#thornrosed

if  it  was  anyone  else  ,  erin  would  be  deeply  hurt  and  undoubtedly  offended  even  by  such  a  subtle  reminder  that  her  hair  doesn’t  always  look  flawless  .  she’s  not  that  proud  and  full  of  herself  but  at  the  end  of  the  day  no  one  really  enjoys  being  reminded  that  they  don’t  look  good  .  however  ,  she  can’t  bring  herself  to  be  upset  with  this  precious  little  human  .  she  knows  him  the  way  she  knows  the  back  of  her  hand  and  is  certain  —  there’s  not  a  mean  bone  in  his  body  .  he  would  never  purposely  hurt  her  feelings  .  .  .  besides  ,  he  has  this  adorable  ,  angelic  face  that  gets  him  out  of  trouble  every  single  time  .  one  would  have  to  be  heartless  to  look  at  him  and  want  to  punish  him  for  simply  being  honest  .  ❛  nuthin’  ?  ❜  the  curly  -  haired  brunette  teasingly  mimics  the  boy  ,  loving  the  sounds  that  she’s  so  effortlessly  coaxing  out  of  him  .  he’s  just  like  his  father  .  she  can’t  get  over  it  .  everything  he  does  ,  even  the  way  he  squeals  and  hides  his  face  ,  reminds  her  of  axl  .  his  mannerism  is  exactly  the  same  .  it’s  insane  .  ❛  didn’t  sound  like  nuthin’  to  me  .  ❜  cooing  ,  she  lifts  her  face  off  his  belly  just  to  take  in  his  cute  expression  .  she  can’t  see  much  with  the  phone  blocking  the  view  so  she  lies  down  beside  him  on  her  stomach  and  nudges  his  dimpled  cheek  with  the  tip  of  her  nose  .  ❛  oh  ,  yeah  ?  but  if  it  needs  to  be  brushed  ,  it  means  that  it  doesn’t  look  good  in  its  natural  ,  untamed  state  .  ❜  she  steals  a  kiss  from  his  cheek  ,  letting  him  take  a  few  deep  breaths  before  returning  to  tormenting  his  sides  .  needing  time  to  be  brushed  .  it  makes  her  laugh  .  he’s  so  eloquent  ,  way  too  eloquent  for  his  own  good  .  she  never  thought  humans  could  be  this  precious  and  beautiful  .  .  .  and  then  she  met  him  .  the  tiny  version  of  the  love  of  her  life  .  gosh  ,  sometimes  it’s  painful  to  even  look  at  him  .  other  times  it’s  heartwarming  .  these  lashes  ,  these  eyes  ,  these  cheeks  —  he’s  axl  but  in  a  tiny  body  .  

❛  mommy  ?  who  is  she  ?  i  don’t  know  her  .  .  .  i’m  tickle  monster  !  and  i’m  gonna  get  you  .  i’m  gonna  get  you  ! i  haven’t  had  real  breakfast  yet  .  can  you  imagine  how  hungry  i  am  ?  i’m  gonna  eat  these  little  piggies  of  yours  !  ❜   laughing  as  she  tries  to  use  her  deep  ,  scary  voice  ,  her  fingers  leave  the  boy’s  sides  for  a  brief  moment  ,  granting  him  less  than  a  few  seconds  of  relief  .  she  sits  on  her  heels  and  almost  immediately  her  left  hand  curls  around  sebastian’s  ankle  ,  the  right  one  begins  to  torment  the  underside  of  his  foot  .  ❛  mmm  ,  tickle  monster  loves  little  feetsies  !  the  stinkier  ,  the  yummier  !  ❜  she  giggles  ,  making  all  kinds  of  obnoxious  noises  as  she  brings  his  foot  to  her  face  and  acts  like  she’s  about  to  devour  it  .  she  just  can’t  get  enough  of  his  reactions  .  the  way  he’s  wiggling  and  squirming  beneath  her  fingers  ,  how  he’s  giggling  and  trying  to  push  her  away  .  she  wants  to  watch  him  for  hours  .  she’s  so  busy  ,  marveling  at  this  sweet  boy  and  making  him  laugh  ,  that  she’s  managed  to  forget  to  take  off  the  silly  glasses  .  they  don’t  really  bother  her  .  she’d  wear  anything  to  see  a  smile  on  her  son’s  face  .  ❛  daddy  ?  ❜  pausing  her  goofy  ministrations  for  a  moment  ,  she  tells  herself  that  she  does  so  because  she  doesn’t  want  bastian  to  suffocate  but  she’s  taken  aback  by  his  question  and  needs  a  minute  to  recover  .  it’s  crazy  how  it  only  takes  a  few  words  to  make  her  heart  pang  .  ❛  well  ,  he  used  to  but  now  daddy  lives  too  far  away  to  fly  to  atlanta  every  morning  and  brush  mommy’s  hair  .  ❜  her  smile  slightly  falters  but  she  hopes  the  boy  doesn’t  notice  .  she  had  to  watch  her  mother  fall  apart  every  time  someone  mentioned  her  father’s  name  ,  she  doesn’t  want  it  for  her  own  son  .  she  wishes  things  between  her  and  axl  were  how  they  used  to  be  .  ❛  if  only  there  was  a  sweet  ,  little  gentleman  in  georgia  who  could  help  me  brush  my  hair  .  .  .  ❜

