Little miss lucky

Chapter 9

Three Years Later

Wow. I can't believe it's three years today since Noah and I started going out. And I can't believe today was my last day at school!
I've been studying A-Level English, Drama and Music for the last year. I got my drama results back today - along with a letter confirming my place in a stage school! I can't wait until August, and I'm going to move into my apartment near The Royal Academy of Theatre Studies in central Sydney. The best thing is, Noah lives just around the corner - he's going to a nearby college for training in Physical Education and Fitness. He wants to be a surfing instructor.
Jasmine's studying to become a fashion designer in a nearby college, so we're moving into the apartment together. I can't wait!

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Since school's over now I go to the beach every day with Jasmine. In the morning, we just sit about, sunbathing, usually. Then I normally go surfing and Jasmine swims for a while. Then we get drinks at the beach bar and go home.
When we're home, we're up in my room at the piano. We spend a lot of our time in the little box room beside my bedroom, me playing, her singing. We want to start a band, or at least just perform together, the two of us. But we don't know what to call it , or where to sing, or anything really. Life's like that for me at the minute - I've no idea what's going to happen. I just take each day at a time.
I'm definitely a lot more relaxed than I used to be. Nothing much exciting really happens.

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I was standing alone in the middle of the beach, my surfboard under my arm. Today was a good day, I could feel it. I had to surf. Suddenly, I could hear someone calling my name. I could feel a hand on my shoulder. And Noah was there, breathless. "Melanie, I've run round the whole beach looking for you!" He looked really stressed out. Which was really not like him. "What's up?" I asked him. He seemed to freeze up and get even more stressed. "Up? Nothing's up! Who said. There was anything up?" He stammered.
"Um, ok then," I said, trying to be as natural as possible. "Let's go surf, then?" I turned round towards the ocean. Noah caught hold of my arm. "Can you meet me here tonight. At, like, half seven? Thanks!" he said, already running off. I shrugged. "Ok then," I thought. That was weird.

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That night I stood in Jasmine's room, looking in her mirror at the beautiful outfit she had chosen for me. A knee-length, lacy, white dress, a pair of white wedges and a silver bracelet. "Jasmine, you're magic!" I laughed, checking the mirror one last time. "Why on earth did you want to get all dressed up for going to the beach?" She asked. "He seemed super nervous, so I think he might just do something special for our anniversary," I explained. I checked my watch. "Oh flip, it's seven! By the time I get to the beach it'll be half past if not later! I'd better go!"

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I met Noah at the beach at exactly half past. We walked along the beach and just talked for a while, which confused me. Why was Noah so nervous? When we finally turned to walk back again and get drinks, Noah took my hand and led me to a place on the beach and we stood right at the edge of the sea, the tiny ripples of waves not quite reaching us. He turned around to face me. Neither of us had said a word for a few minutes. "It's beautiful here, isn't it?" He finally said, but so quietly I could barely hear him.
"Yeah, I've never been at this part of the beach before. It's nice." I replied.

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We were standing there for a few moments, just looking at each other, a little awkward. Noah suddenly got down on one knee, pulled out a small box from his pocket and said, "Melanie Granger, I love you. Will you marry me?"