A Drop in the Ocean (Liam Payne)

Epilogue

Liam's POV

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The following few years went by quickly and smoothly. Annabelle got out of the hospital after about a week and a half and returned home with an order for lots of bed rest. I returned to school that following Monday, but she went back after a few weeks. A week later I sat next to her in the court house. Spencer was on trial for obvious reason and we were obvious witnesses. In the end he got twenty years in prison and Annabelle had a restraining order made up immediately for when those twenty years were up. We went through our junior and senior year together, looking at colleges and talking about the future. At the end of my senior year I decided to go to a local university about an hour and a half away from Annabelle. The summer went by quickly and before we knew it Annabelle started her senior year as I headed off to college. It was hard not seeing her everyday, but I knew that we were a strong couple and would make it. She finished her senior year and I finished my freshman year. We had our ups and downs, but I knew she was the one for me and I told myself I'd never let her go. She decided to also go to an university about two hours away from mine. She had decided to go and study psychology and become a psychiatrist. She wanted to help people through situations like hers. She is my hero for that. With us both in college now we didn't get much time to see each other. Skype became our best friend.

"Are we almost there?" Annabelle asked. She was sitting in the passenger seat, blind folded I might add.

"Almost. A few more minutes." It was strange to think about how much we'd grow over the past few years. Me, now being 21 and in my fourth year of college and her, being 20 and in her third year of college. She had gotten even more beautiful every single day of her life while I remained unchanged. I pulled into the parking lot and put the car in park and turned it off.

"Ready?"

"Yes!" She squealed as I removed the blindfold. She gasped and then started laughing at where we were.

"Chuck-E-Cheese's?"

"Yup."

"Liam!" She said while laughing.

"Alright c'mon. Let's go inside." I walked over to her door and opened it for her. Our hands intertwined as we walked through the door of Chuck-E-Cheese's.

"How about we do it opposite this time. Play games and then eat first?"

"Sounds fine with me." She led me over to the air hockey tables right away.

"Oh no no. I'm not letting you cream me again."

"Oh c'mon. I'm sure you've improved a little. Just one game?"

"Fine." I did not get better, I got worse. She smoked me 15 to 0. After an hour of laughing and a lot more losing from my part, it was time to eat.

"I'm starved! Where do you want to sit?"

"Um maybe not out here. How about in there?" I guided her over to a door and opened it. Inside stood a single table with candles and a pepperoni pizza in the middle.

"Oh it's wonderful!" She said clapping her hands together and going over to the table.

"Who knew this place was so fancy!" She said, while laughing. We sat down and dove into the pizza.

"Annabelle?"

"Yeah?" She said as she stuffed her face with a slice of pizza, A classic Annabelle move.

"I think I want to marry you..." She looked up at me with wide eyes and paused.

"What?" She said with a mouth full of pizza.

"We've been through a lot together. I remember the first day I met you. You were shooting free throws and missed every single one of them and then everyone left and you nailed everyone of them in. I later found out you hid your talents because Spencer did not want people to see them. He ruined your life. I remember when you told me he abused you. I was so frustrated. If you fast forward I remember being in that apartment, watching him hit you. Annabelle, I didn't care if I made it out of that apartment alive. I wanted you safe. If that meant risking my life, I was willing. I can't ever think about not seeing your beautiful blue eyes and your soft blonde hair. I can't imagine not hearing your laugh for the rest of my life. I can not imagine not waking up next to you and seeing your hair all crazy, shooting in a million different directions. I can't imagine not feeling your soft lips or not having your body against mine. I can not imagine a world without you. Annabelle Eve Jacobson, will you marry me?" I got down on one knee and pulled the box that had been burning a hole in my pocket. She sat there with tears in her eyes.

"Yes, Liam." I slipped the ring onto her finger and picked her up and spun her around. I set her down and kissed her, knowing that she was the women I would get to kiss for all of the eternity's.