Love- As Real As the Moon

Epilogue

One year later

Hayley

Ever since Nick has come into my life, he has made it worth living. Actually he has become my life. And I love my life.  After I moved in with him, 2 months back, I see him every time of the day - it's the best thing ever. My day starts with kissing his ruffled hair and ends with his arms wrapped around me. A week after I moved in with my rainbow of things, he said I made his house a home. On the day my stuff arrived, he set my boxes down and hugged me. I didn't tell him then but in that very moment, I was home. He is my home.

Unpacking and arranging the things was a lot of fun but the best part was shopping for him. I think I bought every piece of casual clothing available in the mall for him. He hesitated at first then wearing casual only on Sundays and look now, he looks more casual this evening in his light blue linen shirt and white shorts. This evening in Puerto Rico is straight out of a book. The sun is dipping down the horizon, leaving behind a beautiful painting of pastel and neon in the sky. The water in the beach we're walking on flirts with the blushing sky. I smile and look at Nick who's eyes are fixed on me.

"Nick, it's such an ethereal view. Look at it." I say.

"I am looking at it." He says without averting his gaze. I feel the heat crawling up my cheeks and ears. I lock my arm in his and continue walking. It gets darker as we walk on the beautiful beach. The pleasant breeze caresses our bodies while the sound of waves soothe our nerves. The sky is filled with stars and the full moon shines at its brightest. There's no one on the beach but a little far from us I see a bright...... date setup. My eyes widen as I excitedly run towards it. Oh. My. God. It's exquisite. Gorgeous. Divine. The area is decorated with lights, moon lamps, lanterns, flowers and candles. It's beautiful. My cheeks hurt because of how wide my smile is. I slowly turn towards him and......
HOLY.MOTHER.OF.GOD

Nick is seated in a chair with a guitar in his hands. Before I can say anything, he begins to play the guitar. My vision blurs as he starts playing 'Lover'. By the time he completes, my eyes are still filled with tears and I can feel myself smiling till my ears. He slowly places the guitar down, stands up and starts walking towards me. I try to talk- to tell him how I feel but the my brain seems to stop working.

"N-Nick. That w-was...... I'm out of words. It was beautiful, Nick. Lovely. Gorgeous. Heavenly. Divine. I can't expl-"

He cups my face in his hands. "Shhh, Moon. You need to save words for what I'm about to ask you."
He says nervously.
No. No. NO WAY. Is he going to- oh my god!

"Wh-what?" My voice trembles.
He closes his eyes for a moment and slides his hand into his pocket. My heart beats faster and faster as he slowly starts to go down on his knee. I'm going to faint. No, I'm going to die. My heart is going to sto-

"Moon, I - I don't know how to do this but I'm going to try. I'm just going to be truthful okay?" He says softly.

I gather the courage to breathe and nod. He continues,
"Hayley, I didn't believe in love. I thought love was an illusion which made people do stupid and messed up things. I thought love was one's greatest weakness. Until you. You came into my life like moonlight on the darkest night. My courage was broken, I was broken, till you put all my pieces back together. You made me whole. You made me me."

He takes a pause and continues, "You're the reason why I am what I am today. You've showed me that love is not a weakness but the greatest strength. Before you, I was living. After you, I became alive. I live and will continue to live to become the man that deserves you. I want your face to be the first thing I see in the morning and your warmth to be the first thing I feel. I want to spend my whole life with you. Because, now that you're in it, I can't imagine it without you. I want to grow old with you, die with your hands in mine. I want to love you till my last breath, if you'll let me." I can't see him clearly because of the tears streaming down my cheeks, but I can swear his eyes are red like he may cry.

He takes out a ring box from his pocket and opens it. "Hayley Aria Campbell, will you let me love you forever? Will you marry me?"

I hold his hands and fall on my knees nodding.
"Yes! Yes! YES! Of course I'll marry you, Nick. I'm yours- my body, my heart, my mind,my soul- everything is yours. You mean everything to me. I've never been so sure of anything in my life except that I love you and I want to be with you always and forever." I cry happily. He puts a ring on my finger and takes my lips in his.

"I love you, Moon. I love you forever." He says against my lips. I smile and whisper,

"I love you too, Nicholas Parker. I will live loving you. I will die loving you. And I'll love you in whatever comes after."

THE END