Chapter 52
Alyssa stood on the stage, her heart pounding to the beat of the band’s music, the microphone slipping between her flipper fingers.
She hadn’t had the courage to even get on this stage since that night, nor to listen to their song, shutting off the radio if it ever came on.
Yet here she was, throwing herself in like some kind of gruelling immersion therapy.
People’s phones were trained on her, waiting to take photos or record.
Teijo was ready to livestream the whole thing to ’Appy Together’s social media, come what may.
Never had Alyssa been willing to make herself a love fool quite so publicly.
But she had to prove to Devan that she was all in on their relationship.
That she loved him unconditionally. That she wasn’t backing out again, without a fight.
She only hoped he wouldn’t be the one running when he entered the hall and realised what the hell was going on.
He apparently had no clue the app had set this final love task, and he was under no obligation to accept her marine-themed advances.
Though for once, it wasn’t the potential public humiliation that was eating her. Devan was worth all of that, and more. The real fear was wondering how on earth she’d deal with the heartbreak if Devan genuinely didn’t want to be with her. How would she even begin to piece her heart back together?
Just when Alyssa thought she couldn’t bear the uncertainty for a moment longer, the main door of the hall opened.
Alyssa’s mouth dropped. In all her wild imaginings, none had involved this.
Were her eyes deceiving her? She shook her head.
Because there was Devan, arriving at the ball in a turtle outfit that perfectly matched her own.
From the look on Emmalina’s grinning face as it peeked out from behind him, she guessed his daughter had a lot to do with it.
And though Alyssa felt like she’d loved this man for a lifetime, nothing had prepared her for the way she would feel when she saw him standing in the doorway.
Even dressed as polyester sea life, he took her breath away.
This was the moment she was meant to sing.
To lift the microphone to her lips and belt her heart out.
To declare her deepest, most soul-shattering feelings to a quirky tune.
But she needed a moment to take him in. To be sure he was real, and not some perfectly formed figment of her wayward imagination.
The waves of his badly behaved hair glistened under the disco lights, his natural wisps of auburn being joined by vibrant flickers of green and blue.
Strobe lights flashed around him, streaking across his face and illuminating its intense look.
He wasn’t wearing his glasses tonight, though he looked serious about something.
Was he serious in a good way? Whatever was going on, he was making her legs wobble.
And though she could have done with a few more moments to gather her thoughts, and her heart was in her mouth, the plucking notes of the song began.
Though The Turtles, who did not to her knowledge dress as turtles, though at some point in her love-struck teens she’d decided she would.
And then far too quickly, the drums kicked in, and there was no further time to waste.
Pushing through her internal anxious blizzard, she lifted the microphone and began to sing.
The words came shakily at first. She wasn’t used to singing, having avoided it as much as possible since the last time.
She hadn’t practised, because raw emotions were better than polished ones, even if she was now cursing herself for not being prepared.
She knew the words by heart, even after all this time.
She always had, since that night. Though as Devan stepped towards her across the dance floor, the crowds already parting, she could barely remember her own name, let alone a string of 1960s lyrics.
Alyssa heard words about day, night and holding tight swirling around her, and she could only assume they were coming from her.
With the dizzy mix of nerves, fear and a sprinkling of hope, it was like the strangest out-of-body experience.
She gave her arm a discreet pinch. She was definitely here.
With the movement of darkness and flashing lights, it was hard to read Devan’s face, until he was in front of the stage, looking up at her.
And at last, she saw those eyes that she could disappear into, like deep pools under a midnight sky.
As she looked into them, it was clear they were smiling, and that his lips were moving in tune with hers.
He was singing the words too. Her heart leapt.
And so did he, right up onto the stage, making easy work of the steps, even dressed in his costume.
He had one flipper on backwards, and the material was so tight across his chest that he looked like the kind of sea creature that worked out a lot.
But from the look of profound determination on his face, he was her sea creature. And she was his.
Someone from the band passed Devan a microphone, and soon his words came through to her as clearly as hers were to him, and to everyone.
