Warnings: None

Word Count: 1276

July 9th, 2005

You sat up for a second, reaching over and grabbing your drink from where it was sitting on the pavement nearby. Tyler turned to look at you, but didn't say anything. You took a long drink before setting it back down and returning to laying down in the grass.

"Hey, I think that's a satellite!" Tyler said, pointing up at the sky.

"Where?" you asked, trying to follow his finger to where he was pointing, but to no avail.

"There, Y/N, don't you see it?"

"Ty, you're pointing at the sky. It's nearly impossible to tell what you're pointing at," you laughed.

"Fine," Tyler grumbled.

He scooted over so that his head was just about pressed up to yours. After a moment of adjusting, he grabbed your arm and forced your fingers to point. You complied as he pointed your arm up to the sky and turned to look at you.

"You have to close one eye for it to work!" he said.

You couldn't help but smile as you closed one eye and followed the line that your arm now formed.

"Do you see it?" he asked.

"Yes, Ty, I see it," you grumbled.

"Good," he smiled proudly before returning to where he had been laying before.

You could just make out the sound of your parents still talking inside. It was typical for them to talk long past dinner while you and Tyler found something else to entertain yourselves. Tonight, that was laying in his backyard and stargazing.

"What do you think the sky looks like in Los Angeles?" Tyler asked.

"Probably a lot like it does here, but with a lot more light pollution. I doubt you can see many stars," you answered. "Why do you ask?"

"I've always wondered what life is like in other places. Our town is great and all, but there isn't too much to do. I can't really launch my music career from a small town in the middle of nowhere."

"Are you saying you're going to leave me as soon as you get the chance?" you asked, half joking. There was an undeniable undertone of panic in your voice that you weren't sure if Tyler would notice.

"Not if you come with me," he said. "I mean, you can be an author from anywhere, really. Why not California?"

You propped yourself up on your elbows so that you could see Tyler better. He had to be joking, the unspoken assumption had always been that you two would go to college close to home and then move back and start a family with your college sweetheart in the same town you grew up in.

"Ty, you can't be serious about moving to California."

He propped himself up on his elbows too and turned to face you. You expected him to be laughing or smiling, but instead he had a serious expression on his face.

"Why not? There's nothing for us here, Y/N. Who's to say we can't pack up and leave? We'd still have each other."

You turned to look back up at the stars, "It's pretty ambitious, but I guess if we really plan it right, we could make it work."

"So you're saying you would move to California with me?"

"Sure, why not?"

"You're the best person ever, you know that?"

"Yeah, I do," you laughed.

Tyler held out a hand, causing you to raise your eyebrows in question. "We have to shake on it. I can't have you backing out on me at the last minute." You reached over and shook his hand, causing him to smile widely at you. "What part of California should we live in?" Tyler said, fully laying back down on the grass. You followed suit.

"Wherever is cheapest," you joked.

"I know you meant that jokingly, but you're not wrong," Tyler answered.

The sound of the glass door sliding open behind you drew your attention away from the conversation you had been having. Tyler's mom was making her way outside, carrying a couple dishes of something. You and Tyler both sat up and turned to face her.

"Hey, Mom," Tyler smiled.

"Hey, guys. How's it going out here?"

"Good," you and Tyler answered in unison.

"Oh good. I thought you two might want some dessert, so I brought you some ice cream."

"Really?" you smiled widely.

Tyler's mom smiled as she walked over to you two and handed you each your bowls. Chocolate for you and strawberry for Tyler.

"Thank you so much," you said,

"Thanks, Mom."

"Of course. Now, I won't bother you two much more."

She walked back inside and closed the door behind her. Inside, you could see all of your parents sitting around the table, eating their own bowls of ice cream.

"Your mom is the coolest," you said as you took your first bite of ice cream.

"Don't act like she isn't practically your mom too," Tyler laughed.

You shook your head even though you knew he was right. The Josephs were basically your second family at this point.

You and Tyler sat quietly while you ate your ice cream. The only sound was the occasional dog barking and your spoons clinking against the edge of your bowls. Stars continued to appear in the sky up above.

"Do you think we'll actually be able to do it?" you asked.

"Do what?" Tyler asked before taking another large bite of ice cream.

"Move to California and, you know, make something of ourselves."

Tyler set his spoon down and turned to you with the most serious look he could muster on his face.

"Y/N, when have we ever not been able to do something?"

"Well, there was that time that we tried to get into the movie theatre as one person by having me sit on your shoulders. Or the time that you tried to kayak down the homemade slip and slide we made in your grandpa's backyard. Oh! And the time that I tried to hide your candy stash under my mattress and all the chocolate melted-"

"Ok, I get it!" Tyler laughed. "But this is different. You and I both really want this, and we're not going to let anything get in our way, right?"

"Right."

"We just have to believe in ourselves. And when we can't do that, we just have to believe in each other."

"If you say so."

"I don't just say so. I know we can do this."

The glass door slid open again, only this time it was your mom who was poking her head outside.

"Y/N, it's time to start wrapping things up. We need to get your father home so that he can get enough sleep for work tomorrow."

"Ok, Mom."

You quickly polished off your ice cream and stood up from the grass. Tyler got up soon after you and followed you inside. He graciously took your bowl from you and carried it to the sink so that you could put your shoes on.

"Thank you for dinner, it was delicious," your mom smiled.

"You three are welcome anytime," Tyler's mom said.

Tyler walked over and pulled you into a hug.

"We'll start planning next time you come over," he whispered in your ear.

You nodded and winked slyly at him, which he smiled widely at. Your dad was already halfway out the door, so you quickly caught up with him on the way to the car. You bit on your lip to hide the smile that threatened to take over your face, knowing that your family would question you the second they saw you beaming. They had no idea what was coming.