Secret Crush

Chapter 11 - [Surprise for Gina]

“Naomi.” I heard my brother call as he shook me away. “Wake up.”

I blinked a couple times and then took my glasses out of my headboard. “What? What’s wrong?” I asked as I put them on, sounding drunk because of my sleep.

He smiled. “It’s two. In the afternoon”

I lifted myself up. “You’re joking.” I looked at my clock and sighed. There goes my Saturday. My dad’s bed was just so comfortable. “Where’s dad?” I asked as I got up off of his bed. I always slept next to my dad when I came to visit him.

“He’s out on his shift.” My brother said. “He told me to take you out.”

I raised my eyebrows. “He did?”

He nodded and then sighed. “Gina wanted to go to the Broadview Botanical Gardens, because they’re closing tomorrow to get the place ready for winter. I told her you’re coming too.”

Now my eyes widened. “No way.”

“We’re leaving at four.” He said. “You’ve got some time.”

I got off the bed and stretched.

He was silent for a moment, but then looked at me. “So... how was your date with Gale?”

I groaned. “It wasn’t a date, Nate.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He leaned against the wall.

“I was going to.”

“When?”

I looked at him and rolled my eyes. “Soon.”

Nate sighed. “Well, Gale’s coming too.” He said as he turned around and left the room.

“What?” I asked as I walked to the bathroom. “Why?”

Nate took a deep breath and hesitated.

But I didn’t wait for an answer. I closed the bathroom door and freshened myself up. Oh well. Him coming didn’t really change much.

When I was done, I walked out and my brother handed me a towel. “Why are we going to the Gardens anyways?” I asked.

“It’s where I asked her out.” Nate said. “And Gina would want Gale to be there.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re going and a date with her and you’re taking Gale and I with you?”

Nate pursed his lips.

I raised my eyebrows and crossed my arms. “What are you not telling me?”

Nate crossed his arms too. And then he sighed. “I’m going to ask Gina to marry me.”

My eyes widened and I screamed as I started to jump around. “No way!” I yelled. “No. Way!”

My brother grabbed me and covered my mouth. “This is an apartment!” Nate hissed. “Don’t annoy the neighbors!”

I pulled away and covered my own mouth, but still kept squealing. “Can I see the ring?”

He sighed but smiled as he reached for his pocket and pulled out the pretty box.

When he opened it up I gasped. “It’s so pretty!”

It had a big, round diamond in the center and tiny diamonds around the ring. It looked a little simple… but something about it was beautiful.

But no matter what, I knew Gina would love it… even if it were an ugly, cheap ring, she would love it.

“Did you tell mom and dad?”

He blushed. “Yeah. That’s why dad said to take you too.”

I suddenly felt all giddy and happy inside. “Ohmigosh!” I hugged my brother tightly. “I’m so excited!”

My brother chuckled as he hugged me back. “Well, don’t be too excited, she might say no.”

I smacked his arm. “Don’t be ridiculous! That's impossible!” I said. “Oh my gosh… I should get ready!”

My brother laughed.

“What should I wear?” I asked.

He shrugged. “A dress?” He said. He then pointed into my room. “And dad told me to bring your contacts.”

I grinned. “Thank you!”

I ran into the room that I had put my suitcase in and opened it. But then I realized that I didn’t bring any dresses with me.

I stood up and sighed. “Maybe I should just wear tights… and a nice top?” I said to myself. But then I noticed something.

I turned to the chair in front of the computer and chuckled.

On it, was a pretty but simple baby blue dress. It was about knee length and had long sleeves made of lace.

I walked over to it and sighed when I saw the note. “I was supposed to give this to you as a present later today, but I think you’ll need it now. Love, dad.”

I smiled as I lifted it up and held it against me.

It was perfect.

When I was ready, I put on a black cardigan to keep me warm and tied my wavy hair into a half ponytail.

I ran out of the room to my brother and grinned at him. “Are we leaving?”

“If you ruin the surprise, I swear I’ll kill you.”

“I won’t, promise!”

He smiled as he got off of my dad’s sofa. “Alright, let’s go.”

“Oh, can we stop by the dollar store before we pick them up?”

“Sure.” He said as he walked to the door. “Why?”

I put on my black flats. “I’m going to buy confetti.”

“You’re going to make it so obvious!” He whined.

“I’ll hide it in my bag! I swear!” I said, holding up my giant, black shoulder bag.

Nate sighed. “Fine.”

The dollar store was right next to my dad’s house, and I was in and out in a second.

I bout two exploding confetti tubes and two of those part horns. One of each for Gale and I.

Of course, I hid it in my bag.

I was sitting in the back seat today, so that Gina could go to the front and when we had arrived to pick them up, Gina jumped in with a huge grin on her face. She looked so happy to see me.

“Hey cutie!” She said.

I grinned. “Hi!”

Gale got into the back seat next to me and I waved at him. He smiled. “Nice dress.”

I chuckled. “My dad got it for me as a present.”

“It looks adorable!” Gina said. “I think I should get myself one.”

