Kiara and Rafe's Guide to Dating

i. Kiara

She's too busy tapping away on her phone upgrading her basic economy plane seat to first-class when it happens.

The sun is setting over the horizon sending a burst of orange into the North Carolina sky, the playful screams from kids racing time in order to squeeze in a few more waves have become white noise for Kiara. So, when she hears a scream that would send a banshee running, she startles from her daze and sits up straight to look for Sarah across the beach.

She doesn't find her immediately because Kiara is racking her brain looking for two silhouettes that match Sarah and John B walking across the beach. John B had been adamant about going on a walk so they must be coming back now... unless she got hurt? But she can't see the boy towering over Sarah anywhere, the light from the sun penetrates through her sunglasses making her squint to see anything.

There are some kids in the water, parents waving them over, an elder couple taking photos of the sunset but no two mid-twenty dumbasses screaming for help.

And then she sees it.

Her iPhone fumbles in her hands once again as she tries to get her camera open to take pictures of John B knelt before Sarah Cameron with a diamond ring in his hand that—even at 250 meters away—easily catches the glint from the sun.

John B says something, and Sarah lets out a scream again, this time Kiara moves closer to the couple to get photos.

"So, what do you say darling?" John B looks up with so much adoration it makes Kiara's teeth ache, "Sarah Cameron, will you marry me?"

Sarah bites down on her lip with a beaming smile and nods, "Oh my god, obviously yes! Yes, yes, forever yes, John B!"

"You fucking shit," Kiara continues taking the photos and the pair finally turns to her, John B coming up from the ground and pulling Sarah into a kiss. "Congratulations. But what the fuck, why didn't you hire a professional photographer John B? Or at least tell me this was happening."

"I thought it was obvious when I said Sarah and I were going on a walk," John B pulls Kiara into a hug and she fiercely squeezes him back.

"Nothing about that was obvious, you always go on walks together," Kiara plants a firm kiss on his cheek before pulling Sarah into a hug as well and smothering her with kisses.

"But this time I didn't ask you to join us," John B says like that should've been all the clue she needed.

"God forbid you two have some time alone after entertaining me for almost a week," Kiara rolls her eyes at John B's unparalleled kindness, he looks actually scandalized that he didn't ask Kiara to join them on the walk.

"I've been trying to find the perfect moment for years now," Sarah's eyes brighten at his words and he places a kiss on the top of her head, "I guess there's no such thing as a perfect moment because they all are."

"You're perfect." Sarah moves closer to him and John B wraps his arms around her.

Kiara rolls her eyes at their sweetness, "God, not already."

Sarah and John B just laugh at her, caught up in their pre-marital bliss. Sarah pulls herself out of John B's nuzzle and holds Kiara's hand. She raises her eyebrows and looks at Kiara seriously, "Kiara, will you be my maid of honor?"

"No, you can't take her! She was going to be my best man!" John B protests at Sarah's sly move.

Sarah just sticks out her tongue, "You snooze you lose, plus you can ask the boys. So, what do you say Kie?"

Kiara fakes a gasp. "Oh my god," she fans herself and touches her forehead before looking around the beach, "I wasn't expecting this... obviously yes! Yes, forever yes, Sarah Cameron!"