The Boyfriend Checklist

20

Gemma groaned for the hundredth time in her bedroom.

Even during Saturdays, she had to be showered with problems about their prom. Because they had to change their theme last-minute, she just received a call about an issue with the posters and props. These should be ready on Monday morning.

For a minute she prayed she could rest her ear from all the stress she'd been hearing since this morning.

And it was like her prayer was answered, there was a knock on her bedroom door.

"Busy?" Karen asked as she twisted the knob of her daughter's bedroom door.

"Very, why?" Gemma answered, not sparing her a glance when she scrolled through the inbox of her Facebook account.

"You have a visitor."

Instead of jumping for joy, anxiety took over her. She thought about seeing her responsibilities knocking on her doorstep. Plus the fact that her mom asked her to hurry made her nervous even more. It must be that urgent.

As she went down the stairs, she asked her mom who it might be. She wanted to be ready before she could face her visitor. However, Karen chose to keep her mouth shut and went to a different room as soon as Gemma reached the front door.

Gemma's heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she saw Aaron standing outside her house—a guitar strapped around him and a smile was plastered on his face.

"Wha—"

Afore she could ask what he was planning this time, he strummed his guitar to cut her off.

"Rule number fifty, Gemma, your boyfriend should surprise you."

Indeed, she was fairly in shock. Her boyfriend sure was full of surprises lately. When there was no response from her, he took it as his cue to begin. He cleared his throat before plucking the strings.

"I won't talk, I won't breathe
I won't move 'til you finally see
That you belong with me. . .

You might think, I don't look
But deep inside in the corner of my mind,
I'm attached to you, mmm. . .

I'm weak, it's true
'Cause I'm afraid to know the answer
Do you want me too?
Cause my heart keeps falling faster

I've waited all my life
To cross this line
To the only thing that's true

So I will not hide, it's time to try
Anything to be with you
All my life I've waited
This is true. . ."

Aaron intended to cut it after the chorus for the first line already made Gemma cry. Perhaps it was his voice, the way he sang it, or the song that made her tearful. He walked up to her doorstep and stood in front of her at arm's length.

"Was my voice that bad that you have to cry?"

She punched his arm lightly. "No!"

Slowly, he touched her cheek and wiped the tears using his thumb. He was smiling. As much as he wanted to frown for seeing those tears, he couldn't help but smile.

"Rule number fifty-one, he serenades you outside your house."

"I-I like that song." She said with a sniff as she lowered her head.

"I know."

A different set of sniff came from behind Gemma. Karen was standing from afar, with a phone in her hand, recording everything the two had been doing.