Chapter Twenty-Seven: Happy Second Anniversary
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Alyssa Narrating:
So these past two months have been crazy. Thankfully as you might have noticed Jennifer fought for me to keep my job. Which I would have gone crazy if I lost.
I did not throw myself into school and get done a million years ahead of schedule to let one stupid mistake and one very stupid actor ruin everything. Nope, not gonna happen. And thankfully Jennifer understood that and knows that I love my job that I work my hardest at it. Which is why she actually wants to put me on tenure track. However I need to be working at least one more year to even qualify to be considered to be tenured.
I know insane isn’t it? But alas that’s the teaching system for you.
I’m happy though, these past two months I’ve put all my future concerns on the side and focused on work and spending time with my boyfriend.
Heh I love saying that, my boyfriend. Yes I realize I’m a fool, a fool in love but really I can’t help it. Our conversation in August really opened my eyes. I don’t care anymore about getting married I just want to be by his side.
Getting married someday would be awesome, but honestly I really don’t care when anymore. I guess you’re wondering why the sudden change in my behavior huh? Well it’s because of him. Just the little things, like when it was my dad’s birthday a week ago, he was there and we stayed up all night watching old home movies of my dad, and my family. It was truly something.
Seeing where I was, knowing how far we’ve all come…
Simply amazing if you ask me. It was great for Nick to see my family that way. He’d always been sort of a bystander but now he’s truly part of it. He loved watching videos of Olivia and me when we were in ballet together.
Yes that’s right I, Alyssa Monroe, the tomboy was in ballet.
I loved it though, couldn’t stand the frilly costumes but loved to dance and move with such grace.
I think my favorite part was watching myself in high school, especially with Collin. I miss him a lot because he was just this amazing person that even if I weren’t with him I’d have to be friends with him. He was always, always an amazing listener and friend. As well as the second best boyfriend I’ve ever had.
Ya’ll can guess who wins the crown of best boyfriend. Oh yeah it’s Nick. We just click on so many levels, much more than when we were friends. I mean granted being friends with him was great, but there were some moments I could certainly live without.
Like hearing about/walking in on him with his girlfriends over the years. Honestly I thought he’d be a playboy for life at one point. But Paris, as much as I seriously hate her, taught him a lot about himself, what he wants and what he doesn’t want out of life, career and more importantly love. And I think it helped open his eyes to see me. For the longest time I thought I was literally invisible to him only dropping the cloaking device when he needed a friend to lean on. I know; I know sounds stupid be seriously now that’s how I felt. I almost contemplated dying my hair blonde getting a spray on tan and a push-up bra to get his attention.
Which apparently wouldn’t have done me much good. Because he always says that he wanted to be with me for the longest time but was afraid.
Such a silly boy sometimes.
End Narration.
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“So Alex you going to tell me who this new chick you’re seeing is?”
AJ grinned at Nick, “Nope, not yet at least you’ll see her at Ali’s surprise party.”
Nick chewed on his lip a moment as he looked over the list he made of things for the party. So far Alyssa had been unaware of anything going on everything being arranged by him, Lori, and Kellie through late night phone calls and secret emails. “I hope she likes it…I mean yeah it is a bit of a throwback to her 21st, but it’s not in a lot of ways.”
Brian chuckled, “You’re just hoping for a repeat of what happened that night am I right?”
Nick smirked, “I get that every day are you kidding me?”
Howie chuckled and shook his head, “Still haven’t learned its quality over quantity.”
Nick rolled his eyes and chuckled back, “Who says it can’t always be good?”
Brian shook his head a little in response. “So Leigh told me that she found the engagement ring.”
Nick sighed a little and nodded, “Thank God Lori and the girls were there to cover for me, and if I’d have seen her near it I would have just broke down and asked her.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I’m getting tired of waiting, but I don’t want to ruin the plan I’ve got.”
Brian patted him on his shoulder, “I was like that when I was getting ready to propose to Leigh. Trust me if you stick to your plan it’ll be perfect no matter what.”