a simple conversation between two friends, a closure — that’s what erin initially had in mind when she showed up at the ritz-carlton hotel, her heart filled with grief and anger, albeit an ounce of hope still buried deep inside her soul, her sapphire eyes sparkling. she never thought that she’d find herself pressed to one of the huge windows, locked between a carpet of city lights and a ceiling of stars. it’s brilliant, a truly mesmerizing view, enough to hypnotize anyone but something else steals her breath away and leaves her cheeks burning, overwhelms her senses. adrenaline rushing through her veins. if someone told her that this night had something different in store for her than one last argument with her ex-boyfriend, erin would call that person INSANE. and yet, here she is, lace panties around her ankles, restricting her movements, keeping her from running away ( NOT that she considers it ). red high heels still on her feet, her clothes scattered around the floor. the supple flesh of her chest remains trapped within the confines of her bra, butterfly necklaces adorning her neck.

    HALLOWEEN has always been one of Erin’s favorite holidays — so colorful and carefree, so full of joy despite the spooky atmosphere, that strangely thrills millions of people but doesn’t necessarily amuse her. Not that she absolutely *hates* and can’t stand horror movies, gore or zombies, she simply fails to understand what’s so entertaining about all these scary things. Of course, it’s nonetheless special and magical how on this one night, the whole world comes to life and just brims with the sound of laughter, parties and children playing on the streets outside. All the spider webs, candy corn lights, carved pumpkins and skeletons adorning every corner of every neighborhood only add to the unique vibe of this holiday. As someone who likes to turn even the tiniest events into HUGE celebrations and always makes a big deal out of everything, Erin takes Halloween very seriously. She usually can’t wait for October to come and starts putting up decorations within the last two weeks of September. This year, however, everything is completely different. Transforming their house into a haunted mansion and filling every crystal bowl they have in their kitchen with candy as soon as summer ends and fall begins isn’t her main focus, all because of one tiny human.

                             𝑺𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆 — no name has ever sounded so sweet.

    The introduction of their long-awaited child shifted all of their priorities at once, rearranging their plans so that the barely four-pound bundle of joy could take place at the very center of each and every single one of them. Utterly consumed by the kind of love they had no idea existed, whether in the NICU or when they finally brought him home, Erin and Axl found themselves marveling at their little miracle, that had made them a real FAMILY, all the time, without a pause. Stroking his hair, kissing every inch of his delicate skin, breathing in his divine scent, counting each of his fingers and toes. Even ten months after the most special day of her life, the former model still finds it hard to believe that this domestic bliss isn’t just a figment of her imagination. Especially since their son is the most beautiful baby she’s ever seen — his perfect features resembling the ones of his father. Porcelain skin, head full of strawberry locks, emerald eyes shining brighter than all the stars combined, cute nose curved so beautifully, even the dimples in his chubby cheeks. Admiring the tiny version of her husband day and night, Erin can’t take her loving eyes off of their sweet baby. He’s the reason why their life looks more like a fairytale than reality now.

