The Dangers Of The Damaged ✔︎

E P I L O G U E

"We've come so far my dear,
Look how we've grown,
I wanna stay with you until we're grey & old."
Say You Won't Let Go — James Arthur

F I V E   Y E A R S
L A T E R

"Two hot chocolates. With marshmallows please." I smile at the cashier, a pretty dark-skinned woman with luscious hair. The smell of freshly baked scones and muffins fill my nostrils, and I peer down at the showcase filled with baked goodies.

"And a chocolate chip scone, please." I add, giving in to my craving.

"Coming right up, lovely." She flashes a brilliant smile my way, and I nod, telling her my name before walking across the cafe to the booth and plopping down next to Hunter. He winds an arm around my shoulders and pulls me to him, nuzzling his nose into my hair.

"Five years of being together and you still haven't stopped sniffing me like a dog." I laugh, poking my cheek. Hunter grins down at me, eyes dancing over every inch of my face.

I stare right back in, losing my train of thought as I admire his gorgeous face. Hunter hasn't changed much in the past few years, the same heart clenching, panty dropping smile along with those intense grey eyes.

The differences are small, like the slight stubble coating his sharp cheekbones, and being more buff and muscular thanks to his soccer career playing for New York Red Bulls in the MLS league. He got recruited right after our senior year of university, and since the team is based in New York, we haven't spent a moment apart.

"It's like you don't even age." He comments as if he read my mind, brushing a strand of hair off my neck. "You still look the same way you did when I met you."

"Considering I was just twenty one when we first met, and now I'm twenty six, there have to be some changes." I chuckle, drumming my fingers on the table in front of me, and stopping when the faint clink sound of the ring coming in contact with the table reaches my ears.

"Oops," I say, withdrawing my hand and admiring the beautiful single sapphire gem sitting on the silver band of the ring. "Don't wanna damage that."

Hunter chuckles, slipping his fingers through mine and lifting my hand up to look at the wedding ring. "I'll never forget your reaction when I asked you to marry me last year."

"I mean," I narrow my eyes playfully at him. "When you pull romantic crap like that, of course, I'm going to start bawling."

No exaggerations there. When Hunter and I went on a trip to Greece last year with Alec and Dad, I wasn't expecting a proposal in the slightest. Not even when he stole me away from my family on our second day there, took me by a beautiful beach at night - which also happened to be one of the bioluminescent oceans when the water glows bright blue because of a certain kind of plankton - went on his knees and asked me to marry him right there, with the ocean water glowing all around us. Safe to say I burst into tears and said yes like a million times.

"What can I say? I'm a romantic guy." He teases, kissing my head.

I roll my eyes playfully. "Sure. Says the guy who barely said hi to me the first day we met."

Hunter mocks a gasp, and is about to respond when my name is called to get our drinks. The two of us get to our feet, before grabbing our drinks and stepping out into the bustling streets of New York.

It's been almost six years since I moved here, and I still haven't gotten over how full of life this city is. I made the right decision to stay here after I graduated.