"I love you, my serenity."
- e.k.
4 years later
S E R E N I T Y
I was flown out to Florida after planning my attempt to surprise Gabriel at his first Super Bowl game. This was his second year playing in the NFL, and I couldn't have been more proud. He fulfilled his dreams after taking a scholarship to his dream University and being called by one of the scouts there in his final year.
We studied in the same place for the last four years, but I wasn't finished with my diploma yet. I lied to Gabby for the first time in a while and told him I wasn't able to make it to his game due to an important exam. Little did he know, Teagan and Adara helped me set up a flight to watch him play the most important game of his career. I didn't want to miss it for the world.
"Listen," Dawn reassured me over the phone as I scrambled out of the airport exit. "I'll take care of the business for this entire week. Don't worry your pretty little face about it, okay?"
After graduating high school and starting my first year studying economics and entrepreneurship, I started a small jewellery business. All my products were handmade and sold quite frequently thanks to my friends sponsoring me. They were a large help, and over time, my small business was developed into a brand. I owned two stores so far and was determined to keep them growing.
"You worry about surprising Gabs and have the time of your life," Dawn told me in a stern voice. "If I even feel that you're stressing about anything, including your studies, I will fly over to you and defenestrate both you and your boyfriend, do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," I chuckled, keeping my eyes out for the hired black car I was supposed to take.
"Good, now I'm pretty sure we hired a guy to drive you to your hotel. Pearl is there to help you, and figure out how tonight is going to go."
"That is much appreciated, Dusk. Now please, concentrate on writing up those emails-"
"I will have none of that talk!" Dawn cut me off. "Have a good time, Seren. Love you, bye."
She hung up before I could say the same, and I tucked my phone into the pocket of my jacket, assessing the area around me for a guy holding up my last name. After a minute had gone by, a small panicky feeling settled into my chest when I couldn't find 'Morwell.'
It wasn't until my eyes locked with a sign reading 'Farah' that relief settled in. My friends were going to be the cause of all my stress. I sighed deeply before making my way to the tall man holding up the paper.
"Serenity Farah?" I asked him to confirm. Surely he was given a first name, too.
"Yes. You're her?" His brown eyes lowered to mine.
"Yes, I am," I stated with a wide smile. One day, I would be.
Twenty minutes later, the man was stopping the car in a parking lot of a hotel with more than thirty floors. He helped me out, smiled and told me to enjoy the rest of my day. I replied the same and made my way to the entrance.
Pearl was standing in front of the glass sliding doors, typing away at her phone. From the way a small smile graced her lips, I knew it must've been Zion. They'd been married for a year and were the happiest I'd ever seen them. A few months after they tied the knot, Zion got a call from the NBA and secured a spot in the Miami Heat team, much to our surprise. We thought he stopped playing basketball after high school, but when Pearl began studying journalism, she must've encouraged him to aspire to his old dreams. He did.
Now, both Gabriel and Zion were professional athletes, leaving Nico and River proud of their best friends' achievements. Nico was pursuing ice hockey with hopes of getting into the NHL. The thought of three out of four men in the same friend group playing for different athletic professions made my heart burst with joy for them. They were following their dreams, and that was the best thing anyone could've done.
River, on the other hand, was pursuing a law career. His daughter was turning five in a month, and raising her with his mother had been a large help. Teagan's relationship with them was amazing, too, until a year into their marriage when she thought it was a good idea to separate. It broke everyone's heart when she went completely radio silent for a few months after that.
River and Teagan hadn't spoken in a year, and I doubted she'd be here for the game when River would be. She didn't want to see him, and it made me wonder what had happened between them to leave a strain this bad in their relationship.
Pearl's head lifted, and as soon as she met my eyes, her lips curved into a wider grin. She walked over to me and helped me with my luggage. I was only staying for a week, but I'd packed two suitcases for Gabby's clothes, too. He thought he was going to stay here for a few days only. He was wrong. I planned to surprise him with a small vacation.
"Hey!" Pearl pulled me in for a hug. "How was your flight?"
"Made me sleepy," I said truthfully, feeling my eyes sting from the exhaust.
"Well, you can't sleep yet," She grabbed my shoulders and moved back to look at me. "The game starts in two hours, and we have to get you ready."
⭐︎
The stadium was already roaring half an hour before the game. Everyone wore smiles on their faces, talking happily with people they brought to watch. Blue and white colours took up a majority of the arena - New York Giants. That was the team Gabby played for.
