Should I say yes to Mr Green

The week before the birthday

Before I knew it, it was the first of October. Summer had been and gone, school had finished and I never had to go back to Alyssa private school in my life. On the night the school finished we were each given presents that would help us with the profession that we wanted to go into. As I have always wanted to be a fashion designer so I was given a set of specialist artist’s colours and pencils, as well as a 500 page designer’s pad. It was an amazing gift that was on my bed side table all the time.

Anyway, I knew that the week before my seventeenth birthday was going to be crazy for me as I would have to give Nic my answer on my birthday. I had everyone trying to get my attention.

Nic was trying to woo me –even after all this time, he wanted to make sure he’d done all he could- the girls were trying to keep me out of the way from what was obviously some secrets plans and Miles, he was just trying to make sure I was going to do the right thing for me. He seemed to be the only one with my interests at heart considering the decision I would soon have to make.

One day though, it all got too much to handle. So I ran. My library wasn’t safe as people knew I would go there, so I grabbed my designing equipment, got on my bike, and pedalled straight for a place I knew I would be able to think in. Jumping off my bike at my destination I quickly got everything together. I had gone to Nic’s house. Crazy you might think, but not really. I saddled Belle up and -making sure I had enough food and drink to last me the day in my backpack, my phone turned off and my pad and pencils- and rode off. I knew a quiet place that Nicholas and I had found once on our rides but I doubted that he’d remember. I did though.

Stopping Belle when we emerged in a clearing with a fallen down log as a seat by a small river, I hopped off and allowed Belle to graze whilst I got comfortable against the log. Even though I had turned my phone off so I couldn’t be contacted or tracked, I had also brought my I-pod. Music keeps me from going sane and I knew it would help me think today.

I pressed play and the soft chords of ‘tale as old as time’ from Beauty and the Beast filled the clearing. I smiled as I allowed the music to become a part of me once more and I started to draw. I wasn’t thinking, I was just letting my hand move across the paper. When I looked at it I was pleasantly surprised. I had sketched out the outline of a gorgeous gown. A halter neck with a sweetheart neck line, floor length gown with a corseted back and A-line shape. It was gorgeous. Reaching into the bag of colours I found the perfect colour to match the style. Ruby red, with silver detailing on the neck.

It was what I wanted to wear to my engagement party.

Yes, that’s right. I did just say that. When I draw I subconsciously make any decisions that are playing on my mind, in this case will I marry Nicholas Green, the answer in this case being yes.

A few hours later I had designed what would probably be bridesmaids’ dresses –one of each of the girls- and my own wedding dress. I had also started to feel tired even though I had eaten and drunk quite a bit. I started to feel drowsy and so decided to have a nap.

I woke up from my nap sat in front of Nic on Midnight.

“You found me. I didn’t want to be found.”

“Anna, I guessed that, which is why I left you over five hours before coming and finding you. I had a feeling you would come here since when we found it, you seemed at peace. Don’t worry. I haven’t looked in your sketch pad, I know you like to keep it private, so all I did was close it, put the pencils and things into the bag and put it all in to the backpack I’m wearing. Your phone and I-pod are both in there as well. And before you ask, Belle is behind us.” He looked down at me with a soft smile gracing his lips before pressing them to the top of my head.

“Thank you. I just needed to get away. Everyone was driving me crazy. I needed space and time to think... And how on earth did you know what questions I was going to ask?”

“I know, and we all understand, I guess we just didn’t realise how much pressure and stress we were putting onto you. And because I know you darling.”

We rode in silence from then –both on the horse and in the car back to mine.

“If you don’t want to be bombarded with questions, I’ll happily tell everyone you’re sleeping and carry you up to your room. They’ll understand. Your brother might even allow me to stay at your bedside.”

He really is too nice to me.

I nodded thinking that I needed the rest, and I was carried into the house by Nic. I closed my eyes so they would think I was asleep, not that was too much of a lie I almost was. But by the time I was put on the bed I was halfway to dream land. I kissed Nic quickly before saying “goodnight. I really am tired.”

He nodded his understanding at sat next to me, stroking my hair with his hand.

Just as I was about to slip into sleep I murmured –not that I meant to, I actually didn’t want to tell him until he proposed to me- in my sleep: “I love you, Nicholas Green.”

I felt his had go still and suddenly panicked in my sleepy state but then it returned to the same pace it was before as I heard “and I love you too Anna Elizabeth Brown.”

I finally fell asleep with a smile gracing my lips.