Nick nodded thanking him silently.
“By the way, I asked Lee to marry me…” Howie stated lowly as everyone’s eyebrows shot up in shock. “She said yes. We’re planning a long engagement so don’t plan on anything too large.”
“Holy shit…” AJ remarked.
“What?” The all asked.
AJ took a breath, “Brian’s married, Kevin’s off trying to start a family, Howie’s engaged and Nick’s getting ready to propose, holy shit, I’m going to be the last one standing aren’t I?”
Nick laughed and hit AJ’s shoulder, “’Fraid so Bone.”
Meanwhile…
Alyssa looked around the lecture hall as she watched the students furiously scribble in their bluebooks. She chuckled to herself; she hadn’t made the test that hard, just hard enough to where you had to read the class readings to be able to pass. She sighed a little and flicked open her laptop as her TA, Jordan, made the rounds. She clicked away online going to various sites she normally went to, chuckling to herself at the message boards and their comments.
She’d become a member on a few and befriended some of the fans, of course she wouldn’t dream of actually telling them who she was but still it was nice to interact with them on a level where she wasn’t being judge so closely. Alyssa was aware through the boards that a few of her students were fans of her man, she wondered if they took the class out of general curiosity or just to get a glimpse of who she was.
Glancing at her watch she noticed that it was five minutes until time was up. “Five minutes everyone.” She announced hearing a few gasps of desperation and a couple students come down turning in their exam. One girl stopped and spoke with her for a moment.
“I wanted to thank you Professor Monroe for having such a great discussion going in this class.”
Alyssa grinned and nodded, “You’re welcome, the only way to understand literature is by hearing all the viewpoints and differing opinions.”
The girl smiled and replied, “Yeah but it’s still cool you’ve been able to do it even with the media attention.”
“I know it sucks sometimes but it’s life you just gotta deal and move on right?”
The girl nodded in agreement, “By the way good luck with him, we’re pulling for ya.” She remarked before walking away.
Alyssa stood there for a moment figuring she just had an encounter with a fan. She shook her head and chuckled under her breath as she picked up her sidekick and text messaged Nick the news.
That night…
Alyssa smirked as she looked at the date. “Baby…. guess what?” She semi shouted.
Nick popped his head into the office and gave her a lopsided grin. “What?”
She looked up and motioned to the calendar, “Do you realize what day it is?”
He gave her an odd look, “Three days before your birthday and our anniversary?”
She shook her head, “Besides that, it’s exactly two years ago tonight that we made out for the first time.”
He snickered at her comment, “Only you would remember something like that.” Nick shook his head and walked over pulling his computer chair across the room to sit next to hers. “That’s crazy…it’s been two years already since then?”
“I know seems like yesterday…”
“Seems like yesterday we were just meeting.” Nick added.
She grinned, “Well no that seems like an eternity ago, seems like yesterday that you said that you love me.”
He laced their fingers for a moment and gave her a long kiss. As he broke it moments later he replied, “And I still do love you.”
She opened her eyes slowly and took a deep breath, “You’re evil.”
“Why??”
She giggled softly at him, “Because no one kissed me like that ever.”
“Not even Collin?”
“Nope not even Collin.”
He grinned getting immense satisfaction out of the fact that no one could kiss her like he did. He hated to admit it but hearing about her with her previous boyfriends, even though she never slept with any of them, it still felt like icy fingers down his spine. He couldn’t control it, he just hated the idea of any other man making her feel better than he could make her feel. He glanced to her desk seeing some photographs of the two of them. “What are these?”
She grinned and handed them to him, “You’re anniversary present, I know early but since our anniversary falls on my birthday I figured we’d celebrate it a little early this year.”
He looked through them seeing the various candid shots of the both of them. He stopped on the picture she hoped he would. The one of him biting her neck as she pulled off his belt, with this satisfied grin on her face. “Okay this is getting blown up and put near our bed.”