    It’s really no surprise that this year has been all about creating unforgettable memories with THEIR SON, going on fun adventures together and bonding every second of every day. Just as they promised all those years ago, when they were still naive children themselves — they really are doing everything in their power to let 𝑺𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒏 experience all the things they never got a taste of because of how dysfunctional their families were. Every Sunday evening, when their baby is asleep in his nursery, Erin diligently fills up the gaps in his baby book, the same book Axl got her while she was pregnant. She marks all of his milestones, celebrates all of his tiny successes and gushes over how smart, thoughtful and precious their Little Red is. She’s already written paragraphs about his first Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day and adorned the pages with adorable polaroids of their family. In less than two weeks, she’ll get to add the ones from his first Halloween to this collection. It’s beyond exciting.

    She stayed up late last night, paging through colorful magazines in an attempt to find some kind of inspiration for their matching costumes, since it’s something she’s always wanted to do — pick a theme and dress all three of them up in a similar style. What can possibly be cuter than this? Over a dozen ideas swirling around her skull, she wakes up full of energy and decides to drag her husband out of bed before eight. “Halloween decorations! Costumes! Candy! We’re running out of time,” she pesters, words leaving her mouth with the speed of lightning in an attempt to convince the sleepy redhead that today is the perfect day to go shopping for all these things. Each tiny phrase is followed by an obnoxiously loud kiss to his face. “Party City,” MWAH, “opens at,” MWAH, “nine-thirty,” MWAH, “you know?” MWAH. And just like that, she’s out of bed, knowing she’s going to need some extra help.

            however ,  ever  since  learning  that  she’ll  become  a  parent  herself  this  november ,  she’s  been  thinking  a  lot  about  her  own  childhood  and  how  it  shaped  her  into  the  person  she  is  today.  her  father’s  absence  is  the  reason  why  she  constantly  questions  her  worth  and  worries  her  husband  will  one  day  abandon  her ,  too.  her  mother’s  authoritarian  personality  is  the  one  to  blame  for  her  shyness  and  anxiety ,  her  extremely  protective  nature  the  cause  for  erin’s  childish  and  naive  behavior.  her  parents  have  never  been  perfect  but  she’s  been  doing  her  best  to  try  and  understand  them ,  forgive  and  learn  how  not  to  repeat  their  mistakes.  she’s  been  thinking  about  all  the  difficulties  that  come  with  parenthood ,  all  the  struggles  and  tears.  it  terrifies  her ,  makes  her  wonder  if  a  person  as  broken  as  herself  is  fit  for  this  extremely  important  and  challenging  role.  the  only  thought  that  can  put  a  genuine  smile  on  her  face  and  keep  her  sane  today  is  the  one  that  crosses  her  mind  every  time  her  stormy  gaze  flickers  to  her  husband’s  bright  emeralds  —  their  child  will  never  feel  the  way  she  has.  they  will  never  feel  worthless  or  inadequate ,  unloved  or  unwanted.  their  child  will  have  someone  who  deserves  to  be  called  not  just  farther  or  dad  but  daddy  or  DADA.  someone  who’ll  truly  care  about  him  or  her.  although ,  the  first  few  weeks  have  been  nothing  but  a  gigantic  struggle  for  both  of  them ,  it  seems  that  they’re  finally  coming  to  terms  with  the  fact  that  their  lives  are  inevitably  changing.  this  giant  responsibility  has  landed  upon  their  shoulders  a  little  sooner  than  expected  but  she  doesn’t  want  to  pull  her  hair  out  or  cry  all  night ,  anymore.  she  wants  to  hope  for  the  best  and  enjoy  their  time  together  as  a  family.  