"Mi perla," Zion's voice spoke over the crowd as Pearl led us to the skybox.
It was a room above the rows of seats that occupied most of the players' families and was considered to be the place reserved for VIPs. In this case, we were.
Pearl stopped walking to glance behind my shoulder. Zion was on his way toward us, sporting a wide grin on his glowing face. He wore a basketball cap, a t-shirt and sweatpants. On his hands were rings, the most prominent one was on his ring finger; his wedding ring. Pearl wore the same on hers. One day I'd have that with Gabby.
"Hey," Pearl walked to him, embracing him in a quick hug after pecking his lips, then pulled back to grab his hand. "I'm taking us to the skybox. The game starts soon."
"You still need to talk me through how the game works," Zion murmured to her, intending to be quiet, but I heard anyway.
Pearl laughed, and I tried to hide my snicker. After all these years of watching Gabby's games, Zion still didn't understand the rules of the NFL, only limiting himself to learning his own basketball tactics. Gabby didn't take any offence to it because he didn't know how basketball worked either. At least they both understood the games Nico played when he was on the ice. River explained it to them once, and it clicked.
By the time we were in the skybox, the noise of the crowd dimmed, the floor-lengthened sound-proof windows blocking out the sound of cheers. The speakers were on, indicating the fifteen-minute countdown before the start of the game.
"River's gonna be here, right?" Zion asked Pearl as he grabbed a few snacks from the coffee table surrounding the comfortable couches behind the front row seats in front of the glass.
"Yeah," Pearl took a seat beside me. "And Edvany's going to perform in the half-time show with Achilles' Voice. I think she's one of them now."
The proud smile on her face was indicative of just how close they were despite two separate careers. Edvany was slowly making her way to the top of most listened to solo artists, but a few months ago, she was allowed to make music with a band she adored for years. I guessed this was the opening to that pathway. They had similar music genres, most of their songs being indie-pop and rock. It was no wonder why Gabriel blasted their music most of the time. I never complained, just jammed along with him.
River entered the room five minutes before the game, followed by his daughter, Nia, who sprinted to Zion. She jumped on him, making him grunt at the sudden blow. She wore a grin similar to her father's as Zion faked a wince.
"Uncle Z!" She squeezed his head in a hug before doing the same to Pearl, and whispering to her, "his cap looks funny."
Zion heard her not-so-quiet whisper, took his cap off and gently slipped it on her head. It was massive on her, making Nia look as cute as ever with her light hair drowned in the hat. Her brown eyes glared at Zion, making River laugh as he greeted us.
He hadn't looked the same in a year. His brown eyes didn't gleam as they usually did, and his smile never appeared to be at its fullest. River had grown a stubble and decided it had been better than the clean-shaven look he'd worn up till a year ago. Teagan leaving him did some damage, more internally than anyone knew.
"Is Nico not here?" River fist-pumped me as he walked past and plopped into the seats before the glass. Nia followed and sat on his lap, stealing Zion's cap despite her earlier comment.
"Running a bit late," Pearl said, and I didn't miss the small look she gave Zion. He tried to hide a smile, and something about that made me a little curious.
Despite their continuous glances, I concentrated on the game as it started. The players jogged out, and I was quick to spot Gabriel's number, 13. It was the number he wore in high school, and now, four years later, he kept it in honour of his dad, who was watching from the front row seats below us. Gabby's mum and sisters were at the front, too. They said they wanted to be as close to him as possible, and I was glad their family relationships were strengthened over the years. They were happier than ever.
After the national anthem boomed through the speakers, the game began, and the buzz was back to the crowd as they cheered louder than ever. River pointed at the glass, trying to help Nia spot Gabby. Once she saw him catch the ball many times over the next fifteen minutes, she couldn't stop smiling.
The door burst open just as the first touchdown was made by our team. Our attention swirled to Nico as he almost smashed the door open and slammed it shut behind him. He was grinning already.
"Where's my favourite girl?" He began looking around the room, pretending to look for Nia in the smallest corners.
Her high-pitched giggle gave her away as she snuggled deeper into her dad's chest, failing to hide from her uncle. Nico couldn't help but laugh as he rushed to her and practically snatched her away. He was quick to find a seat beside us and kept Nia on his lap, pressing a soft kiss to her head. He pointed out Gabriel and cheered the loudest when Gabriel caught hold of the ball.
My excitement travelled to my legs, and I jumped to my feet when Gabby sprinted toward the opponent's goal line. Nico did the same, gathering Nia in his arms as he plastered himself to the glass. Zion muttered silent prayers under his breath as Pearl braced herself beside him.
