Mostly everyone in town was outside going about their daily business such as going to markets, having breakfast at the restaurants, or young kids having fun with their own friends either by playing in their backyard, playing castle, or skateboarding down the empty street. Everyone else who remained inside were either busy with their own activities or were just working at home.
The sky was painted a vivid blue, the air crisp and clean. The sun shone brightly overhead, warming the entire forest below it with its golden light. Birds chirped in the distance, the wind ruffling their feathers as they sang, a happy sound that carried far across the small clearing. Flowers bloomed along the path from where he walked; he could see them blooming even from where he stood, the flowers' bright colors bringing to mind his friends and home. He paused when he reached an empty patch of land, the trees casting long shadows beneath their canopy.
A soft sigh left him as he gazed upwards, looking up at the sky. A smile touched his lips, his gaze following the branches above. He felt at peace here, amongst the gentle rustle of leaves, and the comforting hum of insects.
“So you’re saying you want to marry me?” Questioned Sunset.
He turned away from the scenery, turning his gaze towards his beloved.
Jersey nodded. “Yeah.”
“But why me?” She asked, looking at him curiously.
“Well, I suppose I love you. I suppose you’re everything I need.” Jersey answered as he locked his glassy eyes with hers.
“Jersey, I’m hardly perfect.” She scoffed with a faint smile.
“I never said you were perfect Sunset. But you are enough. Enough for me, enough for me for us. I love you and that is all I ever wanted.” He confessed with a small pout.
“So I’m enough then?” She giggled lightly before wrapping her arms around his neck.
“Of course.”
Sunset let out a chuckle and leaned forwards, pressing her lips against his. The kiss was warm, tender. Gentle yet passionate and meaningful. And he couldn’t help but smile into it, the feeling coursing through him filling him with warmth and joy.
After several moments he pulled back just enough to look into her eyes once more. Both his and her questions mirrored each other’s thoughts, but neither spoke them aloud. She understood what he meant, that she was what he needed and that there was no better person for him to spend the rest of his life with. It had been nearly three years now since that first meeting, two years since then they spent every moment together. It took them time to realize that they loved each other deeply, but after some encouragement by both themselves and others they finally made their decision.
Sunset pressed a quick peck against his cheek before pulling away, standing and offering him her hand. His hand was grasped easily in hers and he was guided forward by her side. They followed the winding trail that led to the lake, the water mirroring the sky above and shimmering like the stars. Walking towards a bench at the shore, the two sat down and stared out across the lake, taking in the sights around them. Their hands found each other on top of the wooden bench, fingers intertwined loosely between them and resting on the surface of the wood. They continued to sit and watch the lake as the sun sat low in the sky, painting the trees in a deep shade of orange. The breeze blew gently, blowing waves of water across the surface of the lake.
Jersey broke the silence as he looked over at Sunset.
“So, you want to or..” He trailed off, uncertainty coating his voice.
She gave him a soft, understanding smile. “Yes.”
His face lit up as a smile graced his lips. “Really! I-I mean, oh! That—That’s good! I mean, that’s great! I almost thought you would say no!” He laughed nervously.
“Of course, I wouldn’t say no! You don’t think I’d make such a good wife do you?” Her teasing tone was playful as she raised her brows.
“Naw, of course not! I was just worried is all!” Jersey replied earnestly, his cheeks flushing red. “Worried that we were rushing things… and I didn’t want to ruin things between me and you.”
Sunset reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear, smiling softly. “You won’t. There’s nothing wrong with taking our relationship slow.”
“I know. But still! I just worry so much sometimes! Especially now! With everything going on, it’s really stressing me out!” He groaned, dropping his head against the wooden bench with a thump.
“Everything will be fine. Trust me.” She assured him as he lifted his head again, nodding in agreement. She glanced towards the lake once more, watching as it reflected and played all the memories of her time with him. The cafeteria, when she got caught eating lunch alone because no one wanted anything to do with her, or their time in the library, where he always brought her food despite the fact that she barely ate. Their first date and dinner at her house, their first kiss and countless times afterwards. They held hands throughout most of these events, whether they were holding hands in public, sitting next to each other at a picnic table, cuddling under blankets, sleeping together and waking up together, spooning. They were so close. So, very close. It made everything so much easier.
“Oh, I almost forgot!” Jersey suddenly exclaimed, jolting Sunset from her thoughts. She blinked a few times and faced him, raising a curious eyebrow. He grabbed his bag and pulled out a small black box, opening it to reveal a simple silver ring inside.
“Oh…wow. Jersey..” Sunset whispered, staring wide eyed. “It’s beautiful.”
“I know it’s not much but…This was the cheapest one I could find.” He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully.
“I love it Jersey. Thank you.” Sunset said, reaching up to cup his cheeks with both hands.
“Are you sure?” Jersey questioned nervously.
“I’ll wear it every day if I have to.” Sunset answered, kissing his forehead. Jersey takes the ring out of the box, sliding said ring onto her fingers.
She examined the gold band carefully, admiring how intricate the engravings are and running her finger over the smooth surface.
“It's so strange. Principal Cadance always told me, that beyond the thousands among thousands of people out there, there is a special someone who is destined to walk beside you.” She chuckled to herself lightly, remembering how much Principal Cadance loved quoting that cheesy line from the book about how love conquers all. “Back then I didn’t believe her. Because all that time I thought, well, if that was the case then there’s no one out there waiting for me; no one that could ever love after what I’ve done. And yet here we are.” She finished quietly, tracing a pattern along the ring with her thumb. She closed her eyes for a second, taking in a deep breath. She smiled to herself, opening her eyes slowly and glancing over at him. “Thank you, for making my life a little less lonely. For making it truly magical, filled with the magic of friendship, and being there when I needed you. I love you.”
His cheeks flushed red once more, his eyes darting to the ground, unable to meet her eye as he mumbled a quiet ‘no problem’ in return.
Sunset and Jersey stayed in silence for several minutes as they enjoyed the view of the lake, their hands intertwined.
“Hey,” Jersey began, his eyes shifting back to her. “You remember what we promised, right?”
She nodded.
“To never let our past weigh down on us.” He continued.
She nodded once more. “We never look back. We move forward with a new mindset. No matter what happens, we move forward. Together.”
Jersey smiles warmly at her words. “Together.”
They share a sweet embrace. Their smiles faded as the sun set over the lake, turning the water from dark blue to pink, and the stars twinkled brightly. Jersey stood up, offering his hand to her. Sunset accepted his offer with a small grin. Pulling herself upright with his assistance, she wrapped both her arms around his right arm.
Jersey rested his chin on the top of her head. He placed a chaste kiss on her temple. “Let’s go home.”