The Missing Gem

28 | Forever

Lucas 

The arrival of Nicole's best friend, Diane, and her boyfriend, Trevor, was a breath of fresh air after everything that went down in Bristol.

The couple was enjoying London to the max, the city turning out to be everything they've always expected it to be and more, so they'd confided it to us over dinner. 

Nicole and I were gladly showing them around all the exciting places and vibrant little corners this city had to offer, and Trevor and Diane couldn't be loving it any more.  

I found myself chatting away with Trevor on a little restaurant by the Thames river, located somewhere in between the London Bridge and the Tower Bridge, while the girls went to the restroom. 

"So, had you met Diane before?" Trevor asked after taking a sip of his wine.

"Yes." I assertively nodded. "Nicole invited me for Thanksgiving at her parents' and I got the chance to meet Diane on one of the days we were in California."

"Oh wow... you met her parents already? Things must be getting serious between you two."

The comment caught me a little off guard and a hint of  a smirk on my face was all he got as an answer while I thought about his words.

Were we getting serious?

To be fair I've always thought we were serious, even when we started dating. With Nicole I never felt like it was just a fling or an affair that'd last for a couple of months and that was it. From the moment I met her, I knew deep down in my heart that she was special and that what we had, I would never find again. 

We might have taken our sweet time getting to know each other better and taking a step further in our friendship, but I've always seen that relationship as a serious one.

"I guess. I don't really know what to say... I can only speak for myself but, we've always been serious." I simply said out loud, the words making more sense to me right now more than ever. 

"I can tell. I mean I've only been around you two for what? A day! But you seem like a great couple."

"Thanks. We've hit it off really quickly, we became friends first for a while... then things just started flowing between us."

"So... are you thinking about maybe popping the question?"

His question startled me a little, not knowing entirely sure what he meant by that.

"You mean," I looked around to check if there were any signs of the girls coming back to table. The coast was clear but nonetheless, I leaned forward and whispered. "Proposing to her?"

"Yes!"

Although Trevor was a few years younger than me, there weren't any traces of a teenager still being stuck inside him. However, this time he had a boyish grin that he couldn't seem to wipe off his face as he waited eagerly for my opinion on the matter.

"I... wasn't thinking about it, actually. We've never discussed it and she's been through some things with her ex. I-I don't know if it'd be a good idea."

I've always seen a future with Nicole, and a future together was always what I envisioned for both of us. Right now, I don't think I could imagine a future for myself without her in it, hence why I told her that a long distance relationship wasn't what I was looking for.  

"Why not?"

"When I propose to her, I want to have previously talked to her about marriage and our future as a couple. I need to know where she stands."