As Long As You're Mine

Epilogue

      I had managed to obtain my Bachelor’s degree in three years, oppose to the normal four, and zoomed straight into the field of medicine and life saving. I knew it was going to be a huge commitment to make, but I was ready. I had always loved science and had developed an interest for anatomy. As predicted long ago, I was on my way to becoming a surgeon, feeling as though it would help make a true difference in the world. If I could help people, I would.

      “We did it, Nick,” a voice whispered, my arms going limp as I enveloped the hell out of the girl who had indeed, well, done it. She was amazing.

      “No, Elle, you did it,” my voice cracked, as I wondered how I was keeping my tears of utter joy from spilling onto my face. “You graduated law school.”

      “I’m done,” she uttered, happiness and relief the only emotions I could discover in her delivery of the contraction and word.

      Though I knew that others were waiting to greet and congratulate her, and she was done, I wasn’t. I allowed my arms to disconnect from her, and she sent me an alarming stare, unsure of what I was doing. My knee hit the ground as I lowered myself, and a foot propped me down.

      “Nick—” she began, her lip trembling.

      “Elle, can you just shut up for once in your life?” I said, reaching into my back pocket and extracting a dark, velvet cube. Her eyes were transfixed on the box, everything else around not mattering to either one of us. I popped open the lid of the container, a sparkling stone attached to a ring being exposed. “I know it may sound cliché and all that crap, but, Elle Paterson, will you make me luckiest bastard alive and marry me?” She opened her mouth, but I continued anyways, “You better say yes, because I paid a lot of money for this thing.” I lifted the ring out of the case, and took her hand, hovering the piece of jewelry above it as I waited for the anticipated reply I had a strong hunch was coming.

Elle

I stared down at the boy— no, man, who had recited the words every girl dreamt of hearing at least once her life. My mind was blank. I knew that “Yes!” was the only logical answer in this situation, for I loved him more than words could describe. It was nauseating how much I loved him. I couldn’t bring my lips to separate, though. Everything was stationary around me, as if the world itself was waiting for my response.

      Air exited my lungs as I exhaled deeply, allowing the three-lettered word to come out with my breath, “Yes.” Nick’s eyes sparkled almost as much as the diamond he was putting on my finger as I said the word. “Yes, Nick Ross, yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!”

      I was then lifted by his strong arms and spun around in a circle, joy consuming me. He let me down, and, despite the crowd and public gathering, lightly crushed his moistened lips onto my own.

      The moment was perfect. Nick was perfect. Everything about my life was perfect. I had graduated as the fifth in my class at Harvard Law, and was done. My structured educational journey was coming to a close, but my learning in life was only just beginning. It was more than I could have ever fantasized.

      Nick pulled back from me, a secure smirk positioned on his face as one generally was. He was the boy that I was going to marry. Even if I could, there was nothing in my life that I wanted to change. Everything was perfect.

      “Well, it’s about time!” my best friend broke the streak of silence, momentarily jolting me out of my haze of perfection. A goofy grin was plastered to her face, as she looked between Nick and I, genuinely happy for the both of us.

      “Kara,” I said, looking down to my quivering hand, “I’m getting married!”

      “Dibs on maid of honor!” she called.

      “You’ve had dibs on that duty since second grade,” I remarked, unable to wipe the jubilant smile off of my expression— not that I wanted to in the first place.

      “I call walking her down the aisle,” my dad said, playfully mocking Kara’s proclamation lightly. He was happy for me. By the look in his eyes that extended throughout his entire being, there was no other emotion that he could possibly retain. He was happy.

      “Even though I’m probably going to have to fight Kara for it, I call wedding planner!” Danni said, as her arms latched around Dean as they both looked onto us, exuberant. “You saw what I did for Aspen and Evan; I was born to do this for you two too!”

      “Okay, Danni, sure,” a tear dripped from the corner of my eye in pure delight.

      Then, as if the day couldn’t have gotten any more memorable, the orchestra began to play a classic song I knew far too well that was associated to a time of change. Why it was the chosen song at a Harvard graduation was slightly confusing, but I allowed it add to the perfection, burying my misperception.

      I hummed along to the familiar music, the lyrics not being sung aloud. Here we are now, everything’s about to change… It was ironic, really, hearing the song at such a positive moment oppose to the last memory with which it had been connected.

      As the melodic echo of the chorus sounded, I had a different analysis of the words than the last time I had heard it.

      So, I’m moving on, letting go, holding on to tomorrow. I’ve always got the memories but I’m finding out who I’m gonna be. We might be apart, but I hope you’ll always know; you’ll be with me wherever I go. Wherever I go.

      The song didn’t necessarily need to be about two people at all, as I had thought so many years ago. To me, it applied to life in general as a whole. College. School. My education. I was moving on from all of it, though I’d take it wherever I did eventually go. I had the memories, but I was going, and leaving a chapter of my life behind and starting an entirely new novel— a new adventure.

      “I told you I’d be back,” Nick’s voice met my ears in combination with the ending of the song, and I smiled, remembering the promise he had made so many years ago.

      “You’re back,” I said, molding myself within his arms, as they were the only place I wanted to be, now and forever.

      “I’m back for good, Elle. I’m not leaving; not ever,” his grasp concealed me, sending a reassuring feeling throughout my body. I didn’t want to move— I couldn’t.

      “Are we—are we really going to get married?” my voice lowered an octave, realization slowly seeping in.

      Nick had proposed to me, and I had accepted. One way or another, we were in it for the long run with one another. Though we had been dating a number of years that was substantial to most common relationships, the band that was now on my finger indicated the ultimate commitment. I was going to become Mrs. Nick Ross. Well, not really. I was going to be Elle, and not let any boy dictate whom I was, but the concept was the same. I was would be receiving my fairytale ending. Nick Ross and I, Elle Paterson, were going to get married.

      “I don’t know. Do you want to?” he questioned, his frame stiffening slightly. I nodded into his chest, not being able to reply verbally. “Then I guess we are, Elle. We’re getting married!”

      “We’re getting married,” I reiterated, my ability to speak resurfacing. “Wow.”

      “Yeah, it’s pretty crazy,” he remarked.

      “Well, so are you, so it’s fine,” I assured him playfully.

      He laughed softly, vibrations being sent throughout my entire body. “So, are you finally ready for our happily ever after?”

      I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting myself into, but my mouth curved up into a ready smirk, regardless. “As long as you’re mine Nick Ross, I’m ready for anything. As long as you’re mine.”