Two months had passed since Nicholas had proposed. Two months of stolen glances, quiet conversations, and moments where you caught yourself wondering if you were ready to say yes.
Nicholas hadn't brought it up again. True to his word, he let you take the time you needed. But every time you saw the small velvet box tucked away in his jacket or caught the way he looked at you when he thought you weren't paying attention, the weight of your decision pressed on your chest.
Tonight, you sat on your couch, legs curled under you, staring at the phone in your hand. The cursor blinked on the text you'd been drafting for Nicholas, your finger hovering over the send button.
You: Meet me at the park. Same bench. 7 PM. I'm ready.
Before you could second-guess yourself, you hit send.
____________________________________
The park was quiet when you arrived, the soft glow of the setting sun painting the world in hues of gold and orange. Nicholas was already there, sitting on the bench, his hands clasped in front of him. He looked up as you approached, his expression shifting from nervous to hopeful.
"Hey," he said, standing as you stopped in front of him.
"Hey," you replied, your voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside you.
He searched your face, his brows furrowing slightly. "Is everything okay?"
You nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah. Everything's fine."
You gestured toward the bench, and he sat down, leaving space for you. You joined him, staring at the ground as you gathered your thoughts.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking," you began, your voice soft. "About us. About everything that's happened. And I realized something."
Nicholas didn't say anything, but you felt his eyes on you, waiting.
"I was scared," you admitted, turning to face him. "When you left, it wasn't just you I lost—it was the future we'd planned. And when you came back, I was terrified of letting myself hope again. I didn't want to go through that pain all over."
His expression tightened, guilt flickering in his eyes. "I never wanted to hurt you, Y/N. I—"
"I know," you interrupted gently, placing your hand over his. "And I know now that what we had was real. It wasn't perfect, and neither are we. But I've realized that I don't want to let fear dictate my life anymore."
You reached into your pocket and pulled out the small velvet box he had given you. His eyes widened as you held it out to him, your heart pounding in your chest.
"I don't need more time," you said, your voice steady. "I know what I want. And what I want is you."
For a moment, Nicholas just stared at you, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Then a slow, radiant smile spread across his face, and he let out a breathless laugh.
"Are you serious?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
You nodded, tears brimming in your eyes. "Yes, Nick. I'm serious."
He took the box from your hand, opening it to reveal the ring you'd stared at so many times in the past weeks. With a reverence that made your heart ache, he slipped it onto your finger, his hands trembling slightly.
"You have no idea how happy this makes me," he said, his voice thick with emotion.
You smiled through your tears, reaching up to cup his face. "I think I do."
He leaned in, his lips brushing against yours in a kiss that felt like a promise. A promise to try, to fight, to build something new together.
As you pulled back, you rested your forehead against his, a soft laugh escaping your lips. "You know this isn't going to be easy, right?"
He smiled, his eyes shining with love. "Nothing worth having ever is."
And as you sat there, the world fading away around you, you knew that this time, you weren't just choosing him. You were choosing a future you'd both fight for.
Together.
