Artifice

Happy

-

*A year later*

"Tell me again why we came here?"

"It's one of my favorite spots now."

"Oh, really?"

His long legs took two strides ahead inside the building to open the door for me.

"Really," his nose crinkled up to match the wide smile on his face.

We walked inside the corridors of the museum that we met in. The bad memories were replaced by my excitement due to this being the place I worked at.

-

I retrieve our mail and casually flipped through the countless magazine subscriptions that belonged to Liz. A letter sent from the Metropolitan Museum of Art was sitting behind an issue of Teen Vogue.

I didn't hesitate to rip the envelope open.

'Evangeline Abate, we have been strongly influenced to consider you for an open spot as a curator at our establishment by one of our very best donors.

We have heard greet things and are willing to have you in for an interview on the date below. '

The rest of the content on the piece of paper didn't mean anything to me at the moment. My legs moved faster up to the elevator and to the apartment.

I rushed inside to find Liz cuddled up on the sofa watching a film.

"Guess what!?" I yelled as I walked in causing her to jump up horrified.

-

We walked by the familiar displays that I was lucky enough to have come just in time to watch crews or people prepare.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked seeing that we were gliding through the exhibits without stopping to pay mind to any of them. Though I've seen the displays many times in the past few months, my guess was that he wanted me to give him his own personal tour.

He led the way, holding onto my hand firmly, looking back a few times with a reassuring expression.

"Wha-" I couldn't finish my sentence when we turned the corner and I was almost literally blown away by what I was in front of.

The last time I passed this areas, I wasn't allowed to enter, my boss warned me about staying away. I didn't question it at all, I was new to the job and didn't want to be fired for doing something I was told not to do.

The section of the building was decorated with millions of lights that hung low off the ceiling. On the ground was a pathway of sparkling trees and men I have not seen around yet waiting on the sides all spread out every few yards.

"This is amazing." I gawked excitingly.

His arm gripped tightly around mine, I couldn't shed my eyes off of his face. He stared directly in front of us, seeming nervous but maybe it was something he ate.

The pathway was stopped by a large burgundy door. One of the men on the sides quickly rushed to open it up, giving the doors a hard push.

The room was dark besides a dress in the middle that was illuminated by a strong light, causing the embroidered jewels to shine beautifully. It was white, and long, not like anything I've seen before.

I walked on the dim lit path to the dress, suddenly noticing the absence of a body beside me.

"Harry?" The rest of the room besides the dress was pitch black dark.

I swiftly turned around to find the doors closed but Harry on the ground a foot away.

One of his legs was resting on the floor and the other holding him up.

"Harry?" I said again feeling my stomach fall.

"Eva, I'm so happy you didn't give up on us a year ago."

"Harry?" My voice faltered.

"I'm so happy you forgave me, that you gave us time to work things out. I'm so happy that you stayed in that empty room with me all night, even that you ran away from me multiple times because I didn't deserve you and it made me want to be better. I always want to be better for you. I'm so happy we met months ago in this large building, and sorry that I still to this day can't comprehend why they had a display filled with chairs and wardrobes." He laughed softly as did I. "I love you," he stumbled to get something out of his pockets.

When he did, he pulled out a small box and held it up.

"We are so young, but this is so right. Evangeline, will you marry me?" He opened the box to reveal a ring.

"Yes." The word came out as a mumble behind my hands that were clasped to my mouth. "Yes!" I yelled again.

I didn't give him a chance to put the ring on before grabbing him and pulled him towards me into a kiss.

"I love you so much." He whispered to me.

He took my hand and somehow managed to slip the ring on my finger.

The lights in the room suddenly turned on and a recognizable voice screamed loudly.

"Mom?"

Once we tore our eyes away from one another, I could see from the side of my room, my mother running my way through the very clean room.

Behind her followed the rest of my family along with her, as did a familiar man that I recognized to be Harry's uncle.

-

Okay, let me just say it's not that I'm too lazy to write, I've just felt so uninspired. The way this story happened and ended really added onto why I was so disinterested in it also but seeing that so many people have been reading it I felt obligated to post again. Hopefully it's not too fast or cliche, I just want it to be over so I don't feel bad for not updating everyday like I use to /: