Okay, this is the real story. I think it turned out nicely. I'm a hopeless romantic at heart, but I'm sure you'd never be able to tell by reading this.
I hope you all like this one. Please R&R
The fire burned brightly, casting a warm, flickering light throughout the room. The only other source of light was the gentle twinkle of the multicolored lights from the Christmas tree in the corner. They had spent most of the afternoon cleaning house and getting it ready for the others to arrive tomorrow. They had collapsed onto the couch together about an hour ago, and spent it looking into the flames, Simon holding her close to him. Simon always loved these times with her, when they could just hold each other. Silence was never awkward or strange between them, it was comfortable and enjoyable. Not that they didn't enjoy talking, but sometimes they just wanted to be alone in their thoughts together. Simon had used this time to come to a decision….he would do it tonight, while it was just the two of them. He moved his hand from her arm and stroked her cheek.
"Jeanette?" he asked her quietly, she sometimes fell asleep when they sat like this, and he could never bear to wake her.
"Yes Simon?" she tilted her head back to look up at him, and saw the flames reflected in his glasses, hiding his beautiful eyes from her. She loved Simon's eyes; they were her favorite thing about him…aside from his mind, of course.
"I was wondering if maybe you'd like to open a present tonight," he said, and his voice took on that tone he got when he was nervous, or unsure of a decision. It wasn't a tone she heard often, but one she recognized immediately.
"I thought we were going to open them all together tomorrow…" Jeanette said, a look of confusion passing over her face.
"I thought it might be fun if we each opened one present tonight, just you and I," Simon told her, and he looked down at her, and she could see his eyes. There was excitement, and maybe a little fear, shining in them. She was curious as to what Simon had in mind, and smiled at him.
"That sounds fun, do I get to choose which one I open, or do we choose them for each other?" she asked, sitting up and stretching.
"I'll choose one for you, and you choose one for me," Simon told her, and got up from the couch. He turned and offered his hand to help her to her feet. She took his hand with a smile, and stood up next to him. They made their way to the tree together, and dropped to their knees to begin through the presents beneath it. Jeanette picked up a few, wondering which she would want to open, if they were for her. She decided on the new beakers she had gotten for him. She had accidentally dropped several of Simon's best beakers while washing them, and while none of them shattered, they all had large cracks and were completely unusable. She had managed to get a great deal on them from the supplier of the University's lab. She took the wrapped box carefully from under the tree and went back to the couch to wait for Simon to finish.
He made a show of considering each box, but he'd known which one he would have her open when he suggested it to her. After picking up and setting down a few, he smiled, and picked up a box wrapped in his favorite shade of blue, with a purple ribbon he'd found that was the same shade as his glasses. He took it and sat down next to Jeanette, and smiled at her.
"Switch," he said, and held the box out to her. She took it, and handed him his present. She shook it gently, just in case there was something breakable in it. She heard something slide around inside, but couldn't tell what it was. She started to undo the tape one side, she could never bring herself to rip into a present, especially when the paper was so pretty. While she slowly opened her present, Simon quickly ripped into his….he wanted to have his opened before she did. He finished in seconds, revealing the beakers surrounded by soft padding. They were all crystal clear, and Simon held them each up to examine them in the firelight. There were no imperfections he could see in the glass, and they were exactly the sizes he needed. He turned to thank Jeanette, and saw the look of awe on her face. She had gotten the box out of the paper, and opened it. Inside was a small blue box with a simple purple bow on top.
"Simon, is this a jewelry box," Jeanette whispered. She couldn't seem to catch her breath, and she thought she might hyperventilate. She had imagined a moment like this since she and Simon had begun really seeing each other two years ago….no, since that day that had begun going to the same school as the Chipmunks. Sure, she and her sisters had gone after a few other boys, but her heart had always belonged to Simon.
"Hm, that's what it looks like," he said, and she looked at him, and saw that he was just as scared as she was. He picked up the box, and opened it, revealing a simple gold band inside it.
"Jeanette, I know we still have a few years of college left, and that we're young, but…." He took the ring from the box and got down on one knee before her. Tears were already starting to slide down her cheeks. This was more than she could have hoped for, more than she'd dreamed.
"Jeanette Miller, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Simon asked, and slipped the ring on her finger. This was the moment he was dreading more than anything. What if she said no? What if she laughed in his face? He almost started to take the ring back off when she practically tackled him to the floor.
"Of course I will!" she cried, wrapping him in a hug. There was the sound of something hitting the floor, and of glass rolling. Jeanette turned her to see Simon's new beakers had spilled from the box and rolled across the floor.
"Oh, Simon, your beakers!" she cried, and tried to get them, but Simon held her close.
"Those don't matter, I got what I wanted this year," Simon said, and looked into her eyes, "I love you Jeanette,"
"I love you too, Simon," Jeanette said with a gentle kiss on the lips, "Merry Christmas."