You left your bedroom, making your way up to the music studio. You tapped into the project you had been working on for a while, put on headphones, and made small edits and added a few beats. You didn't notice it when the door to the studio opened, and jumped in your seat when you felt a hand on your shoulder. You spun, taking off your headphones.
"Ethan, don't scare me like that."
Ethan smiled apologetically. "Sorry. I didn't mean to. What're you working on?"
You spun back to the soundboard, saving the project. "Just something I've been working on. I'll let you listen to it later- I'm not confident enough to show it to you."
"That's okay." He paused. "I think we need to talk."
You spun back to Ethan, shaking your head. "I don't think we're-"
"Rose told me why." You stared at him. "Why you're not ready. She told me everything." He pulled up a stool that was under a desk, sitting on it. "I'm not here to talk about marrying you again. I want to hear your side of it. So tell me everything."
You sighed, raking your fingers through your hair. "I... well... everything was fine at the beginning. Before I was born, and a few months after. They were... happy. They seemed so in love. I don't know what changed, but they started fighting with each other. For the most part, everything was still fine. I mean, they still loved each other. They still took care of me. And fighting in general isn't really that bad- I think it's necessary to have and keep a strong relationship."
"But what happened?" Ethan asked. "What changed?"
You shrugged. "I don't know, but... after a couple years, it became obvious to me what was happening. They would fight more and more often. Dad would come close to hitting her every time. Soon after, Dad and I both knew that Mom would leave every night and hook up with other guys. Mom and Dad got into it really bad one night, and she grabbed me and left for a week. We stayed at one of her 'friends'- it was really the guy she'd been running off with."
Your voice choked up. "The last night we were there, he invited another guy over. He stayed with me in the living room while Mom and her 'friend' went into the bedroom and hooked up. It was fine for a while- we just stayed in the living room and watched a movie. He distracted me when I heard something from the bedroom. I thought he was a nice guy. But then..."
Ethan shook his head. "I think I understand-"
"No. Let me finish." He nodded hesitantly, and you took a deep breath. "The guy... he was twenty, maybe thirty. I can't remember. But I was only seven. He... he pinned me to the ground, and wouldn't get off, no matter how much or how loud I begged him to. He... he tried... taking my clothes off. But I got out from under him. I somehow freed my arms and punched his face as hard as I could, then kicked his dick. He rolled off of me. The front door was locked, and I couldn't get out that way. I punched through the window and ran down the street." You showed Ethan your forearm, which he then realized had a few pale cuts on them. "I saw a policeman nearby, and he picked me up and took me back. He arrested the guy, and Mom and I left as soon as we could. She stopped talking to her friend."
"What happened after?"
"She tried apologizing to Dad, but he wouldn't listen. The fights between them kept happening. They both threatened divorce so many times, I stopped counting. They always blamed their problems on their early marriage, and soon, I started to, as well. I never wanted what they had. I never wanted an early marriage. I was always scared that it would happen to me- that my future husband and I would constantly fight and blame it on each other."
"(Y/n)-"
You winced. "Don't. Don't pity me. I've learned to live with it."
"I can't believe you went through all of that though. And that always happened?"
You nodded. "Even after I left for college. They always wanted a divorce, but never got one. They thought it would be best for me to have two parents, no matter what they went through together. They never realized that everything that happened between them took a toll on me. I moved across the country and went to college here just to get away from it. But no matter where I turned, it always followed me."
"That's why you want to wait." Ethan concluded. "You're scared that we'll turn into what your mom and dad had." You nodded slowly. "I'm not going to argue you- you have a point. But... you know how much I love you, right? You know that it's different than how you remember your dad loving your mom, before everything turned to shit, right?"
"How am I to know that, Ethan?" You begged. "I know... I know I love you, and you always say you love me just as much, but how do we know it's true? How do we know we won't run into the same problems they had in the future?"
"Because we're not them, (Y/n)." Ethan stated. "We won't get married because we're forced to- we'll get married because we want to. Because we honestly and truly love each other. And I know you. If you really don't want what your mom and dad had, then I know that you'll try and do everything you can to prevent that from happening. If we have a problem, we'll work it out, like we always do. Do you believe me?" You nodded. "Like I said, I'm not asking you again. Just... just think about it." He stood up, making his way out of the room.
In one swift movement, you stood from your chair, grabbing his hand and turning him around. He looked at you confused. "Promise me something. Promise me that you won't end up like him. Promise that you'll love me, and never leave, and never cheat. Promise me that you won't use me for your own personal gain."
He cupped your face in his hands. "God, (Y/n), I would never."
You pulled him close, resting your chin on his shoulder and hugging him tightly.
"Then yes."
