ʀᴇᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ

21

We lay on the bed, tangled in the sheets and each other, the glow of our recent intimacy still warming the room. I couldn't sleep, and judging by the way Michael kept shifting beside me, neither could he.

"Can't sleep?" I whispered, turning my head to face him.

Michael smiled, his eyes twinkling in the dim light. "Not really. Too much on my mind, I guess."

"Like what?" I asked, curiosity piqued.

"Oh, you know," he said, pretending to ponder, "important stuff. Like how incredible you look right now."

I laughed softly, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. "You always know what to say."

"It's a talent," he teased, then grew serious. "But really, I've been thinking about us. About tonight. About how much I want this to be more than just a moment."

I felt a flutter in my chest. "I've been thinking about that too."

We lay in comfortable silence for a moment, just enjoying each other's presence. Then, out of nowhere, Michael grabbed a pillow and lightly bopped me on the head.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, surprised.

"Gotcha!" he said, grinning mischievously.

"Oh, it's on!" I declared, grabbing my own pillow and swinging it at him.

Laughter filled the room as we engaged in a playful pillow fight, feathers flying everywhere. We rolled around, trying to dodge each other's attacks, but mostly just ending up in a heap of giggles and tangled limbs. At one point, Michael tried to sneak attack me but ended up tripping over the edge of the bed, landing in a heap on the floor.

I peeked over the side, barely able to contain my laughter. "You okay down there?"

He groaned dramatically. "I've been defeated by my own clumsiness."

I held out a hand to help him up, but instead, he pulled me down with him, and we both ended up laughing on the floor, surrounded by pillows and feathers.

Suddenly, Michael's laughter faded, and he looked at me with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. He got to his knees, reaching into his pocket. My breath caught as he pulled out a small box and opened it to reveal a delicate ring with an infinity symbol engraved on it.

"Emily," he began, his voice steady but filled with emotion, "I know this might seem sudden, but I've never been surer of anything in my life. This is a promise ring. A promise that I will always be there for you, that I'll cherish you and our moments together. Will you be my girlfriend?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at the ring, then back at Michael. "Yes, Michael," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I will."

He slipped the ring onto my finger, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. We sat there for a moment, just staring at each other, both overwhelmed by the significance of what had just happened.

"I can't believe this," I said, breaking the silence. "It feels like a dream."

Michael smiled, pulling me close. "It's real, Emily. And it's just the beginning."

We climbed back onto the bed, lying close together, our fingers entwined. "I've wanted this for so long," Michael confessed. "I've wanted you for so long."

"I feel the same," I admitted. "Being with you tonight, it felt right. Like it was always meant to be."

He kissed my forehead. "I promise I'll always do my best to make you happy."

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me. "And I promise to do the same."

We talked for a while, sharing our hopes and dreams, our fears and insecurities. It was comforting to know that we were starting this journey together, that we had each other to lean on.

As the nighwe finally started to feel the pull of sleep. But before we drifted off, I whispered, "Michael, thank you for tonight. For everything."

He squeezed my hand gently. "Thank you, Emily. For being you. For giving us a chance."

With that, we fell into a peaceful sleep, knowing that we had taken the first step toward a beautiful future together.
I knew that this was just the beginning of our incredible story.