"You can do it, Uncle Gabe!" Nia tapped on the glass, her excitement making her wiggle in Nico's arms.
"C'mon, c'mon," I whispered, watching my boyfriend turn his hips strategically to avoid being tackled to the ground.
The closer he got to the goal line, the more people wearing blue and white stood to cheer him on. Anticipation and adrenaline flooded the room, seeping into the rest of the stadium as Gabriel dove to the goal line just as an opponent started to tackle him. He fought him off, but he'd already scored a touchdown.
Everyone broke out in cheers, Nia and Nico seemingly the loudest as we jumped in our spots. When Gabriel's head turned in the direction of our skybox, he blew a kiss toward us, and my heart melted. His teammates huddled around him, tapping his helmet as they embraced him.
By halftime, the adrenaline was drowned with dread. We were tied with the opposing team, the score of seven taking up both sides of the scoreboard.
But Nico was smiling suspiciously wide, River was taking Nia off him, and Pearl was grabbing onto Zion's arm, trying to hide her smile as Zion failed to do the same.
"Okay, you're all terrible actors," I told them, not holding back a nervous grin. "Does anyone want to tell me what's going on?"
Nia opened her mouth to shout something out, but River was quick enough to hold a hand over her face. Her voice was instantly muffled as he smiled at me innocently.
"Well, the halftime show is coming up, and Edvany is performing, so we're really excited about that," Nico made up an excuse as I scrutinised him. "Also, we're going down to see Gabriel before he goes back to the locker rooms or wherever the players go for halftime."
Not wasting any time, he rushed to me, grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the room. I spun my head around, watching as the rest of my friends did the same, Zion shutting the door behind him as we walked toward the arena.
Now, instead of the anticipation for the game, the crowd simmered with excitement about the halftime show about to start. The opening performance was Achilles' Voice, and I spotted Edvany's coils in her shadow as she got up on stage to prepare.
Then my heart kept in my chest when I saw Gabriel speaking to his parents, his helmet off his head, revealing the naturally messy hair beneath. He took his mouthguard off, shrugged some water and appeared extremely nervous. He was worried he wouldn't win the Super Bowl, but I knew that if he played his hardest, he'd be happy anyway.
"Alright, we're gonna stay here. You go and surprise him," Nico called out to me over the crowd, letting my hand go and giving me a small push.
I was nervous to go up to him. Gabby still didn't see me as I made my way closer. He was fidgeting, hurriedly speaking to his sister. The moment I was close enough for him to see, he stopped moving altogether, and I just smiled at him.
My pace sped up until I was right beside his mother. She embraced me in a side hug, not wanting to ruin the moment between Gabby and me, and made some room so that the only thing separating me and her son was the small fence between the seats and the field.
"Surprise!" I laughed.
"Ren," Gabriel murmured before tugging me closer by the arm. He was embracing me in a bear hug, despite trying to catch a breath from the first half of the game.
"I'm so proud of you," I told him, feeling like he needed to hear those words.
"I love you, my pretty angel," He spoke into my ear before pulling back to kiss my cheek. Gabby's eyes landed on the jersey I wore, and I watched his face light up with joy.
He pulled me back to him again, and I noticed how his body slightly trembled before speaking to me again, "Do you remember in high school when Edvany first started writing songs?"
His question was so random, but I nodded against him anyway.
"On graduation day, I told her I wanted a song about us," Gabby spoke to me, his lips brushing against my ear as the sound of the crowd became background noise. "She told me I had to tell her our story, and I kinda did."
The stadium lights shut down as the ones surrounding the stage on the field lit up.
"She had to change a few tunes and update some lyrics to be able to perform it here today," The more Gabby spoke, the more stunned I became. "I want you to listen to the words, please. Listen to them with me?"
As he finished speaking, an upbeat set of beats was played loudly over the stadium speakers as the drummer began the song. The guitarists followed, and the crowd cheered loudly when Edvany's voice boomed through the arena.
Gabby pulled me back and held my eyes as the lyrics began, and I listened to every single one of them.
Blue and Brown, we only had just exchanged a frown.
Then the dread of red bloomed, and I knew that we were doomed.
We hadn't even started talking, yet our bright, curious eyes had already begun stalking.
Then my life took a tumble into the unknown,
And you were there to save me from the brewing cyclone.
Exchanged glances, you held me in trances.