            today  is  an  extremely  special  day  because  not  only  is  it  axl’s  first  ever  father’s  day  but  also  the  very  first  father’s  day  that  erin’s  truly  excited  about  and  wants  to  celebrate  to  the  fullest.  their  baby  hasn’t  even  been  born  yet  but  her  husband  has  already  made  her  believe  that  he’s  a  better  man  and  a  better  father  than  don (  or  william ,  or  stephen ,  or  any  other  sperm  donor  in  this  world  ).  he’s  proven  that  he  can  be  the  kind  of  parent  everyone  wants  to  have.  he  hasn’t  left  her  alone  with  this.  he’s  been  extremely  caring  and  supportive ,  even  though  she  can  tell  that  this  new  role  isn’t  something  he’s  adjusting  to  easily.  for  this  very  reason ,  as  a  little  thank  you for  his  kindness ,  she’s  decided  to  give  him  an  unforgettable  day  —  one  that’s  solely  about  him.  first ,  she  let  him  sleep  in ,  get  some  much  needed  rest.  then ,  she  made  him  heart - shaped  waffles  for  breakfast  and  brought  them  on  a  wooden  tray  to  their  bedroom.  later ,  they  went  for  a  long  walk  with  their  dogs  and  got  ice  cream.  and  now  she’s  taking  him  to  malibu ,  to  their  favorite  spot ,  the  same  one  where  many  years  ago  they  had  their  first  real  date  and  realized  they  had  fallen  in  love  with  each  other.  if  she  closes  her  eyes  even  just  for  a  moment ,  she  can  still  see  this  young ,  bashful  boy  with  dreams  bigger  than  both  of  them  and  a  heart  so  full  of  affection  and  devotion ,  love  for  her  that  it  could  barely  fit  inside  his  chest ,  his  porcelain  skin  basking  in  the  sun ,  his  green  eyes  reflecting  the  color  of  the  ocean.  at  the  time ,  he  was  as  poor  as  a  rat  but  he  still  made  sure  her  stomach  was  full  and  her  mind  at  ease.  he  brought  homemade  food  and  even  somehow  found  a  picnic  basket  ( to  this  day  she  has  no  idea  where  he  got  it  from  ).  it  was  a  magical  date ,  one  of  the  most  memorable  dates  ever  for  sure.  it’s  hard  to  believe  that  shy  boy  is  going  to  be  a  father  in  a  few  months  and  the  third  sunday  of  june  will  always  be  all  about  him.

            as  they  stroll  along  the  shore ,  bathing  in  the  warm  glow  of  the  afternoon  sun ,  erin  can  barely  take  her  eyes  off  of  her  husband.  her  husband.  she  still can’t  believe  he  really  is  her  husband,  not  her  boyfriend.  husband.  while  she  continues  to  gaze  at  him  as  if  he  hung  the  stars  and  the  moon ,  she  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  neither  the  ocean ,  nor  the  blue ,  cloudless  sky  above  their  heads  can  compete  with  his  beauty.  the  corners  of  her  lips  twitch ,  a  look  of  sheer  happiness  passes  over  her  visage.  she  has  to  admit  that  despite  being  insanely  handsome ,  he  also  looks  a  bit  ridiculous  (  or  rather  ridiculously  adorable ) with  his  red  bandana  no  longer  tied  around  his  head  but  wrapped  tightly  a  few  inches  lower ,  covering  his  starry  eyes ,  preventing  him  from  peeking  and  ruining  the  surprise.  she  can’t  let  him  see  what’s  awaiting  him.  it  has  to  be  kept  secret  until  the  very  last  moment.  after  all ,  that’s  what  makes  things  even  more  exciting.  erin’s  right  arm  remains  draped  around  his  slim  hips ,  guiding  him  and  making  sure  he  doesn’t  lose  his  balance  now  that  she’s  taken  away  one  of  his  senses.  the  sand  is  warm  beneath  the  soles  of  her  bare  feet  (  she  could  barely  wait  and  took  her  wedges  off  the  second  she  parked  her  car  and  got  out  of  it  ) ,  tiny  grains  falling  from  her  skin  with  each  step.  she  blissfully  lifts  her  chin  a  little  higher ,  closing  her  eyes  for  a  second  as  the  salty  breeze  flows  through  her  dark  ringlets  and  kisses  her  rosy  cheeks.  her  blue  cotton  summer  dress  billowing ,  delicate  fabric  dancing  in  the  wind ,  threatening  to  uncover  what’s  beneath.  it  makes  her  giggle ,  has  her  feeling  all  carefree  and  joyous.  her  fingers  curl  a  little  tighter  around  axl’s  hip  as  she  pushes  herself  up  onto  her  tip  toes  and  plants  a  gentle  kiss  on  his  cheek.  she  wishes  they  could  spend  the  rest  of  their  lives  right  where  they  are.  ❛  alrighty !  it’s  right  in  front  of  you ,  ❜  she  softly  coos,  coming  to  a  stop.  ❛  are  you  ready  ?  ❜  to  finally  see  what  this  grand  surprise  is.  she’s  thrumming  with  a  combination  of  nerves  and  excitement  as  her  slender  fingers  carefully  work  on  undoing  the  knot.  with  his  red  strands  and  the  summer  wind  in  the  way ,  it  takes  her  a  good  minute  to  succeed.

