Chapter 56: Chapter 56
"Considering that we are going to be there for two or three weeks, and that you are going to be bedridden for the entirety of that time, I believe that we will be able to see more than six movies." He makes this statement while bringing up an important topic.
I cast a glance to the side and engage in some internal deliberation for a moment. I console myself by saying, "Well, at least we have somewhere to begin."
"True." A grin appears on his face. "Want to dance?" He asks.
"I'd be happy." I smile.
After dancing to a few songs, we decide to go have some food and then converse with my dad and Maddy before continuing our dancing. We continue to dance for a while, and then we fetch a bottle of water for the pair of us. Before we realize it, it's five minutes before midnight. I'm starting to become nervous. What exactly is he going to say? What kind of response does he have planned for this? What kind of response can we anticipate from him, positive or negative? While we are making our selections at the trinket table in preparation for the New Year 2019 celebrations, all of these questions are running through my thoughts.
Mark chooses a hat and a noise maker, and I go with spectacles and a noise maker for my items. When we make our way up to the dance floor to watch the countdown from Missouri on the homemade screen, we have three minutes left on the clock. I take a peek in every direction. Even though John is supposed to be here for this party, I haven't seen him once so far tonight.
Mark's attention has just been drawn to the screen as we are about to enter the final minute of this round. "There's something important I need to discuss with you, Mark," the speaker said. There are still one minute and thirty seconds left, and the volume is rising.
"What?" He is asking because he is having difficulty understanding what I am saying.
"There is something important that I have to discuss with you." I raise the volume of my voice a little bit. He indicates with a nod that he understands, and his gaze shifts between the screen and myself. The countdown begins in 20 seconds. "I've been considering this for some time now, but I wasn't sure how to bring it up with you." At this point, the noise level is so high that Mark isn't even partially listening to what I have to say anymore. "I-I'm aware that what I have to say may not be received with the same enthusiasm from you, but that's irrelevant because what I'm saying is genuine." Countdown in tens of seconds The countdown has started, and I'm so excited that I virtually shout. "Mark I'm not sure how to phrase this... I'm simply going to do it..." It will only take five seconds. "Mark... I-I..." Three seconds, and then one very deep breath as the countdown ends. "I love you."
"I hope you have an excellent new year!" No one else is staring at Mark the way that I am, with worry clearly visible in my eyes, save for Mark and me. He has a questioning look on his face as though trying to determine whether or not he heard correctly.
"I love you." I want to reassure him once more, so I say it again. He appears to be about to say something to me when he glances over in my direction and opens his mouth, but I am already speaking. "It was in this book that I learned that it's possible to feel love for something as straightforward as a dish or an animal. When we were still just friends, I loved you, but now since we are closer than ever, I'm in love with you." I am aware of the sensation of tears welling up in my eyes, which clouds my vision. "According to the book, this way of looking at it offers a deeper level of significance. You can love someone like a friend while also being in love with them, or you can be in love with someone while also being in a relationship with them. In the beginning, my love for you was more akin to that of a friend. Since I've met you, I've fallen in love with you, and I simply can't imagine my life without you. I need you to be here for me while I work through the challenges that lie ahead during the following few weeks. Because... because you are the only thing that matters to me." The tears are beginning to fall at this time. "I know you probably don't feel the same, but I couldn't go into the following few weeks in case I die without you knowing," she said. "I know you probably don't feel the same."
It's getting to the point where I'm afraid of him because of how silent he is being. After the first tear dropped, I haven't bothered to look in his direction. He approaches me and gently raises my chin before taking a step closer. "Just like everyone else, I'm head over heels in love with you." Also, he expresses this while crying. I step back.
"How could something like that be possible?" I ask not believing.
"I don't understand how you could possibly love someone like me." The argument is refuted by him. "It's not complicated at all. I love you because you have numerous abilities, you are passionate about what you believe in, you love your family and friends, you are willing to fight for what is right, and you never give up. All of these things contribute to why I love you. I love you for all of those reasons, but the most important reason is because I love you for who you are and the fact that you don't judge other people based on who they are." Because I no longer feel threatened by looking into his blue eyes, I have begun to cry again. He puts both of his hands on my chin to cup it. "It's official, Alyanna Savi Hernandez: I'm head over heels in love with you."
"I feel the same way about you, Mark Thaddeus Hernandez," she said. "I'm in love with you." I give you a wry smile while simultaneously biting the inside of my lip in anticipation of what's to come.
After drawing me in closer, he leans in and gives me a kiss. Deepening the kiss as we get as near as we can get while our tears mingle and making the feeling that much more potent, his arms travel from my neck all the way down to my waist, and mine go around his neck as we continue to move closer together.
As we finally pull apart to catch our breath, we give each other a bear hug. I look over to the other side of the dance floor and see my dad smiling to himself while he is dancing with Maddy. I respond with a smile of my own and offer him a slight nod to let him know that I have completed the task. Mark heard it directly from me that he is loved. In addition to this, it was discovered that. Even more than I do, he loves me.
We're going to keep things the same between us, Mark and I. Being in close proximity to one another while swaying to the beat of the music throughout the performance of a great slow song. "I'm ready to call it a night and head back home." I utter the words in a hushed tone to Mark.
"If I could only listen to one more song... It's hard for me to let go of this." Mark mutters as he squeezes the object even more tightly. As soon as I heard the song change into Can't Stop Falling in Love, I heaved a trembling breath out of my mouth. Mark and I share a chuckle as he sings it to me in my ear, and as he does, I relax into him and feel the anxiety I have about the weeks to come begin to melt away. Simply remembering that Mark loves me is all that is required to help me get through these difficult times.