I finish the show in a complete daze, hardly believing that that just happened. The crowd is riled up as hell and as much as I love them and their infectious excitement, tonight I just want to drop the mic and run backstage to Jacob, Jacob who I haven't seen in two weeks and didn't think I'd see for several more days. Jacob who flew nine hours to come propose to me. Jacob my fiance. Just thinking of him like that sends a little thrill through me.
"Thank you for everything, London! I love you all, I'll see you next time!" I throw my arms up and bow, setting my mic back in its stand and jogging off the stage into the wings, where my sister is waiting. She ambushes me with a hug before I can even say anything or wipe my admittedly grossly sweaty face.
"You're getting married!" She half squeals it half whispers it and I nod, laughing. "I'm getting married."
"I can't believe it, you have no idea how beautiful that looked from an onlookers point of view, it went off without a hitch. That was perfect."
"Went off without a hitch -" I pull back from my sister. "Sage you were in on this? How long?"
My sister grins mischievously. "Ages and ages. Went ring shopping with Jacob like a month or two ago but he picked the final one by himself last week. Let me see it, Troye."
I hold up my finger and waggle the dazzling ring to show off. I love it, it really is perfect. Sort of feminine instead of a boring old silver band or something, but it's not gaudy. It's elegant and beautiful and stunning. Like Jacob.
"Where's Jake?" I ask, standing on my tiptoes to peer around for him.
"He ran to the bathroom," Sage informs me. "He'll be back in a second."
"That's fine I need to take all my shit off and then once he's back we can all drive to the hotel together - I'm assuming Jake got his own room?"
"Mmhm, he's right below us."
"You mind if I stay in his tonight instead of ours? I just want to talk and be with him for a bit."
"No, Troye, of course." Sage rests her hand on my arm. "I don't care."
"Thanks Sagey, love you." I peck her cheek sweetly as one of the production assistants comes over to help me take off my microphone box and earpieces and takes them away for storage. I tell Sage to wait by the backstage door with my security detail and Jacob so we can leave as soon as I get back, and then duck into my shower and changing room, scrubbing off my sweat and makeup as quickly as possible and changing into loose pants and an oversized hoodie. Sure enough, Sage and Jacob are waiting exactly where I asked them to be, and I jog over, shaking out my damp curls. Jacob's waiting, holding his arms out to me patiently, so I tuck myself right up against him, sliding my own arms around his waist.
"You ready to go?"
"Mmhm," I hum. One of the security staff - I think his name is Tom - turns to me. "There's a lot of people waiting out there, Mr. Sivan, they're gated back but we're all gonna stick together and walk fast to the car, alright? No stopping for pictures, just for the sake of speed and safety, they're a little riled up, got it?"
"Got it," I reply, and someone pushes the door open for us. Jacob takes Sage's hand and we all three emerge together, greeted by a swell of cheers and shouts. Even in the dark and cold they're out here waiting for us. A little too late I realize that I'm still holding onto Jacob, something I don't normally do in front of fans, but what the hell I just got engaged, let me have my moment. We wave and smile as we're ushered quickly into the car and the doors are closed firmly behind us. It's only with great reluctance that I wiggle away from Jacob just long enough for us both to buckle up, and then I lean back against his side. Sage drops her head onto my shoulder and loops her arm through mine, and just like that we've become a puddle of people instead of three separate beings.
