I stared at him, taking in what he had just said. My heart sped up, understanding it before I did. I smiled and wrapped my arms around the boy in front of me. I brought us closer together, and before I kissed him, I whispered, "I have never thought of you as simply a friend."

And with those words, I connected our lips. Electricity raced through my body with the kiss, making me feel like I could fly.

I knew I'd made the right decision when he kissed back just as passionately, if not more so.

As we kissed, I could feel my heart was opening, after all this time being closed and cold, shut away from the world. A ball of string that had been so tight, ever so tightly bound, was becoming undone, unraveled, untied. My heart loosened, and I felt joy flood through me at the warming in my chest. It felt glorious, beautiful, light. It felt bright, vivacious. It felt free.

When we finally pulled away from each other, still not letting go and grinning widely, he gave me a reply. "It would be quite the shame if you had, considering we would never be able to do this."

I was immediately tugged closer for another kiss. I could feel both of us smiling into it, finally happy.

__---*---__

Goosebumps flared along my skin, the frigid breeze skipping along my pale skin. I bent down, my weight held on a single knee. I felt my pulse fluttering, my heart pumping harder and harder with each strangled breath I took.

Fuck, I thought. This was not going to go well. I had had this planned out for a long time, but doubts were starting to creep in. Should I have waited this long? Was this the right time? Was it too soon?

I had no idea what to expect, but maybe—just maybe—it wouldn't go wrong like everything else had. This was probably a mistake, a horrible mistake-

"Kaelin, I- I, um..." The words had started out of my mouth without permission, grandly fucking up the one thing I had hoped to get perfect. "I'm sorry, this is probably not what you wanted, especially after so soon, but I think I'm ready, and I think you're ready, too, so..."

A deep breath entered my lungs, wishing that the air I was inhaling would give me the courage to do this thing. Closing my eyes tightly, shutting out the world, I opened my mouth again.

"I love you, Kaelin. And I have to ask." Another deep breath. "Will you marry me?"

A beat of silence.

"No."

I glanced up sharply, feeling my mouth fall, my eyes tearing up, my brain asking why-

"How could you?" Kaelin was in front of me, hands on her hips, an annoyed glare on her face. "Why now, of all times?"

I blanched, feeling sicker and sicker as she continued. My focus faded as she talked, her voice sliding to background noise. A single sentence, her last one, made me look up again, a new hope blooming inside.

"I was going to propose today." Reaching into her jacket, the deep crimson one that reached her knees, the one she'd always loved the most, she pulled out a box. Prying it open, the black velvet clicked apart to reveal a ring. Not too showy, not too expensive, not too simple, but perfect. Perfect, just like the girl in front of me. "Will you marry me?"

I rose to my feet slowly, a grin beginning to grow again. "Only if you promise to be my wife afterward."

"You idiot," Kaelin replied, her eyes rolling as usual. "Of course. How could I say no to such an extravagant offer?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too, my adorable idiot."

We kissed, and in that moment, the world felt like it might actually be okay again. Despite the fact that the love of my life had said no, obviously. 

__---*---__

Well, that's it for today, folks! 217 words in the first one, 438 for the second. Both ended happily, which is surprising, considering my talent at writing depressing things :)

Have a nice day (if you're not too crazed from quarantine yet)!

-lily the book :D

P.S. I found this the other day on Pinterest and had to share it because it's just amazing and kind of matches the love-story-esque theme of today's writing~