Halloween was around the corner, and naturally I was ecstatic. Gaia and I sat in her room avoiding our studying by discussing our costumes for the Halloween dance, having officially handed the torch over to the sophomores and freshmen. We were sprawled out on her bed, the purple comforter scrunching under our endless shifting to regain comfort. "So when is he supposed to get here?" I asked, not being able to get away from the excited yet nervous energy that radiated off of her.
Gaia looked up, surprised at the change of subject, but glad to talk about it. "He said he left a little late from the place he was camping in Montana, the hike went a little long, so early tomorrow morning?" She smiled with her shoulders scrunched up.
"How are you feeling?" I asked with a grin.
"A little nervous, to be completely honest." She sighed and rested her head in her hands. "It's been years since dad was actually home, and that's not to say it was bad when he was here, it's just that he's restless and Mom starts to feel restless too." It sounded frustrating from the outside of the equation, so I could only imagine what it felt like inside of it.
"I'm surprised your mom doesn't want to travel with him all the time." I rolled onto my side and stared at a picture of the three of them that hung in a collage of places she had been. Welcoming the continued distraction from the droning words printed on textbook pages.
"She told him she didn't want to keep uprooting me, so she settled here and they decided that after I graduated she would go back to traveling with him. In the meantime they gave me a home." The smile that grew while she talked about the arrangement made my heart melt. I had always heard her mother's stories about how they traveled before Gi was born, and then how they traveled while she was still little, but I had never been told what made her stop.
"I want to travel again too, and dad was talking about us going to visit his side in Italy over the summer, maybe just a week or two." Gi rolled over on her bed, staring up at the ceiling that had been painted with delicate roses and ivy. "Dad said he hasn't had time to visit Nonna in a few years and I haven't seen her since she was stateside when I was five."
"Wait! Can we do a sisterhood of the traveling pants moment?" I sat up excitedly, we had just watched the movie last night and the antics were still fresh in my mind.
A teasing grin spread on Gaia's face. "If you can find a pair of pants that magically fits your short ass legs and my majestic goddess ones- then yes."
"I get short ass and you get majestic goddess." I threw a look of mock hurt in her direction. "That's why you're the wicked witch under the house and I'm Glenda."
"No! I'm gonna be Princess Buttercup and you're gonna be Inigo Montoya." Gi rolled her eyes, acting as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"My fathers alive soooo… next option." I flipped the page in my textbook and raised my brow.
"Not all your fathers." My jaw dropped at the same moment that Gaia covered hers in horror. "WAIT, I'M SO SORRY! THAT JUST CAME OUT!" After a second of breathless silence I burst out laughing.
As Gi moved to sit up and I adjusted to allow her space, half of our study materials fell to the ground as we attempted to regain control of our laughter. Once the giggles died down I looked at her with very serious eyes and spoke. "Am I technically three quarters of the way to Batman?" I barely got the sentence out before giggling again.
Gaia shook her head and spoke through her laughter as well. "Tell your dad to quit his job. We can't have that become four quarters."
I threw my head back and gave a giant sigh. "Tried that one already, no go on that fly zone." I rolled my eyes in only slightly feigned annoyance.
"Why do you say things?" Gaia shook her head in a loving way.
"You don't get to criticize my speech after reminding me I'm technically orphaned." I shoved her off the bed as I laughed.
"Ow!" She sat up giggling, rubbing her hip and moving the massive government book she hand landed on out from under her. While Gaia still sat on the floor laughing and I sat on her bed triumphant, the bedroom door burst open. At first we both jumped in fear, but soon Gaia screamed and jumped up, throwing herself around the man who had entered. "DAD!" Tears were already streaming down her face and my heart leapt at the sight. "You're home early."
"I couldn't miss another one of your famous Halloweens." He joked, squeezing her closer like he still felt all the miles that had separated them. After they broke apart he turned and looked at me with a huge smile. "Arabella! Come here love, I heard what happened with your father." He held his arms out for a hug and I found myself springing forward to hug him. Despite his spotty appearance in Gaia's life in recent years, he always felt like a father figure to me as much as to her. Both of us had been chastised by him over a skype call more than once, and he always had made it a point to send me a card for my birthday. Something told me that if I wanted, they would accept me as a daughter of their own for the rest of my life. Warmth spread in my chest and down through my fingers and toes as I thought about that sentiment.
How lucky am I to have such an amazing group of people in every corner. I thought happily as we broke away from the hug, and immediately ò wanted to hear absolutely everything about what the Halloween dance was going to be.
