and we scored

Scene 37

NINI

It's almost midnight and Caden and I are sitting on the floor in the living room, looking at the tree. His phone is next to us on the floor, with a countdown until Christmas. Caden is holding me in his arms, kissing my neck and cheeks. I'm looking at him, smiling and thanking Santa for already giving me the best present I could ever get.

As his timer rings, he stops kissing me and looks up to meet my eyes. He then slowly brushes his lips on mine, and whispers: "Merry Christmas, Broadway."

"Merry Christmas, Caden", I reply, smiling bright and crashing my lips on his. I can feel his mouth twitching under mine and he wraps his hands around my waist to have me even closer.

"I think it's time for your present", he whispers after some time. I look at him confused as he lets go and goes to bring an envelope from underneath the tree. As he's sitting back next to me, his hand immediately wonders to my waist.

Like frozen I'm staring at the envelope. Caden notices it and chuckles, saying: "Open it".

I look at him questioning yet he only nods to back up what he said. I do as he asked me and open the envelope. Inside, I find two tickets. And not just any tickets. Two tickets to the Romeo and Juliet play performed on Broadway.

"This is...is just so...", I begin yet my words run out. All I can do is pull him closer and kiss him. Kiss him with all my love, kiss him for all the butterflies I am feeling now and kiss him for all the smiles he offers me.

"They're perfect", I whisper to him as our faces are barely one inch away from each other. "Thank you", I continue.

He smiles at me and says: "You're welcome. I told you I want to be your Romeo, Broadway."

I have to chuckle at what he said. "I don't want you to be my Romeo", I whisper to him. He looks at me surprised and I can see the worries in his eyes. I continue: "Because I don't want our story to ever end."

I can see his face light up like the Christmas lights on the tree. He smiles and pulls me even closer, kissing me and making sure I know how much he loves me.

"It won't", he whispers, his voice shaking. It's a mix of nervousness with something else. Something, I can't name yet. I don't know if I want to know what it is. "I'll do my best so that it never has to end", he says.

My breath is taken away and I let go. "What do you mean?" Fear grows inside me and I can feel my fingers shivering. He takes my hands and whispers.

"What I mean is that I love you, Broadway", he says. I'm not fully convinced that is exactly what he wanted to say, but I go with it.

"I love you too, Caden."

"Come here", he says and opens his arms. I sink my face in his chest again and he kisses the top of my head. With his lips still touching my hair, he starts whispering how much he loves me. I close my eyes and fall asleep in his hug, feeling safer than I've ever felt.