            right  before  them ,  in  a  more  secluded  area  of  the  beach ,  with  a  beautiful  cliff  on  one  side  and  azure  waves  crashing  against  the  shore  on  the  other ,  erin’s  created  their  charming  picnic  spot.  all  she  needed  was  an  ounce  of  creativity.  when  combined  with  some  stunning ,  exotic  flowers ,  a  bohemian  teepee  tent ,  a  few  fire  logs  (  in  case  they  decide  to  stay  long  enough  to  watch  the  sun  set  on  the  horizon  and  it  gets  cold  )  and  some  sweet  treats ,  it  resulted  in  a  picture  perfect date  plan.  with  a  little  help  from  her  brother ,  erin’s  managed  to  make  it  look  more  than  just  decent  —  something  straight  out  of  a  movie  or  a  fairytale.  the  linen  walls  of  the  tent  are  meant  to  protect  them  from  the  wind  and  keep  the  bright  rays  away  from  her  husband’s  porcelain  skin.  garlands  made  of  lilies  and  peonies  adorning  the  entrance ,  their  smell  a  combination  of  sweetness  and  happiness.  inside  the  teepee ,  to  make  it  even  more  cozy  and  inviting ,  there’s  a  pile  of  soft  blankets  and  a  bunch  of  colorful  pillows ,  as  well  as  a  picnic  basket  with  all  kinds  of  delicious  teats  underneath  its  lid.  there’s  also  a  blue  bag  —  a  little  gift  from  their  unborn  child  to  the  greatest  daddy  in  the  world.  inside ,  among  torn  rose  petals  and  a  few  other  presents ,  he’ll  find  a  t-shirt  that  says  dada  bear  and  a  tiny  onesie  that  says  little  bear ,  an  album  with  pictures  of  them  and  captions  explaining  (  in  simple  yet  poetic  words  )  their  journey  together  from  the  night  they  met  to  the  day  they  found  out  they  were  having  a  baby ,  a  brand  new  video  camera  so  that  they’ll  be  able  to  record  all  the  precious  moments  with  their  son  or  daughter ,  a  tape  with  some  of  their  favorite  songs  turned  into  lullabies  that  her  brother  and  his  friends  had  worked  in  secret  for  weeks  on  and  a  red ,  heart - shaped  card  .  .  .  a  small  letter  from  their  baby  to  him ,  written  in  erin’s  handwriting :  

           happy  father’s  day,  daddy  !            it’s  the  very  first  one  that  we’re  celebrating  and  i’m  just  a  teeny  tiny  human  now  but  i  already  want  to  tell  you  so  many  things  !  first  and  foremost  — I  LOVE  YOU  SO  MUCH !  i  love  you  the  mostest  !  and  even  though  you  sometimes  doubt  yourself ,  i  know  that  you  are  the  best  daddy  in  the  whole  wide  world  and  i  am  so  grateful  that  it’s  you  i’ll  get  to  learn  from  in  the  future.  my  favorite  part  of  each  day  is  the  one  when  you  talk  or  sing  to  me ,  or  when  you  kiss  and  hug  me.  i  can’t  wait  to  finally  meet  you  and  fall  asleep  in  your  arms  or  on  your  chest  or  even  in  my  crib  with  you  watching  over  me  but  i  have  to  be  patient.  just  a  few  more  months ,  daddy.  i  may  not  be  able  to  give  you  many  precious  gifts  now  but  i  promise  to  draw  plenty  of  pretty  pictures  just  for  you  in  the  future  !  i’ll  bake  thousands  of  cakes  and  cookies  for  all  your  favorite  holidays  and  i’ll  sing  all  of  your  favorite  songs  in  the  car  with  you.  i  can’t  wait  to  finally  hug  you  back.  next  year ,  we’ll  do  all  these  fun  things  that  dads  and  their  babies  do  !  i’m  looking  forward  to  meeting  you  and  celebrating  many  more  father’s  days  with  you  —  the  coolest  daddy  in  the  universe  !              i  love  you  so  much ,              your  teeny  tiny  rose.

