Author's Note: :O I finished it! Yes! I'm really sorry that it took forever. I was in school late, like until June 18th. It sucked! I planned on finishing it before I got out on vacation but that didn't really work out for me. Anyways, this may be the last chapter. But I'm not sure yet. I'll tell you more after you finish reading. :)
Chapter 10:
Surprises
Rocks POV:
"Rock, sweetie, wake up!" I groaned. I was having a wonderful dream. Claire and I were at the beach with Jenny. We were having a family picnic. I wish it was reality.
"Rock, come on!" Lumina whined.
"I'm up, I'm up." I tried opening my eyes and sitting up. Looking over at my alarm clock, I saw that it was 7:57. I groaned again. "Lumina, it's too early." I slurred.
"But I brought you cookies." She said, sadly, while holding up a large plate filled with chocolate chip cookies, my favorite. I smiled and took one, my eyes still half closed.
"But why did you bring them?" I know it sounded a little rude, but I was very tired, and had just been woken up from a very good dream. And I mean VERY good dream.
"Well..." Lumina sighed as I took a bite of the cookie. Uh oh. This couldn't be good. "Well, you see, I talked to Claire yesterday. After we had our brunch."
My stomach lurched. I put the cookie down.
"Look Rock, I know you love her, but you need to let her go. She just doesn't love you anymore! She just doesn't..."
I wanted to cry. I almost did. I know Claire didn't love me anymore. I just knew it. But why would she lie about it and say she did love me? To get my hopes up? And...what had I done wrong to make her not love me anymore? I'm still the same guy I was when I had first met Claire. I just don't get it....
"Rock?" Lumina whispered, putting the plate of cookies on the floor next to my bed. I looked up at her. She jumped on top of me. "Love me. You don't need Claire, you have me. I love you, and that's all you ever need." Small tears were coming from her eyes. "I love you..." She whispered before kissing me. It was a bland kiss, nothing like Claire's kisses. Lumina just wasn't the one...but then again, maybe she was. Maybe I had to get used to her. Slowly fall for her. Claire wasn't supposed to be with me, I wasn't supposed to be with her. There was nothing I could do about that. I had to live with it.
Lumina pulled her lips away from mine, her eyes open. The tears were gone, but she still looked sad. "Rock...Am I...Am I just not good enough for you? Is there something wrong with me?" She got off of me, sitting on the edge of my bed, her head in her hands. "I'm not Claire, I'm nothing like her, but I'm not worthless! I know how to love Rock. I can love you, I do love you. What's wrong with me?"
I stared blankly. There wasn't anything wrong with her. I just didn't love her. But I would, even if it took the rest of my life. "Lumina." I sat up. "I will admit that I don't love you right now, although I do like you a lot. It's just going to take a while to get over Claire. I mean I did love her. She was my whole life, but as you said, she doesn't love me anymore. I will get over her, I promise. Just give me a little while. Please."
Lumina lifted her head and smiled. "I knew you did Rock. I'll give you all the time you need." She gave me a big hug and a kiss. "I love you, Rock." She said as she left my room. I flopped back down on my bed. It may take a while, but I will love Lumina.
I knew I had to get over Claire. And the only way I could do that was to make sure she didn't love me. I had to know she was over me, and know she wasn't lying. And I had to ignore her. It was 12:00 o'clock. I walked downstairs with a white t-shirt and faded jeans. My mom was at the counter, with dark circles under her eyes from no sleep. Ever since Dad left, Mom has been running the Inn all by herself. I helped out sometimes, but not that much. It's amazing that she still kept a smile on her face. And it wasn't a fake smile. Mom was pretty happy, even after all the crap she's been through.
"Good morning, Rock." Mom grinned.
"Morning, Mom."
"I made some breakfast, but you weren't down here yet, so Nami and I ate it all. Sorry. I can make you some lunch though."
I shrugged. "It's fine, Mom. I'm going to the city, so I'll get some lunch there."
"What are you going to the city for?"
My mind raced for an excuse. "Um. I'm going to, uh, go find a tuxedo. For the wedding." Phew. That was close.
"Oh, really? That's great! You'll need some money, of course. 2000 gold should do it." Mom began rummaging through the cash register.
"N-no Mom, it's fine! I have money from the times I worked here. I'll be fine! Really." Normally, I would have taken the money and gone to an expensive bar, but after I met Claire, I realized that was wrong. A ping of guilt would hit me whenever Mom would offer me money. We didn't have much money to begin with. Claire had changed me. She was and amazing person. She was just plain...amazing.
Ugh. I snapped out of it. Claire wasn't the one I loved. Lumina was. Almost. Well, not really.
