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Nick's emotions are incredible, since last week. I knew he’d be super excited when he’d get two tickets to her concert, but I never would’ve guessed that he’d be excited like that. All the time, he’s playing her songs and sings them. I even was that nice and learned a drum cover for one of her songs. “Char,” he says and lifts me up as I let myself in after work. It seems like he’s been sitting behind that door for ages. Okay, who am I kidding, he had a day off today and didn’t have to do something for our household.
“Hey,” I say and plant a kiss on the tip of his nose.
“I’m so excited. Thank you again for those tickets. It’s the second best gift I’ve ever gotten.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I mean, no offence, these tickets are great, but my all time favourite is the album you gave me for my seventeenth birthday.”
“Awwww, you’re such a sap, boyfriend.”
“Because you like it.”
“Uh, no. I don’t even like you.”
“Then why are we boyfriends?,” he steals a kiss.
“So I can make everyone jealous.”
“So this is what it’s actually all about?”
“Yeah. You’ve revealed my secret. I’m sorry,” I say with a laugh in my voice.
“No ‘s-word’, Charles.”
“The full government name, now, aren’t we, Nicholas?”
“Correct, Charles.”
“Did you know, I have a boyfriend. His name’s Nicholas Luke Nelson and he’s a sap?”
“I’ve got a boyfriend, too. His name’s Charles Francis Nelson.” The way he emphasises ‘Francis’ makes me laugh. Then I realise what he just said. Oh. Oh. “O-oh, that just s-slipped out.”
“Awwww,” I ruffle my hand through his hair. “But I think, Spring would be better. Nicholas Luke Spring sounds better.”
“Are we really fighting about a last name while we’re not even engaged.”
“We are.”
“Sounds like something we’d do, doesn’t it?”
“Why are we like this?”
“I dunno. But I love it.”
“Same.”
“I love you too, by the way.”
“You better,” I say with a bright smirk.
“Char,” he says softly and looks at me with two big brown puppy eyes. It’s not fair if he uses them.
“Nicholas,” I say. Then I add, “I love you too, actually.”
“Good,” he says and kisses me. “Can we go now?,” he whispers in my ear and plants kisses over kisses along my jaw.
“Sure,” I say.
“You look pretty, by the way.”
I look at the photo on our wall. It’s Tara and Darcy with their daughter Gabi in their arms. I want that, too. With Nick, of course.
By the time we reach the Wembley stadium, Nick is even more excited. He reminds me of a little kid at Christmas. He smiles brightly and looks like the sun shines out of his arse. “Come on, Char. Hurry up,” he says and literally tugs me out of the car.
“I'm coming,” I laugh. It’s so adorable.
“Charlieeee,” he calls because I’m too slow for him. Then he turns around and wraps his arms around me. “I’ve missed you!”
“Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m in a relationship with such an idiot.”
“An idiot that loves you,” he says, kissing my cheek. “You want a ride on my piggyback?”
“I’m what- five years old?”
“Nah. I just love being this close to you.”
“Fine,” I say and try my best to not laugh at it.
I nuzzle into his shoulder and he walks to the turnstile. “Cards,” he demands.
“Here,” I say and hand them over to him. He thanks me and plants a kiss on my curls.
By the time we’re at our places, he’s even more excited. Out of his excitement he chitchats with the other people that sit near us. Then, an hour later, the concert finally starts. “Look, Char, there she is,” he says, smiling brighter than the setting sun.
The concert goes on and I’m getting more and more nervous. “Are you okay?,” Nick asks worriedly.
“Yeah, why?”
“You just look, um, tensed?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Are you worried because of your speech the day after tomorrow? Because you really don’t have to. I mean, you’re gonna be perfect at it. I just know that. And even if you cry at it, that’s okay. I’m already so so proud of you for even being brave enough to do it. I don’t think I could.”
“That’s why I do it.”
“I think they’ll listen to you more than they would if it was me.”
“Why? Aren’t you the one of us who got into teaching?”
“Yeah, but, like, it’s easier to listen to gorgeous, pretty people.”
“You’re gorgeous and pretty, too, Freckles.”
He kisses me again. I feel like he’s a bit overaffectionate today. Well, maybe he just needs a little recharging time since he’s been away for three days with the kids he’s training at rugby in his free time.
At the time I hear the first line of Still falling for you, I’m super excited, relieved and scared at the same time. Finally! Nick sings along with the lyrics and I can’t help but stare at him for a few seconds. He just looks so happy.
‘Falling, crash into my arms’
I feel it everywhere on my body.
‘Love you like this
Like a first kiss’
I’ve loved him for so many years now. I can do this, I tell myself. “Nick,” I say and he turns to me. By the time I get down on one knee, the people around us start to scream out of happiness. All their eyes are on me. “I-I’ve wanted to ask you something. I’ve pretty much wanted to do it since the day we met. I know I’ve thought you were straight but I was a small gay boy, dreaming of a life with his straight crush. Well, turned out that you’re not. And so, you make my life better. Every. Single. Day. I’m still falling for you and so I want to ask you, Nicholas Luke Nelson, if you’d want to make me the happiest person that ever existed and marry me?”
His eyes look in mine so deeply. All the people around us are now looking at him. For the sake of life, please don’t let him have a panic attack now. “Yes. Yes, I want to become your husband. I want you to be my husband.” He pulls me in for a long, tender, affectionate hug and kiss in one. The people around us cheer, but I don’t really care about it, because now I know his answer.
Nick is gonna be my husband, I think and wipe my tears away.