How did I get here?

Chapter 32

Tyler and I had been together for a little over a month and we were snuggling on a giant bean bag in his basement.
"I've had a thought," Tyler says as he picks up my hand and gently plays with it.
"Do tell," I say as I curl up closer to him.
"We should get married," he says and I sit up to look at him directly in the eyes.
"What?" I say, I hadn't even thought about that, I was just enjoying having someone to kiss and hold.
"I think we should, I love you and you love me." He says as if marriage was that simple. I had told him 'I love you' on multiple occasions, but I knew it wasn't true love.
"Well if we are going to get married there is something you should know," I say as I sit up all the way and so does he.
"What is it my dear?" He asked.
I was nervous afraid of what he was going to think, but he had to know if we were going to get married.
"I cheated on Maxon during the selection with my ex-boyfriend who came to the palace to work as a guard." I blurted out, so glad that was off my chest.
He was quiet for awhile and I couldn't tell if he was upset or not.
"I really don't think that's a bad thing given the situation you were in," he says.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, wasn't he doing the exact same thing to you? Except with thirty five other women?"
"I guess that's true, but I should have never done it."
"It's in the past now, and you can't change that," he says and moves a lock of my hair out of my face and bends down to give me a faint whisper of a kiss.
"Okay let's get married," I say and lean up to kiss him again, if the selection taught me anything, it was to grab love while you can.
"I need to do a proper proposal," he says.
"Okay, Okay."
"I'll come pick you up tonight around eight," he says and I gently nod.
"I've got to go," I say and give him another kiss.
"I'll walk you out," he walks me to the door and I leave getting one last look at him.
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I got ready, tonight I was officially going to be taken. I put on Tyler's favorite lipstick and I was ready to go. I here the doorbell and I rush downstairs and throw myself into his arms.
"Let's go," I say and he laughs at my excitement.
"Okay," He says and kisses my cheek and we head out to his car. He opens my car door and I am so grateful for him.
"Where are we going?" I ask as we start to drive.
"You will have to wait and see darling," he says.
"Ugg I hate surprises," I whine.
"I know you do," he says and reaches for my hand and I give it to him, we held hands over the console for the whole car ride.
"Here we are," he says.
"We are in the middle of nowhere," I say as I look around.
"Exactly," He says and I follow him blindly down a dirt path. Soon the path is lined with pictures of us and our love story. I look around and white lights line out walkway.
"This is beautiful," I say under my breath. We finally make it to a spot and there are white lights above our heads and all around our feet. There are more pictures of us in the trees, I can't believe he did all of this for me. I finally turn to face Tyler and he is down on one knee, and he takes one of my hands in his, while my other hand covered my mouth.
"America Singer, you've made me on cloud nine since the moment I met you. I never knew I could fall in love with someone so fast. I've learned so much from you and I'm so excited to spend the rest of my life learning from you. America, will you marry me?" He pulled out a ring and it was beautiful there was a big middle diamond with little ones surrounding it, it was gorgeous.
"Yes," I say and he slips the ring on my finger before swinging me around and kissing me.
He wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "I want to get married as fast as possible."
"When were you thinking?" I asked.
"Maybe a month?" He says.
"A month!" I say and pull back to look at him. "that's not very long."
"I just can't wait to make you Mrs.Dobbs," he says and that makes me smile, it felt amazing to be wanted again.
"Okay a month it is, but we need to do a lot of planning."
"I want to keep the wedding simple," he says.
"Oh I wouldn't have it any other way."
I never wanted a big wedding, just something small to celebrate the love I had for another person and the love they had for me.
"Let's head back," He says.
"Yeah, we need to tell our families."
"Let's go," He says.
"Wait what about all these pictures?" I
ask as he walk down the path he had made hand in hand.
"I'll worry about it tomorrow," he says.
"Will you need help?"
"Nah, you just enjoy yourself tomorrow. After all a bride to be needs her beauty rest."
"Hmm, I like the way you think."
We reach the car and he opens my door for me, always such a gentlemen."
"Thank you," I say as I gently climb in and he shut the door behind me. He climbed in the car and we smiled at each other. I was so hopeful back then, so ready to be happy. I remember that eighteen year old girl, so full of hope and completely oblivious to what the future held.