Over the next month Ace goes to school and with help passes her classes and goes to therapy once a week. "Hey Ace." She hears her favorite voice.
"Graham." She turns around and forces a smile at her best friend.
"I guess we go to the same place." He tries to joke.
"Yeah, not a thing I would want in common with you."
"We're not seeing the same person at least."
"No."
"Can I walk you to your parents' car?" She holds out her hand to answer his question. "Minus therapy, how has your day been so far?"
"It's been ok, better now." Just being near him helps center her and vice versa.
"And tomorrow night is our date." He already has put the pins on the small jacket.
"8 months." He refrains from swinging their hands.
"8 months of dating my amazing girlfriend."
"I am not that amazing."
"You are to me."
"Graham," she shakes her head as they reach the car, this time being driven by Mel.
"You two kiss and get in Ace after; Mom and Dad want to talk to you about your Sweet 16."
"Eugh. I am not sweet." She hates being referred to as sweet.
"Yes you are."
"Want a kiss or not?" Narrowing her eyes at him she drops his hand and faces him.
"I do." He wraps his arms around her, "may I?"
"You may," Graham lowers his head and lightly touches his lips to her; before the kiss can deepen Mel clears her throat.
"See sweet." He says after they stop kissing.
"You idiot."
"I am your idiot." Ace doesn't reply to that remembering what she talked about today and gets in the car.
"Did you not like what Graham said?"
"No one is anybody's property."
"He didn't mean it like that?"
"How did he mean it then? In my experience when someone says anything like they think the other person is their property. Graham is his own person, that is one of the reasons I love him and he respects me too."
"When someone says anything like that it means they love you and are committed to you."
"Oh."
"Who placed ownership on you?"
"Who do you think?"
"If I ever get my hands on that man."
"Mel, stop. Everything is getting better, I haven't had a nightmare for a few weeks. This weekend I am telling Graham I love him."
"It is shocking that it has taken you two so long."
"As you know I was planning to tell him that night. I was distracted by what his reaction might be."
"Ace, that boy loves you."
"I have that feeling, but everything in my life seems to go wrong."
"Well, that's done. You have a lot of people who will do anything for you. In fact I think Mom and Dad have a surprise for you, but I don't know what it is. They stop whispering as soon as I enter a room."
"Mom and Dad seem to like to keep things from you and Graham when it involves me."
"Minus Manisha, did you have any close friends?"
"Shreela, though she never knew what was going on at home."
"Would you have told Graham about everything?"
"What I remember, yes. Though it made it easier when I found out he lived next door."
"You two have snuck out a few times."
"He isn't comfortable making out horizontally."
"Wait what?"
"The night of the party last month when I was getting overwhelmed, I may have started making out with him and ended up on top of him."
"You didn't tell me that?"
"We didn't go farther, he stopped it."
"Don't need to explain to me, but I think."
"Neither of us are ready."
"I know that, but you two have been together for a while now."
"Mel, stop."
"Ok, I will." They stay silent for the rest of the drive. As she enters the house her parents are standing there with large smiles on their faces.
"What is going on?"
"We just have a surprise for you that will be here for your party next month."
"Can't I just have a quiet birthday with my family and my boyfriend?"
"Sweetie, we just think you deserve the best birthday."
"I just am not one to celebrate my birthday."
"We know."
"It has always been Liam and I; I always made a big deal for him."
"Now you have people to make a big one for you."
"Fine, is Graham invited?"
"Of course he is, but not to spend the night," Harry makes sure to add.
"I apologized for that Dad."
"I know, I just am not ready to see that, my teenage daughter asleep with her boyfriend."
"Dad, I can see a future with Graham."
"Please don't talk about it to me right now."
"Dad, I love Graham, he makes me happy and feel safe. I want to see him smile, hear him laugh, grow old."
"You're too young to think that."
"Harry, let her be. She's happy and smart."
"I am right here too, Dad, I promise you if Graham and I get close to crossing that bridge, I will tell Mom."
"Why not me?"
"Dad, you're a guy." She states that fact, "plus I would be more comfortable talking to Mom who understands and would know what to do."
"So."
"The only guy that should know is Graham."
"Fine, but only if you are ok with more people YOU want to come to your Sweet 16."
"Tegan, Nyssa and Yaz, and maybe Uncle Jamie."
"Graham?"
"He is a given, I love him after all." She moves up to her room as Harry and Zoe look at Mel.
"So."
"I didn't ask her about her therapy session. You two know I won't pry, right?"
"I do," Zoe says, "we just want to make sure she's alright."
"She's doing better each day, I have a feeling she won't be alright for a while, but we can't keep asking her. That is what got her overwhelmed at her welcome home party."
….
The next day Ace is looking through her closet for a dress to wear, "ugh, I don't have a dress for tonight," she wanders over to Mel's room. She waits for a second before knocking.
"Come in." Mel sees Ace after the door opens.
"Mel, I have a question."
"Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for your date?"
"I am, but I can't find a dress to wear."
"I have one that doesn't fit me right." "Mel goes to her closet and finds a dress with a white top, a black skirt with white polka dots over it. "Now go jump in the shower, we will do up your hair and put on a little makeup."
"Do I have to wear makeup?"
"No, but we can do your hair up?"
"Mel, please."
"You're telling him tonight right?"
Trying but failing to hide a smile, "I am, but last time I was planning to tell him I was just in jeans and my jacket."