Adrenaline rushes,
how beautiful are our blushes.
A meltdown away,
you simply smiled and saved my day.
Kiss me. I need you to kiss me.
I need you to breathe life into me again.
Don't look away from me, please, don't look away.
I need you to stay.
If I cannot have you under the stars of this sky,
I'll make sure the stars realign for the next.
You can break me. I'll allow you to break me,
just so you can mend me all over again.
Exchanged glances, you held me in trances.
Simple touches, how beautiful are our blushes.
I need your love to hold me, to drown me.
I need your love to seep into my bones,
to heal all the broken fractures of my soul.
Please don't start racing away,
you cannot leave me to fray.
Pretty angel, press the brakes of your doubt,
because it's you I cannot live without.
By the time the end of the song played out, tears had filled my eyes, and Gabby told me to continue listening. Another voice boomed over the speakers, sounding like the audio was pulled from a phone call.
I love you, my serenity.
It was Gabby's phone call to me, one of many. His words were embedded into the last part of the song Edvany called Brake My Bones.
Before I could tell him how much I loved the song, Gabriel grabbed me into a hug again, but this time, he pulled me up until I was on the other side of the fence with him. I didn't get the chance to ask what he was doing as he got down on one knee.
My eyes widened as I looked back at his family. His sisters had their phones out, recording the moment, and I spotted Nico doing the same beside them. The rest of our friends were there, glancing at us excitedly as the crowd began to take notice. Nia was shouting something that sounded like, 'say yes!'
I turned back to Gabby as he took my hand and stared at me with hopeful eyes. My heart was racing so fast, I was so sure I was about to pass out.
"Serenity Morwell," He spoke loud enough that I heard his voice waver. "My serenity. I've loved you for so long, and I want to love you even longer. I want to love you when you're happy, when you're sad, when you're angry or confused. I need to see your smile every day to remind me why I keep going and how bright our future will look with our joy in it. I don't know how I ever lived before you were in my life, but I never want to find out."
I was grinning so much that my face started to hurt as my vision became blurred with tears.
"I don't care if I lose this game," He chuckled, pulling my hand closer to his chest and planting it right where his heartbeat was. "I only care that I go back home with the privilege of calling the love of my life, my fiancé."
The amount of love we had for each other overflowed in my heart, I had to lean over him until my hair acted as a curtain between our faces and most of the crowd.
"Ren, I want to marry you," He looked deeply into my eyes with his own tear-filled, beautiful hazel ones. "Will you marry me?"
"Yes, a million times, yes," I nodded quickly, without a doubt in the world.
He glanced down at the ring in the box I momentarily forgot was between us, and watched with a wide smile as he plucked it out and slid it into my ring finger. The other ring he got me when we were in high school sat on the ring finger on my other hand. Once the elegant diamond ring was where it belonged, Gabby pressed a small kiss to it, just as he once did in high school.
I was in a daze as the crowd cheered and the rest of the halftime show played out. The crowd seemed to buzz with more energy, but I didn't pay any attention to them, only to my fiancé who held me in his arms. My fiancé.
Gabby couldn't hold me for long, he needed to get back to his team. When they were on the field again, and Nico dragged me back to the skybox, our cheers were louder than in the first half, and our smiles were more confident. The New York Giants scored more points than anticipated, and when Gabby got ahold of the ball, he sped toward the goal line, scoring the final touchdown.
He just won his first Super Bowl game, and our cheers must've been louder than anyone else in the stadium, excluding Gabriel's dad as he shouted with joy. I couldn't hear him, but I saw his mouth read 'that's my son' to the people around him.
When his team embraced him, the coach ran to them. Gabby only looked up and spotted me in the skybox. He blew us a kiss, and another one for me, his fiancé.
a/n: wow, I seem to get more writing done when I have exams and assignments due soon and start to procrastinate :')
this is not the end of the series but if you decide to stop here thank you for reading!
the next chapter is basically a rundown of the book orders in the Written Love series
Riot's book will most likely come out when most of the last book of this series is almost done. I'm so excited to write his book, but also... I really need to work on my other series too because this is so chaotic.
thank you for following me on my writing journey and I hope you stick around !!! when I publish a book one day, you better buy it and read it. please.
your reads mean a lot to me and i am extremely thankful for each one. as I said in WMW and will continue to say every time I finish a book, we now share the same imagination of this little world.
if you want to stick around for the next book, it's out already;
2.3 | Steel My Soul.
see you then,
a m a r a.