*~The Dream Of A Lifetime~*

Valondra stood with Nickolas and waited patiently while he talked on the phone. She watched the others dance and sighed, as her song “I’ll Make Love To You” came on. She looked at Nickolas, as he continued talking and then went and sat on the sofa. So this is how wallflowers feel, she thought. She waited a few more seconds and Nickolas sat next to her. He was still on the phone and he looked at her and smiled. She gave him a little grin, as Farah sat next to her.

“Ain’t you dancing?” Farah asked.

“Nick’s talking to his dad,” Valondra replied.

“But they’re playing your song,” Farah said.

“I know,” Valondra said. “Go away.”

“Whatever,” Farah said getting up and walking away.

Valondra sighed and Nickolas said, “Sorry about that.” She looked at him and grinned. “Do you want to dance?”

“I’d love to,” Valondra said and Nickolas pulled her up. They started dancing and his phone rang again. “Are you going to get that?”

“No,” Nickolas said. “I’d rather dance with you right now.” She nodded and he got out his phone. She watched as he turned it off and smiled. “Now they can’t interrupt.”

“Right,” Valondra said. They continued dancing the next couple minutes and imagined it was just the two of them.

“Do you want to get out of here?”

“What do you have planned?”

“Well, I had planned something this morning…”

“We weren’t together this morning.”

“I know, but I was hoping that with what I had planned would change all that.”

“Were you confident?”

“Ninety-five percent. Why?”

“Just wondering. What do you have planned?”

“Well, since you can’t leave the house we can’t do it.”

“Why not? Fran won’t care if I leave and I’m a big girl.”

“Right.”

“Come on, where are we going?”

“I don’t want you to get in trouble again.”

“We’re going and there’s nothing you can say to change my mind.” She took his hand and led him to the door. “Fran, I’m leaving.”

“Ok, Sweetie,” Fran said, as she danced with her boyfriend.

“Fran’s cool,” Valondra said pulling Nickolas out the door. “So where are we going.”

“It’s a surprise,” Nickolas replied. “You’re not going to know until we get there.” He took a handkerchief from his pocket and smiled.

“What do you think you’re doing with that?” Valondra questioned and Nickolas continued smiling. “You’re blindfolding me?”

“Yeah,” Nickolas stated. She shook her head and Nickolas put the blindfold around her eyes and they started walking.

Nickolas led Valondra along and she said, “I know where we are.” She smiled.

“Oh you do,” Nickolas said. “Then where are we?”

“At the beach,” Valondra said, as they stopped walking.

“How do you know?”

“I got sand in my shoes and I can hear the waves.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I wanted you to keep me in suspense a little more.” He smiled. “Why are we here?”

“That’s the best part.” He took the blindfold off Valondra and she looked. “What do you think?”

‘Wow, dinner, music, candles…so romantic.” She looked at him and smiled and he saw a sparkle in her eyes. “It’s beautiful, Nick.”

“I was hoping you would like it.” They sat on the blanket side by side.

Valondra looked at everything again and then said, “This is really romantic.” He smiled. “A picnic under the stars on the beach with a full moon…how’d ya know?”

“I asked Ariel and Toni.” She smiled. “I wanted to do something nice for you and hope you’d want to get together again.”

“This…you’re…” She sighed. “Ugh, come here.” She took his face in her hands and kissed him. “I already know I’m going to remember this night forever.” She kissed him again.

“I hope ya do.”

“I will.” She kissed him again then left him go. “So what do we have to eat?”

“Pizza…that I hope is still warm.” She laughed. “I know it’s not romantic, but…”

“It’s cool, Nick. I love pizza and I’ll eat it anytime.” He smiled. “Even if the pizza is cold we still got these yummy red strawberries and some champagne.”

“It’s sparkling cider.” “Sorry.” She looked at him and he smiled.

“Fox did a lot of nice things for me, but he never did anything like this. Maybe if he did we’d still be together.”

“That’s his loss.”

“And your gain.”

“Exactly.” She poured them some sparkling cider and then sat in front of Nickolas and leaned against his chest. He just looked at her surprised a moment and then put his free arm around her. She sat there and ate the strawberries and Nickolas watched her. He didn’t understand the way he was feeling at that moment. He was afraid to know the feeling. He didn’t want to know, but he just knew that it wasn’t sexual like usual. It was something more and something different. It made him feel good inside and he didn’t want the moment to end…ever.

“This is really nice, Nick.”

“Yeah it is.”

“I’m glad you thought of it.”

“Me too, Princess.” Princess. He never ever gave one of his girlfriends a nickname of any kind before. What was happening to him? Valondra looked at him and smiled.

“No one’s ever called me Princess before.”

“I never called anyone Princess before.”

“There’s a first for everything.”

“Yeah.” Nickolas lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her lips softly. She brought her hand up and touched his face, as she opened her mouth a little for Nickolas to slip his tongue inside. He started massaging her tongue with his own and she left a small moan escape her. They kissed for a few minutes and then stopped and just smiled at each other.