Unbreakable

“Rose.” Ashley sings. Maybe if I don’t open my eyes he’ll think I’m asleep. “Rosie.” Don’t move a muscle. “I know you’re awake, you’re holding your breath.”

“God damn it.” I give up, and snap my eyes open.

“Well good morning to you too.” He chuckles. A groan comes out of my mouth. “Oh so you don’t want to go to the music store?” He has a playful grin on his face, and no shirt, I like the no shirt part.

“Buh ugh ugh I never said that.”

“Okay then, hurry up!” He rolls out of bed, and puts on a shirt.

“Now why’d you have to go and do that?” I protest.

“I don’t think they’d let me in without one.”

I look him up and down, “I think they’d make an exception for you.” I stare at his hard, muscular chest, and try to contain the drool, “And your abs.”

He saunters over, and climbs on top of me. “I knew you only wanted me for my body.”

I run my hands under his shirt. “You caught me.” He chuckles, and I can feel the vibrations in my chest. He kisses me in a teasing way, and cups the back of my neck. The same fire ignites in my stomach, this happens everytime we touch. His hands slid down my back, and rest just above my hips. I open my mouth to let him in, and trail my hands down his chest.

He picks his head up, and rests his elbows on my chest. “You know, as much as I would love to continue this, we should really get going.” He pecks my lips, and climbs off of me. That’s so strange, Ashley never refuses sex. Something must be wrong.

We pull into the music store about a half hour later, traffic was absolutely murder. The ride was pretty quiet too, I mean we sang a bit, but that was it. What is going on?

I ponder this as I walk to the back where the guitars are. Lefties, lefties…. Ah lefties! I look through the racks of guitars, and try to find one that I want to play. It’s a horrible idea to leave me alone in a music store because I always end up buying a new instrument. hey that one’s pretty! It’s a deep deep purple that looks almost black, and a black neck. Come here beautiful. i take it out of the rack, and walk over to the demo amp. I strum a few strings to see if it’s in tune, and everything sounds okay. I start playing the intro that I had written for “All Around Me” It sounds like sex oh my God! I am in love with this instrument I need it in my life. I check the price tag, but there’s no price, instead it says, Turn around. What? I look around, and then behind me.

The sight brings tears to my eyes. Ashley is on one knee behind me holding a box with a gorgeous ring inside. “Annalyse Dianna O’Conell you have turned my world upside down, and pretty much changed me.” He smiles. Oh my God is this really happening???? “As my grandma would say you’ve tamed the beast, and honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.” No crying! Conceal don’t feel! Oh fuck that I’m so happy! “Rose, you’re a smart, beautiful woman, and I can’t imagine my life without you.” Here it comes! “So will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

“Is that a question? Yes!” I set the guitar down, and glomp my new fiance. I am crying of happiness right now, and he is holding me so tightly. There’s some clapping going on around us, and a few aw’s.

“Rose, I can’t breathe.”

“Oh sorry!” I immediately let go.

“Here I think I got the right size.” He slips the ring onto my finger, and I start crying harder. “I can’t remember the last time I saw you this emotional.” He smirks.

“Oh shut up!” I lightly smack his chest, and giggle.

“So do you like your engagement present?” he points to the guitar that I was playing before.

“Oh my God that’s for me?” He nods. “Oh my God!” I squeal and glomp him again.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He chokes.

“Oh sorry, air.” I pull away.

“It’s fine, now come on, we’ve got some people to see.” He takes my hand, and I take the guitar, and we head out to the car.

The whole ride back was full of chatter. I’ms so happy, where are we going to have it? Who is going. We pull into the driveway, and I jump out. “When you said we have people to see…”

“Just wait.” He pulls me close, and kisses my head. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” He opens the door, and guids me inside.

“Congratulations!” Everyone exclaims. And by everyone I mean everyone.

“Wow I didn’t know we all fit in here.” I smile.

“Well it’s not everyone,” Uncle Derek starts. “We locked Greg in the closet back home.”

“Shut up.” Greg scoffs.

Sammi pulls me into a tight hug, and starts bouncing up and down. “I’m so happy for you!” She squeals.

“Me too!” I say in the same tone of voice.”

“I want a hug!” I look down and see April with arms wide open.

“Well come here then.” I bend down, and pick her up in my arms.

“Laci can I be the flower girl?”

“We’ll have to see what your mommy says okay?”

“Okay.” She smiles. Oh my God she is the definition of cute!

Stephen is the next one to hug me. “I never thought I'd see the day.”

Across the room I hear Jake say, “I never thought I’d see the day when Ashley Purdy got married.”

“I think you’ve got an echo.” I tell Stephen.

“Okay Tum.” He chuckles.

“Oh my God I have to call Phoenix!” I whip out my phone and dial my best friend’s number.

She answers on the third ring. “Hey girlie what’s up?”

“Phee I’m getting married!” I squeal.

“Oh my God he proposed!!!” I can practically hear her jumping around. “Oh my God how did he do it? I’m so happy for you!”