As they gazed at each other, both singing unashamedly in a key that would make dogs howl, the lyrics passed between them like declarations to each other and whoever cared to listen.
They meant this. They were words about a love that would endure, about happiness and blue skies and being each other’s only one.
Alyssa was more than ready for all of it, whatever the skies would bring.
As Devan took one of her flipper hands in his and pulled her close, she felt like she might burst with happiness.
As the song reached its crescendo, the whole room seemed swept along in the joy of it.
Arms waved, and there was a chorus of ba-bam-booming, as though nobody was quite sure what the words were, but they were all in for the sentiment.
Before she knew what was happening, Devan was twirling her around on the stage, microphone wires tangling around and flipper slippers getting all in a knot.
And they were laughing and clinging to each other as though none of that mattered.
She almost didn’t want the moment to end.
When the song reached its final bars, she wondered what was next.
She hadn’t prepared for anything beyond the song, barely daring to think about whether Devan would stay to hear it through.
But he was here, and he was holding her, their faces close, his sweet, warm breath against her cheek.
She was vaguely aware of someone from the band taking the microphones and unravelling them, and the next tune was something softer.
With a glance around, she could see family and friends watching on.
Her mum was swatting away camera phones, including Teijo’s, because she had made it through the final love task – the dread-inducing romantic gesture.
The world had seen enough, and the rest would be just for them.
Alyssa would thank her mum for that later, because she’d learned she wanted her life to be a lot less public. Her heart was not for sale.
Devan’s mum Dawn was in the front row too, her eyes brimming with happy tears, Devan’s dad’s arm wrapped around her shoulders. Emmalina was bouncing with excitement, and if she wasn’t mistaken, Mrs Halfpenny was waving a banner that said ‘He’s Turtley into You’. She hoped that much was true.
Devan cleared his throat, and her gaze was drawn back to him.
He removed his flipper arms and took her face gently in his hands.
His eyes roamed her features, as though he was drinking her in.
Once again, it was the sort of moment they’d watched together in so many films, and now it was happening for them – if she dared to believe it.
‘I thought you didn’t like that song?’ he asked softly.
‘I didn’t like what happened the last time I sang it. But I was ready to risk singing it again.’
‘I’m sorry for—’
She put a finger to his lips. ‘Don’t be. Life has a funny way of unscrambling itself in the end. And if that night had ended differently, you wouldn’t have such a great daughter to show for it.’
‘I’ve got to tell you, she struggles to keep a secret.’ He looked down at his turtle costume.
‘And here was me thinking you always dressed like that for a shell-ebration.’
His face lifted. ‘I’m giving your romantic gesture and accompanying jokes the full ten in the cheesiness ratings.’
‘Well, I’m honoured.’ She moved her face closer to his.
‘But in all seriousness, I don’t want you to think this is any kind of gimmick, or a stunt for social media likes.
In fact, I would have much preferred for people not to see me dressed like a big green salad bowl while singing my love for you, particularly badly. ’
He gave a gentle nod. ‘I know. I’m touched you were willing to put your heart on the line for me.’
‘Because I love you, Devan. I’m an absolute love fool for you.
Somewhere deep inside me, I always have been.
’ It was one thing singing her feelings, but finally saying I love you properly ought to have been huge.
And yet, the words had come so naturally, like an of course.
Because she’d never been so sure of them.
As she spoke, it was as though her heart was opening, and a million heart-shaped butterflies were fluttering out – even if she was definitely imagining that last bit.
His eyes widened a touch, as though he understood how much courage it must have taken her to say the words.
‘I love you too,’ he said softly.
Although it seemed like the crowd could lip-read.
Cheers rose up around them as he drew her face to his, their mouths finally touching, setting off confetti cannons in her soul.
Time almost slipped away as they spun gently together, dancing to the music, and kissing as though nothing else mattered.
The spotlights faded, and with a bit of whispering from somewhere below, the red velvet curtains closed on them, shielding them from view.
But unlike the last time she’d been up on this stage, the swish of drapes didn’t signify the end of things.
This was just their beginning.