•••
"I don't know Edward, are you sure?" I nervously chewed on my lip. My reflection stared back at me with wide eyes. I was dressed as Lucy Ball, my red hair carefully pinned into a pile of curls atop my head.
"You're beautiful and we are going." Edward sighed, Sophie barking at his ankles once more. In the month and a half since I had received her for my birthday she had grown to love Edward and love annoying him as well. "Sophie, please." Edward begged, reaching down to pick up the not so tiny puppy. While she still had a bit more growing to do she was no longer easy for me to just sweep up and zoom around the house with her in my oversized front hoodie pocket. Sophie wiggled and licked at his face excitedly. "There is something wrong with this dog. Even Maddie is wary of me."
"Maybe you shouldn't have thrown that stick for her for two hours." I smirked, smoothing the pleats of my dress for the millionth time. Gaia was dressing as Ethel, the decision for our costumes having come over the marathon that we had roped her father into watching after his prompt return home. "Ahhhh are you sure!" I asked as I spun around to stare at Edward, finding him sitting on my bed with a sleeping Sophie at his side.
"For the millionth time in the last," He paused to check his watch, "forty minutes, yes." Edward was dressed as Desi, a soft smile filling his face. "You look stunning, and I am sure the dance will go swimmingly."
"But last year…" I trailed off, thinking about the disaster that was last year and the horrible reality I had lived just 365 days ago.
"Last year was a freak accident, and nothing like that will happen again." Edward stood and strode across the room to me, placing his hands on either side of my face before planting a kiss on my forehead. "I promise."
"Okay," I murmured. "Let's go then." I picked up my bag and phone, casting one more nervous glance at the mirror before being marched out of my room by the ever patient yet insistent hands of Edward Cullen.
When we arrived at the dance I found it completely decked out. While there were a few things my perfectionism would have never allowed while decorating and a few things I knew for a fact would drive Gaia insane, the overall vibe was well done. They had gone for a halloween town meets hogwarts vibe this year, carved pumpkins lined the walkway, which I knew for a fact had been carved by the fifth grade art class as a thank you for the donated decorations for their theater production the previous year. As we neared the doors I heard the usual dance music pounding through the speakers, the bass reverberating in my chest as I felt Edward's gentle and reassuring hand rest on the small of my back. The doors opened and I was plunged into the familiar pulsing light of a highschool dance. With a glance up I noticed flickering fake candles had been hung from the rafters, and the undeniable smell of spiced hot apple cider drifted among them. "You can do this." Edward whispered in my ear. "Think about the good memories." He swirled his fingertips along my back, almost as if he were trying to conjure the thoughts himself.
That kiss in the snow. Out in the parking lot. Two years ago, that is when I think I realized I really loved you. I thought as we drifted into the undulating mass of dancing classmates and underclassmen. We slow danced and made the season start. WE brought the snow. I thought with a small smile.
I felt Edward's cool lips brush against the edge of my ear as he leaned down to murmur, "Maybe we will bring it again." Chills raced up my spine as a smile played on my lips.
"Gladly." I said aloud, turning slightly and placing my fingertips gently on his chest, his arms circling around me. As I gazed up at his smiling face the fears I had been letting cloud my mind and overwhelm my senses began to drift away. I wasn't sure if that was all my own doing or if I should give some credit to Jasper, who was standing off in the corner of the room holding a cup of hot apple cider and smiling at Alice like the sun rose and sat with her and her alone. A small awareness sparkled in the back of my mind, and I felt the acknowledgement that Edward and I were gazing at each other in a similar, if not identical, way.
My eyes caught on Gaia across the room, a huge smile on her face as she spoke to the group of freshmen who organized the dance. Her arm is as curled around Paul's back, and an easy smile had settled on his face as he gazed down at her. My heart warmed as I watched, all the while Edward led me towards the refreshments. "Apple cider?" He asked, extending a cup towards me that leaked the delicious aroma into the air.
"Oh god yes." I muttered as I greedily grabbed for the cup. I wasn't sure what the process to making the spiced apple cider was but I knew it had to be labor intensive to taste so perfect. As I sipped happily and swayed to music I held Edward's hand in mine. His smile was unmistakable, even in this low light.
The night drifted on without consequence, each sway to the music and each gentle lyric Edward hummed in my ear slowly wiped the memory of the previous disaster of a dance from my mind. Never had I been more grateful for such wonderful friends and moments to fill my life.