            clutching  her  husband’s  red  bandana  in  her  left  hand  and  squeezing  his  wrist  with  her  right  one ,  erin  carefully  studies  his  expression.  her  heart  has  somehow  left  her  chest  and  is  now  beating  within  the  confines  of  her  throat ,  not  even  the  delicate  breeze  can  carry  away  all  of  her  worries.  what  if  instead  of  making  him  happy ,  she’ll  only  stress  him  out  ? what  if  he  gets  upset  or  decides  the  gifts  she’s  picked  for  him  are  too  cheesy  ?  she  can  only  hope  it’s  not  too  much  for  him  to  handle.  after  all ,  she  wants  this  day  to  be  special ,  not  terrifying  and  stressful  for  him.  ❛  happy  father’s  day,  axy,  ❜  she  whispers ,  pressing  her  lips  to  his  soft  cheek  and  kissing  it  again.  her  hand  curling  a  little  tighter.  ❛  our  lion  cub  wanted  to  do  something  nice  for  his  or  her  favorite  dad  and  so  .  .  .  this  is  what  we  came  up  with.  we  know  you  like  picnics  and  the  ocean  ?  i  got  applesauce  and  peanut  butter  sandwiches  ?  happy  first  father’s  day ,  baby.  ❜

                      𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄'𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐘 💖 / ( child verse. )

        outside, there’s an abundance of powder-like snowflakes, all dancing beneath the bashful rays of the morning sun and whispering softly as they’re being carried into the unknown on a brisk wind, dazzling and colorless albeit oh so mesmerizing. covered in a thick, white blanket, LAFAYETTE has transformed into a winter wonderland as if the weather somehow knew — this one february day is incredibly special, it’s a celebration of something beautiful … love and friendship. the atmosphere seems to be tingling with excitement as the classroom begins to fill with continuous chatter and boisterous laughter. young students bustling around, cheeks and noses ripe from the cold. they’re slowly finding their seats and merrily exchanging all kinds of stories with their friends as the metal bell hasn’t yet echoed among the hallways.

        the girl of sugary sweet smiles, whose eyes are as blue as the sky itself and faint freckles resemble the most breathtaking constellations of stars, sits perched atop her desk. a riot of dark ringlets cascading down her back and over her shoulders, sun-kissed skin aglow. she’s wearing a blue dress, embedded with tiny pink polka dots, and pink tights to match. skinny legs crossed and dangling from the edge, small feet clad in white buckle shoes that seem to be shining underneath the fluorescent lights. her curious gaze is fixated upon the world outside, silently counting the fluffy snowflakes as they continue to pile up on the windowsill. she’s daydreaming, wishing she could be dancing among them, spinning so gracefully and giggling. it’s insanely breathtaking — something so rare in california, so common here.

        however, it doesn’t take more than a shy whisper to have her attention flicking away from the landscape and toward the adorable boy, standing in front of her. she would recognize his delicate voice anywhere but it’s the meaning of his words that reverberates throughout her entire being, brining a sense of warmth and comfort to her soul. dark brows contorting briefly, sheepish smile embellishing her visage. he makes her heart flutter, as fast as the wings of a hummingbird, missing a beat or two … peachy cream skin flushing uncontrollably, the way it always does when he approaches her. the apples of her cheeks painted scarlet. “i — umm …” she stutters, doe-eyed and captured all over again ( this time by something way more exquisite — her friend’s stunning emerald irises ), refusing to look elsewhere. she can barely believe that he’s talking to her. these words sound so different, coming from someone other than her mom and siblings, and for whatever reason have her shying away.

        yesterday, she spent the entire afternoon at the mall with her mom and sister, trying to fill the cart up with delicious candy and thoughtful gifts for her family. of course, she couldn’t forget about her one and only true friend. much to venetia’s displeasure, the curly-haired girl decided to spend all of her pocket money on this bailey boy. she bought a red willow basket and put all of her favorite sweets inside — lollipops, candy bracelets, marshmallows, razzles, gummy bears, hershey’s kisses, nerds, skittles, bubble gum, cotton candy. she also got him a coloring book and stuffed animal, a lion with a mane that resembles his own flaming locks. then, she tied a satin bow around the handle. she’s been trying to walk up to him and hand him this one basket ever since her mom dropped her off but she’s way too shy and worries that he may not like it. so, it’s tucked safely inside her locker, waiting for the right moment to come.

