Say Yes To Forever

Chapter Seven

“September has just gone by way too fast,” Nikki comments as we walk down Main Street to get to Duke’s.

The 27th is the first Saturday all month that we’ve actually been able to hang out properly, not just in passing. Between our first college semester, studying, our jobs, and family time, there’s not a lot of time left to relax. Plus, if I do have time, I’ve been wanting to spend it with Cyrus.

“I can’t believe October is less than a week away,” I agree.

As we cross the threshold into the diner, we’re lucky that the lunch rush is over. Finding a clear table in the back, we plop down into the chairs and shrug off our coats. I already know what I’m going to order – a BLT with a side of onion rings, something I’ve been craving all week. But, as always, Nikki has to look through the menu (even though she has it memorized, we come here so often).

Once Louis leaves without drink orders, Nikki puts down the menu and leans in. “So, how are you and Cyrus?”

I blush and get preoccupied with my coffee. “Good.”

She nudges my leg under the table, “And?”

Beaming, I indulge her, “It’s been really nice. We’ve been out to dinner a few times, have gone for a few hikes… he calls me every night, even if it’s just for a few minutes. So yeah,” I lift my shoulder, “We’re good.”

Louis shows up with our drinks, so we halt the conversation and give our orders. Then, once the coast is clear, she asks “So, are you guys like boyfriend and girlfriend now?”

“Well….”

She frowns. “Well?”

I make a face. “We haven’t, like, had ‘the talk’ or whatever.”

“But, like, these definitely are dates you’re going on right? And he’s kissed you and all that?”

“Oh! Yeah, no, definitely. He’ll come to the door, drive us, we hold hands… he’ll kiss me at the end. But – well, you know how my mama is. Or,” I drop my voice, “how the town is. We’re taking things slow and keeping things private.”

“Except with me,” she smirks.

I giggle, “Yeah, except with you.”

Miss Kathy arrives just when our food makes it to the table, so we drop all topics revolving around Cyrus. Instead, we discuss classes and our teachers, and the Pumpkin Festival coming up. It’s only when we’re free from Duke’s and sitting on a secluded bench in the town square, that Nikki just can’t help herself.

“So, when are you guys going to be official? Are you guys going to go to the Pumpkin Festival together? Will he get in trouble since he’s a teaching assistant in your Sub class? And what about your mom, what are you going to tell her?”

“Actually,” I draw out the word, “Cyrus said he has something special planned for tonight, so, maybe, he wants to make everything official.” I hope.

“And, yeah, we have talked about going to the Pumpkin Festival together, which might be why he wants to sort things out this weekend.

“As for the whole teaching assistant thing, I don’t think so? He said he’d look into it but never got back to me. Regardless, like, it’s not like we’re flirting or whatever in class and he makes sure Ramsey grades my work.

“As for Mama,” I sigh and rub my face, “I don’t know. I mean, she’s gonna know eventually. So, I need to be the one to tell her before Miss Kathy does. But, God, Nikki, she’s going to lose it. At least once a day she makes a negative comment about the Laveroi’s, so I can’t even imagine what she’ll have to say with me dating one of them.”

Nikki nods slowly, “You are an adult, now, though.”

I roll my eyes, “An adult still living in her house.”

She frowns. “Maybe… maybe if she got to know him? Like, if you guys have lunch or something?”

I slump down against the bench. “Maybe?”

Maybe I can draw it out a little bit longer, hide the seriousness of it all a little bit longer. Maybe I can fib and say we’re sort of dating, it’s kind of unclear. Sure, we maybe we hold hands in public, but avoid other PDA? Definitely avoid kissing. We could make plans while she’s actually around and then, yeah, maybe we have lunch one of these Sundays….

But, even then, I know it’s going to take a long, long time and a lot of conversations for her to accept Cyrus. If she ever accepts him. Which, in a way, I’ve been trying to convince myself I don’t need her approval.

He makes me happy, I feel good with him, what more is there? So far, he’s been the epitome of a gentleman and we’ve had so much to talk about. And, even when we’re not talking, it’s comfortable. The only negative I can possibly think of us is that we’re still not as… physical as I’d like to be.

---

“So,” Tori stands against my doorframe.

I look up from the stack of tests I’m grading. “So?”

She raises her eyebrows but says nothing.

“So…?” I try again.

She tilts her head, “You and Valarie, huh?”

I turn back to the tests, trying to be as indifferent as possible, “What about me and Valarie?”

Slipping into my room, she closes the door quietly. On the edge of my bed, “You haven’t told Mom and Dad yet.”

Still not turning around, I try to stay even, “There’s nothing to tell.”

“Frate, you know you can’t lie to me,” I turn to see her expression is filled with concern, “I’m the most skilled in our family when it comes to reading minds. And no, I’m not actively trying to,” she lifts her hands, “your mind is just particularly loud when you come back from spending time with her.

“I just think it might be time you talk to them.”

After a very long silence, I push a hand through my hair. “Tomorrow. I’ll talk to them tomorrow.”

This appeases her and she stands. “Just be careful, frate… for all our sake.”

---

Tugging at the hem of my violet cable knit sweater, I turn side to side while looking in my full-length mirror. It has a nice v-neck that shows off my (small amount of) cleavage, and it isn’t too long over my jeans. All Cyrus has told me is we were going to be outside near a fire, so I want to dress warm, but still sexy.

I’d French-braided my hair after my shower this morning and it finally seems dry. I had tested different makeup styles on the various occasions I’d seen Cyrus and it seems it likes the less makeup the better, so my look’s very subtle. Right as I slide my tiny silver hoop earring in, there’s a knock on my bedroom door.

