Shattered Glass (TURS)

Chapter One

Ethereal love

Valerie Van Allen

I had never believed in love until I met Elio. I had never been given an example of what love should be like before him, and I was forever in debt to him for showing me. He was like a raindrop that happened to land against your cheek. Out of everywhere possible the droplet ended up with you, at first you try to wipe it away from irritation, but once you take a step back and appreciate the beauty of the rain you embrace it, you dance in the element and let it wash away your worries.

Elio washed away mine. He cleansed every dip of emptiness in my soul and made my heart full, I loved him, and he loved me.

It seemed like every memory was flashing through my brain as I watched him get onto his knee, a wide yet terrified grin on his face as he popped the velvet box open, exposing the diamond ring to me and any close enough onlookers walking through the park.

"Valerie Kaia Van Allen, you made me a man. You made me the person i'd always aspired to be, you filled me to the brim with everything i'd never even realized i'd been missing...you completed me. Darling, I am forever yours because of that." He spoke with an almost shaky tone.

"I love you with everything I have, and I want to commit that to you fully. I never want to be apart from you, because without you i'm not even me. I want to start a family with you...I want to follow my crazy dreams with you by my side...I want to have you in my arms until I grow old and physically can't." He paused, swallowing down what could be presumed as nerves.

"Will you make me the luckiest man to ever live, baby? Will you marry me?"

I was choked up for a second, trying to process the situation before I moved forward embracing him at an awkward angle.

"God- yes...a million times, yes. I love you so much. I really love you." I babbled as his body shifted to accommodate the hug. I was quieter by his warm lips against mine. I giggled into the kiss, pulling back with a smile.

"You're my everything." He murmured, kissing my forehead instead.

"Stop being cheesy I never know what to say back." I retorted, my eyes feeling watery. My whole life was changing within minutes, my future was his and his mine.

"You love it."

"Mhm.." I hummed back unevenly, tears of overwhelming happiness slipping. His hands lifted to cup my cheeks, thumb pads delicately swiping the wetness away.

"I love you." I mumbled, my eyes meeting his own gentle gaze.

"I love you more." I scoffed at that, the sound quickly turning into a giddy laugh as our lips connected once more, disregarding any other human presence around us as we poured the emotions out into the kiss.

The ring was slid onto my finger once we broke apart, the diamond dazzling in the sun. I found myself unable to look away.

It wasn't a secret he was rich, I wasn't too bad off either...but something about the fact the ring he had bought was on my finger made my heart swell. I was his. He was mine. It had been two years since we'd confirmed our feelings and gotten together, and now we were growing our lives alongside each other.

"Did you ask my mom?" I found myself talking absentmindedly, still on the high of engagement.

"Obviously." He chuckled, packing the leftover food from our picnic into the bag as I watched.