57. Surprise

It's the end of the school year. Aron, Loren and surprisingly, I all graduated yesterday. We're throwing a party to celebrate. Though Aron can't make it since he has college stuff to do. He's helping with the decorating though.

These past couple of weeks have been.. so strange. It's like the air is clear and everything's alright again. I don't know how it happened, but Aron and Chase have become like best friends or something. It's insane! They actually like each other now. Chase has gotten help for his depression and everything. I was really happy to hear he told Steven that he was cutting and stuff. I didn't wanna rat him out again but not telling Steven felt so wrong. Chase is working on himself and getting better every day. He's also much better about me being with Aron.. which is a weight off my shoulders.

Aron's been living here these past couple of months but he found an apartment that he's moving into soon. I'm really gonna miss having him around all the time. I like him always being there. I like being able to kiss him or talk to him (or eat his food) whenever I want to. It's all gonna change now. He's going to be studying law next year, which isn't very surprising since he's super smart and has a big mouth and a deep understanding of justice. Loren got into Yale, also not very surprising. She actually wanted to turn it down because of Rose since she wouldn't be around enough but her parents and I all got together and told her to go. It's super far away but we can manage. I'm taking a gap year. I really have no fucking idea what I want to do with the rest of my life but one thing's for sure: I don't want to be away from my daughter. So this way it's perfect. Loren can go to college while Rose stays with me. She'll visit lots and it'll be great.

Aron and I are decorating the house, getting ready for the party when the doorbell rings.

I open the door.

Chase smiles when he sees me. "Hey!"

"Hey." I step aside and let him in.

"Is Aron here?" He asks.

This is so fucking weird. The tables have turned.

I sigh.

"He's in the kitchen."

Chase walks right through and a moment later I hear laughter.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

I walk into the kitchen to find Chase and Aron play-fighting.

"Wow." Is all I say.

"Jealous?" Aron smirks.

"Definitely not." I grab my keys.

"I gotta go."

Last therapy sesh. Woo.

I walk over to Aron and give him a kiss.

"Are you sure you can't come?" I pout.

"I'm sorry. I'll be there next time." He kisses my forehead.

Meanwhile, Chase is in the background eating all the snacks.

"Chase!"

"What?" He mumbles, his mouth completely stuffed. The amount of food he eats these days is insane.

"Stop eating all the snacks!"

"It's meant to be eaten, right?" He says after he swallowed.

"Yeah, later!"

He sighs.

"Watch him." I say to Aron, giving him one more kiss before I go.

***

I sit across from Jennifer who's beaming at me.

"Sky, I think you've made great progress. How do you feel?"

"I feel great. I'm not as reckless as I used to be, I'm calmer and I'm much more responsible. You've performed a miracle. Guess I'm 'better' now, right?" I joke.

"It's all you and your hard work. You've improved so much this past year. You completely blew me away with how brave you've been. But I can't say any person is ever 'better'. There'll always be triggers or situations we can't quite process right, or sometimes things get so hard we don't know what to do about it." She grabs my hand.

"I want you to know, that whatever happens, you can always stop by. I'm always here for you." She smiles softly.

"God, I'm gonna miss you." I feel this weight in my stomach. She doesn't even realize how much she's come to mean to me.

"You don't have to. Stop by anytime."

In a weird way, Jennifer almost feels like my second mom now. I care for her so deeply.

"I will."

We both get up and I surprise myself by giving her a hug. I'm totally not a hugger, by the way.

After a while she pulls away. "Now, why don't we end the session here? I, too have an engagement to go to." She smiles.

It's kind of weird she's rushing me. It's so unlike her. I kind of feel sad. It makes me wonder if she cares for me as much as I care for her.

"Oh.. Right."

Or maybe I'm just being dramatic. Whatever engagement she has is probably really important. I shouldn't take this so personally.

We say our goodbyes and that's it. I'm done with therapy.

***

I rush home with a bunch of extra snacks (thanks, Chase) for the party.

The guests are coming in like thirty minutes.

In the car I think about how crazy it is that I'm done with therapy. I've been going for a little over a year now.. It's gonna be so weird. And I can't shake the feeling that I won't see Jennifer as much.

I open the door to the apartment.

"Surprise!" A bunch of people scream in unison.

I drop all the snacks as I get the scare of my life.

"Jesus!"

They all start to laugh.

I look around the room. Everyone's here: Shawn, Mikey, Evan, Loren (and some guy I don't know. Her boyfriend???), Steven, Chase, my mom, Rose... Even Heather and Harry! The only one that isn't here seems to be Aron... And now that I think about it, Jimmy isn't here either.

I look around again.

"Jennifer?!" I scream as I spot her in the crowd, looking super amused.

"Surprise!" She smiles.

So that was her plan! That's why she was being so weird!

"I was so scared I would ruin the surprise! I'm terrible at keeping secrets."

Everyone chuckles.

"What is all this for?!" I ask everyone.

"Well, it's kind of a surprise party.. There's one more surprise but you'll have to wait for that one." Chase smirks.

"I hate surprises. You know that."

"Too bad!" He teases.

I shake my head with a big smile on my face. I can't believe they did this.

***

The party is in full swing and I'm busy talking to everyone. Surprisingly, I'm actually enjoying myself.

