clementine // joshler

epilogue

tyler's point of view

the lights go down music begins to play as the band walks onto the stage. the crowd cheers wildly and it's a very full circle moment, being at a concert with josh, hayley, and taylor.

he was ecstatic to open the gift on his birthday, and i'm glad i could make it happen for him. it took more coordinating than i'd imagined, but hayley took care of most of the details for obvious reasons.

we all dance around together, laughing and singing along. and about halfway through the concert, the opening notes of a song i've since learned is taylor's favorite by the band filter through the speakers.

hayley leans over to us both and says, just loud enough for us to hear, "sorry to steal your thunder, joshua, but your real birthday was several days ago," she winks and then turns back to taylor, pulling a small box out of her pocket.

i stand still next to josh, holding my breath as i watch her get down on one knee. it takes taylor a moment to notice what's happening and her mouth drops open, her face lit up in shock and the colorful lights coming from the stage. i can't hear anything either of them are saying, but it's gotten the attention of a few people around us too. everyone claps when she nods and i can't help but tear up as i see hayley slide the ring onto her finger.

they hug and taylor steps past hayley to hug me and josh, yelling 'thank you' to everyone around congratulating her.

josh brings an arm around my shoulder and we watch them slow-dance, all teary smiles and eyes so full of love and focused on each other that they've probably forgotten where they are.

"that's gonna be us one day," josh muses, turning to wrap his arms around my waist instead, "i won't choose a concert though. i'll have to one-up hayley, of course."

i laugh but can't deny the way my heart beats harder in my chest at his words.

"yeah? who says i'm not gonna be the one proposing to you first?" i ask, but i can't even take myself seriously as i finish the question.

"oh, come on. i'll propose with some sappy speech, i'll probably tear up, and then you'll say yes," he tells me, like he's envisioned all of it before.

"what makes you so sure i'll say yes?" i try to ask, but i laugh through it again, "i'm kidding. you know i will. are you sure you can put up with me for that long though? that's the real question."

then he gives me this look, like everything has fallen perfectly into place, like i'm the last piece to complete some puzzle he's been working on for years, or the key to some door he's been waiting to open.

and suddenly, the bass rumbling in the concrete and the chaos of the crowd don't matter anymore. i'm held perfectly still in this moment, in this little pocket of another memory in the making.

"it'd be an honor."