Illegal Innocence (Student/Teacher Relationship)

Epilogue

"Hey Elliott?" I said while tracing the plaid pattern on his shirt.

"Yes?" he responded.

"I know this was a while ago... like, a year ago... but I've always wondered and never asked you. Remember when I came home from Italy? And you were in that car crash?" I asked.

I felt him tense slightly underneath me. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Why were you near the crash?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Your house was nowhere near where the crash happened, nor even remotely close to the diner. Why were you coming from that way?"

He didn't answer at first, so I looked up at him expectantly. I opened my mouth to say his name, but he moved underneath me and got up from the bed. I flopped down on the blankets and grunted slightly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked. I watched as he walked over to his dresser and open the top drawer. "Elliott?"

He then closed the drawer and came back to the bed. I shifted myself so I sat on my knees while facing him. He sat on the corner of the bed and stared at me.

"The reason I was coming from that way, Avery," he said. "Was because I was getting you this."

I cocked my head to the side, confused. "Get me what?"

He unfolded his hand in front of my face to reveal a ring. My mouth dropped a bit, and I gazed back up at him.

"Is that...?"

He nodded. "It is. I was going to propose to you at the diner, but I never made it there. Obviously." He stiffled a laugh and fingered the ring in his hands, almost as if he was studying it.

I scooted closer to him and touched his shoulder. "Why'd you wait this long to tell me?" I whispered.

"Because I wanted to repair what I did to you," he said, giving me a sad half-smile. I reached over and kissed his cheek gently.

"Elliott, I wouldn't have been able to stay mad at you for very long," I said. "You know that."

"I know. I guess I was just nervous," he said, regaining his previous cheerful tone. He turned his head towards me. "So what do you say? Do you want it."

I blinked and returned his half-smile with a smirk. "I don't know. Do I have to put it on myself?"

He chuckled and grabbed my left hand, slipping the ring on my finger in one swift movement. He then grabbed me and pulled me on top of him. I giggled and held him as he craddled me while resting his chin on the top of my head.

"So we're engaged?" I asked.

"Yes."

"I wonder what my dad's going to say," I thought out loud. Elliott laughed and lowered me to the pillows, then hovered over me. His head blocked the moonlight shining in from the window, so his face was unreadable. He kissed me, and it was a kiss filled with love and passion. I don't think I've ever experienced a better kiss than his. And now, I get to everyday.