Happy Endings~Ali Cumminigs

Happy Endings


We pulled into the Starbucks parking lot around noon and Matt parked the truck in an empty parking space near the entrance. After getting out on his side of the truck, he came over and helped me step down from the running board on my side of the truck. When we walked into the Starbucks, it was almost deserted. There was only one couple sitting in a corner booth talking. Other than that, the place was empty.
We walked up the counter and Matt gestured towards the menu board. “Anything you want, my treat.” He said. I looked at him, almost shocked.
“Matt, you don’t have to pay for mine. I have money.” I said. He stopped studying the menu board for a second and looked down at me.
“I insist.” He said. He said it in a way that told me the matter was settled, but it wasn’t a harsh tone. I looked back at the menu board to try and find something that I might find appetizing. My eye stopped on one of their drinks with a lot of chocolate and whipped cream.
“I think I’m going to try that.” I said, pointing at the drink and trying to act casual. Truthfully, I had never been to Starbucks in my life, but I did occasionally go to different coffee shops journal and write and things like that. I had had coffee before, so I knew I liked it. Unless of course it was black. Then I absolutely detested it. This coffee, however, was anything but black with all of the flavors and creams they put into it.
The young girl at the counter took our order and told us that if we wanted to sit down, she would bring our drinks to the table. We took our seat at the corner table opposite from the other couple in the coffee house, which we made sure had plenty of windows. I didn’t like being in new situations without being able to see something familiar. Seeing as I knew this area well, I relied on it as my familiarity point.
“So, have you been practicing for the dance class?” He asked nonchalantly, pulling my focus away from the window and back to him.
“Yes, I have. My favorite’s the Waltz but the Swing comes in a close second.” I said. I was basically rambling. I needed something to keep my hands busy so my mouth wouldn’t run at a hundred miles on hour. Luckily, Matt broke in just in time.
“That makes two of us.” He paused and opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but then stopped.
“What?” I asked. He wasn’t willing to tell me at first, but I broke him down.
“No.” He said. “You’ll think it’s stupid.” He said. “It’s really girly.”
“I won’t think it’s stupid. Come on, tell me.” I pleaded.
“Fine.” He said. “The reason I like the Waltz is because it makes me feel like royalty.” He sighed and turned his head to look out the window. “I told you it was girly.” He said.
“It’s not girly.” I said. “It’s fairy-tailish, and prince like, and romantic.” I said. I turned bright red for about the fourth time that day. I hadn’t meant to say the last part. It seemed like the filter from my brain to my mouth that kept me from saying dumb stuff was broken. Matt had broken it.
My thoughts were interrupted when the girl at the counter brought our drinks out to us. After we thanked her and she walked back to the counter, we kept talking.
“So, what do you think of fairy tales?” I asked, trying to be as calm and collected as he was a failing miserably. He sipped some of his drink.
“I think they can come true, but not as easily as the books and the movies make it look.” I nodded. The boy made a good point.
“What do you think of them?” He said. “I’ve always wondered what girls see in fairy tales that guys don’t. I don’t really see what they find fascinating. It all seems very plain to me. Girl is in trouble. Girl meets Boy. Boy gets her out of trouble. Boy and girl fall in love. Boy and Girl live happily ever after. It’s not much, yet girls will spend the majority of their time on these things. What is it about them. Please, enlighten me.” I thought for a moment.
“I think it’s probably the happily ever after part.” I said. “You don’t see that a lot of times anymore in real life. You don’t get a lot of happily afters. They’ve been replaced with divorce and all kinds of stuff like that. It sucks, but it’s life.” I hung my head, thinking of all the marriages I knew that hadn’t worked out when the going got tough. Too many families popped into my head for it to be anywhere near a pleasant thought. Matt noticed right away.
“What’s wrong?” I was amazed at how he could go so easily from pretending not to care to being sincere and empathetic.
“Nothing.” I said. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.” I said. He saw right through me.
“Is it something that I shouldn’t worry about or is it something that you don’t want me to worry about?” He asked.
“It’s something you shouldn’t have to worry about.” I countered. He smiled and looked out the window.
“Oh, well at least I know now.” He said, as though the conversation had been a competition that he had just won. “That’s what makes girls so crazy about fairytales.” He looked back at me. “Speaking of fairytales…” He sighed and looked into my eyes. “Ali, will you be my girlfriend?” He asked. The question that had been planted in my mind the moment I met him sprang forth to the very front of my brain. Did I love him? I answered both questions aloud, Matthew’s and my own, with one word.
“Yes.”