SEEKING 7 | boys of tommen

a s k

"No! The bowl goes over there!" I barked, pointing towards the small table we'd dragged up into the treehouse. "Johnathan Robert Kavanagh Jr., if you don't start paying attention, I swear to God I'm pushing you out of this treehouse myself."

Johnny rolled his eyes, clearly over my attitude but still too scared to argue back. He placed the bowl down on the wrong side of the table again. "Jesus Christ, can't wait for your wedding day, bridezilla," he muttered under his breath.

I didn't hesitate to pick up the nearest thing I could find—the remote—and hurl it straight at his head. It connected with a soft thud, and Johnny clutched his head dramatically, shooting me a glare. "You dickhead! That bleedin' hurt!" he whined.

"Then maybe next time you'll listen!" I snapped, standing back with my arms crossed, surveying the setup. We didn't have much time, and if this wasn't perfect, I'd be the one looking like a fool.

I mean, I'd paid for this to go well. Literally. Ollie and Tadhg had charged me €20 each to help me keep everything quiet and set up this surprise date, and even then, I had to promise them extra snacks to stay away tonight. The little shits had a monopoly on favours, but at least they were keeping their mouths shut. Aurora had no idea what was coming.

And honestly, I was bricking it.

The treehouse, usually our spot for messing about, was completely transformed. I'd gone all out—blankets and pillows were thrown everywhere, covering the floor, giving it that cozy vibe I knew she'd love. Bowls of her favourite sweets were spread around, and fairy lights twinkled softly along the ceiling, casting a warm glow around the space. It felt like something straight out of a movie.

The star projector was my pièce de résistance, though. Later, when the rain started, the stars would dance across the ceiling, and we'd just sit there, watching them and listening to the rain. It sounded romantic as hell, and I couldn't believe I'd managed to pull it off.

I stepped back, admiring my work, feeling a surge of nerves hit me hard. "You think this'll do it?" I asked, turning to Johnny, who was halfheartedly fussing with one of the pillows.

He looked around the treehouse and gave a small nod. "Yeah, lad. It's perfect."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "Good. 'Cause I'm asking her to be my girlfriend tonight."

Johnny gave me a look. "Finally, Gibsie! You've been talking about this for weeks. It's about time you actually did something."

"I know, I know!" I threw my hands up, pacing a little in the limited space. "I just... I wanted it to be special, alright? She's not like the other girls I've been with. This is different."

Johnny smirked, leaning back against the wall, crossing his arms. "You've gone soft, lad. It's adorable, really."

"Shut up," I muttered, but I couldn't help the small grin that crept onto my face. I liked her, more than I'd ever admit to anyone else. And tonight, I was gonna ask her to be mine.

Johnny straightened up, pushing off from the wall. "You'll be fine. Just don't trip over your words and you'll be grand. And try not to panic if she takes a second to answer. Girls like keeping us on edge."

"Thanks for the pep talk, cap," I shot back, giving him a playful shove. "I've got this."

"Yeah, you better. Especially after all the shit you've gone through with those little gremlins, Ollie and Tadhg," Johnny snorted. "You could've hired professionals for less."

"Mate, they nearly bankrupted me!" I laughed. "But it'll be worth it. Aurora's worth it."

Johnny chuckled and headed towards the ladder. "Good luck, lad. She's gonna say yes."

I watched him disappear down the ladder, my nerves creeping back in the second I was left alone. I glanced around at the cozy setup one more time, checking the blankets, the sweets, and the lights. I couldn't stop fidgeting, adjusting everything even though it all looked fine. I just wanted everything to be perfect for her.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped outside onto the small deck to see if the rain had started. The clouds were rolling in, the air damp with that telltale smell of rain. It'd be here any minute, which was perfect timing.

Tonight was the night. I was asking Aurora to be my girlfriend.

I only hoped I didn't screw it up.