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"Aren't you going to put on a jacket?" suggests Nana as I head out the door. "I guess I should really," I mutter before running upstairs. I try one on, but it's too long and makes my dress look twice as short. My denim one has a stain from the pizza I spilled on it when I went out with Ava, so I opt for my old leather jacket that I've had for years but never really liked. But it looks really cool and edgy with my dress, so I head back downstairs. As I do, I notice Nathaniel is also wearing a leather jacket. I've never seen him in leather before, but my God, he looks hot, totally sexy, and dangerous.
"Look at you two! You look like Bonnie and Clyde about to get into mischief," Nana jokes, pretending to shoot an imaginary gun.
"Didn't they both die in the end?" I laugh back.
"Good point. Maybe have fun, but try not to die," Nana says, grinning.
"So what's the plan then, princess? It seems like you already have one in mind." Nate smiles as I get in the car.
"I sure do. I've brought everything I think we need for a magical day together." I grin, putting the picnic basket in the back seat.
"Lead the way then, princess. I'm at your service ma'am," Nate announces and gives a little bow.
So first, we went out for ice cream at our old favorite ice cream parlor. Next, we went to the local park, and after realizing that we are the only ones over the age of twelve and kind of look like kidnappers, we went for a walk through the woods. We take turns seeing who can skip rocks into the river the best. Afterwards, we have a picnic in the woods under the old oak tree, which somehow looks even more magnificent than I remember. This has always beenour spot,and it makes me so happy to be back here with him after all these years apart. "Wow, I've had such a great day. What's next?" asks Nate, beaming from ear to ear. He looks so happy and carefree as he lies on his back on that big blanket, just staring up at the sky.
"Well, since we've been apart for so long and so much has changed, I've decided we need to get things in order and fix things," I announce, reaching all the way down into the basket.
"What do you meanfix things?" questions Nate, who sits up and suddenly looks worried.
I pull out two small writing pads and two pens and place one in front of each of us. "How about we write a letter to each other highlighting everything that's happened over the last few years? And then we open those letters tonight when we're both alone," I suggest.
Nate looks reluctant at first, but takes the pad and pen anyway. We both lie head to toe in the shade of the tree and write our letters, occasionally peering over at each other. When we're both satisfied with our letters, we seal them and hand them to each other. "Remember not to open it until you're alone," I remind him, putting mine in my bag before laying down in Nate's arms and looking up at the sky. "Remember how we met here all those years ago? I never thought we'd still love it and be here together all these years later," I mutter absentmindedly as I continue to look up at the clouds.
"But one thing is different now," declares Nate, sitting up suddenly.
"Oh yes, and what’s that?" I ask curiously.
"Well, all those years ago, I wanted to ask you something the day we carved our names into the tree, but I wasn't brave enough. But now, being here with you again, I don't think I could handle not asking," he says, and only now do I notice how nervous he looks. He's sweating and fumbling anxiously with the bottom of his T-shirt.
"Okay, then ask," I encourage, reaching for his hand.
"Isabella, my beautiful Bella, would you please agree to be my girlfriend? Officially, I mean," he begs nervously, but he doesn't take his eyes off me.
I look at him, and I can't stop myself from grinning, remembering how we met. Thinking about how we were just foolish kids who found each other in all the mess and what it was like to finally find the missing piece of myself. The happiness turns to sadness as I think back to how it felt to lose that piece and how I never felt complete without him beside me. But look at us now; we're here. We reunited, and for the first time in my life, I feel truly happy. My life is better than I could have ever wished for. I have the perfect family at home with Nana and Pops, who make me feel treasured and loved rather than forgotten. I have the best friendship group I could ask for in Ava, Tucker, and the twins. And now I have the boy of my dreams standing in front of me, asking me to be his. I feel like I'm living my own fairy tale, a fantasy, a dream… and if this is a dream, I pray I never wake up again.
"Of course, Nathaniel, it was always you," I confess and kiss him passionately. I must have caught him off guard because we both fall backwards onto the blanket and we break our kiss, laughing too hard at our own clumsiness.
I get an idea, so I reach into the picnic basket and find the cheese knife I brought. "Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you to," I inform Nate, before getting up and walking over to the tree to see if our names are still engraved. I find them pretty quickly,'Nathaniel and Bella,and smile to myself before taking out the knife and carving a little more into the tree.
"All done," I finally state. Nate takes his hands off his face and eyes me suspiciously when he sees me standing by the tree with the knife in my hand. "Is this the part in the movie where you murder me in the woods?" Nate jokes.
"Shut up, you're ruining it," I grumble as I stomp my foot and pout slightly. "Come over here, will you?"
Nate stands up and walks over to me, and I notice his face change from confusion to pure happiness when he sees what I have written. Instead of it just being our names, in our childlike handwriting, I've now added the words'forever and always'underneath and drawn a heart the whole way around. It may be childish and immature, but I think it fits us both perfectly. Nate pushes me against the tree and kisses me hard, only pulling away when we're both panting messes. We spend the next few hours laughing, joking, and getting to know each other even better. As the sun begins to set, Nate takes us both home.
***
As soon as I get home, I waste no time opening and reading Nate's letter, hoping it will give me a little more insight into what happened all those years ago. But when I do, I'm shocked to learn the truth.
To my beautiful Bella,
First of all, I want to tell you how much your friendship meant to me growing up. You were my best friend, and our visits provided the only moments of real happiness I got to experience. Your friendship changed my life, Bella. Almost all the happy memories of my childhood that I have are based around you and all the fun things we did together. For that, I'll be forever grateful.
I'm sure by now you’ve put the pieces together about my terrible home life. My father was a horrible bastard who beat me and Gabe daily. My only solace from those days was when we were together. I just wish they could have lasted longer; that I didn't have to leave you every day. I hated seeing the look of sadness on your face whenever I had to rush off. But I wasn't brave enough to explain why, and for that, I'm sorry.
But now I don't want there to be any secrets between us ever again. I want you to know that I didn't choose to leave you, Bella.
A few days after you left, there was a knock at the door. Someone had told social services about the abuse we were suffering at my father's hand, and we were taken away. A woman came and got us. We barely had time to pack any of our things, hardly a garbage bag each. We were carted off to another family, miles away. The last time I saw my monster of a father was through the window of the Social Worker’s car as we were driving away.
