Aquiver (Original)

Opals and String Lights

The next morning, Becker woke up and saw Isabella was working at her desk, trying to see if there were any parallels between the two journals she looked at last night a little bit. She rubbed her eyes and then looked over at the bed. 

"What did you find?" he asked with a yawn.

"Nothing," she replied. "Nothing at all...I'm sorry, Becker."

Becker looked at her and nodded.

"The only thing I've noticed is that her handwriting becomes more and more aggressive with each entry, as if she's tired or sick..."

"Sick of me...that's what..."

She managed a smirk. "I don't doubt that...ever since her brother started ignoring her after a large argument she had with him, she seems to have come to you to try to escape and start over..."

Becker raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked. "So...she basically used me."

Isabella nodded and she handed him the notebooks to look over. "If you look in this morning's newspaper, she's in the obituary section. Hardly anything is said about her except where she lived and how old she was. Just basics."

"That's unfortunate. Anything about her funeral?"

"Yeah. It's this weekend. You gonna go?"

Becker shrugged. His mind swirled with thoughts and he wasn't sure what to do. Isabella closed both notebooks and sat behind Becker. 

She hugged him from behind and kissed his cheek. "Maybe you should go for closure..." she suggested.

Becker nodded no. "No. I'm not going to go. It will make things worse for me..."

Isabella nodded and held onto him gently.

***

-5 months later-

Isabella was on the back of Becker's bike, holding on. "Becker, I love you," she said. She gently squeezed him as he drove out of a restaurant parking lot, signifying to him that she was okay.

"I love you too, Bella," he replied. He pulled out of the nice restaurant and he went to a quiet area on Larimer Street. He parked his bike and put their helmets in his backpack. He held her hand and looked up at the stars and the string lights that hung from building to building across the street. 

"Bella, I've had a question for you for a while now..." he began.

"Okay," she said smiling. "And what would that be, mister?" She held onto his arm and kissed his cheek playfully. Becker felt his heart race and he got to one of his favorite spots to be with her.

Becker stopped in front a small fountain and he faced her. He kissed her nose and smirked. "Bella...you've been there for me through the highs and the lows. To hell and back. And I honestly wouldn't be here alive if it wasn't for you and Alex introducing me to you. Thank you for everything you've done...and I want to be there for you...so..." he said.

He got down on one knee and pulled a small box from his jacket pocket. "Isabella Marie Johnson, will you marry me?" he asked with a smile. He opened the small box and showed her a beautiful opal engagement ring.

Isabella gasped lightly and she covered her mouth. She grinned and nodded excitedly, speechless. "Yes!" she squeaked. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She squealed slightly and jumped up and down a little. She let Becker put the ring on her finger and she then hugged him tightly.

Becker's heart felt light like the night air and he couldn't stop smiling. He hugged her back and kissed her with everything he had. "You've just made me the happiest man alive," he whispered.

Isabella giggled and looked up at him. "And you've just made me the happiest woman in the world, so that makes both of us." She pecked his lips.

"Now, how bout we get some ice cream?" he asked. "Yeah?"

Isabella smiled and nodded. "Yes sir! Mint chocolate chip?"

Becker giggled. "Yes. Mint chocolate chip. Peanut butter for you?"

Isabella nodded again and she kissed his cheek. 

Becker reached down to her hand and he interlocked his fingers with hers. The happy couple then walked into the store to get ice cream together.