The flower girl

the swing at the park

The next morning I woke up to her again. I thought of that song by Vance joy lyric where he says “I'm getting used to waking up next to you” those words have been replaying in my mind every morning. Each day starting the same. Staring at her beautiful face, wanting to start the rest of my days the same way. When she woke up I asked her to marry me. Yes I know I'm only 16 but in two years I could ask again.

“Dylan, we aren't even dating officially yet and you already want to marry me?” She was the smart one between us. I thought about it for a bit longer.

“I guess, but waking up next to your face is all I want to do for the rest of my life.” this is me trying to be romantic. I have no clue if it's working. She just smiled and laughed. I guess it's working. I smiled back.

We went back home. I walked inside and it was quiet it has been like this for 2 weeks now. Dads in the hospital they said he won't be able to go home yet because of the smoke the fires in bc are really strong this year everyone is talking about how we might get evacuated it worries me because my dad's lungs won't be able to breathe in this thick smoke.

Before I knew it school had started. Going into grade 10 in a new country new school was torture. The only thing that was worthwhile was spending every minute I could with Hazel. We had math tech theatre and P.E together. That's three periods together I'm surprised she had not gotten sick of me yet. The second day of school she said something I will never forget.

“Remember when you asked me to marry you?” She asked while stuffing her face with her cinnamon raisin bagel.

“Yeah? What about it ?”

“I never gave you a clear answer”
She says this so casually. My heart is beating out of my chest.

“Oh-uh yeah you didn't.” My voice cracks. She's still very calm. how is she not having an anxiety attack?

“Well I wanted to say yes, of course, I'll marry you,” she says this with another bite of bagel in her mouth.

“Awesome,” I said as she leans over the table to give me a kiss. My cheeks are redder than a tomato. Next period was P.E seeing her walk out of that changing room in her short shorts and her baggy T-shirt reminds me of the time we spent together at home. Listening to our favourite music. As the bass drops in kids with guns and the storytelling in fire coming out of the monkey's head, we make dinner and keep the house clean hoping for the hospital to call telling me that my dad can come home. Coincidentally the teacher calls me to go to the office. It's a call from the hospital they excuse me out of school to go home and help my dad get settled in I head on the bus and get home as fast as I could. The hospital staff showed up with my dad. I helped to carry him into the house and we talked for the rest of the day. Hazel came home after school and asked if my dad was okay. I was glad to see my dad home again. I mean having the house to myself was pretty great but the quiet can get too loud sometimes.

My dad went back to normal he was as cheery and joyful as he was before the accident. Maybe he's even happier than that, much like how he was when mom left. I guess he was sick of the hospital food and was glad to have a home cooked meal in his stomach. It was November 2nd. I had just come home from school. Since it was a Friday I was allowed to leave at 1 instead of my usual 3:30. I walk in the house and all I see is my dad and hazel standing in the kitchen. They seemed to be talking about something before I got there and as soon as I walked in they stopped.

“Hey uh what are you guys doing?” I asked hesitantly

“You need to go to your room” my dad looked at me with eyes that ill never forget.

I walked towards my room. I closed my bedroom door to fool them into thinking I went into my room. I stood behind a corner and listened to their conversation.

“Are you sure we shouldn't tell him right now?” Hazel asked

“No, we should wait a while he would go into a panic if he found out” dad replied

“But it's his baby! He deserves to know.”
Did she just say, baby? My baby?

“I understand your concern but he's just not ready. He needs to focus on the school he graduates in only a month we should tell him then.”

“I guess but what am I supposed to tell my dad?”

“we should tell him when we tell Dylan. That way you both can tell him.”

I couldn't believe it I walked out of the house I went down to the park. Hazel called my name and asked where I was going but I didn't reply. As I sat on the swing I cried. A short while later Hazel comes and sits on the swing beside me.

“How long have you known?” I asked hazel without giving eye contact.

“I found out about a week ago. I woke up and I was puking I told you I had food poisoning”

I looked up at her with tears in my eyes she leans over and wipes them away.

“We are gonna be fine.” She says “you're almost out of high school. You can get a job ill keep working and we can live a happy life together” I didn't know what to think. Should I be angry that she didn't want to yell me? Or should I just be happy that she wants to spend the rest of our lives together? I cried for a while

“Hazel… I love you so much” I said “ I've loved you since the day we met in that garden store your dad owns. I've loved you since the day my dad got hospitalized. I've loved you for what seems like a lifetime and I'm not gonna stop now. I'll do whatever it takes to take care of you and our baby. We might be young and stupid but I would rather be young and stupid with you.” I told her exactly how I felt.

She smiled.” Let's go back inside” we started walking towards the house hand in had all I could think about was how beautiful she was I frequently looked over to look at her face. The scattered freckles that seemed to resemble the constellations of the night sky. We walked in the house and my dad runs to the door and hugs me. He squeezes me and makes his way over to make dinner. I hear a knock on the door.