. Within an hour everything had arrived and all deliveries were signed for. With all the extra hands they had, everyone set to work painting. They had decided that they were going to leave the kitchen, main bathroom, spare rooms, and office the tope color they had been when they had arrived. Meaning they had four rooms to paint. By the end of the day all the rooms that needed to, had been painted. Even though Lily and Travis had agreed to go home that night decided to stay at the apartment one more night to finish getting it set up. Robbie, Ray and Parker were going to stay at the apartment with Travis and Lily, but Lily's family would stay at a hotel for the night and come back the next day. After tomorrow everyone would go back to Roscoe to start their last spring break before university.
By the end of the Monday All the furniture was in place, everything was done, and they all piled into the tow cars the Randal's had brought up to head back to Roscoe for their last summer together before University.
When the five kids got into Parker's car, Robbie, Ray, and Parker all at once said, "We have something we need to tell you guys." Lily and Travis looked at each other quizzically.
Parker started, "Well, when we found out that you guys would both be going to U of T together, we decided we couldn't bear the idea of us all splitting up, and Ray knew that Grace had also been accepted at a University in Toronto, so without telling you guys, we all applied late acceptance to U of T. And…" Parker stopped to let someone else finish her sentence.
"we've all been accepted," finished Ray.