Page 91 of Friends Don't
Everything stills.
My heart skips. My chest swells. My stomach jumps so fast I forget how to breathe. For a split second, I think maybe I’m dreaming. Because this, him, on one knee, the flicker of the flames, the quiet,—it’s too perfect to be real.
We talked about getting married. Of course we did, but we agreed on getting engaged this summer, married in the winter,when things weren’t so busy for us. But it looks like he couldn’t wait until then. And I’m not upset about it. Not one bit, I’m happy. A little scared. But so deeply, wildly in love with him that I don’t care what season it is.
“Addison Claire,” he says, his voice thick. He opens the small black box, hands trembling. “Will you marry me?”
Tears sting my eyes. My breath catches. But I manage to get the answer out, “Of course I will.”
He exhales like he’s been holding it in for a lifetime, then pulls the ring from the box, slipping it gently onto my finger. It’s a slender gold band with one round diamond in the middle and 2 smaller diamonds on each side.
It’s beautiful.
When I look back up at him, there are tears in his eyes—but he’s smiling.
“I love you,” I whisper, pulling his face toward mine.
He laughs softly just as our lips meet, wrapping both arms around my lower back and holding me close.
When we pull apart, he wipes his eyes quickly and asks, “Do you like it?”
“It’s perfect,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “Yes.”
“Good. Because I bought it when I was sixteen,” he says.
My eyes grow. “SIXTEEN?!”
He laughs, cheeks flushing. “Yeah. The day after we skipped fifth period to go fishing, and then snuck back in for Mr. Downer’s math test ninth period.”
My jaw drops. “Are you serious?”
I’m stunned. Stunned he’s had it that long and stunned he even remembers that day. I thought I was the only one.
Wesley and his friends had planned the whole thing—ditchfifth period and go fishing. I told him no at first. Not because I was anxious, but because I was afraid Imightget anxious. That’s the thing about it. Sometimes the fear of it is louder than the thing itself. So I shut it down before it had the chance to start.
But ten minutes before fourth period ended, I changed my mind. The nausea never came. So I texted him—asked if the invite still stood.
He wrote back one word:course.
So I went. His friends got caught sneaking out, but we didn’t. It ended up just being the two of us. And it was so fun. My anxiety didn’t threaten even a little. It was like I stepped out and finally got to justbe me.
Wesley clears his throat, drawing me back to the present. “I don’t know what it was about that day, but it changed everything for me. That was the day I realized it wasn’t just a crush. I was in love with you and it wasn’t going to go away.”
My bottom lip trembles. Not because he’s saying he loves me—he tells me that all the time—but because I still can’t wrap my head around him carrying something that big for so long… and never saying a word. I blink fast, trying not to cry again as I laugh softly.
“Wesley…”
He just smiles, eyes full of love.
“I need to tell everyone,” I breathe, grabbing for my phone. My fingers fumble over the screen. But before I can send anything, Wesley’s hand wraps gently around my wrist.
“Addie,” he says softly. “Not yet, let’s just enjoy this for a little while longer, just us.”
I pause, heart thudding, and then nod. “Okay. Yeah, you’reright.”
I set the phone back down and lean into him, wrapping my arms around his neck. His arms tighten around me, strong and sure, and we just stand there.
His chest rises and falls against my cheek, and I feel completely calm. No wave of nerves, no pressure. Just safety.
The playlist that’s been running quietly in the background shifts to a new song.
Cole Swindell.Forever to Me.
And before I can even process it—before I can make a joke or point out the irony—Wesley’s hands find the curve of my waist and he starts to dance with me. Slow, rocking back and forth on our feet.
Turns out, sometimes friends don’t stayjust friends. Sometimes… they become your forever.
