Chapter Eight

JC leant over the bed and picked up his shirt that he had discarded earlier. “Here, put this on,” he said, passing it to Alanna.

She lifted her head from the pillow. “What for?” she asked sleepily.

JC laughed. “As much as I’d like you to stay like that I don’t think you should, it’ll be chilly downstairs.”

“Downstairs?”

“Yep.” He stood up and pulled some pyjama bottoms on.

“Come on,” he said impatiently.

Reluctantly she sat up and pulled the shirt on. She could smell his cologne on it.

JC walked around to her side of the bed holding a hand out to help her up.

“What’s the rush?” We’ve got all the time in the world.”

He glanced at the digital clock. No, they didn’t have all the time in the world, not for what he had planned anyway.

Once she was standing next to him he planted a quick peck on her lips and led her out of the room and downstairs.

It was dark down there but he didn’t bother turning the lights on. Alanna kept close behind him as she followed him into the kitchen.

“JC what are you doing?” She shivered as her feet touched the cold kitchen floor.

“You’ll see,” he laughed. She was worse than a child on Christmas morning. He thought about what that would be like, to spend Christmas with her. They had been with their families the previous one. Maybe next year,” he thought.

He took her over to the table and sat her down in one of the chairs. “Close your eyes,” he instructed.

“What?” she asked.

He placed a finger on her lips and looked up pleadingly into her eyes. “Please?” he asked softly.

Who could say no to that? She certainly couldn’t and she obliged his request.

He smiled triumphantly and quickly set to work. He opened up a cabinet and pulled out the hidden item. He crossed the kitchen to reach the drawer by the sink but he stubbed his tow on the way. Cursing, he hopped around waiting for the sting to subside.

“JC are you okay?” Alanna asked worriedly.

“DON’T open you eyes,” he cried.

She lifted a hand up to calm him, her eyes still tightly shut. “Okay, okay.”

He turned on the water at the sink to disguise the noise.

“Why are you running water?”

“Did anyone ever tell you that you ask too many questions?”

She huffed and slouched in the chair.

Seconds later she sat up and sniffed. “JC is something burning?”

She heard something being placed on the table next to her. JC grabbed onto her hands. “Open your eyes baby.”

She did as he said and was immediately faced with his blue ones. It took her a second to realise the reason she could see them was because of the glow from her left.

“Happy Birthday sweetheart.”

She gasped and looked to the small cake and the lone candle in the centre.

“12.03 am, that’s when you were born right?” he asked, pointing over to the oven clock.

She bobbed her head. “H…how did you know?” she asked.

“I read too many teen magazines,” he joked. “You never told me when your birthday was so I played detective.”

“You did?” She smiled. “What did you do? Did you sneak into some government building and look through private records?” she teased playfully.

Even in the faint candlelight she saw him blush. “I asked your mom.”

She tried to keep a straight face but she couldn’t, he was too adorable. She burst out laughing and he soon followed.

She threw her arms around his neck, still chuckling. “God I love you.”

He felt her freeze as her own words registered in her mind.

His breathing halted at what she’d said, playing over and over inside his head.

He drew back and looked at her. She was looking down and he took one arm from around her, bringing a hand up to tilt her head so she was looking at him, well almost. She seemed to be looking at his ear, not wanting to meet his eyes, scared of what she might see, what his reaction would be.

“We haven’t said that in awhile,” he spoke softly.

He saw the confusion on her face as she finally looked him dead in the eye.

He moved his hand to her forehead and smoothed out her soft skin, easing the tension.

“You thought I’d forgotten didn’t you.” He smiled at her reassuringly.

He was right, well in a way. She didn’t think he’d remember because she didn’t think he’d even been aware of ever saying it.

“That night, I was so drunk but I remember it. You came and helped me even after everything I put you through."

She tried to look away. She didn’t want to think about it, they’d put all that behind them, that night had been proof of that. He wouldn’t let her move away though.

“I didn’t deserve it but you were there for me. Joey chewed me out about everything the next day,” he laughed. “He was right, I was a jerk. He could see that and he didn’t even know everything that had happened.”

No the only others who knew about that were Justin and Ashlyn. The other guys had never asked although they were sure they were curious, especially Joey who had witnessed his more bizarre behaviour.

JC took a deep breath. “I meant it though Allie. I love you.”

She sucked in a breath. Moments before she had been scared of the reaction from her own use of the words. Now he’d said them back.

“You…you what?”

JC chuckled. “I. Love. You,” he said slowly.

“You do?” She stared at him, dumfounded.

He nodded with a grin on his face. “Uh huh.”

She breathed out slowly. “Wow.”

He smiled. She looked thoroughly shocked. Although he really couldn’t remember much else about the evening he remembered clearly the words he had spoken that night. Maybe he had waited too long to repeat them again but until that moment he had never felt completely at ease with her. He had needed to walk on tiptoes around her for a while, while she learned to forgive him. Right then he knew it was truly behind them. No looking back, the future was all they had.

“It’s time to make a wish,” he reminded her.

Alanna turned towards the cake, eyes closed with a smirk on her lips. She drew in a deep breath and then blew the flame from the single candle out.

“So…”

“So what?” she asked.

“What did you wish for?”

“It won’t come true if I tell you.”

“Alanna,” JC groaned.

She giggled. “But I could show you,” she said mischievously.

“Oh really,” he said, all of a sudden very interested

“Mmhmm. Think you could handle another round?”

“Hell yeah!”

“Then make my wish come true baby,” she joked in a husky voice, bursting out laughing at the look on JC’s face.