"I, uh, Tay, I-" Jayden stammered. Will you marry me? she repeated in her head. What do I say? I can't break his heart, but at 16?
Taylor's face broke into a small, nervous smile,"Please, just say 'yes'. I love you so much and there's no one else I want to spend the rest of my life with."
"Taylor, I love you, too, but we're only 16!" she cried,"I mean, is that even legal??"
He bit his lower lip,"I think it is... I'm not sure,but..."
"Even if it is legal, why should we rush into it so soon?" Jayden asked cautiously, avoiding Taylor's puppy-dog face.
"I want to have the security of knowing that you're mine, and that you'll always love me," Taylor said firmly, his voice shaking slightly.
"But Taylor, a ring and a minister saying "I do" can't make a person love someone forever," she said softly,"Love is trusting someone, caring about them."
Jayden took a deep breath before continuing,"I-I truly love you, and I want to spend my life with you, but we're so young. Who knows? Someday you might find someone better, and regret this whole thing..."
"No!" Taylor burst out,"I know with all my heart that we're meant to be together. There is no girl on this entire earth more precious than you."
Jayden stood, walking slowly towards a flower patch in the side yard. Taylor quickly followed. He reached down, grasping a simple white daisy and tucking it behind her ear. An awkward silence filled the air as they watched the radiant sunset.
"Taylor?" Jayden whispered cautiously,"I love you more than words can say. For the past 11 months, you've been my life, and i'm just scared that if I say 'yes' it'll be such a huge responsibility and..."
"And we'll get through it," Taylor finished,"Good times, bad times, we'll make it."
Maybe he's right... Jayden thought, and he sounds so sincere, and positive... But, 16? What-what would my mom say? What would my dad say? I don't even wanna think about that...
"So...?" Taylor prompted,"Have you decided?"
"It's just so... abrupt," Jayden said,"And what about the wedding? If we did get married before the tour, it'd have to be one of those quick, eloping-style ceremonies..."
Taylor looked slightly confused,"So? We won't have to worry about any doubts or our parents trying to talk us out of it."
"Yeah, I know, but.... it's just i've always had this sort of dream since I was a little kid..."
"Dream?"
Jayden nodded shyly,"Yeah. A big white wedding, with a string orchestra playing as I walked down the aisle covered with yellow rose petals, my dad beaming proudly, my mom sniffling and reaching for a crinkled tissue..."
"When the tour's over, i'll give you your dream wedding. I promise. But just for now..." Taylor pleaded.
"It wouldn't be my dream wedding, Tay," Jayden shook her head,"Sure, there'd be the rose petals, the orchestra... but my mom and dad.... They'd more likely be disappointed and angry then beaming and sniffling...If they came at all."
Taylor's face fell,"Well, maybe we could hold of telling them for awhile. Like our little secret..."
Our little secret... Jayden repeated to herself... Taylor and me... Together forever... She tried to smile at the prospect, but in reality, it made her heart tighten and her breath weaken.
"Oh, and about the ring," Taylor continued babbling,"You can pick out whatever you want. Diamonds, gold, anything. I'll give you the money for it, since we won't have time before the tour-"
"Woah, Taylor, quit the ring talk," Jayden broke in,"I haven't even said 'yes' yet."
Taylor widened his eyes hopefully,"Yet?"
Oh gawd, what the hell am I supposed to do now? He thinks i'm gonna say 'yes', but I can't... I just.... can't... And with that, she gave the love of her life a quick kiss, perhaps a final kiss,turned and ran, tearing the daisy from hair and tossing it to the ground. She left behind a shocked, heart-broken Taylor staring at the ground, now blurred with tears...
~Chapter 9~
~Chapter 7~
~Home~
