The Next Beat

Johnny thought everything was fine and good, that they had just made the next step in their relationship. The words out of Taylor's mouth came at him like a slap tot he face. His face went white and he stood staring at Taylor for a long time, only snapping out of it when she said maybe.

He shook his head and grabbed her hands tightly. "Everyone says that's somethin you should take your time with and think about an junk." Johnny said. Johnny then grinned. "But, screw that, man. I ain't dumb or anythin, but thinkin things through was never what I was good at and junk. My heart says .. no, it screams yes!"

"Maybe it ain't cool cause you springed this on me and shit, but.." he said looking at her. "Taylor Parker, will ya marry me!?" He could barely get the words out of his mouth, he even almost felt like choking up.

Taylor was already crying before she could say anything. "Yeah." She managed to say, quietly. It took a quiet moment for her to soak it in before her excitement came to the surface.

With a big, tearful grin, she threw her arms around Johnny's neck and leapt up to wrap her legs around his waist and kissed him with such passion and abandon that people around them stopped to gawk and some people shouted some things in Japanese that Taylor didn't catch. She didn't care what they did.

She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed back, looking down at him. "Promise you won't get sick of me?"

Johnny grinned at Taylor's words. When she began to tear up, it was hard for him not too as well. Johnny was shaking , even as she gave her simple 'yeah'. He had no idea what he was even going to do. None of that even mattered though right now. All that mattered was Taylor. He was going to be a husband. That wouldn't sink in for a long time. None of it would.

He kissed her back deeply, right in the middle of the dance floor. He heard the words but he just let them slide off his ear. They were nothing. "I promise! I promise!" He said as he kissed her lips over and over again. Tears began to fall from his eyes too.

Before he could say anything more, the happy couple were suddenly besieged by a large, blubbering beast. Akashi threw herself at the embracing lovebirds and squeezed her arms around them tightly. She had been watching from the shadows and was now crying. "Waaaaaah! Imouto-chaaaan! You've finally grown into a beautiful young woman! I'm so happy for you! Waaaaaaahhhh!"

Taylor could only laugh as they were enveloped by a soggy, weepy Akashi. She couldn't imagine ever being as happy as she was at that moment, or ever feeling as loved. She carefully maneuvered her legs to put her feet on Johnny's hips and held onto his shoulders as she stood upright.

"HEY!" She shouted at the rest of the club. "WE'RE GONNA GET MARRIED!" She waved with one hand at everyone. "KONYAKU! KONYAKU!" She yelled, pointing down at Johnny. She glanced down at him. "Right?" She knew more Japanese than she thought, but she didn't use it enough to be confident in it.

She hopped down and struck a pose with her shoulders back, her feet spread and her fists heroically on her hips. "Now we all have to go drink." She announced. "I just wish Cassie was here, man... I feel bad. I haven't been a good friend. We should totally take her out though..."

She suddenly perked up. "Oh!" She looked at Johnny with hopeful eyes. "What if we just took the train back to Tokyo and got her? Like just run in and grab her and get her freaking drunk. She's never drank before. Do you think we could do that?" She said pleadingly to Johnny and Akashi. "You can even bring Mam if you want, or that dude from that other club or whatever. Just everyone get on the phone and put us together a goddamn party, okay! Right now!"

Johnny grinned and wiped the tears away, laughing at Akashi's blustering. "Y-Yeah, babe." He said with a grin. It was close enough at least. He wasn't even sure where to begin with anything.

"Uhh... y-yeah.. yeah!" He said, almost starign in a daze with a big goofy grin on hsi face. he pulle dout his phone while Taylor hooted it up and dialed Mamouru. "Yo.' he said when his brother picked up. He could barely even contain his laughter.

'So, how's it goin?"

"Pretty good... is.. everything ok, Johnny-kun?"

"yeah, dude. Yeah... Um, listen, bro. I need you to get four train tickets for Tokyo. We're headin there and you can liek, have that stuff all ready for us and junk."

"Uhh... ok/ That seems pretty spur of the moment though. This doesn't have anything to do with Taylor-san's announcement does it? Is everythign ok?"

"Yeah man, we're just going to celebrate an junk."

"Huh? Celebrate ... her quitting?"

"No way man, celebrate US FRICKEN GETTING ENGAGED!"

The phone was silent for a long moment before a soft chuckle followed. "Very funy, Johnny-kun."

"NO WAY MAN! SHE TOTALLY SAID YES! WE'RE GOING TO GET TOTALLY SHITFACED TONIGHT! Get those tickets bitch!"

"Fine. Fine. Congratulations. Tell Taylor-san the same. I'll see you at the station."

Johnny hung up the phone and lunged at Taylor, squeezing her tightly. "yes! We're ready!" He said and lifted her up in his strong arms, pulling her off the ground and laughing.

"yeah, motherfuckers!" he shouted. "This is the awesome babe I get to take home every fuckin night!"He shouted.