"Charlotte, you ready to go?" I stood up, scrambling to pick all my books up, sliding them from the table and into my rucksack.
"Yeah, lets go." I tossed my bag onto my shoulders, following a couple of paces behind my friends as we exited the school, heading out into the cool autumn air.
Every free period we got nowadays was spent in one place. Our local coffee shop. I spent more time there than I did anywhere else, it was incredible.
The streets weren't too busy to say the Christmas rush was starting any day now, so I pulled my phone out and started scrolling through a few emails, scuffing my feet on the floor.
The girls were all talking about their usual topics, boys, spots, and homework, but I wasn't really all that interested.
I walked alongside them anyway, not paying any attention, feeling myself crash into something as we neared the street of the store.
I looked up and saw a guy with muscles so big my eyes had to move to get a good enough view. "I'm so sorry sweetheart." I looked past him noticing my friends had all wandered off without me.
"It's fine, I wasn't looking where I was going." He reached out and slid his hand into mine, pulling me up with one very swift tug.
"I'm Dwayne by the way, although I'm sure there are much worse things you'd like to call me right now." I giggled, straightening my clothes out.
"Honestly, don't worry about it, it was just an accident." This guy, Dwayne, had the most perfect smile. I didn't know what his secret was, but it was just so charming.
We both remained stood in the street, neither wanting to be the one to walk away nor think of anything to say.
He'd barely taken his eyes off of me, I don't know why, but he was beginning to verge on creepy.
"Look," he said, finally breaking his silence, "this may be a bit forwards, but what do you think about getting a coffee at that little shop up the road. My treat, and an apology." Now who could turn down a free coffee?
"Sure, that would be nice, thank you." He turned to walk back where he'd come from, a couple of paces ahead of me to the coffee shop, Gino's.
Above the door was a little bell, sending the Italian straight back to the till.
Just up the set of stairs to the seated area I could see my friends all sat around, laughing and joking, no recollection of me at all.
"Something wrong?" A deep voice asked from behind me.
I span around to look back at Dwayne, giving him a grimaced smile. "No, not at all."
"Good. So what can I get you to drink?" It wasn't even a question, there was only one drink for me.
"A caramel latte with an extra shot, and one of those fancy gingerbreads on the side." I looked up at Gino, who gave me a smile, knowing exactly what I meant.
"You take a seat and I'll bring them up." I nodded, staying on the lower level where the comfy seats were, pulling my phone out as a distraction whilst I waited.
It didn't take long for Dwayne to sit down opposite me, placing the tray on the table. "So by the looks of things I'm guessing you go to the school up the road?"
"Yeah." I hated that place, I couldn't wait to always leave that place. "In fact, I have to be back in an hour." He nodded, making a mental note. "What do you do?"
"I dropped out of school and I'm currently training to be a wrestler." My eyes widened, not that I expected anything less from such a muscular guy.
"Wow. That's amazing. What's the plan?" He leant forwards, placing his elbows on the table.
"Well, one day I hope to make it to the WWE, just like my father and be the world champion." He was so ambitious, I'd never met anyone quite like him before.
"That's amazing." I smiled, grabbing onto my mug.
The two of us sat and talked, pushing the boundaries until I was left with a matter of minutes to bumble my way in back to class.
Dwayne insisted he walk me to the gates, making sure I got there safely. "Do you think I could give you my number so we can do this again sometime?"
"Sure." I handed him my phone allowing him to put all his details in. "I'll send you a text across with mine when I'm in lesson."
"Don't get into trouble Charlotte," he smiled, winking with his right eye, then walking down the cobbled pavement.
I'd barely gotten into the classroom before I sent the text across to Dwayne, eager to see where the two of us were going.
He replied instantly, clearly into me too, telling me that he would take me out for dinner tonight, just to make sure all was forgiven.
What was yet to be seen was how many dinners we'd share after that, or hugs, or kisses.
Whilst of course in my mind I imagined, what neither of us expected was for the two of us to end up together, or celebrate our two year anniversary in Germany.
I'd never left America before, and Dwayne was on a trial out here, so what better timing to head out and explore the world.
Tonight was the last night of our week long trip, and the two of us had already been for a gorgeous three course meal at a local restaurant, and now we were down at one of the parks, as Dwayne stood behind me snapping plenty of photos of me.
"Look that way," he told me pointing off into the distance.
Of course I did, hoping he'd get a good shot, eventually spinning around on his instruction to see him knelt down before me.
"Will you marry me?" He whispered showing me the most gorgeous diamond ring.
"Of course," I replied, kneeling down in front of him, cupping his cheeks, sealing the deal with a sweet kiss on his lips.