I walk up to Loren and her mysterious guest.

"Sky! I have someone I want you to meet," She's beaming with joy as she says this. It makes me feel so happy.

"This is Charlie, my boyfriend. You know, who I told you about."

I smile. "Right. Nice to meet you." We shake hands.

"She told me a lot about you too." Charlie nods.

"Oh, great." I say sarcastically.

"Only that you're the best friend and best dad in the world." Charlie smirks.

"Oh!"

Loren blushes.

"Babe, can you get us some champagne?"

"Sure." He gives her a kiss.

The second he's gone I grab Loren's hand and pull her close.

"I am proud of you! He's SO hot!"

"I know right?!"

We go on swooning about Charlie when suddenly the door opens.

In comes Jimmy. Holding hands. With a guy.

"Oh my God." Loren and I say in unison.

He looks very proud and a little embarrassed as he makes his way to us.

"Hey, Sky. Uh.. this is my boyfriend." He looks at the guy kind of shyly.

I can barely believe my eyes.

"I'm Jun." He reaches for my hand.

"Hey. I'm Sky." I say, kind of stunned.

Loren is just completely frozen in shock.

I jab her.

She readjusts and smiles sheepishly.

"Yeah. I decided to listen to your advice and just... be myself. I've never been happier." There's gratitude and joy in his eyes. It makes me so happy that he's finally doing what he wants.

Loren goes to talk to Jun, leaving me with Jimmy.

"I'm so happy for you, Jimmy."

"It's all because of you." He squeezes my shoulder. "Thanks, man."

"I should be thanking you! You gave me the courage to open up to Aron." I say.

"Who would've thought we'd be such good people to each other."

"I know. It's kinda wrong, somehow."

"Yeah, I should totally call you some degrading names to get the vibe back." He says sarcastically.

"Totally." I nod.

We both laugh.

Suddenly Harry runs up to me.

"Sky! Oh my God!" He's laughing like crazy.

"What?!"

"It's Heather! You HAVE to introduce her to one of your jock friends! She's got a crush. ALREADY!"

Harold drags me away from Jimmy. I give him an apologetic look and he just laughs and returns to Loren and his boyfriend.

A while later I'm holding Rose who is very much enjoying the party as I look at Heather and Shawn.. in complete awe. They're talking and laughing together. The jock and the goth girl. This party is fully of unexpected matches, it seems.

"You look happy." Chase joins my side.

"I am." I smile.

Yet another unexpected surprise.

"Good. But I might make you a bit happier. This isn't just a surprise party. It's a double surprise party.. actually more like triple—"

"You're not making any sense."

"It'll all make sense later. Just give me my niece," Chase holds out his arms.

I pull up an eyebrow but do what he says anyway.

All these surprises are making my skin crawl.

"Alright, close your eyes and count to ten."

I sigh. "I don't like this."

"I don't care, do it!"

I close my eyes and count, out loud.

When I open them again, Aron's standing in front of me.

My heart almost jumps out of my chest with joy.

"Aron!" I exclaim as I leap into his arms.

"Sky." He muses.

He holds me tightly and I'm over the moon.

"I thought you had that college interview."

"I may have lied a little."

"Why?" I pull away slightly.

"Well, I wanted to surprise you."

"You definitely did." I kiss him hungrily. "So, what's with all the surprises?"

"I wanted to surprise you because I love you." He holds my hands as he says this.

"You made me.. happier than I ever thought I could be. You took all my crap.. all my issues and accepted them. You loved me no matter what. I told you my deepest regrets and darkest  secrets and you didn't even flinch. I trust you.. more than anyone. You're special to me. I couldn't imagine my life without you."

I completely swoon over his every word. It's like he's talking right into my heart. It feels like I'm floating.

"You don't have to." I lean in closer.

"Good." He takes a step back, which surprises me. "Cause I got a question for you."

"Sure." I chuckle.

All of a sudden he looks kind of nervous and a little scared. I'm thoroughly confused by this. I only now notice his hand is shaking a bit.

I frown.

Aron slowly sinks to the floor and gets up on one knee. Then he grabs a small black box from his pocket.

My mouth falls right open and a circle of people surround us.

"Aron, get up. What the hell are you doing?" I whisper-scream.

I'm SO embarrassed.

"Oliver Sky,"

"Oh God," I mutter. He just had to use the full name.

Aron opens the box and it reveals a beautiful silver ring with tiny, sleek diamonds pressed into the band.

"Will you marry me?" He asks.

I'm sure my face is bright red by now.

Everyone's whispering and reacting all around, making it so much harder for me. Why did he have to do this here? Why did he have to do this at all?!!!!!

"Aron... You know how I feel about this—"

"And you know how I feel about this. Look, you don't care, I do. So just say yes."

"That's not—"

"Do you love me?"

I sigh. "Yes."

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life with anyone but me?" He asks.

"No." I blush embarrassed at how fast I answered that question.

"Then just marry me already." He pushes.

Is it really that simple?

"My arm's getting kinda sleepy here."

"Fine! I'll marry you, just get up!" I pull him from the ground.

Everyone starts to cheer as Aron kisses me tenderly.

I'm about ready to cry now.

I punch his arm. "Jerk."

He wraps his arms around me and I hide my face in his chest.