Clay's P.O.V.
While I was waiting for Aria to come home, I took the time to plan how I was going to propose to her later that night. After a long while of thinking, I decided to make her a romantic dinner for her and give the small apartment a romantic feel. I walked over to the nearby fabric store and bought large pieces of red and pink fabric and fake rose petals. The fabric was a pain in the ass to put against the windows, but eventually, they stayed wrapped around the curtain rods.
The next order of business was the dinner, thanks to some of mom's cooking lessons from when I was in middle school, I knew how to make certain foods, but I never got around to making the fancy gourmet dishes I would see at fancy restaurants. But, knowing my Aria, I decided to make her favorite food, Chicken with a side of Caesar salad. As I finished working on the salad, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw that it was Aria, waiting for me to respond to her facetime call.
My heart started to accelerate in my chest, and I quickly ran outside of the apartment grabbing a few pieces of random mail, I couldn't let her see the surprise that I was planning for her just yet. "Hey Aria, what's up?" I asked when I answered the call. "Hey babe, just wanted to let you know that I'll be home at the usual time today, I'll see you at 6:30," she answered. "Okay, see you later, I love you," I smiled. She blew me a kiss and she left the call.
I let out a breath of relief knowing that Aria didn't ask what I was doing, she just wanted to tell me that she would be home at 6:30, I was gonna make sure that the dinner would be ready for her whenever she got home. I looked at my phone, and I saw that time had already flew by, it was 5:45. "Shit, I gotta get the chicken done before she gets back!" I muttered to myself. I got back in the apartment and fried the chicken on the stove dodging small pops of oil while I flipped the chicken over. And by the time it was done with the last one, I saw that the time was now 6:15.
When 6:30 finally came, I had the food already on the plates and I was waiting patiently for Aria. The door opened, and I saw Aria's eyes light up as she slowly scanned the room. "Clay, did you do this, for me?" she asked. I stood up and nodded. "I did this all for you Aria, I even made your favorite food for dinner," I answered. She looked over at the plates and a hand flew to her mouth. "Clay, you're so sweet!" Aria smiled. I pulled her into a hug, and I felt her arms wrap tightly around my back.
"Aria, there is something else that I have to tell you," I said when we pulled apart. She started smiling, I knew that she was excited to hear what I had to say. "Aria, we have been through thick and thin together, and when I think about the future, all I can see is your face, and all the memories we have made together. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side," I said getting down on my knee.
Aria let out a small gasp and I could tell that she was crying at this point. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the box and opened it revealing the ring that I had saved up a lot of money to buy...
"Aria, I want to marry you because you're the first person I want to look at when I wake up in the morning, and the only one I want to kiss goodnight. Because the first time that I saw you, I couldn't imagine not being able to hold your hand, to kiss you whenever I have the chance, and to hold you in my arms at night. So Aria Baker, Will you marry me?"
She wiped her tears away and she got down on her knees in front of me. "Yes, Clay, of course I will!" she answered. I started smiling and I carefully slid the ring onto her finger and I pulled her a soft and passionate kiss. "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about this morning?" she asked when we pulled apart. "Yeah, I've been wanting to ask you for a while now," I answered smiling like a little kid.
She looked down at the ring, the smile on her face was still there. "Did I do a good job?" I asked. "Yes, it's beautiful, I love it," she answered as she leaned in and kissed me once more. "I love you so much," I whispered.
"I love you too,"