Finding His Cinderella

Chapter 25

SOME YEARS LATER

I stared. And stared. The stain on the wall seemed interesting than interacting with Mom.

"You still have a choice, baby. Remember, it is never too late, Leah."

Exactly. It is never too late. But sometimes it really is, when you don't hold on to something at that very moment, you lose it when it's too late. I know I have the option with me, I could literally still say no. Refuse. However, I don't want to.

Mom was exhilarated by my 'wise' decision of accepting Hunter's proposal.

Marriage. Now that we're on the topic, what really does it really mean? I have zero clue, and how would I? I am just 19. 19 years old. I have dropped out of school because my head was pretty much in weird, twisted place when some random dude dropped the news of Trevor--I flinch at his name sometimes--being dead. When actually he wasn't. He was not dead. He's still alive, and I know that because he called me--once--, obviously I did not pick his call, so he left me a voice message. It is still saved on my phone from a year ago.

I know it by heart. It was a song which made me laugh out loud despite through what I was going through.

"I've been looking at the stars tonighttt, and I think ohhhh I missed that bright Sun! I'll be a dreamer till the day I dieee, but they say OHHHH how the good die younggg!"

I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that he sang Spirits by The Strumbella's. I think he had an accent, which made me laugh. A lot! Guess he learned something from the English men. Or women. I don't care.

Okay. Maybe I do.

A hand was frantically being waved in front of my face. I realized my lips were twitching so I bit my lip and put on a serious face.

Mom was restless, because she kept on smoothing out the creases of my bed sheets. While I sat coolly on the chair opposite to her. I loved staying in my room, alone, because I could really focus on my thoughts.

"You zone off! Every time the subject of marriage chimes in our conversations!"she muttered frantically.

I laughed.

"Mom, my answer's not going to change. I am getting engaged to Hunter in a month. Simple. Just relax---and my bed looks totally okay! It's not going to get any cleaner."

She finally gives up and flops onto the bed, crumbling the sheets in the process. She looks so young, I realize. Me finding my way out of the emptiness, the darkness, the emotions that were always too much, has brought back that glow on her face. She looks healthier, more content. I know she really likes Hunter, and me refusing to his proposal will just sadden her.

It's not really about Mom, because obviously I agreed to this as I wanted to bring Hunter into my life permanently. I know I am too young, but I am not just straight out marrying him or going to move into his apartment. I just took the first step to getting on that road.

"Do you realise how lucky you are to have someone like Hunter in your life?" Mom is back on her favourite part about my life. Hunter. It's like he's already made home in her heart. I literally don't know how that makes me feel.

Most girls would be jumping with excitement because their High School crush literally just proposed them! I, however, just smiled affectionately.

So this is how it went.

(At a restaurant, drinking milkshake)

Hunter looks at me. "If I asked your hand in marriage, what would you do?"

I open my mouth to say—what? I don't even know how to answer this. So I clamp it shut.

"So, I'll give you two options. First, that you'd dump this milkshake on me, slap me HARD, or you'd simply say 'I'd be more than happy.'"

I don't even think before the words slip out.

With a small smile, I say, "I'd be more than happy."

He smiles back.

There. That's how it all went. No bending on one knee, no rose petals scattered around, not at a beach. It was simple, yet perfect. I have locked this memory in a safe spot inside my mind. Sometimes, I cherish it, a lot.

"I am very lucky. I've got you, and my brothers." My smile is big and genuine.

Just then, my twin brothers barge in the room. They're, like, buff. Both go to their desired universities, content, satisfied with their life. Sebastian got engaged to the love of his life. Ellie, and she's super cute.

"Hellooo, sista!" Julian chirped, ruffling my hair. As you can see, this habit of theirs still exists. But I don't get annoyed now, rather I am always looking forward to it.

Affection. I've been craving a lot of affection. Maybe it's because through what I've been.

I wrapped my arms around Julian, crushing the life out of him. He hugged back with equal force, a silent way of telling me how much he missed me.

They're both back for Christmas, that's just around the corner.

"There's someone else waiting for you, lee," Sebastian nodded outside, and his smile gave away the answer.

I practically ran downstairs, eager to see the face of the man with whom I'd be sharing my life.

_____
*clears throat* Soooo, am I finally back? Seems so!
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Miss you all!