Speech and Debate Pt. 16: Finale

"Woah, there babes! Careful honey!" he tried to say between the kisses I peppered his face with. He held me easily aloft and walked us both to the now king sized bed with me wrapped around him still. He sat down with me on his lap .

"What are you doing here? How?" I found myself crying again but this time, I didn't care.

Daniel was here.

"You know what, it doesn't matter. Who cares? You're here! Why are you here? Don't answer that!"

I couldn't stop touching him. His face, his hands, his hair, his chest. I didn't want to let him go ever again, as if he might disappear into thin air if I stopped touching him.

The thought actually crossed my mind that I was hallucinating the entire thing. Maybe I'd had some kind of mental break and I was really in a rubber room somewhere like that chick from "The Craft."

"It wasn't easy, I'll tell you that much," he said after my kisses and morphed in a hug. "Do you know how hard it is to keep a secret from a Valedictorian who you are also in love with?"

I didn't care how hard it had been.

He was here and that was all that mattered.

"Well, I'm sorry I'm too smart and I made it difficult for you. But I'm glad you're here! You have no idea. But, when do you have to go home?"

I know it was stupid to think about this visit ending when it had just started. Who likes to think of the flight home from vacation before they even make it to the airport to start it? But I had just gone through hell and high water and I wanted to be a little more prepared for our next goodbye.

"You don't get it babe," Daniel said sweetly, looking up at me. "I'm not going home. I'm already home."

He smiled that dazzling smile at me and my brain was mush again.

"What do you mean you aren't going home? What about school? You didn't drop out did you? Oh, Daniel you can't! You can't drop out for me!"

Daniel laughed.

"Maybe it's easier than I thought to outsmart a Valedictorian. I'm not dropping out, David. I transferred here."

He what?

What was happening?

My mouth was bone dry and I couldn't remember my own name. I dared not believe what he was saying. It would be too cruel if it wasn't true. I couldn't survive it.

"Don't play with me, Daniel," I said seriously. "I can't take any more shit today. I'm serious. Don't joke with me right now."

He kissed me gently.

"It's not a game, baby. I had Coach B pull some strings for me. He knows a few people in the Athletics Department here. He was able to wrangle up a third string spot for me on the Varsity Baseball team. After that, all it took was convincing my parents that the out of state tuition was worth the cost. You took care of that part. You know, I think my parents may actually love you more than they love me. I know they love you more than Adam."

"I...I...I...why didn't you tell me?"

"I only found out officially a week ago. It took until this afternoon to arrange the rooming stuff. You can thank your Mamma for that part."

I made a mental note to do just that.

"You all conspired together. You made me think that I was...I was so distraught that I... how could you..."

I knew I should have been angry that he had tricked me. I should have been furious that he had made me believe I was abandoned and alone. But sitting on his lap with his arms around my back...I simply couldn't find the strength to be upset.

"You're here?" I asked.

He nodded.

"For good?"

Another nod.

"So I didn't have a stroke and I'm not in a hospital somewhere in a the coma ward?"

He smiled and shook his head.

"You've got me here for as long as you will have me. Cross my heart. I'm never going anywhere"

It's amazing how quickly the right person can turn around your entire world.

Every bit of pain evaporated and I was right back where I wanted to be. With the man I loved. The man who loved me. Loved me enough to follow me and move heaven and earth to be by my side.

I wanted to thank my lucky stars. But luck had nothing to do with it.

And only one star mattered. My star. My polaris. He'd kept his promise and paid his debts in full well before they came due.

I pushed Daniel's back to the bed and kissed him fiercely.

That was how I started my college career.

With a bang.

So to speak.