Enchanted

☆ twelve ☆

december 31st, 2018

"I love how most people are out partying, we're sat home, eating ice cream and watching Harry Potter," Alina said, sitting on her sofa in grey joggers and an oversized jumper as she was eating vanilla ice cream and Charles eating chocolate while Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was on. 

"What more could you want?" he said as Goodwin was sat in his bed fast asleep. 

"Are we watching the fireworks though?" she asked as Charles nodded. He checked his watch.

"Come on," he said, "we have a few minutes left." 

Alina smiled as she put her ice cream on the coffee table and made her way to her balcony and stood watching the night sky with Charles next to her. 

"It's very cold," Alina said, crossing her arms to keep herself warm as she looked up. Charles was twiddling with his fingers, looking incredibly nervous, but Alina noticed. "Are you okay?"

"Lisie, I need to tell you something," he admitted. 

"What's up?"

"Um, I don't know how to say it," he said, "but in the words of Marc Darcy from Bridget Jones' Diary because I know how much you love that film," Alina smiled as she nodded, "I like you very much, just as you are."

"What?" she asked, looking up at Charles with a shocked look.

"Ever since I met you when Max and I started karting," Charles said, "there's been something about you," he said, "I never knew what it was, but it was there. When we got older, I knew I wanted to be around you all the time and I didn't like it when you were not there. You are everything I want Lina. You're everything I've always wanted. I want to wake up next to you every day, I want to be the reason you're laughing, I want to be the one to hold your hand in public and tell you how beautiful you look. I want to be the one you want." 

Just then, the fireworks behind them went off, signalling the new year. 

"I get it if you don't want me but. . . ." but he couldn't finish his sentence as Alina had grabbed his face and pulled him down to her height and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as her hands went into his dark hair. The fireworks were going off behind them, but they didn't care. 

Eventually, they both pulled away, pink in the face as they looked at each other. 

"Happy new year," Alina said as Charles smiled.

"Happy new year," he said back. "Does this mean you want me back?" he added.

"I've wanted you ever since you had just an inchident on the karting track," she said giggling. 

"Alina Cornelia Verstappen, will you be my girlfriend?" Alina couldn't help the wide grin on her face.

"I'd love nothing more," she said. Charles beamed as he wrapped his arms around Alina's shoulders and rested his head on hers as the new couple watched the fireworks.