Dancing With a Stranger - Connor McDavid

Six • Connor

At this point, Leon and Celeste gather everyone together to make a toast. We head over to where they are standing and everyone forms somewhat of a U shape around them. I grab Gray's hand and she subconsciously leans into me, her back against my chest, head resting against my shoulder as people file in behind us.

"Thank you all so much for coming!" Celeste says cheerily, "We are so happy we have friends like you that support us in everything we do."
"I would like to make a toast. Celeste I'm so honoured to be the one you've chosen to spend the rest of your life with. You make me believe in the impossible and it feels like forever isn't long enough with you. You bring me absolute joy. You turn my day around in a minute, and I love you unconditionally, to you my love."

"Leon," She looks as if she's tearing up but holds it together completely, "You are my rock in hard times, you always make me feel wanted and I couldn't be happier to be spending the rest of my life with you. You always fight when things get hard and I'm extremely proud of your dedication to us and always figuring out how to make things work. I fell in love with you the moment you told me what family means to you. Well you mean family to me. I love you. To you my dear fiance. I can't wait to call you my husband!"

Everyone raisess their glass and takes a drink. I look down at Gray leaning against me and take a sip, her hand still connected to mine and I could feel tingles that weren't there before.
"You think they're next?" I heard from a few feet away and when I glance out of the corner of my eye Darnell and Mikayla are looking at us. I don't let them know I'm listening. I just stay there with Gray pressed against me as she was talking with Brittany Lucic.

"I don't know, he always insists they're just friends but I see the way he looks for her at games. It's a part of his routine, he makes sure she's there." Darnell says.

"Or the way he looks at her when she's not looking. It's like she's his everything." I think I heat up a little at what Mikayla says. I don't do that right? "But then he goes and sleeps with other girls so I don't know, I think that throws her off a bit ya know?"
"I think he just does it to forget about her. But I don't know I could be wrong."

"Connor what do you say?" Gray elbows me softly in the ribs, causing me to turn to look at an expectant Brittany awaiting my answer. Grayson's tense and I grab her hand as she slowly tries to pull it away, and rub circles on her thumb, and she relaxes a little.
"I'm sorry what did you say?" I ask, frazzled a bit from over hearing that last part of their conversation, trying to process if what was said about me is true or not.
Brittany laughs light heartedly and Gray stiffens slightly against me again.
"You and Grayson aren't next are you? The way you two are together is just precious."
I feel my cheeks heat up and look down at Gray and hers are red too.
"Uh what do you mean?" I stumble over my words as Brittany is surely getting a kick out of this.
"Y'all are next to get hitched! I'm calling it now, just you wait and see." Our uncomfortableness fades as she walks away and Gray turns to face me. I hold it together until she looks at me and we both burst out laughing, blushes still reddening our cheeks.

"Oh my god." She says as we both calm down.
"Yikes. That was just wow." I smile at the cringey ness of that whole encounter and she smiles back at me.
"What you couldn't picture yourself marrying me?" She jokes.
"I mean yeah, maybe." She wasn't expecting that. I didn't want to lie, and I would rather tell her the truth than shoot down any chance at us. And besides, no matter what I keep telling myself, I have a feeling that whatever this is between us is out of my control now. I'll try to keep a distance, because I know that it's what's best for us right now, but not too much. Not being around this girl drives me absolutely crazy.
"Okay what do you see, when you picture us getting hitched?" She says, the gleam in her eyes noticeable and then fades quickly like she's trying to hide it.
"White dress, tux, family, cake. You know.. The works." I laugh giving the most generic answer possible, because I honestly haven't thought about it until now.