“I know isn’t it just perfect? Also I have these for your private collection.” She added handing him a leather-bound photo album.
He looked inside seeing pictures of Alyssa, some cute, some goofy, some borderline risqué. He stopped on two pictures one where she was by the window in their bedroom staring at the camera with her eyes a dark emerald and her face with a pensive yet mysterious expression. The second picture was on their bed; she was draped across the white sheets in white lingerie her hair splayed all over the bed as she gave the camera a ‘come hither’ look. “Sweet Jesus, Ali these are amazing.”
She grinned, “I figured you would love them!”
“Who took all of these?”
“Remember when Lori spent the night?”
He thought for a moment, “Yeah?”
“That’s when.”
“Wow…” He said pausing a moment. He got up and went to his desk pulling out a light blue Tiffany’s necklace box wrapped in a bow.
“This is for you.”
“Nick you didn’t have to buy me anything.” She replied taking the present.
“Oh I know it’s not as expensive as you think and I got you this as well.” He said handing her a dark blue gift bag.
She looked up at him mysteriously for a moment and opened the necklace box seeing a beautiful chain with an oval shaped locket on it. Inscribed on the front was a cursive uppercase ‘A’ for her name. “Nick this is so sweet!”
“Open the locket.” He said urging her to open it. When she did a very tiny piece of folded paper popped out and onto the desk. Before looking at the paper she looked inside the locket seeing a very small picture on one side of the two of them smiling as Andre had snapped the picture back on the Never Gone tour. “That’s from our anniversary last year, from Stuttgart, Germany.”
She grabbed his wrist motioning for him to sit as she bit back her emotions. “That’s the sweetest thing in the world…”
“Oh it gets worse trust me.” He said laughing motioning to the bag.
She opened the bag taking out the leather-bound sketchbook that she had given him back in 2002 for his birthday. “Umm okay what’s this for.”
“Open it and there’s also a couple of other things in there too.”
Her brow furrowed in confusion as she opened the sketchbook. In it weren’t merely just sketches. Each sketch had an accompanying picture, of her or the picture had a poem or lyrics he’d written over the past few years. “Wow this is beautiful…”
“All these lyrics, poems, everything is about you.” When he still saw that she didn’t fully understand still he continued, “Since you gave me this, I added all my sketches of you that I did when I was bored, all the poems and lyrics I wrote about you when I was afraid to say anything. Even things like little pictures and things from when we were just friends, shells from the beach where we first met, and the hospital bracelet from when you hurt yourself. I had all of these somewhere hell most of them I had to trek all around the country for. All of them are dated; basically it proves that I’ve felt this way for a very long time. And that no matter what friends or together you’re a part of my life.”
Her expression softened, “Wow, this is just beautiful, I love it.”
He grinned at her, “Good because it took me forever!”
“I love it simply because you made it for me and that it’s beautiful.”
He dug into the bottom of the bag pulling out an envelope that looked a little stuffed. “And this would be your other gift, you can look at it now but umm I found the one you’d made about me so I figured I’d make one about you too.”
Alyssa opened the envelope and looked seeing a list. Immediately she recognized it, it was exactly like the list she’d made about him when she was uncertain of her feelings for him.
1. The way her eyes change color depending on her mood.
2. How she chews on her bottom lip when she’s writing.
3. The way my clothes look on her.
She read more and stopped placing the papers on her desk. “Nick this is just perfect, I couldn’t have asked for a better anniversary gift.”
“Good because on your birthday you’re getting spoiled.”
She chuckled at him as he pulled her into a long kiss.
Two days later…
Alyssa stirred slowly coming out of a dream. She rolled over reaching out for Nick but instead felt nothing but bed sheets. She remembered her mother calling early that morning and Nick had been there giving her the best reason to get off the phone as quickly as possible. She turned her head up opening her eyes seeing a single red rose and a note. Curious she gathered the sheets up around her naked form and inhaled the sweet scent of the flower placing it on her lap as she opened the small note and his nearly illegible script on it.
