BITE ME

Three: life's a party

Bloomsburg 1866-
"Why do I get the feeling that you're stalling me miss Natalie?" Jackson asked.
"Maybe I am. Maybe I am not. That's for me to know and for you to find out." I said.
"You hanging out with my brother more is starting to rub off on you. You two are great friends."
"We've been friends since the day I got here. What's the difference now?" I asked.
"I want to make sure you are not in love with him." Jackson said.
"The things you accuse me of!" I said playfully.
"I have to ask you a very important question." He got down on one knee.
"Natalie Romano will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?" He asked.
I was stunned I wasn't expecting this.
"Yes of course I will."

Present day-
"Why do I get the feeling you're stalling me?" Jackson asked.
"Because I am." I said.
"What?" He laughed.
"Your brother wanted me to get you out of the house so he could get your surprise party ready. Don't tell him I told you and you better sell the whole being surprised thing when you get home or he'll know I told you and he'll kill me."
"I'm surprised you were able to keep that from me for so long. You don't seem like the type to keep secrets." He said.
"Trust me. I have plenty of secrets but none of them are worth telling." I said my mood changing from happy to a little melancholy.
"So I'm going to change the subject and asking you to tell me about yourself."
"Ok... um where to start. Oh I had a five year old daughter." I said.
"Had?" He asked.
"She died in a fire."
"I'm so sorry." He said.
"It's fine it seems like it was a long time ago."
"How was she five? Isn't that like half your age?" He said jokingly.
"My real age no. My maturity age yes. And the whole five years old thing is a long story too." I said.
"Ok um what's your favorite color?" He said.
"Green."
"Ok. Favorite song?" He asked.
"Ballad of Mona Lisa by panic at the disco." I said.
We talked for hours on end. On the drive back home we talked about our ancestors.
"You know our ancestors were supposed to get married." I said.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yeah. But it was on the night of the massacre. Her daughter was accused of being a witch and they burned her along with many innocent others inside a church." I said.
"And she thought it was jacksons older brothers fault that her daughter Abigale died so she left town and never came back." He said.
"Yep. Then she got sick and died. You know I feel bad for her. She lost her parents all her brothers and sisters her daughter and then she ran away from love and then she lost her own life. It's kinda sad." I said.
"Yeah I think we're here now."

The party inside was huge.
"I didn't know you had this many friends?" I shouted over all the noise.
"I don't. I'm the loner type." Jackson jokingly said over the noise. We were able to laugh for maybe thirty seconds before Ryan found us.
"You told him!"
"What! No... I... yeah I told him."
"Can I trust anyone is this town with my secrets!" Ryan said while laughing.
"Are you drunk?" Jackson asked.
"No!" Said Ryan.
Jackson gave him a cold stare for no more than five seconds.
"Ok maybe a little." Ryan confessed.
"Ok here's the deal. You're going to drink coffee and soda until you're not drunk anymore." Said Jackson.
"But its more fun this way!" Ryan pleaded.
"Coffee. Now." Jackson said.
"Fine Buzzkill Bob. Whatever you say commander."
Ryan did the whole hand on the forehead thing that they do in the army.
"Dismissed." Jackson said.

"Wow I didn't know that that would've actually worked." I said surprised.
"Well my brother's a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. He was to drunk to not listen to me." Jackson said trying not to laugh.
"Lets go dance." I said.
"What?" He questioned.
"Come on this is a party. Shake your groove thang don't be a loner for one night."
"I don't dance." He said.
"Well I do and I need a partner so come on." I said.

I dragged Jackson out to the dance floor and we danced for the longest time. It felt like forever. Then a slow song came on.
"I love this song." I said.
"If I don't dance I definitely don't slow dance."
"Well you're doing it." I yelled over the noise.
We slow danced for five minutes. And then we kissed.