Moonlight

“Are you ever going to tell me where we’re going?”

Starlight’s whimsical voice broke though the silence in the car as she turned her body to face the man driving. She had patiently been wondering where her boyfriend was taking her, but her patience were quickly beginning to wear thin. The hum of the engine and the anticipation of the trip filled her senses and made her feel as though she might implode. She knew James had something special planned when he had woken her up and told her to get in the car, and any doubtful thinking had been wiped away with a smile and a smack on the ass telling her to hurry up. She had somewhat clumsily gotten into the car still dressed in her favorite dark purple PJs; apparently normal clothes weren’t a necessity for whatever he had planned. That had been hours ago. He had barely spoken to her the whole trip and had avoided any questions on where they might be heading. She knew that he was testing her patience and that she was failing—badly.

“We’re almost there, baby. You know, patience is a virtue” A cocky smirk and a quick glance over in her direction was the only response that she got, but it was more than she had expected. She continued to stare at him entranced by the way the moonlight reflected through the window giving him an almost innocent glow. The bright light contrasted his dark clothing, making his skin appear paler than it normally was. Star chuckled to herself remembering their beach vacation last summer. They had spent hours on the beach wrapped in each other’s arms. She had returned home with a caramel tan while he had remained the almost unnatural pale he was before the trip. No amount of sun could have made him tan and luckily he hadn’t burned, much.

“But you have enough patience for the both of us.” The retort came out almost as an afterthought and a few minutes too late to make any sense. She had been so caught up with the moonlight and thinking about their last get away that she had almost forgotten what he had said in the first place, earning herself a triumphant smile and what she was sure would be a smug comment. Damn moonlight.

“Good job, babe. Maybe you need a bit more sleep.” James laughed quietly to himself, knowing the reason the response had been so late. When he looked at her in the moonlight, he felt as though the world was right. He could spend hours watching her sleep as the moonlight danced on her features. At those times, all chaos ceased to matter and she left him in a daze. She truly dazzled him, which was why he only dared slight glances her direction the entire trip. He had to keep the place a secret; it was the only way the moment would be perfect. Her gaze in the moonlight would only trick him into telling her.

“I would have sleep, but I do believe someone woke me up to drive me out into the middle of nowhere.” Sticking her tongue out at him playfully, Star intertwined their fingers, resting her head on his shoulder. She knew that he wanted this night to be special, but it didn’t quell her curiosity. “You know, I might consider this kidnapping.”

“Kidnapping?” The statement had taken him by surprise, causing him to take his eyes off the road for a moment to fully look at her. She had to be teasing. He just knew it. She could never actually believe him to be capable of something like that, and by the way her smile almost radiated throughout the car, he knew he was right. Normally any of her random comments wouldn’t catch him off guard, but sometimes she still managed to surprise him.

“Yea kidnapping, taking someone against their will, call it what you want, but I’m pretty sure that’s your fantasy.” Star laughed at the stunned silence coming from the seat next to her. She had him. She had actually made him speechless. No sarcastic remark, no smug smile, and she was pretty sure if she looked she could catch his slight blush in the moonlight. She finally had him, and it felt great.

Humming happily to herself, Star looked out the window into the night. She had won this time and was content to bask in her victory. Nights like these always reminded her of the summer nights she spent at her parent’s lake house. Star could still smell the honeysuckles and feel the warm breeze on her face when she closed her eyes. She had met James there one summer, spurring a summer romance and establishing one of her fondest childhood memories. Little did she know back then what an impact that summer would have on her life, and unfortunately that she would never return back to that house. Years later, she would reunite with James in a coffee shop. Star quietly giggled, envisioning what the look on her face must have been when she collided into the stranger, spilling her latte over the both of them. After a thousand apologies and a quick “do you remember me” conversation, they had spent the next hour trying to get the coffee out of their clothes and catching up on lost time.

“Ok. We’re almost there. Put this on.” Reaching into the side door, James pulled out a blindfold and handed it to Star. He hoped that she would willingly put it on without asking a million questions. If she saw them pull in, it would give away the surprise before he was ready—and this was something he had to be ready for.

“A blindfold? Kinky.” Slipping the cloth over her eyes, she hoped that they were very close to the destination. She hated not being able to see, especially when she didn’t know where she was. Luckily, though, she felt the car slow to a stop and the hum of the engine fade away, leaving them both in silence.

James got out of the car, walking around to the passenger’s side. He paused a moment to slow his speeding heart before opening the door and helping Star out. This night had to be completely perfect. Leading her slowly across the grass to ensure she didn’t fall and hurt herself, James stop at the perfect spot he had picked out weeks before. He made sure the view was perfect before slowly slipping the blindfold off her eyes, awaiting her reaction.

Star gasped at the scene in front of her, blinking back tears that threatened to spill over. The old lake house stood before her, more weathered and beaten, but still overlooking her favorite spot on the lake. The tire swing moved slightly in the breeze, swinging from the old oak tree where they had carved her and James’ names so many years ago. If she looked closely enough, she was certain could still see the missing rail on the balcony that had to be removed when she had gotten her leg stuck when she was seven. Trailing her eyes down the now over grown path, she gazed over lake. The moon light shone brightly in the water, and the stars reflected off the surface, making it seem as though the heaven’s had thrown down diamonds just for them.

“Starlight Grayson, I love you. I’ve loved you since the moment I first saw you. I didn’t know it then, but I know it now. You challenge me, you push me to grow, and I know that there is no other person I would want to spend the rest of my life with. You complete me, and I would be honored if I could make you mine forever.” Taking her hand, James knelt to the ground, pulling out the ring he had been hiding for weeks. “Baby I love you. Will you marry me?”

Nodding her head, Star held out her hand as she felt the ring slid into place. “Yes. Yes I will marry you.”

Grabbing her in his arms, James spun them around, leaning down to kiss her passionately; the glow of her ring in the moonlight announcing their love to the world.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”