Take today and relax get pampered and girly on me…no buts it’s your birthday. Because of course tonight you’re all mine…
Love,
Nick
Next to her on the nightstand an envelope laid she picked it up opening it gasping at the IOU inside for a complete spa day for her, Kellie and Lori at LA’s trendiest spa.
She giggled and got up taking a quick shower and threw on a pair of low-rise jeans and a comfy tee shirt. She bounded down the stairs seeing Kellie and Lori standing in the foyer waiting for her. “Wait what are you two?”
Kellie laughed, “Nick just left he let us in.”
“He left?”
“Yep he said he wants to see you tonight and not before then because he’s got plans for you.”
“Oh boy, I’m in for it aren’t I?”
Kellie smirked and exchanged a glance with Lori. “Most definitely.”
A few hours later Alyssa relaxed as she had her hair styled. She opted for a shorter style of just above her shoulders. She sighed a little and sent Nick a text message thanking him for the day of relaxation that included a deep tissue massage, manicure, pedicure, the works.
Meanwhile Nick felt his sidekick buzz as he pulled it out having a feeling that it was from Alyssa.
Thanks for the spa day lover…you do realize you’re so getting laid for this right?
He smirked and went back to the meeting knowing that he’d call her later. Nick looked around seeing the setup at Koi, like him it was her favorite restaurant, mainly because it had the best sushi in town. He smiled again as he directed people to set up the various tables with little Nightmare Before Christmas centerpieces that included Jack, Sally, Lock, Shock and Barrel and most of the cast of odd characters.
Olivia giggled as she checked things off the list and turned to look at him. “She’s so going to love you for this.”
“Like she doesn’t already.” Nick shot back.
“True, but the present you got her, genius Nick pure genius!” Olivia remarked with a grin.
He shrugged, “I try, but yeah she’ll love it, since she’s such a history and literary buff.”
“Yeah and romantic trip to Italy is totally spoiling the hell out of her.”
Nick laughed and put his arm around her, “Oli, come on you know she deserves it.”
“Yeah I do.” She replied, “It’s weird you’re like another brother to me.”
“You’re like an older sister to me. And believe me I don’t need anymore sisters.”
She laughed a little and patted his back. “Yeah but you make my sister happy so you’re okay.”
He grinned, “Thanks Oli, love ya too!” He said giving her a bear hug.
“Nick…need…air!” She managed to say. He let her go and they busted out laughing at one another.
That night…
Alyssa walked out of the bathroom putting on her midnight blue silk cocktail dress and matching shoes she’d gotten earlier in the day. She slipped into the outfit loving the feel of silk against her bare skin. Nick came walking in at that moment and whistled at her. She chuckled and did a spin for him.
He noticed her much shorter hair and already decided that he loved it. It had been curled just so into a very loose bob almost 1920s style but still long enough that when straightened that the ends would just barely brush across her shoulders. “You cut your hair.”
She grinned, “Yep, needed a change but I love it it’s not too short and not long enough to get annoying.”
He brushed a few stray strands out of her face and tipped her chin up just enough for him to lean down slightly to kiss her. She slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders as she sighed into the kiss opening her mouth slightly to deepen the kiss. He groaned into the kiss as he slipped his hand from her hip up over the silky material to the smooth skin of her back.
Just then Nick’s sidekick buzzed signaling them that it was time for them to leave for their ‘reservation’. Reluctantly he pulled back smiling that she was wearing her locket and diamond studs her father given her when she’d turned 18. “I love the new ‘do.” He remarked as she slipped on her shoes grabbed her clutch and slid her hand into his.
“You really like it?” She asked a little amazed that he did.
He squeezed her hand as he led her out to the car helping her in. He ran around to the other side and got in, “Of course it looks great on you, and the little layers or whatever you call them around your face make it look great.”
