The Bad Boy, the Baby, and Me

[25] When We Were Young

Everybody here is watching you

'Cause you feel like home

You're like a dream come true

But if by chance you're here alone

Can I have a moment?

Before I go?

'Cause I've been by myself all night long

Hoping you're someone I used to know

You look like a movie

You sound like a song

My God this reminds me, of when we were young

Adele ~ When We Were Young

I grin at Zach as he unlocks the door to our place. By all the cars in the driveway, I know the house is filled with people we love, ready to celebrate our engagement with us.

Zach gives me a playful nudge as we step inside together, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Ready for this?" he whispers.

I nod, feeling a surge of happiness. As we make our way through the hallway, familiar faces turn towards us, their smiles widening as they catch sight of the ring on my finger.

"Congratulations!" they call out, rushing forward to envelop us both in a tight hug. Others join in, showering us with well-wishes.

Josie envelops us in a warm, tight hug, her eyes sparkling with tears of joy. "I couldn't be happier for you two," she says, her voice trembling with emotion. "And that ring! It's absolutely stunning!"

Zach's dad, Joel, claps a hand on his shoulder, a proud grin spreading across his face. "You've made us so proud, son," he says, his voice filled with love and admiration. "And you picked a real winner," he adds with a wink, nodding towards me.

My own parents join in next, my mom holding me close while my dad shakes Zach's hand warmly. "You've found yourself a good man," my dad says, his eyes shining with happiness.

"My man," Shane comes forward and hugs Zach, slapping his back before he comes over to me, and pulls me into a hug. When he pulls back, I see Scott coming towards us, dressed in a nice shirt and black pants.

"Kay, Zach!" he calls before he throws his arms around my legs. I bend and lift him into my arms. "Grammy Jo said you awe going to marry each other."

That's right, buddy," Zach says, ruffling Scott's hair gently. "We're going to get married."

Scott's face lights up with a bright grin, and he looks between us. "That's awesome!" he exclaims, his voice filled with genuine excitement.

I put Scott down and he runs towards some other kids, excited to share the news among his friends. I watch our families and friends and while happiness is all around the place, I feel a small twinge of sadness when my mind wanders to Jenna and Patrick.

"They would be so happy," Zach's whisper breaks through my thoughts, his voice gentle and reassuring. He wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me close as we watch the scene before us. "I swear it, they're dancing right now."

I lean into Zach's embrace and together, we take a moment to silently honour Jenna and Patrick's memory amidst the celebration. And as the celebration continues, I hold onto Zach's words, finding peace in the belief that Jenna and Patrick are indeed dancing alongside us, celebrating our love and the promise of our future together.

"Oh my god," I hear and move out of Zach's embrace to see Jane. She walks over to me and hugs me tight. "Congratulations, you guys!"

We gush over my ring for a moment before Shane joins us again. 

"Jane," he says, with a twinkle in his eyes. 

I look at Zach, who shrugs his shoulders at his friend's behaviour. 

"Shane," Jane says. 

"Don't start arguing, I won't have it," Zach says in a stern tone, wrapping his arm around my waist again.

Jane laughs, her eyes twinkling. "No arguments tonight, promise."

Shane chuckles. "Agreed. Tonight's all about celebration."

Zach pulls me closer. The music changes to a slower, more intimate tune, and Zach whispers, "Shall we dance, my fiancée?"

I nod, my heart fluttering with happiness. As we move to the centre of the family room, the world around us fades away. It's just us, swaying gently to the music, our hearts beating in perfect harmony.

"Are you happy?" he asks softly.

My heart swells with emotion. "I've never been happier," I reply. "Yesterday, this night, our future... it all feels perfect."

He leans down and places a kiss on my lips. As our lips meet, the kiss feels like a promise of everything to come. The world around us blurs, and in this moment, nothing else matters. When we finally pull apart, Zach's eyes are filled with love.

"To us," he whispers, his voice filled with emotion.

"To us," I echo.

To the bad boy, the baby, and me, and to our future to come.

Thank you for reading! This is the last chapter, but I will publish a short epilogue! 💙

love always,

heaarts