“FOR me he is the most handsome man in my world. He can make my day complete with just one glance from him. And even though I feel like it seems that for him I do not exist, that was okay. The truth is, I never hope or dreamed to be his girlfriend,” Mia stated.
"Why? Didn't he court you?" Erik asked in a tone that was obviously interested in what she was going to answer.
"No, but he offered me to be his date at the prom during our fourth year. I was so happy back then. But unfortunately, he was too late to ask me that because he got ahead of him, you know," at that point the smile on her lips was meaningful.
Now she really wants to believe that she is good at hiding her feelings. Because obviously, Erik had no idea that he was the man she was referring to in her story.
"Didn't I also ask you to be my date at the prom when we were in the fourth year? So that means Bernie and I weren't the only ones who really wanted to be with you that night. And that asshole was lucky because you went with him," said Erik who followed what he said with a heavy sigh.
Mia stared with amusement at the young man's handsome face.
She also stopped herself from smiling to make sure that Erik would not be noticed she was hiding something and she succeeded in that.
“Yeah, but when our class adviser told us that we will be partners at the cotillion,” that was when Erik abruptly turn to face her. “It gave me so much happiness and I felt so lucky because somehow I will still have a chance to dance with him. It has always been my dream, to dance with him. But what happened was more than what I prayed and dreamed of. Especially when we both won as King and Queen of the Night. That was the most wonderful and unforgettable evening of my life,” she continued while controlling her tears to fall.
“Oh, Mia,” it was Erik who tried to speak but she stopped him to continue with all the other things that she wanted to say.
“You know why it was the most wonderful and happiest night in my entire life?” she asked then gently caress Erik’s perfectly handsome face.
That was when his thick eyebrows rose. Along with that, a beautiful and wide smile broke his lips. “Why?”
"Because he proposed to me. He told me that, after ten years if we met again and we are still both single, we are going to get married. He said he is going to marry me. I agreed, and I prayed for it. We went home together then, but after that night, I don't know why he seems to have changed. Everything he said seemed to have been blown away by the wind. Especially when he left for Canada, he left me. Maybe that's why when B-Bernie approached me it became too easy for me to believe in everything he said. Because I thought that maybe if I let myself love someone else, I might forget him. But I was wrong. That did not happen, because he stayed in my heart," she continues and then smiled bitterly afterward.
"Forgive me if I left you," after saying everything that she wanted to say, Erik answered her as he held her hand.
"It's okay. Just like you said, all that had to happen because God had a better plan for us, and I think you're right," she said, still holding back her tears.
Erik smiled, a sweet smile before he pulled her closer and planted a firm kiss on her lips.
"Now that you know that you are the man, I say I have loved since then, are you still jealous of yourself?" she teased Erik after he released her lips.
A soft laugh escaped the young man's throat before he gently pinched her chin. "Not anymore, of course. But hey, now that you know that I love you very much and that's the reason why I want to marry you? Then you admitted the truth to me, will you still refuse my marriage offer?" Erik asked her.
At that point, Mia couldn't help but let out a light chuckle which she followed by a controlled giggle.
"Of course not, everything is clear to me now so there is no reason to refuse, right? First love?”
Erik's eyes sparkled when she said that. "And you are my only love," he replied before pulling her again and hugging her tightly. "I love you so much, Mia," he said to her.
"I love you so much, Erik, thank you so much and you came back to me when I needed you the most," at that time Mia couldn't stop being emotional.
"That's why we met, because you need me, and you, I need you too, as the person who will complete my life and most especially my heart. Don't worry and don't be afraid, no matter what happens this time I won’t leave you anymore. And I assure you that this time I will never hesitate to choose you, over and over again. Because I know, without you my world is empty, and I am sure of that," the young man declared emotionally as he gently caressed her back.
That's when Mia decided to dry her tears and stop crying. Then she released herself from Erik's embrace.
"Alright, it’s time for me to cook. I know you're tired and hungry," she said as she tried to stand up, but the young man stopped her.
"My future wife is really kind and caring," he said as he bowed and brought his face very close to hers.
"Thank you," was her shy answer. "Okay, I have to be in the kitchen to make your dinner. I want to go home and rest early," she said trying to stand up again, but Erik wouldn't let her.
"Oh, just stay with me here, first. Another thing is that you don't have to cook dinner because we will eat outside. Lastly, from now on as you and I will get married in two weeks, you will be living here in my house."
"Two weeks?" she asked in shock.
Erik nodded in succession. "But if everything can be fixed in a span of one week, much better. I'm excited, imagine, we’ve been apart for ten long years.
I want nothing now but to be with you, always," he pinched her chin again.
Mia held her breath after hearing what the young man said.
"And as for the latter that you said. I want you to stay here with me from now on, okay? I don't know what Bernie's plan is, but I think it would be better if you moved here. After all, I will be your husband. Is that okay with you?”
"But what will our neighbors say?"
Erik shrugged his shoulders. "We're getting married, Mia, stop thinking about what they might say," insisted the young man then hugged her tightly. "You're safer here with me so you should live here, okay? And you will not be going back to your job as a waitress. Because after our honeymoon," the young man emphasized the last thing he said which made her face turn red. "I will ask someone to take care of your papers. I will take you to Canada and we will live there where you will study Veterinary. What do you think?"
With all that Erik said, Mia was speechless. It's just that she found herself inside his arms once again as her tears could not be contained anymore.
"Thank you, Erik," she said after a while still hugging the man who is now her boyfriend.
"Anything for you," he said, breaking away from her embrace and cupping her face using his both hands. "I love you. May I kiss you?" he asked.
Mia laughed. "I thought you wouldn't ask that," she said excitedly.
"I don't think that's going to happen," Erik answered before he leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips.
Mia responded to that kiss. Even though it wasn't their first kiss, it was still their first as a couple. So even if something happened to them already, it's still special. Especially now that she only needs to wait for a few days, and they will get married.
Back then only the wind knows how much she loves him. How true her feelings for him.
But like what Erik said, in a matter of two weeks, he will finally make that ten-year-old marriage proposal into reality.