Nate cleared his throat and Gina looked at him. “Oops.” She smiled. “Hey baby.” She said before she leaned forward and kissed him.

Gale and I laughed.

The ride to the Gardens wasn’t a quite one at all.

Gina was always very talkative and from what I remember, she always had something to tell Nate.

“Gale insisted on lugging that giant camera around with him.” Gina said, turning to look at her brother.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Gale asked, leaning forward. “We’re going to Broadview’s Botanical Gardens. Probably the nicest place this town has, second to the cliff side!”

“But it’s massive!” Gina argued. “If you make Nate or I carry it-”

“I won’t, I’ll be too busy taking pictures of the beautiful flowers.” He said. “Besides… I might get inspired here… and maybe I could submit one of the pictures I take into a competition one day.”

Gina chuckled. “Whatever.”

My brother looked at him through the rearview mirror, and I could tell he was trying to hold back a smile.

Gale was pretty good at lying.

When we had arrived, I could see the relief on my brothers’ face. He was probably so happy that we had made it without giving his surprise away.

Gina took a deep breath and sighed. “It’s fall but it always feels like spring here!”

I threw my bag over my shoulder and closed the cars’ door.

Gale pulled out his camera and looked at his sister. “How bout a picture.”

Gina clapped her hands together. “Aw. How nice of you baby brother.” She said with a smile.

Gale rolled his eyes as Gina rushed over to Nate, dragging him with her to a spot for a picture.

After taking the picture, Gina took my brother’s hand. “Alright, lets get going!”

The two started walking ahead of us, hand in hand, and I stood there smiling.

“Say cheese.” Gale said.

I turned and looked at him as the camera flashed in my face. “Hey! I wasn’t ready!”

Gale chuckled. “C’mon.” He said, starting to walk.

I walked next to him and kept watching my brother and his sister. “They’re so cute.” I smiled.

Gale smiled too. “But I don’t get why Gina likes this place so much… all you do is walk.”

“It’s pretty.” I said. “And romantic.”

Gale snorted.

But then he placed his camera in front of his eye and took another picture of the two walking and holding hands.

I smiled. “First an artist, now a photographer?”

Gale grinned at me.

We had been walking for a while, and Gale had made Gina and Nate wait for him as he stopped to take pictures of the scenery and of us to keep up his act.

After he stopped to take a picture of some roses, Gale walked over to me. “You know what I realized?” Gale asked.

“Yeah?”

“We met here too, didn’t we?”

I thought back and then nodded my head. “Yeah! We met when my brother asked Gina out.”

Gale chuckled. “That was such a long time ago.”

I nodded. “It was… wasn’t it?”

Gale threw his arm around my shoulder, surprising me. But I didn’t pull away.

I felt my cheeks heat up though. After what had happened yesterday… I couldn’t help it.

“When you think about it though,” Gale started, “it passed by real fast.”

I smiled. “Yeah… it even feels like we started high school yesterday… and next month we’ll be applying for university.”

“Time flies.”

A moment later, my brother turned and gave me a look.

My heart skipped a beat as I reached for my bag and pulled out the exploding confetti tubes and the party horns.

I handed Gale the exploding confetti tube and he rolled his eyes. “I can’t hold that! I have to take pictures.”

“Oh yeah.” I said, I dropped it back in my bag. But I knew he could still use the party horn, so I stuffed the party horn into his mouth.

I didn’t realize how weird of me that was until after. But Gale didn’t seem to mind. So I forgot about it and put the other one on my mouth.

My brother then stopped Gina and kissed her.

When she pulled away, I saw her giving him a look and I knew she was starting to get suspicious.

Gale lifted his camera and started taking pictures.

And when my brother got down on one knee, pulling out the ring, a huge smile grew on my face and I started to hyperventilate.

“Gina Dallas, will you marry me?”

I held back my urge to scream as she covered her mouth and started to tear up. “Nathanial…”

She then bent down and hugged him tightly. “I don’t even know why you think you had to ask.” She said, her tears spilling out.

She then pulled away and kissed his lips and I started to scream as I blew my party horn and unleashed the confetti.

Random people who were in the Gardens all started clapping, making this all the more perfect!

Gale blew his horn too and laughed as he took more pictures.

My brother put the ring on her finger and kissed her again as I skipped over to them, blowing my horn over and over again.

When I reached them, I jumped into Gina’s arms. “Congratulations!” I screamed.

Gina laughed as I pulled away. She wiped her tears and then kissed my cheeks.

“Oh my gosh!” I grinned. “You’re my sister-in-law!”

Gale finally stopped taking pictures, walked over to us and shook my brothers hand. “And I guess you’re my brother-in-law now.”

My brother and Gina laughed as my brother put his arm around her.

I clapped my hands together and squealed some more. I then looked at Gale, seeing him smiling at me.

“And you’re my sister-in-law!” Gale said.

My eyes widened. “Wow, that sounds so weird!”

Gina and Nate burst into laughter before they kissed and started to walk again.

Gale kept looking at me. “It does sound weird… doesn’t it?”

I nodded.

But then we chuckled and walked after our siblings, watching them enjoy the first few moments of being happily engaged!