And in the End I'd do it all Again: Book four

Catching up and Jay Proposes (mal's Pov)

Mal pulls aside and we sit at a table outside as the others sit inside watching something on tv or in evie's case, working on dresses. "So, tell me what you wanted to talk about then." I start and she fidgets with her hands. "Jay's been acting distant with me recently. Like we were supposed to go on a date last weekend but he cancelled on me and told me it was because he had tourney practice. His schedule doesn't have tourney on saturdays or sundays. And he hasn't wanted to go out with me since then. I think he might break up with me." She says and frustratedly wipes a few tears from her eyes. "I'm gonna skin him or turn him into a ferret." I growl angrily. 

I stand up and start walking towards the castle to talk to jay. Not noticing anything but the door to evie's castle in front of me. Mal stops me halfway. "Mel wait." She grabs ahold of my wrist and says, "Look!" pointing up at a plant pot, a pair of gardening shears and a rolled up hose. "Woah, I've never done that when I was mad before." I muse with a confused look on my face. "Anyway, that aside for now... Continue." I add and she drags me back to the table. "Every time I've wanted to talk to him he's avoided me or changed the subject. And I've tried to talk to evie about it but she's busy." She says and I scoot closer to hug her. "If he does? Break up with you I mean." I ask and she sniffles. "I don't know, mel I love him. I love him so much it hurts to think about being without him at this point. Guess he doesn't feel the same." She says and starts fully crying. I hug her tighter and she wraps her arms around me. "I'm so sorry mal." I whisper and run my fingers through her hair. "Don't be mels, you did nothing." We sit at the table until mal stops crying and any evidence that she had been is gone. Then we go inside, mal with her arms around me as if we were kids again and she had just had a nightmare.

When we get inside everyone looks at us and evie notices our demeanor's. 'What's wrong?' she mouths. I shake my head and lead mal to the couch where harry is sitting. He stands and offers me his seat I set mal down but stay standing. "What's got you looking so protective princess?" He asks me concerned. "Nothing harry, where's gil?" I ask and he points to out back. "There's a few berry bushes out back that he's taken a liking to." He answers with a fond smile. He then goes to hang out with gil leaving evie, giselle, mal and I together in silence. "What's the matter mi-mi?" Evie asks and mal turns to her. "I'll let you explain okay mal." I say and then turn to evie. "Where are carlos and jay?" "They're probably out back too, there's a lot of space and they like to practice out there." Giselle answers. I nod and start to walk out the back door. "Don't kill him." mal says. "I'll try not to." I reply back. I find carlos and jay outside play fencing with sticks. "Hey carlos, do me a favor and go hang out with gil and harry." I say and he looks at me confused. "Umm, we were practicing." He starts. "I know and you can get back to that after. I need to talk to jay." I tell him and he nods at the tone of my voice. "Good luck bud." He tells jay with a pat on the shoulder before taking off into the woods.

"So, how've you and mal been?" I ask looking at my nails. "Well, we're... We're doing good." He answers nervously. "Then why did you call off your date last weekend? And why exactly are you avoiding her? There better be a damn good reason." He sighs before speaking. "Okay, I've just been nervous. I'm planning on asking her to marry me." He pulls a beautiful ring out of his pocket. "During off seasons of both tourney and fencing I've been working and saving up money to buy this. Last weekend I went to buy this and I've been avoiding her because I wanted to surprise her. If I would've been around her I would've caved and told her." He explains and I slap him upside the back of the head. "You idiot. You've got her crying her heart out thinking you're gonna break up with her because you've been avoiding her!" He looks at me in surprise. "I never meant to make her feel like that. I've gotta talk to her." He says and I give him a look before replying, "Ya think." He puts the ring in his pocket.

Harry, gil and carlos come walking up in concern. "Carlos said you were gonna kill jay. What's happening princess?" Harry asks. Jay spins around and goes walking into the castle, I follow closely after ignoring harry's question. Harry, gill and carlos follow me curiously. Jay pulls mal up from the couch and kisses her deeply. Harry wolf whistles and carlos whoops. Jay pulls away and holds her tightly. "Mal, I love you so so much. And I'm sorry I made you think that I was going to break up with you-" He reaches into his pocket and pulls the ring out, getting on his knee. "-I would never break up with you because I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" He asks and mal gasps, covering her mouth in shock. "Yes." She says with a huge smile on her face. Jay slips the ring on her finger and stands up. He then picks her up and spins her around kissing her all over her face. He sets her down and says,"I was avoiding you because I didn't want to spoil the surprise. I knew if I would've talked to you I would've told you my plan before I even got the ring." She slaps him on the arm. "You worried me!" She shouts and he winces. "Let me make it up to you." He says suggestively. 

"The room all the way at the end is yours mal, and no one is next to you. Everyone else is on the side of my fashion studio and I'm up at the top of the tower." Evie says and jay wiggles his eyebrows. Mal giggles and lets him lead her to her room. "So that's what all that was." Harry says with a slight shudder. "I'm gonna go back out back, those berry bushes have some good berries." Gil speaks up and turns to go back out. "I'll go with you, I want to ask you a few questions." Giselle says and follows him out. "I'll go too, I've been trying to climb trees." Carlos adds and follows close behind them "Well I'll be working on some designs for my fashion brand. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Evie says and leave me and harry.

"So princess..." He teases and I roll my eyes. "How are things?" I ask him and he smiles. "Well, gil and I decided to break up for a little while. He's actually gonna ask out lonnie." "What happened?" I ask and he shakes his head. "Well we had a little argument a few months before you came home, and gil said he wanted to take a break and that we should go back to being friends. I said alright and we've been broken up since. Honestly I'm surprised we lasted as long as we did, we don't have a lot in common." He explains with a sigh. "How do you feel about it?" "I feel relieved, but also sad. I'm not meant for committed relationships, and gil and I weren't all that committed. But I was comfortable with what gil and I had so it kinda hurts to know that he wants to ask lonnie out now that we're not together." I pat him on the back. "I believe in soulmates. How could I not when you and ben are my friends. So if we're meant to be together we'll end up together. If not then we'll find whoever we're meant to be with. So I'll wait it out, that's all I really can do right now." He finishes, putting his head in his hands. "Damn that's awful. But insightful" I comment dryly and he snorts.

"Anyways how's the pirate in training doing?" He asks. "My baby girl is doing just fine, she's gonna be a handful though I can tell." "Good, just more energy to become a pirate in training." He jokes and I laugh. "So, what happened when you were away?" "Not much, I was put on home studies with felix's sister and got locked in the highest tower in the castle until the wedding day. That's pretty much it." "Kinda boring." He muses and I nod. "Hey mi-mi, can I borrow you for a second, I've got a few baby clothes designs for you to see." Evie says, coming over and taking my hand. "Well, are you gonna follow us captain softie?" I ask and he smirks and nods. "Might as well huh?"