"No shirt?"
"Shut up Mel, of course I was wearing a shirt."
"Just joking. Now go, your date is in two hours." Ace grabs the dress and heads to the bathroom, gets her towel and turns on the water. As she gets under the water her mind starts to drift. There is a knock on the door, "Ace you have been in there for almost an hour." Mel yells through the door.
"Give me a moment."
"I want to help you get ready."
"I am getting out." Ace turns off the water and grabs a towel. As she is drying off she looks at the dress and lets out a sigh. After opening the door, "do I really want to wear a dress, I mean, I barely wear them to begin with."
"You want everything to be special right?"
"I do."
"Get it on, so I can do your hair."
"Melanie," Ace almost whines, "I don't need to do anything special for Graham."
"You want to take his breath away right?"
"He tells me I do that without even trying." Mel ignores her and pushes her to sit as she gets out her Shark Flex Style, as she dries Ace's hair she lightly curls it. After styling the last bit she lays it over Ace's shoulder.
Looking in the mirror, "I don't recognize myself."
"Ace, you are making your next step with Graham."
"I know, it should've happened ages ago." She walks out of the bathroom and into her bedroom finding some flats that go with her dress. After she puts them on she walks downstairs finding Graham talking to Liam. Standing there for a few seconds watching Graham and Liam she imagines what a future would be like.
"What are you planning to do for the summer?"
"Summer camp, what are you going to do, Graham?"
"Maybe go on dates with your sister."
"There is no maybe about that we will be going on dates." Graham, hearing her voice, looks at the direction it came from.
Color draining from his face, "Ace you look amazing."
"Thank you, you look amazing yourself." Graham is wearing black jeans, a blue polo and a nice jacket. "You didn't have to walk over here."
"I know that, but I wanted to," he moves towards Ace holding out his hand. She takes it, both planning by the end of the night to say those three words. As they walk out the door, Graham takes the basket that was besides the door and they walk to the park. Graham stops in the spot where they had their first kiss. "Is this a good spot?"
"I love this spot," Graham can tell she is speaking the truth from her sparkling eyes. After setting down the blanket he opens the basket. "What's that?" She can see a small bag.
"It's a surprise for later."
"Can I have it now?"
"No, but I can give you a kiss instead?" Ace leans across the blanket and brushes her lips against his. Four eyes close as two tongues meet. As the park empties of the few kids there the kiss ends.
"Graham?"
"Hmm." He slowly opens his eyes.
"No one is here."
"We are."
"Yes we are." Graham starts to empty the basket including the small bag that he puts next to him. "Sparkling Apple Cider?"
"Yes please," he pours them both some of it before screwing the cap back on. "So a romantic date."
"It is a full moon, a night meant for rebirth. I was thinking that we start this next stage of our relationship tonight."
"Next stage," she is nervous that Graham knows what she is planning tonight.
"Later."
"Graham?"
"Yes?"
"Am I special to you?"
"No one more special to me than you are."
"I feel special when I am around you," she can't believe she said that, "should we start eating?" When they are done eating the sun is starting to set.
"You're beautiful," Graham says as the low light makes her hair glow. She moves to be closer to him.
"Are you just saying that?" Opening up his arms she relaxes into them.
"No, you're always beautiful to me." She turns her head to look up at him.
"You are to me too." They sit and watch the sunset, when it's almost down Ace feels something almost like leather in her hands. "What's this?" She holds it up. "I'm afraid it's too small for me."
"It's for your bear, look what's on it." She turns it around and traces the red lettering. "I have two more things for it." Reaching into his pocket he takes out two small pins. "Remember that movie we watched and you thought it was cute."
"I do."
"I know it wouldn't be right to actually pin you."
"You can pin me anytime," she drops her voice so he gets what she is saying.
"Ace, please." She smiles, "you and I will know what these pins mean."
"What do they mean?"
"Dorothy, Ace, I love you. I am in love with you."
"Oh Graham, I love you too." The two meet in another kiss. They remain in each other's arms until the sky is dark. "I don't want tonight to end."
"I never want any of our dates to end." Ace shivers. "Though," he shrugs off his jacket, "it seems I should get you home before you get cold."
"You can warm me up."
"Ace." He helps her into the jacket, "come on, we can walk slowly." After putting everything back in the basket, she reaches for his hand and the jacket for her bear in the other hand. "I love you, man, that feels great to say."
"It feels just as great to hear," a smile that is lit up by the dim street lights, "I love you too." They arrive at her door.
"I guess I should say goodnight."
"It was a great night."
"The best night," he sets down the basket while his left hand is holding her right he rests his right hand goes to her jawline, "I love you Dorothy Gale McShane."
"I love you too Graham Nelson O'Brien." Eyes close as mouths meet in a tender kiss that makes time come to a stop as someone looks through the curtains.
"Harry, what are you doing?"
"I wanted to see what was taking them so long."
"They were on a date and it seemed to be a special one from what each was wearing tonight."
"Please tell me they didn't cross that line."
"Harry, her hair isn't messed up and stop thinking like that."
Outside the kiss breaks, "I should give you back your jacket."
"You don't need to."
"It's nice, maybe one that isn't nice."
"I'll get you one," they smile at each other before Ace shrugs off the jacket and hands it back to him before opening the door. "I love you."
"I love you too Graham," she smiles before heading in.