"Well, alright then. Will you pick up some makeup for me? I want to look pretty for your wedding, and I don't really have time to go to the city."
"Of course, mom."
"Thank you. And try to be back before six, honey." I grinned at my mom, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and left the building.
It was pretty warm outside. I yawned from being woken up so early, then started my walk to the mountain. I had just crossed the bridge to Vesta's farm when I heard a voice call me.
"Rock! ROCK!"
I turned, knowing the voice so well.
Claire came walking toward me, with Jenny in her arms. I turned back and started walking back towards the mountain. What the hell did she want? She's broken my heart enough, I don't want to talk to her anymore. I had to ignore her. And I did.
Claire's POV
"Rock! ROCK!" I yelled. I saw Jenny's face crinkle up. She was about to cry. I had to stop yelling, but I couldn't. Rock was ignoring me. Had Lumina really gotten to him? Did he think I didn't love him?
"ROCK!!" I yelled one last time. Jenny was officially crying now. Damn it. That stupid Rock needed to stop ignoring me! When he got back I was going to punch him in the face. Stupid jerk. When Rock started climbing up the mountain I turned and went back to the house.
"It's okay, Jenny, you're okay." I cooed. Jenny quieted down. I rubbed my eyes. I was so tired. I was awake all night thinking about Rock, and what I was going to say to him. It was all worthless now. He's such a jerk! I can't believe I stayed up all night just so that I could be ignored and have my heart broken. I'm so pissed! I definitely needed to blow off some steam, but not with Jenny here. I looked down at her. Her hands were in her mouth. How cute.
I took her down to the Blue Bar. "Muffy!" I yelled before I even walked through the front door. I heard a thump from upstairs and I went up there.
"Claire you scared me!" She said, looking at me. I saw her bedside table was knocked over. Oops.
"I'm sorry, Muffy. I just need someone to watch Jenny for like, twenty minutes."
"You want me to watch her?"
I nodded. Muffy took Jenny with no verbal arguments, but the flash in her eyes didn't seem to happy about it. I know I don't watch my own baby that much, but I have a lot going on.
"What's wrong, anyways?" Muffy asked.
"I'll tell you when I get back." I snapped. I wasn't happy about her not being happy to babysit for twenty minutes. The front door was still open from when I entered before. I walked down to Turtle Pond. It was fairly quiet and peaceful. I inhaled the fresh, clean air. It was very soothing. My eyes were closed. I was thinking about Rock and sighing. I needed to be grateful. I had a beautiful baby, amazing friends, a great place to live. I should be very thankful. But I can't be. Not when I know that the one person I've ever truly loved doesn't love me anymore. Not when I know that the one person I've ever truly loved is getting married to some snot nosed rich-bitch brat. I just couldn't be grateful.
I stopped. I heard someone giggle. Someones giggle just ruined my sort of peaceful moment. I looked around to find this person. I was pretty sure it was a girl, unless there was some girly guy here in the Valley. I found no one until I laid my eyes on the beach. Nami and Gustafa were on the beach. Gustafa was throwing little splashes of water at Nami while she ran away, giggling. I didn't know Nami could giggle. I rolled my eyes and stared back at the pond. I remember when Rock and I were dating. The beach was our most favorite place to hang out.
Wait.
Gustafa and Rock...they were best friends. Gustafa would know a lot of things that I don't. He could tell me a lot of stuff. I grinned. "Hey Gustafa!" I yelled while walking over toward him. He and Nami looked up and watched me walk over. Nami seemed a little mad that I interrupted their fun, but Gustafa looked okay with it. He stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Hey" I smiled as I got closer to the two. "Do you think I could talk to Gustafa? Alone?" I asked Nami. I knew it seemed like I was trying to hook up with him or something. But I never saw Gustafa that way. Ever.
Nami glared at me, staying in her place. Gustafa told her that it would be okay. She left and went into his yurt. I bet she wished their were windows in that place.
"So...what's going on, man?" Gustafa asked.
"Um. How do I say this?" I asked, looking for words. "Well. It's about Rock."
Gustafa nodded. "Ah. My buddy. What do you want to know?"
He was going to tell me? Just like that? "I..um. I don't know."
Gustafa chuckled. "He does love you. He told me today that he was going to get over you though. I laughed when he said that, man. It's never gonna happen. He'll always love you." He smiled and looked out toward the sea.
"Then why is he ignoring me? Doesn't seem like he wants to be with me..." I looked down at the sand.
"I don't know what's up with him. Lumina's getting to him. But if you want to be with him then you're probably just going to have to strap him to a chair until he listens"
I laughed, imagining the scenario. It sounded fun. I'd have to tackle him first. I smiled at the thought.
