“Alexa! Just pick!” Niall groaned, getting up close in her face as she laid upside down on the couch.
“I don’t care, Niall!”
“Aquarium, or zoo. Just pick one. It’s not that hard of a choice!”
She fell off the couch and turned to face him on the floor, their noses inches apart. ”I. Don’t. Care.”
“You can never pick anything!”
“I’m not very picky.”
“Oh, but you are the pickiest person I know.” Alexa laughed in response, knowing every word of it was true.
“Only about the important things!”
He smiled, his perfectly lined teeth shining. ”And that is exactly why I love you,” He sighed, jokingly acting conflicted. Alexa kept laughing, her giggles erupting from her face and bringing color to her cheeks. She quickly pecked him on the cheek and slipped on her shoes.
“You’re picking.”
“Fine, the zoo it is.”
“But it’s hot!” She jokingly whined, forcing Niall to groan in frustration.
“Well you wouldn’t pick, so it just looks like we’re going to be hot today!” He made crazy eyes at her as she laughed, pushing his chest away with her hands. He grabbed onto her wrists and pulled her close, kissing the tip of her nose lightly before pecking her lips.
“Shall we leave now?” She asked with a smile on her lips, their faces still incredibly close.
“I mean we could just…”
“No! To the car, now.” She turned him around and pushed his back, both of them laughing as they left the house and jumped into his car.
They finally arrive at the zoo, the sun beating down on them to make it warm enough to still be comfortable. Alexa grabbed his hand as they walked inside, little kids dashing between them and the smell of zoo animals surrounding them.
“Left or right?” Niall asked her, pointing in each direction.
Alexa looked at the signs, before finally shrugging her shoulders. ”I don’t care.”
He laughed and rolled his eyes beneath his sunglasses, leading her to the left. They walked around the zoo for an hour, Niall making Alexa laugh hysterically by imitating the different animals they passed. Whether his imitations came close or were as far off as possible, she still found every little thing he did perfect.
“Alright, I’m starving,” Niall stated, rubbing his stomach dramatically.
“Surprise, surprise.”
“Don’t lie and tell me you’re not hungry.”
They both stared at each other in all seriousness before Alexa broke out in laughter, bringing out Niall’s smile automatically. ”Come on,” He said, and pulled her hand along toward the different food choices.
“Where do you want to eat?”
“I don’t care,” She said yet again, waiting for him to the make the decision.
“Alexa!”
“You were the one that was hungry!”
“Pizza, or a hamburger, or…whatever that is?” Alexa looked in the direction he was pointing and made a disgusted face, the little shack looking extremely unappealing.
“You pick, but not that.”
“I will hurt you some day for this, you know that?”
“You love me too much.”
“You know me so well,” Niall sighed before walking to the pizza line, Alexa stepping in place beside him, her arm linked through his.
“Cheese or pepperoni?”
“Don’t you dare ask me to make another decision.” He faced forward, acting like he should have known better, before ordering her one slice, and himself three.
They sat down and ate before walking to cover the other side of the zoo, Niall continuing his imitations. He gave her a piggy back ride when she complained about her feet, and anybody but them saw how cute they were together. They complimented each other perfectly, and they took care of each other better than anyone else ever could. He made her laugh without trying to, and he only felt butterflies in his stomach when he was with her. Nothing about two years passing by had made it boring, and they couldn’t believe how easy things came for them.
“You remember what we came here for, right?” He asked her as they were watching the tigers play in the water, their paws cautiously splashing it.
“Not at all.”
“You don’t?!” He seemed so shocked at her answer, she felt like she should remember something.
“Oh! This was-“
“The first date, yes it was.”
“And you were so nervous,” Alexa laughed, leaning over and clapping, remembering how nervous he had seemed that whole day. His hands were shaking and his palms were sweaty, and she knew he was trying to make an impression on her, but it hadn’t ever been needed.
“And you said these were your favorite animals,” He changed the topic quickly, blushing as he remembered their first date himself.
“I can’t believe you remember that!”
“I remember everything that you’ve told me ever since I saw you.”
“I don’t believe that at alllll.”
“Test me.”
Alexa didn’t respond, not feeling the need to. She stared back at the tigers, playing with the ends of her hair.
“Alexa?” She turned to see Niall on his knee on the dusty pathway, a small box in his hand. She brought her hands and covered her mouth, completely surprised. ”Ever since I saw you, I haven’t forgotten a thing about you. Not one smile, not one laugh, not one cry, absolutely nothing. I love you more than I think is healthy for me, but what can I say? I find you perfect, and I hope you find me the same. And now, I’m going to ask you to do something you hate. You are actually going to have to make this decision, for yourself. There’s no ‘I don’t care’s’, or any of that.” He laughed lightly, his voice shaking the slightest. She tried to laugh, but she couldn’t bring herself to.
“So, marry me, Alexa?”
She laughed, but it was more of letting out deep breaths quickly. Her eyes filled with tears and her color filled her cheeks, finally becoming aware of everyone around them watching.
“Yes, Niall, yes,” she let out breathlessly, as she stared at the ring. It’s shine contrasted sharply with the dust and dirt of the zoo, but nothing could have been more perfect. Her lifted her up and twirled around, setting her back on the ground slowly.
“I love you so much,” he whispered in her ear as he clung onto her, his arms wrapped tightly around her.
“I love you, too.”
He pulled back and looked right into her eyes, smiles on both of their faces. His lips met hers as everyone around them clapped, bringing both of them out of their tunnel vision of each other.
“I’m engaged!” Niall screamed to everyone around him, his excitement unable to be hid. Everyone around them laughed, including Alexa, and she walked back up to him, and slid her hands around the back of his neck, connecting their lips again.
