1 year later..

ISHAAN

Fuck me, I was going to throw up.

It wasn't our breakfast earlier (which had been fantastic) or our current surroundings (which were beautiful). After all, we were in London. London eye, to be exact-one of the best places. Clear blue sky, stunning flowers. It looked like a postcard come to life, but I couldn't appreciate any of it thanks to the giant pretzel knotting my stomach. "I can't believe we're here." Adriti sighed, oblivious to my escalating anxiety. "I've had this on my bucket list for so long that it feels surreal to see this in real life." I somehow mustered a noncommittal sound of agreement. I'd been fine throughout our flight and first day in London which we'd spent eating, sleeping, and taking advantage of our hotel spa-but now that The Moment was almost here, I was a nervous wreck. I wasn't the type of person who had a lot of insecurities or who constantly second-guessed his decisions. When I put my mind to something, I was confident I'd succeed at it, but this plan...

What the bloody bell had I been thinking? The knot in my stomach pulled tighter. A whirlwind trip to London had seemed like a good idea months ago, but in hindsight, we should've stayed in India. That way, we wouldn't be stuck on an awkward fourteen-hour flight together if she said No. I set my jaw. I wasn't going down that road. Part of me had known Adriti was The One since the moment we met, and I wasn't going to let a last-minute case of cold feet prevent me from doing what I should've done a long time ago.

"Are you okay?" She finally averted her gaze to look at me. "You've been strangely quiet all day." "I'm fine," I lied. "Just admiring the view." I raked a hand through my hair and hoped she didn't the slight shake in my movements. The velvet ring box I'd been carrying since we left our house in India burned a hole in my pocket. Although Adriti and I had never explicitly discussed marriage, we'd just moved into my house together. Getting married was the logical next step-or so I thought. But what if I was wrong? What if I proposed and she suddenly realized I wasn't The One for her? What if she didn't want to get married ever, to anyone? Sweat beaded on my forehead. The ring box felt like a concrete block weighing me down, and for a moment, I considered throwing myself into the lake and letting nature take its course. Then a passing family's laughter halted my spiral, and reason re-asserted itself.

I loved Adriti. Adriti loved me. The worst she could say was no, which...well, that would be fucking devastating, but I would never know unless I asked. Uncertainty was worse than rejection. The passing family laughed again. The father picked up the daughter and swung her around, and the resulting happy squeal was enough to distract Adriti.

Just do it.

I shoved aside my anxiety and took the plunge, and when she turned again a minute later, I was already on one knee with the ring in my hand. Adriti's eyes widened. Her lips parted in a silent O of shock, and in that heartbeat between her realization and my words, the world stilled.

This was it. Now or never. "I had a whole speech prepared, but I...well, I forgot all of it," I admitted. My heart rattled hard enough to make my voice shake, and I fought to steady myself before continuing. "So forgive me if this doesn't sound as pretty or polished as it should. But even though I don't have the words to fully express what you mean to me, or how much I love you, I hope I've shown you how I feel through my actions every day we've been together." I paused, trying to gather my thoughts. Adriti was still staring at me, frozen, but she hadn't run away screaming yet. That was a good sign, right?

"Adriti,

From the very first moment I saw you, I knew my life was about to change forever. You walked in, and it was like the world became a little brighter, a little more beautiful. “You don’t know you’re beautiful,” but to me, you are everything. Every day with you feels like a dream. You’ve “stolen my heart,” and I never want it back. I love how you make ordinary moments extraordinary, how your smile can turn my worst days into the best ones. When I look at you, I see my future. I see the love of my life, my best friend, my forever. No matter how much “the night changes,” my love for you never will. I promise to love you through every season, to stand by your side when life is easy and when it’s not. You make me want to be a better person. I want to spend my life making you as happy as you make me. I want to “be the one to light your fire,” to hold your hand through every adventure, and to love you endlessly. I may not be perfect, but with you, everything feels “just right.” I want to be “your last first kiss,” the one who makes you feel loved every day, the one who never lets you forget how much you mean to me. So, here I am, down on one knee, asking the love of my life to spend forever with me. “Baby, I’m perfect for you.”

Will you marry me?"

Yes." Her answer rushed out before the question fully left my lips. "Yes, yes, yes!" She finally moved, and I barely had time to react before she threw her arms around me and kissed me. I was still kneeling, so the position was a bit awkward, but I didn't care. We were laughing, and she was crying, and most importantly, she said yes. Relief and joy flooded my veins so thoroughly I was almost drunk on them. The knots in my stomach undid themselves, and I savored our kiss for an extra moment before I pulled back and slid the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly.

THE END.