“He brought me to a music store, and I was playing a guitar, and instead of a price on the tag it said turn around, and he was there behind me.”

“THAT’S SO FREAKING CUTE!!!!!! i’M LITERALLY CRYING RIGHT NOW TUMMY YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!!!!”

“I was crying earlier I do understand.” I laugh.

“I’m totally crashing your wedding if you don’t invite me.”

“Why wouldn’t I invite you, you’re my best friend.”

“Hey I thought I was your best friend.” Ronnie says from across the room.

“She was first.” I retort.

“Who are you talking to?” Phoenix asks.

“Ronnie.”

“Oh yeah I forgot that you’re friends with a bunch of famous people. OH MY GOD YOU’RE MARRYING ONE!!!!!”

“I know!” I exclaim.

“Are you coming to Ireland this summer?”

“Of course! The guys are going to the Karang tour so they’ll be there too, just not until November.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m legit.” Fangirling in 3.. 2… 1…

“OH MY FUCKING GOD I’M GOING TO MEET ANDY BIERSACK!!!”

Andy’s head snaps up, and he looks at me. “You heard that didn’t you?” He nods.

“Oh my God he’s with you???????”

“Yupp.” I grin.

I hold my phone away from my ear. 3...2...1...She screams at the top of her lungs, and I wince. “OH MY GOD I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!!!!!”

“Yupp, she never changed.” Uncle Derek laughs.

“Who are you talking to?” Jacky asks.

“My friend Phoenix, we’ve been best friends since ever.” I reply.

“Who are you talking to now??” She inquires, if she was a puppy, her tail would have fallen off from wagging it to much.

“Ugh Jake…”

“From State Farm!” Jake yells.

I hold the phone away again because there’s more screaming from the other end. “She’s a really big fan.” I smile.

“She’s going to die when she walks into our house this summer.” Mark smirks.

“Good riddance!” Greg snorts.

“I heard that Greg!”

“She heard that you asshat.” I tell him.

“Good!”

Ronnie motions for me to give him my phone, and I do. He clicks a button, and sets it on the coffee table. “Hi Phoenix.”

“Who is this?” Oh this is going to be good. She’s going to try to play it cool, but her voice is going to shake too much, and then someone will say something, and she’ll go off again.

“It all depends on who you want it to be.” Jake grins.

“Really you could be talking to any of us.” Jinxx smirks.

“You guys are going to make her have a heart attack.” I laugh.

“I think she’s right.” Phoenix gasps.

“You’re cute.” Jacky chuckles.

“Oh my gosh Laci did you hear that?” She squeals.

“Yes i did.” I smile.

“I can see why you two are friends.” Ashley chuckles.

“She’s normally really calm.” I reply. “She is pretty much my babysitter, well not at parties, we switch at parties.”

“Speaking of babysitting.” Christine pipes up. “Can you take April tomorrow? I have to work.”

“We would love to!” I exclaim. Today just keeps getting better and better. “How long will she be here?”

“Is nine to seven okay?” She asks. “If it’s not you can leave her with my boyfriend at four.”

“If you want us to bring her home at four that’s not a problem, I mean it’s like twenty feet away.” I reply.

“No.” She snaps. “No, ugh… He can’t really cook that well so I would rather not have to call poison control.”

She said that too fast, and the look on her face tells me she’s hiding something. I won’t press her though, if she wants to tell me she will. “Okay then.” I smile.

“I have a really good idea for a photo.” Sammi says. “We can do some more later, but I want to do this one now.”

“Alright, what do you want us to do?” Ashley asks. There’s really no arguing with Sammi.

“Stand up, and go into the kitchen where there’s less people.” I get off the couch and walk to the kitchen. “Okay now stand like this.” She has use positioned so we are facing each other. “Okay Lace, hold up your hand so we can see the ring, and Ash, hold the other side, but make sure you’re not blocking the ring.” We do what we’re told. “Wow Lace you are really short, here.” She drags a chair over. “Stand on this. Hey look, no you’re eye level!”

“Shut up Sammi!” I giggle.

“Oh you know I love you. Now hold your hands here.” She puts our interlocked hands in the place that she wants them. “Now kiss each other, please no tongue, I know how you can be!” We laugh harder. “Okay do it so we can get this over with!” Ashley and I look at each other, and start laughing again. “Oh my God stop laughing!” She laughs.

“You’re not helping!” We exclaim.

“I know I’m sorry!” She squeaks.

“You sound like a chipmunk!” I chortle.

“I know!” Her voice went up in pitch again, making me laugh harder.

“I can’t even!” I squeak.

“You’re doing it too!”

We erupt into a serious fit of laughter. “I didn’t know your voice could go that high.” Ashley laughs.

“What is going on out there?” Uncle Derek asks.

“I don’t know!” Sammi and I exclaim.

“Best of luck to you Ash, you’re going to need it.”

Notes

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKK I LOVE THIS CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!