Her entire face lit up at his praise for her good choice in hairstyles. “I’m glad you like it, when it’s straight it looks just as awesome, and I can still pull it up and out of my face if I need to.” She explained as he drove them to Koi.
He grinned and placed his hand on her bare lower thigh just above her knee and just below where the hem of her dress was. “So don’t get mad at me but I got us a private room at Koi, so we can be left alone. That okay?”
She shook her head and smiled, “Of course it’s fine, and you know me I don’t care much about it.”
He sighed and pulled up in front of the restaurant helping her out while the paparazzi snapped photos of them he took her hand and handed his key to the valet. Ignoring the pleas of the photographers to stay for a moment they went inside quickly being ushered to the private room by the maitre de. Nick opened the door and Alyssa gasped as she saw the decorations and everyone.
“Surprise!” They all shouted as she beamed happily seeing all their friends and family there.
She walked in giving everyone a hug as Nick watched her. He led her over to the main table where there was seated, Kellie, AJ, Lori, Clark, Olivia, Angela, Jenna, and Mary. Nick gave AJ a look seeing him grin and look at Kellie. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and nodded in approval.
Alyssa looked at the two of them, “Are you two?” She asked.
AJ and Kellie sighed grinning a bit, “Yeah sort of we just started dating a month ago.” Kellie replied.
Nick looked around the room seeing Aaron sitting with his sisters looking none too happy at the news of the new couple. He rolled his eyes a little. A few moments later the waiters brought everyone food and drinks as they mingled around.
Bobbie came up with Wes and a tall girl with nearly platinum blonde hair. Bobbie laughed as she gave her brother a hug and giving one to Alyssa as well. “Hey I wanted to introduce to you a friend of mine from work, this is Emma Foster.”
Nick smiled at her, “Oh this is the one you were telling me about!” Nick remarked shaking Emma’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you Bobbie talks about you a lot.”
“Thank you, she talks a lot about you too. This must be the birthday girl Alyssa?” Emma asked turning her attention to Alyssa.
“Hi Emma, thank you so much for coming.” Alyssa replied sincerely.
“I’m really glad I decided to come.” Emma answered back her brilliant blue eyes sparkling.
A few hours later…
Alyssa giggled profusely at the present she’d received from AJ and Kellie. “That’s awesome you two, thank you.”
“Welcome honey.” Kellie answered back.
Mary handed Alyssa a small box. “You father wanted me to give you this when you turned 16 but we didn’t think you were ready yet. But I figured now would be a good time.” She explained as Alyssa opened the jewelry box displaying a strand of ivory colored pearls.
“Oh momma this is gorgeous!” She exclaimed leaning over giving her a long hug.
“They were my grandmother’s and now I pass them down to you. Olivia got ones from your father’s side, so both my girls have a strand of pearls now.”
She grinned and took the rather large box from Jenna. “Do I want to know what’s in here?”
“Open it!” Jenna exclaimed excitedly. “It’s more of a gift for the both of you since it’s your anniversary and all but yeah you’ll get a kick out of it.
Alyssa smirked as she opened the lid and shrieked with laughter as she saw it’s contents. “Jenna how’d you know!?”
“Because I’m just cool like that.”
Alyssa giggled looking at the various ‘gag’ gifts inside, warming massage oil, edible body paint, honey dust, handcuffs, a cat-o-nine tails whip, along with lingerie, and a vibrating tongue ring that made Alyssa cackle. “We have one of these already.” Alyssa remarked motioning to the tongue stud.
Nick laughed when he saw it’s contents but sobered when he looked over and saw Mary’s face. He knew that Mary hadn’t really known just how freaky her youngest daughter could be. “Mary you alright?” He asked.
Mary nodded and laughed a little, “She’s exactly like her father was.”
Alyssa’s nose wrinkled and she made a slight gagging sound, “Mom you and Dad screwing…not a picture I’d want to imagine.”
Mary laughed and gave her daughter a pat on her thigh.
