Diana

"And you left me! Standing on the corner crying! Feelin like a fool, for trying!" I stuff my mouth with ruffles and stand on the counter. "I don't even remember why I wasted all these years on you!" I shout and wipe the tear off my chip.

I've been up for twenty-eight hours. Some may call it weird or abnormal. But I call it healing.

I had told myself just one night to let out my emotions, but it felt so good I just couldn't stop. Now here I was at Five-forty-seven in the morning listening to Cassadee Pope as I cried my eyes out.

Lily had picked Fiona up from school yesterday and said she was spending the night and I didn't have work today, so I wasn't stopping this pity party anytime soon.

There is a knock on the door as a Kelly Clarkson's song comes on. I groan and turn it down. Wiping my mouth and eyes quickly before I open it.

You've got to be kidding me.

I roll my eyes at who is there, "Look if you are here to break my heart ag-'"

"Just come with me." Dante says

"Oh, so we're back where we started. Except you're doing the actual kidnapping this time instead of having someone else do it. Real nice Dante."

"You're right. Let me try again." He steps closer, "Diana, I would like you to get in the car, as it is very important. But only if you want to. It's very important though."

Curiosity strikes and despite the urge to knee him in the balls and tell him to fuck off, I agree. I change my clothes and meet him in his car.

Geez, does he always have to look so good?

Standing in front of the passenger wearing a blue suit, he looked absolutely delicious.

"It's five in the morning. What's with the suit?"

He smiles and I look away. I am trying to get over him and that smile was not going to help. "Wanted to dress nice for the occasion. You look beautiful by the way." He leans in to kiss my cheek, but I move away and get inside.

"That's fair." He mumbles and walks to the driver's seat.

He starts driving and after about ten minutes he says, "So how've you been?"

"Well let's see, besides drowning myself in carmel popcorn, debating whether I want to chop your head off or write poems about you, and binge watching 'Law and Order', things have been wonderful. Just peachy.'

"I'm real sorry about that but I promise I'll make up for it, Diana."

"What are you talking about? Where are we going anyway?"

He was driving faster than normal and that stupid smile wouldn't leave for anything.

"Did I mention you look absolutely gorgeous in those jeans?"

"My boyfriend will think the same."

The smile immediately disappears, and he turns to me. "You've got a boyfriend already?"

"Yep."

His eyes droop, "Oh."

I roll my eyes, "I'm kidding, Dante."

He breathes a sigh of relief and the smile returns, "Fuck, don't scare me like that again, Diana. It's good you're joking, though. That's good. Thought you were gonna murder me before we arrived."

He stops the car and I look at the window, only to see we are at Dante's house. Getting out of the car, I make sure and see it is. I roll my eyes again,

"Look Dante I'm n-"

He comes behind me and puts a blindfold over my eyes. "Don't say anything, I just need you to trust me on this, alright?"

"Wh-"

"Please, Diana."

I sigh, "Fine."

"Thank you!" I hear him shout before someone takes my hand.

"Who is this?" I ask, recognizing the cherry scent.

They don't answer as they walk and make me follow behind. The person stops and I ask again.

"Seriously, who is this?"

I start to hear a noise after the person doesn't answer. I listen closer and notice it is the sound of someone gritting their teeth.

This better not be her.

The sound grows louder and I raise an eyebrow at who I think it is, "Lily?"

"Huh? Lily? Who is that?" She clears her throat, "I'm... Leonardo." She says, lowering her voice.

"Leonardo, huh? Yeah right. Lily, I know it's you. You grit your teeth every time you're holding back a squeal. The jig is up."

I hear her footsteps come closer. "Aw crap, you caught me!"

"Lily, don't lift that fucking blind fold!" Dante shouts from somewhere just as Lily touches the blindfold.

Shortly after, Dante appears and tells Lily she is done. I feel his hands on my shoulders. He scoots me over to the side and says I can take lift the blindfold before dashing back off.

What the hell?

I take the blindfold off and rub my eyes, trying to regain my vision. Once I do, I look around at my surroundings. I notice I am standing in Dante's backyard. I had never been out here to realize just how beautiful it was. Flowers were sprung up stunningly, tables of my favorite desserts and dishes were set up. A sign hung up over the door reading, 'Por mi amor Diana'. Everything was gorgeous.

I turn to my side and jump slightly, startled at seeing Fiona standing next to me with a big smile.

"Hi Mama!" she greets

"Fiona? What are you doing here?"

"You got a good one, mama. He's real scary sometimes with the tattoos and stuff but I like em. I like em a lot. He's real nice to me and he knows how to make my pancakes better than anyone on the planet."

"What?" I ask, becoming more confused.

"Anyway, here's ya rose." Fiona hands a rose to me and leans forward whispering, "If you don't say yes, don't expect to me to hear a peep outta me." She threatens, holding a fist up before walking away.

Dante appears yet again and I throw my hands up, beyond confused. "Would someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

He chuckles as he stands in front of me. I gasp when more flowers spring up and a soft jazz song starts to play.

It's like I'm in a seventies romance comedy and I'm not complaining about it.

"I know I hurt you Diana. I've hurt a hell of a lot of people in my life and until now I've never cared. But you make me want to change. You make me want to be a better man. "

He gets closer. "What your parents did to you, absolute fucking garbage. What those dudes did to you and every other guy that has fucked you over, absolute trash. You're worth more than that, Diana and I want to show it to you. I'm done with all of that shit. After the wedding, my pops took the blame for everything and I'm working everything else out. It's gonna take some time to adjust to, but it's worth it."

"Dante, what are you saying?"

"I L word you." He says, smiling proudly.

"What?"

"He L-" Lily tries to shout from the table her and Fiona are standing at but Dante cuts her off.

"Shut it, lady!" He shouts.

Dante turns back to me with a smile and I gasp again when he gets on his knees, "I love you, Diana. Like really fucking love you. Like butterflies, crying and jealousy type shit. I want to go see a cringy romance movie with you. I want to have those corny date nights with you. I want to write a small little heart on your hand when you're doing something important. I want to bake chocolate chip cookies while you walk around in my shirt at two in the morning. I want you to annoy me with your corny dad jokes. I want you to sing horribly in the shower while I'm getting ready. I want to make love to you. I want to argue with you. I want to laugh with you. I want to smile with you and damn it, I want you to be the last person I go to sleep to."

He holds my hand as I shed a tear. The sunset rises as he continues.

"I want to do all of that and more. Whatever it is, I don't care. As long as it's with you, baby," Dante takes a small box out, "So I'm asking you, on this day, right here, right now. No jokes, no games... will you marry me, Diana Ambrose?"

I shed more tears of joy. He scratches the back of his neck and laughs as I do so, "Come on sweetheart, getting kind of anxious here."

I pull him off his knee and smile widely, "Yes, yes, of course!" I jump in his arms and wrap my legs around him after he slips the ring on. I notice a new koala tattoo on his left arm and cry harder on his shoulder as he hugs me back tightly.

After I calm down, we sit on one of the chairs around a table. I sit in his lap as Fiona and Lily sit on the other chairs. We all stare at the sunset in comfortable silence.

I turn to Dante after a while, "Promise you won't leave?"

"I promise."

"Okay then, I'm going to warn you. You're in for a wild ride with me, mister."

He kisses my forehead and chuckles softly, "Well, I'm not going anywhere. We ride or die, baby. "

•••

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