All The Crossed Wires

Where You Are

And that I wanna be where you are

I feel the same as I did from the start

Whoa, I wanna be where you are

And I’m willing to get there

There won’t be any hearts breaking again

This is the part where I stay where I stand

Chapter 32 – where you are

Luke was nervous and shaky as he stood outside Gray’s apartment. This had happened before and last time didn’t work out so well. He was going bigger this time though and he didn’t have a certain Italian to worry about getting in the way.

In one of his hands was a bunch of flowers, they were sunflowers, Gray’s favourite and in the other hand was the chocolates he promised her. What was in his hands weren’t all that interesting, it was what was in his pocket that he was worried about.

In his jean pocket was a small velvet square box and inside it was a ring. The ring wasn’t all that special, a simple silver band with a small diamond, it was all he could afford and he had spent hours trying to pick the perfect one.

No one knew what he was about to do, not even Ashton. He knew that everyone would try and talk him out of it. Taking one more deep breath he knocked on the door and waited.

It was now or never.

He could hear the sound of her unlocking the door.

When Gray saw Luke standing behind her door with flowers and chocolate she had to stop the enormous smile that was creeping on to her face. Despite her efforts her whole face lit up. She crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame.

“Luke,” she acknowledged him with a small grin.

“Gray,” Luke replied feeling all his worried slip away.

This was right and what he wanted, there was no reason to be nervous.

“You don’t happen to have gotten a new European boyfriend?” Luke joked.

“No new boyfriends,” Gray rolled her eyes.

“I brought you these,” Luke extended his arms and held out her presents.

“They’re beautiful,” Gray took the flowers and stroked one of the petals. “Do you want to come in?” she asked.

Luke nodded and followed Gray to her kitchen where she found an old vase and put the flowers in them. Luke put the box of chocolates on her table.

Now or never, he repeated in his head.

Gray’s back was still turned; he quietly pulled the box out of his jeans and did what he saw in the movies.

He knelt down onto one of his knees, his palms were sweaty as he held the box tightly and his heart was beating out of his chest.

“I didn’t even know I owned a vase,” Gray giggled as she turned around.

She gasped when she saw Luke, fear shot into her eyes.

“Ellery Gray Robins, I am so in love with you it hurts. I have loved you ever since Rose dragged you over to our lunch table on your first day and I couldn’t stop looking at you and you probably thought I was the biggest creep but you were the prettiest girl I had ever seen. I knew then that I wanted you then and I know that I want you now. I love you just as much as I did when we were at the beach and you beat me to saying I love you first and I was so shocked that I couldn’t reply and you thought I didn’t but I did, I was hopelessly in love with you.

 I know that you said we are too young and we are but you are all I want. I want this Gray, I want you and us and everything in-between! You’re going to say this is too soon and that we should take things slow but I want to jump right in. What is the point in taking things slow? This time I know what I want and I just… I just want everything with you Gray. I want to marry you, I want to take the long way home with you,  it’s now or never Ellery. Will you marry me?”

Gray was speechless.

She just stared at the ring in Luke’s hand that rested on the one knee that was up.

“Gray?” Luke asked again.

Gray couldn’t move or speak.

Luke stood up; he got closer to her and cupped her cheek in his hands.

“Gray say something,” he pleaded softly.

“I-,” Gray couldn’t get anything out.

“Please,” Luke looked her in the eye, her eyes softened and she melted into him.

“Okay,” she whispered barely audible.

“Okay?” Luke asked shocked.

“Yes,” she said.

Relief flooded his face as he wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her up to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around his neck; the kiss was soft and loving.

“I love you,” Luke said against her lips.

“I love you too.”

“The ring!” Luke said in realisation.

He opened the box; Gray softly slid her hand in his as he put it onto her ring finger. She held out her hand and examined it.

“Do you like it?” Luke asked shyly.

“I love it.”