10 years Later

Simon and I sat up in the children's room, legs dangling over the window pane as we had done many times before. Today was his step-mother and father's 10th year anniversary since their wedding.

It has been 10 years since I confessed my love for Simon and we shared our first kiss. We've been together for a solid 5 years, through thick and thin and may I just add that Simon has grown up to be quite the looker. I never knew love felt like this; what it felt like to be loved. And I never wanted the feeling to stop.

After Mr Brown and Evangeline's wedding, my father tried to keep in contact with me. He is so insistent, but over the years my father has hurt me enough. I forgave him, and sometimes even sent letters to him. He is still my dad, but the Brown's were always my family or would be one day.

One day.

Still wondering if Simon's ever going to ask the question, so is everyone else. I really want him too, after 5 years I'm always wondering if we're ever going to be official and seal the deal. The kids have now grown up, Aggie being 10 years old and Tora being 22.

The party was located downstairs but Simon and I wanted to get away from the crowd. We had been staring off into the night beyond us, myself leaning against Simon's chest as he played with my hair. It was calming, and I would have fallen asleep if it weren't for the noises downstairs.

"Lou, I love you" Simon whispered through the darkness, I smiled to myself shyly as I looked up at him.

"I love you too, Simon" I whispered back as I felt Simon's fingers graze over my cheek lightly before caressing it. We said those three words a lot, only because it meant a lot to us. How I treasured these moments, the moments where I felt like everything else had disappeared but us. He pulled me closer to him before kissing me innocently.

It was different from the rest, everything was the same but it felt different. Full of passion and love but something else I couldn't quite put my finger one. His hand stayed on my cheek while my arms wrapped around his torso, deepening the kiss. That was until Tora broke us apart.

"Sorry to ruin your love-y dove-y moment but we're cutting the anniversary cake" She said with a small giggle at the end. Simon made a sound of displeasure as he swung his legs over the pane and stood up, holding a hand out to me.

I took it gracefully before we made our way downstairs, where everyone was gathered around a coffee table, the red velvet cake with the words 'happy 10th wedding anniversary' written across it in white icing.

"Found the love birds, I see Tora," Evangeline smiled kindly, her beauty was beyond imaginable. I giggled to myself, everyone called us the love birds which was both cute but annoying. We had our problems like every relationship.

We didn't officially get together until 2 and a half years after Evangeline and Mr Brown's wedding. We both knew we were too young to be in an actual relationship but our feelings for each other still persisted. And then there were the mini arguments and the publishing deals I got for my books.

I travelled a lot when I was 16, aspiring to be an author but after a year I came back home to Simon. That was when we got serious and actually started a real relationship. Sure, we still fought but we were like each other's happiness, anchors to our ship that sunk once or twice. But in the end our love always won out.

I looked around at everyone who just so happened to be eyeing me happily, I furrowed my eyebrows together. Why do they keep looking at me? I asked myself as I looked at the ground and hid my face behind my hair. Now that I think about it, everyone was acting weird today. That's why Simon and I were in the room in the first place.

I snapped out of my daydream and looked around me to see Simon had disappeared, I pouted like a 3 year old to myself before listening to Mr Brown make some speech. It was all lovey-dovey, probably worst than Simon and I but at least our relationship wasn't public.

In Fact, we didn't kiss each other apart from the cheek at all when people were around because I didn't want to boast about our relationship. Simon and I were just always together and always away from the other kids, which lead them to think we were doing things unspeakable of. Which I had never really done, but I'd let their teenage minds have fun.

"Simon, my boy, would like to say something." I heard Mr Brown say as I finally relocated him. He was always sneaking off and surprising me, I guess old habits don't always die. Simon was standing in the living room above everyone else, a small area cleared out from around him. My suspicion was beginning to rise.

"Lou, could you come join me please?" He asks me innocently as I look up surprised. I stand up cautiously as a small pathway is formed for me and I'm pushed forward by Tora. Trying to brush it off, I shuffle forward and hold my head high to look somewhat confident with what I'm doing. I finally join Simon and he takes both my hands in his.

"Simon...what's going on?" I ask cautiously, looking around at everyone's eyes on us. I sound unsure but to block the audience out, I look straight into Simon's eyes. He doesn't answer my question, instead he smiles at me. The smiles he use to give me when he was up to no good.

"You know, my first impression of you was that you were shy. Back when we were seven, I'd always try to make you talk and get the truth out of you. As childish as it sounds, it worked and I was able to become friends with you. I remember when your father came to take you back 10 years ago, you were so beautiful even at that age. And that night you admitted you loved me but I never got the chance to say it back."

"Lou, I love you too, way more than you think. So," Simon then does something I'd never thought he'd do; at least not now. He gets down on one knee and pulls out a blue velvet box, opening it to reveal a small ring.

"Luciana Grace, will you make me feel like the happiest man on Earth and marry me?"

Tears fall down my cheeks as I both sob and laugh with happiness. I've waited for him to say that for a long time, and now that he's finally said it I feel like an emotional happy mess. Before I can properly decipher any words, I nod, pulling him up and attacking his lips.

"Yes, I'd be honoured."

I never thought my story would have a happy ending but was never arguing. Sometimes I'd try to change the words, change the plot so I could feel happy but I now know something.

After all this time, my story always led back to one person and that was Simon. It would always lead back to love.