"So, um. Any more questions? I think Nami's gonna get a little mad." Gustafa scratched the back of his head.
"Uh, yeah. Where was he going today?" I had wondered earlier, but I forgot about that until now.
He shrugged. "He said something about a jail. But Nami was behind him so I wasn't really paying attention." He blushed. The jail? In the city? Was he going to see Skye?
"Okay. Thanks Gustafa. I'll catch you later. Erm. Have fun." I gestured to his yurt, where Nami was.
"I will." He smiled and headed home.
I ran back to the Blue Bar, my mind running with me. Why was he going to go see Skye? And if he was, why? I had told him that Skye had gone to jail for attempted murder, but Rock hadn't believed me. I'm so confused!
"Jeez took you long enough, Claire." Muffy said as I ran into her bedroom and took Jenny back.
"Yeah well, I have a lot going on Muffy."
"I do too, Claire. You're not the only one with a life."
I didn't want to fight. I just wanted to go home and figure out what was going on. "I have to go. Thanks for watching Jenny." I said quickly, and headed out the door.
"Uh uh. You owe me. What's going on?" Muffy asked.
"Riiight." I hesitated, sitting on her bed now. I told her the whole story of what happened today.
"Jenny, you're so pretty." I smiled. She looked up at me with her beautiful eyes. I loved her so much. She was such a good baby. I tickled her nose.
"Aaaaah." She spoke, in her little baby talk.
I stoked her head. Her hair was getting a little longer, but not much. I wondered what she was going to look like when she was older, if she would look like me...or her father...?
Knock knock.
Hmm. It was seven p.m. I wonder who is visiting me this time? It was probably Muffy, coming to tell me about her day at the Turtle Pond. I had been there earlier that day, thinking about Rock. Then I found Gustafa and Nami. Gustafa said Rock still loved me, but I have to think he's lying. I don't believe anyone loves me right now, and that's fine. I'll get over it in the end.
I laid Jenny in her crib. She stayed quiet as I went to answer the door. When I first opened it, no one was there. I looked around, and then down. What I saw was a huge shock that put me in tears.
Rock was on his knee, looking up at me with his beautiful eyes, holding a silky blue feather. I said, "Yes" immediately, without thinking. But even without me thinking, I knew I made the right choice. Rock jumped up and kissed me. I couldn't help but think that I was dreaming. I mean, what about Lumina, and why so sudden? We hadn't even talked about anything.
"Rock? Am I dreaming?"
He laughed. "No, babe. It's all reality." He kissed me again. We went into my house. He picked up Jenny. It was different seeing Rock hold my baby. His baby. Our baby. It just felt so right. It was amazing.
"I still don't get it." I said, not trying to ruin the moment, but wanting to know what was going on.
Rock sighed. He sat on my bed, taking in a deep breath. "This morning when Lumina woke me up, she told me that you didn't love me anymore. I kinda believed her, but I had to make sure. I had to make sure that you didn't love me. So I went up to the city jail, because you said that Skye was there, for trying to kill me. I, of course, didn't believe that, but I figured that if you were lying about that, then you didn't love me."
I smirked. "I told you I wasn't lying."
"I know. So once I figured out that he was in jail for attempted murder, and he was a jerk about it too, just letting you know, I went and bought a brand new Blue Feather. I came home, told my mom that I forgot the makeup she wanted me to get her, and went up to Lumina's. I told her I couldn't marry her, because I didn't love her, and I came straight here."
A ping of guilt came through me. Lumina was probably crying right now. And it was my fault too...Wait. I think it was her fault. If she hadn't gone through all the trouble to keep us apart, she wouldn't be having this problem. So ha!
Rock was looking at Jenny. He had tears in his eyes, as did I. I was so happy. I couldn't believe this was even happening. Gustafa wasn't lying, Rock wasn't lying. And now all we had to do was get married, and life would be great.
For the first time since that New Year's Eve, I was absolutely ecstatic.
End Note: Oh yeah. That was my plan from the beginning. And I did it. Now this is supposed to be the end, but I have a new idea, and I'm definatly going to follow through with it. I just don't know if I should put it on a new story and it will be the sequal, (which I think I'm most likely going to do) or if I should just continue it here. If I start a new one, it will take longer to get up, but I'll have it all nice and sorted out. So if anyone wants to tell me what I should do I would love that! :D And you know what else I'd love? If you reviewed. But not just any review. Critical reviews are amazing, because I need to know what I'm doing wrong, so please let me know, and have a nice day. :)