Sniffling, I winded my arm back and tossed my toilet paper roll at the biggest tree in front of my parent's house. The little white roll fluttered until it hit a branch and clumsily hit a dozen more branches on the way back to the ground. My body ached as I retrieved it to throw it again.

Tonight was quiet.

The stars weren't even out. The inky black cold consumed me, and I shivered for the millionth time. My tears staining my face had frozen over for new tears to ice-skate across. I looked around at the lines of toilet paper fluttering from the trees. My parents didn't own weeping willows, but it felt like they did now. Ghosts had infiltrated our yard.

After this month, I certainly felt haunted.

The image of Parker and Emily hugging wouldn't stop torturing me. I'd close my eyes and there'd be Parker's beautiful face smiling at Emily's incredibly gorgeous face and I'd remember the last time Parker had even seen me was me wearing my stupid orchestra uniform. I sighed with my whole body, losing a piece of my soul. Probably.

Grabbing my roll, noticing there was some empty space still on the left side of the house, I imagined all the ways my parents were definitely going to murder me if they found out what I did. They'll probably figure it out when they get home and start raging about the mess. I know me. I will start crying immediately.

Or maybe I'll still be crying from today.

People will have to pay for tickets to come see the human waterfall display. Luckily, I'll be open year-round.

#

"That's my house! That's my house!" Camille shouted, pointing at her driveway. "Oh my god! Is that them?!"

"Are those Lizzie's parents?!" Norah asked as we watched a handful of people walking out of the house, putting their jackets on. One of the cars exploded into life and light and everything inside of me started screaming. The light blinded us as we flew by.

Only a few houses down, Camille suddenly slammed on the breaks. Not even at a stop sign. Just in the middle of the road. "What are you doing?!" I cried. "We can't stop now!"

"Norah," Camille said, unlocking the car. "Get out of the car. Try to stall them."

"What?" Norah reared back. "How? No way."

"It doesn't matter how. Say you've lost your dog. Say you need to borrow a phone. You're a beautiful girl with a limp. And you won best smile in second grade! I think they'll help you."

Norah sat up straight. "You remember that?"

"If you get out of this car right now, I'll kiss your brains out later."

After a beat, Norah jumped out of the car. She quickly started hobbling down the street faster than I would without a sprained ankle. Camille slammed on the gas again and I unbuckled my seatbelt to crawl to the front seat. Settling down, I stared at Camille and couldn't stop thinking about that adorable little promise.

"Shut up," Camille snapped and smacked my arm. I just laughed, my emotions a jumbled mess as I rolled down the window and looked back. Norah managed to stop the car. I could just see her silhouette underneath the lamplight. And then, the Hernandez car lights flickered off.

"Roll the window up," Camille said.

"Wait..." I said and opened her car's skylight. "I've got an idea. Roll all the windows down."

#

The toilet roll fell back and smacked me right in the mouth.

"Ow!" I yelped and held my face. Just when I thought this couldn't be more pathetic. If there was someone looking down on me, they must be laughing their asses off. I sighed and picked the roll back up, looking down at the dirt clinging to the cotton.

I took one step when I heard something strange creeping into the darkness, the quiet of the night that didn't quite fit. If I didn't know better, I'd say it was the clattering of drums and the thrum of guitars. Slowly, I turned around and barreling down the street, I'd swear Camille's car was coming for me. The lights flickered and from her skylight, Parker poked out. Her red hair whipped wildly in the wind behind her, making her look like the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs. Now hurtling towards me.

"Lizzie!" Parker yelled, waving her arms.

It was then I realized what song was playing and where it must be coming from. Number ten on my playlist basically declaring my love for Parker:

"Are you crazy?" I yelled back at her, totally flabbergasted. Suddenly, I couldn't tell if I was awake or asleep. I pinched myself and the second I felt the pain was also the moment I freaked out. "You're gonna wake up the entire neighborhood!"

Camille made a sudden stop in front of my house and shoved Parker into the side of the roof. She made a tortured noise before disappearing inside and then, appeared at the door. She stepped onto the street, right in front of my house in all her glory and my chest tightened. I wanted her to come find me, but I had zero clue what she came here to say.

"I've been looking for you all night," she said.

"Really?" I asked because I had been watching her the entire time. I couldn't miss her. Even if I tried. "Why?"

"What do you mean why? I'll always try to find you."

"But Emily—"

Parker grabbed my hands and squeezed. "Emily and I are over. We've been over. We didn't have a chance the very second we started the trial."

"But—" I tried to stop her again because my hopes were soaring to the sky and I desperately wanted to avoid getting burned. She didn't have to just tell me what I wanted to her, just to make me feel better.

"There is no but, Lizzie."

"Guys!" Camille called through the lowered window. "We gotta go!"

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Just a second!" Parker yelled back. "I have to say this. I have to say it right now because I can't go on another second without letting you know that I'm in love with you."

My lips parted.

"I'm tired of all the confusion and the mixed messages. I wanna be real with you. I want to be honest..." Parker let go of my hands and I watched her stalk off to the car and grab something. She wriggled around, struggling to do something and I couldn't figure out what until I heard the click of a pen. Turning, she revealed my note and showed me her answer.

She checked "yes" to be my girlfriend.

And she grinned, all teeth and dimples.

"Say it again," I begged, needing to hear it one more time so I knew it was true. "Tell me again."

"Lizzie," Parker said, dropping her arms. She strolled back up to me and declared, "I don't want another trial. I don't need one. I know what I want. I want a year-long subscription to be your girlfriend. No..." She shook her head. "Even that's not long enough. I want five years. Ten. My whole life. Just tell me where to sign and I'll be all yours."

"All mine?"

"If you want me."

I reached up, cupping her cheeks. She touched my waist and the impressions of her fingers burned through my fabric to warm my skin. "I do. I want you. Parker, I love you too." An uncontrollable smile pulled my lips as I raised to my tip toes to plant a kiss on Parker's lips. My hands slid down to her neck, the thrum of her heart tickling my palms.

This was too good to be true. A part of me couldn't believe this was my life. Usually things like this didn't work out for me. Not this well. Not this perfect. This moment had everything. All my favorite things tied up in strings, music, written agreements and kissing Ashley Marie Parker.

"No one's happier than me that you two are finally dating!" Camille yelled again. "But your parents are going to be here any second! So, let's go people!"

"Shit!" Parker cursed. "I almost forgot."

"What?" I blinked.

"I'll explain later." She snatched my hand and we jumped into the back of Camille's car. We started laughing, zooming out of my neighborhood, driving to nowhere in particular. Eventually, we settled on McDonald's. The entire time I wouldn't let go of Parker's hand. I talked to Camille, but Parker's thumb and mine were having their own conversation. Every now and then, Parker would lift my hand and place a kiss on my knuckle.

I settled into one of the seats at McDonald's and took out my note. Right by where Parker agreed to be my girlfriend, I made my own check mark and signed it. Parker grinned, scribbling her own signature. Before she finished, I kissed her cheek because I wanted to do it. Because I could do it. Because I could kiss Parker as many times as I wanted.

This marked day one of Lizzie and Parker officially dating.

Day one of many to come.

#

*Cries in gay*

Seriously though, when I was editing this part, I actually got all teary eyed. We have now hit ultimate Romantic Comedy goals and have a romantic declaration of love speech right at the end. This all started because I wanted a dorky romcom between two girls and I feel really good and pleased with the result.

Don't forget to leave your comments!! Would you have gotten out of the car like Norah, even with a sprain? Lol. What did you think about Parker's speech? What are your feelings going through right now?