epilogue one

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"I'm nervous" Charles said, trying to smooth out his white button down.

"I know you are. But you don't have to be" Kika simply said, patting his shoulder. "Also, don't screw up. You hurt my best friend I kill you"

"Thanks, that really makes me feel better" he scoffed. He took a deep breath.

"It will go well Charles, stop stressing out"

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one who's about to get on one knee" he sighed.

"She'll say yes"

"Well I hope so" he said nervously.

"Breathe Charles, seriously"

"Seriously, I'm about to die" he said, jumping to reduce the anxiety.

"Stop jumping you'll sweat and stink" Kika said, slapping him on the back.

"Ouch" he whined. "Don't hit me"

"Don't be a crybaby, smile and breathe" she said. "Lando said they're almost here"

"I'm gonna die"

"Stop being dramatic" she scoffed. "Now move I gotta bring her here" she said, pushing him towards the terrace.

She walked to the stairs, waiting for Lando and Alya to get there. When they did, she tightly hugged her best friend.

"Woah hi" Alya giggled. "Why are we here?" she asked.

"There's something I wanna show you" Kika said. "It's the perfect set for photos, we gotta take loads" she smiled.

"Nice!" she laughed. "Since when do you care about us taking pictures Lan?" she then asked.

"Since you're gonna want pictures together and you'll need someone to take them for you"

"Don't they call Pierre tripod? We could've used him honestly" she shrugged.

"I feel so appreciated right now" he said. Alya laughed.

"I'm sorry, thank you"

"Yeah, you're welcome. Let's go it's the golden hour and you love it" he said, gently pushing her towards the terrace.

As soon as she walked to the edge and spotted Charles she looked at her friends confused, before running up to him giggling.

"What are you doing here?" she asked smiling. "Do you want pictures for Instagram as well? Can I take them for you? I would love to" she laughed. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, as he turned to her with a nervous look on his face. A smile grew on his lips at the sight of the golden light enlightening his girlfriend's face.

"I'm amazing" he said. "Do you wanna take some pictures?" he asked, trying to delay the fateful moment. 

"Sure!" she said. It was weird that he wanted to take pictures, but she didn't read too much into it. "Wait I wanna do one facing the view first" she said, turning around and holding his hand, drawing him closer to her side. She rested her head on his shoulder, hearing the clicks of the camera. 

If she hadn't been facing the other direction she would've seen a bunch of their friends sneaking behind them - Max, Danny, Alex and Carlos - and she would've noticed that Charles was nervously digging in his pocket to take out a little red velvet box.

Instead, when she turned aroud, she was shocked to see her boyfriend getting on one knee in front of her, opening the little box to reveal a simple, fine ring with a small diamond on top. 

If her eyes were already getting watery like that, when he stared talking she completely broke into tears. 

"Alya Ricciardi" he started. A sob immediately left her lips, making evedryone giggle. "Don't start crying right now or you'll get dehydrated before I finish, and I would much like for you to be alive" Charles giggled, taking her hand. She let out a laugh.

"Sorry can't help it" she said. 

"So Alya" he said again, smiling at how she was trying to hold back another sob. He held her hand tightly. "You fell into my life - literally might I say - at a time when I was having a hard time with everything. Although we've started with the wrong foot - by the way I'm sorry for the bad things I've said in the past - we grew closer and closer everday, through hate at first and through love after. Now I am here, thanking you for choosing to stay by my side regardless of my cocky attitudes and stupid behaviors, asking you to make me the happiest man on earth. Right now it's just you and me, a boy kneeling in front of a girl, asking her to love him."

She let out a half sob half laugh that made everyone giggle once again. "Darling I'm loving the speech but please ask the question before I break down" she said.

"Lya, will you marry me?" he finally asked. She started nodding frenetically, kneeling down in front of him to hug him.

"Yes. A million times yes" she said, finally letting her tears flow. 

He sighed in relief, clumsily trying to put the ring on her finger. Everyone started cheering, turning off their phones as they stopped recording and started celebrating with them.

"When did you get here?" she asked, laughing through the tears.

"When he was awkwardly trying to get the ring out of the pocket" Max called him out.

"I panicked I thought it was stuck or not there" he laughed.

"Imagine it wasn't there" Alya laughed.

"No thank you, imagining the worst case scenarios once was enough for me" he said.

"You're engaged!" Kika screamed excited, running in front of the others to hug her.

"I'm engaged!" she screamed back, laughing.

"Are you happy?!" she asked.

"Hell yes I am!" she replied.

"Thank God" she heard her fiancé sigh, a hand on his heart.

She let out another laugh, watching as her friends congratulated them, feeling as light as a cloud.

She had just found someone who wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, despite her flaws, and traumas, and insecurities.

She had just found what she thought would be impossible to find.

He was a keeper.

He was her person.

He was the one she wanted to be with forever.

And now, there they were. Promising each other a lifelong love.

Was it scary? Yes.

Was she happy to go through something so scary with him? Definitely yes.

She would've done anything with him.

And now, she could actually do so.

then you flashed your green eyes at me || Charles LeclercWhere stories live. Discover now