Finally after everyone else had gone Nick handed her a long envelope. “I know, I know we already did presents for the anniversary but I think you’ll love this.”
Alyssa gave him an odd look and took the envelope opening them seeing two roundtrip tickets to Da Vinci Airport, in Rome, Italy. Her eyes widened when she looked at the dates, they’d be spending an entire month there. “Oh my God!!!” She shrieked and through her arms around his neck. “Baby thank you!!!!!” She squealed.
“What is it?”
“A trip to Italy!!!” She nearly shouted with a beaming smile. She turned to Nick, “You are going to love it, all the historical places, the culture, the language.”
“You speak Italian?” Kevin asked giving her a grin.
Alyssa nodded emphatically, “I’m fluent I learned growing up with Nana.”
“Really?” Leighanne asked amazed.
“Si signora Littrell.”
“That sounds like Spanish.” Howie remarked.
“Yeah Spanish, Italian and French all sound alike.” She explained and looked back down at the tickets with a grin. She turned to Nick giving him a hug again and whispered, “Grazie, ti voglio bene.”
When she pulled back he got a confused look on his face. “It means thanks and I love you.” She replied lowly.
He grinned and gave her a quick kiss. Nick shook his head a little after breaking the kiss, apparently still in shock at hearing her speak Italian; the only time she’d ever done that was with her Nana and that was to not include him in on the conversation so they could trade secrets or even perhaps discuss him without even knowing it.
Late that night…
Nick opened the door leading Alyssa into the house as she stumbled taking off her shoes a little tipsy from all the sake she’d imbibed at the party. He chuckled and picked her up as she had unsuccessfully tried to remove her shoes.
“Nick I’m not that drunk, just pleasantly buzzed.”
He smirked and carried her upstairs setting her on the bed opening his hand for her to give him her foot. When she did he took her shoe slipping it off and tossing it over his shoulder. She giggled as he did the same with the other. She sat up and went for his shirt untucking it and began unbuttoning it from the bottom up. He shrugged off his jacket and shirt as she undid the snap at his waist. He kicked his pants, socks and shoes off then backed away going around the room lighting a couple candles here and there then turned off the lights giving the room an ethereal glow.
She watched him move around the room and got up going to the bathroom removing her makeup and tousling her hair a bit. She grinned at her reflection remembering the mental pep talk she’d given herself in this very same room two years before. If she knew then that they’d be here now, celebrating her 23rd birthday, still together throughout all the drama of the past two years.
Her graduation, their relationship, her father’s death, the miscarriage, breaking up and reconciling, Brandon, and the tabloids. Any other couple would probably have packed it in ages ago she thought to her. But they hadn’t. She smirked at herself and brushed her teeth before heading out into the bedroom where Nick was turning down the bed standing in a pair of his favorite boxers.
She smirked and walked over to him wrapping her arms around his waist from behind and laid her head against his back. He leaned back a little and closed his eyes just content to feel her next to him. He pulled her hands away for a moment and turned to her sitting on the bed making him just a little shorter than her.
“How did you say I love you in Italian again?”
She grinned and replied, “Ti voglio bene. Sounds like tee voh-hlee-oh ben-ay.” She said sounding it out for him.
He considered her for a moment a then spoke slowly, “Ti voglio bene.” He said with a grin.
Her entire face lit up like a Christmas tree as she leaned in giving him a slow kiss. His grin faded a little as he leaned them back onto the bed and rolled them over. Alyssa watched him as he raised his upper body up to his elbows.
“Sarà tu fai l’amore a me?” She whispered with a slight smile.
“I have no idea what you just asked but yes to whatever it was.” He replied chuckling a bit as he leaned down to kiss along her neck.
Author's Chapter Notes:
OMG another update!? In the words of Nick...suh weet...LMAO anyways I'm working on chapter 29 (the second to last chapter) also I'm posting the plot summary for the sequel as well so go check that out too. As always R&R!!!!