        “happy valentine’s day, bill !” erin finally chirps, finding her voice again. her features light up all at once as rosiness reaches the tips of her ears. it’s only now that she notices his extended hand, realizing he’s brought her a very special gift. “is it for me ? you — you really didn’t have to.” squeaking out, sounding more like a toy than a human being, she takes the paper hearts and carefully places them across her lap to marvel at them. her eyes are gleaming, twinkling like stars in unspeakable delight. “i love them ! they’re so beautiful and there’s so many of them !” definitely more than she deserves. clasping her hands together and bringing them to the side of her face, erin can’t possibly hide the sheer joy that lances through her features and adorns her every move. her heart is pounding, racing within the confines of her small chest as it’s the most beautiful gesture she’s ever seen.

        “what’s this ?” she asks softly, the corners of her rosy lips curving and forming a dazzling grin. her dainty fingers eagerly reach for the slip of paper, gaze landing on the big letters — HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, ERIN. her name written in blue ( how thoughtful ! it’s her favorite color ). doodles and artistic decorations framing the sign. she can feel her heart melting, turning into a puddle as an immeasurable amount of something that she can’t even name floods her chest and makes it difficult for her to breathe. blue eyes lifting for a brief moment, finding these unique emeralds and silently thanking her friend. “did you draw it for me ? all by yourself ? it’s so … aw, billy ! it’s the most beautiful card i’ve ever seen ! it’s my favorite !” she muses enthusiastically, deciding that not even the ones from the fancy stores can compare — they don’t mean half as much. she opens it slowly, handling it with utmost delicacy, as if it was the most sacred of her possessions ( which it is ). she gasps, utterly enamored as her gaze finds the precious drawing. she’s taking everything in, admiring all the tiny details for what seems like hours. there’s a blue sky and fluffy clouds, and then there’s them … both smiling. “my best friend erin. flower for you. thank you erin for bein’ my best very friend ! i hope you get a lot of flowers,” she reads out loud without even realizing that she’s doing so. her fingertip absently traces the lines on the paper, affection pouring from her heart. “it’s us ! it’s you and i ! you even drew my dress right !” elation radiating from her smile, butterflies swarming inside her belly.

            about an hour or so ago, she got to pretend that she was watching her boyfriend perform on stage in front of her and all she had to do was be herself. really there wasn’t much more to that scene, that’s all it was. it wasn’t a difficult task to look at her precious angel with adoration in her bright blue eyes, squeal and cheer for him the way she always does anyway ( and they even put a cute pink bow in her hair and let her keep her bracelet on ). her guts are twisted in tight knots because she doesn’t want to fail or disappoint axl with her acting skills and yet her heart thumps in anticipation for what’s yet about to come — she has a feeling that it will be something similar to the sweet child video and can’t wait for the redhead to come into her dressing room and share the rest of his mysterious, artistic vision with her. there is one thing that kind of bothers her and it’s the fact that the naughty and dirty lyrics don’t really fit the concept of the video. but then again, maybe he really wants MTV to approve of it? maybe he wants something cute so that they can sit on their couch and watch it with their families? taking another sip of her tea and grimacing at the bitter taste, erin pushes her worries and concerns away and convinces herself that there is nothing she should be afraid of.

♡     ———     there are only a few more hours left before 1985 is officially over. for most people, the new year’s eve is a rather joyous event — an opportunity for them to start fresh, write down a long list of resolutions, set up their goals and expectations for the next twelve months, party with their friends, kiss their loved ones and hope that life has something beautiful in store for them. the streets of new york city seem to be coming back to life, filled with people who are smiling and dancing, thrumming with excitement, ready to celebrate. there’s an endless thrum of music, accompanied with drunken laughter and loud conversations, pouring from each and every building. bright lights and colorful decorations adorning every corner, every alley. not even the chilly wind can defeat the musk of alcohol and thick clouds of cigarette smoke, wafting through the air. the aroma of sweet perfume and strong cologne mixing with sweat and dirt. hot-dogs, balloons, goofy masks and funny costumes... tonight, the new york city is crazier than ever. but, oh, how beautiful it is in its madness.

unfortunately, not every single person wears a dazzling grin on their face. for the young, curly-haired brunette today is the worst day of not just this year but her entire life. she and valentine, her high-school sweetheart, had yet another fight just a few hours ago. the one that happened to be lethal to their relationship. their plans ( they were supposed to go to times square and watch the annual ball drop ) and dream suddenly vanished. her heart completely crushed, numb and yet somehow still aching. hot tears never stop rolling down her face, freezing on her cheeks with each powerful blow of the merciless wind.

                 @thornrosed is losing his mind ! – PART TWO !