“Valarie?” Mama asks while opening the door.

“Yeah?”

In her scrubs, looking ready to go to work, she stands tall, with her hands on her hips. “We need to talk.”

I try to stay unconcerned and slide the second hoop in, “Yeah, Mama?”

“This bonfire you’re going to… it’s at Cyrus Laveroi’s house?”

Quickly, so is to hide my face (which might give me away), I get busy with packing my purse. “Yeah, Mama.”

“Valarie,” her tone is harsh, “you know how I feel about the Laveroi’s. They are outsiders who have barely done anything to become a part of Stars Hallow. They don’t come to town often, the parents don’t come to town meetings, they haven’t signed up for a booth for the Pumpkin Festival -”

I interject, “It’s a bunch of us from school, Mama. Remember I said that Cyrus is the TA? He’s just sort of hosting it, but everyone in my class is going,” I lie.

This doesn’t seem to help.

“We’re kind of doing a study group,” I continue down the rabbit hole. “Yeah, it’s at a bonfire, and there’s going to be junk food and pizza and soda. But we’re going to study and work on our group projects.”

She squints, “Group projects?”

Not a complete lie now, I nod, “After next week we all have to pair up and write a paper on one particular Sub-human race we’ve studied so far. So, we’re all getting together to partner up and pick, uh, which Sub we want to do.”

Maybe angrier now, though about a different subject than Cyrus, she starts her rant, “I cannot believe that stupid school is forcing you to learn about lesser species. Who are they to say that this is just as important as college-level reading and math? I swear, I’m going to march down to that headmaster’s office and give them a piece of my mind….”

She keeps ranting as I gather my things and head downstairs. I still have ten or so minutes before Cyrus arrives and I need her to leave for work. My plan is successful, and she’s out the door in a huff.

Pulling up the long driveway in front of the Laveroi’s house, I’d forgotten how large and beautiful it is. It’s Stars Hallow’s largest and most elaborate remaining example of rural Victorian Gothic architecture. It stands two stories tall, is very wide, with a large wrap-around porch. The paneling is a light gray, the shudders and trim an off-white, the shingles a deep black, and the Victorian gingerbread trim makes me think of a Christmas postcard.

There’re a few lights on in the house and I become nervous at the idea that in a few minutes I may be properly introduced to his family. Just as I’d avoided Mama meeting him, he’d been careful we avoided meeting his parents and siblings. Thankfully, Cyrus leads me by the hand down a path to the right of the house, to the backyard.

The black sky glitters with stars, the crescent Moon but a sliver above us. There is a threat of a Winter chill weaving through the trees, but all I can smell is the burning wood. As he brings me closer to the roaring fire, I notice a laid-out blanket and picnic basket.

“Oh, Cyrus!” I squeeze his hand.

---

I wrap my softest blanket around Valarie’s shoulders, tucking her close against my chest as we lean against the log bench. Full, warm, and happy, she curls up against me, her head on my shoulder, her knee on my thigh. Watching the flames flicker and dance, they are the only signal that time is moving at all.

In the three dinner dates we’ve had over the last three weeks, I picked up her favorite appetizer of calamari from the Italian restaurant, the half sandwich and salad entre combo from the café, and the macarons from La Campagne for dessert. Luckily, I was able to hide blood in my thermos of ‘apple cider’ and Tori was the only one around tonight. Which left us the privacy I needed for my plan.

Valarie’s heart is slowing, as is her breathing, and she is well on her way to becoming sleepy. I gently rub my hand up and down her arm, and murmur to her softly, “Valarie?”

“Mhm?”

“I like you.”

She giggles and rubs my chest. “I like you, too.”

I kiss the top of her head. “Would you be my girlfriend?”

Pushing off me, she looks up with a huge smile. “Of course!”

She reaches for my face, falling into me, and kisses me. And this kiss is not like any of the pecks goodnight I’d given before. Her full lips are soft, warm, and give perfect pressure. Her tiny hands lower from my jaw, her little fingers curling around the hair at the nape of my neck. She moves closer to me, higher on me, with a passion and hunger, but it’s more than just lustful. She wants me to know how much she likes me, wants me to know how serious she is… she wants me to know that she’s all in.

My fingers find the hem of her sweater, drifting underneath and up the smooth skin of her back. I know I’ll have to stop soon… but not too soon, right?

Pulling back, her breath is heavy on my lips. “Cyrus….”

I drag my nails across her skin, “Valarie…?”

Suddenly there’s a thwack against the log. We jump and turn to look at the source. Tori is standing above and smiles, “Hey lovebirds.”

Valarie is backing up now, quick to her feet. Her cheeks are a brilliant scarlet, her breathing sporadic. After throwing her purse strap over her chest, she tugs frantically at the hem of her top.

I am up now, too, trying to stand between her and Tori. With a raise of my eyebrows, I try to convey a ‘what the f**k?’ response.

Tori throws a thumb over her shoulder, “Mom and Dad are back,” she gives with a similarly serious expression.

Pushing back the wisps of hair around her face, Valarie swallows hard. “I should probably head out.”

I look to Tori and then focus on the movement in the house, Mom and Dad are just about to open the double doors to the backyard. By the time I look back, Valarie is already a few feet away. “Wait!”

She turns around but doesn’t stop moving. “I can walk, it’s okay.”

I catch up with her, “No, it’s not all right. It’s dark – I will drive you back."

She notices that Tori is occupying our parents on the porch and feels a small sense of relief. “Okay…” and rushes us to the car.