And I'm finally starting to update regularly again. :)
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Forever.
Bethany walked slowly on the beach, the breeze running through her hair, her hand wrapped up in Derek's. She could feel his eyes on her, causing her to blush though he hadn't said anything. "You know I love you right?" Derek asked her. Bethany looked at him with a confused look on her face, "Of course silly, why?"
Derek took a deep breath just needing reassurance before he did what he was about to do. He had spent the past four years with Bethany at his side and he would be lying if he said those four years hadn't been the best of his life so far.
Bethany had been able to bring the creativity and passion for certain things back into his life. She pushed him to do things he was scared of doing. Bethany showed him the light in so many places where he had seen darkness before. She had made his last season on Dancing with the Stars different, she made it special. During all the backlash he had gotten during that season, Bethany was there every step of the way, right by his side, never hesitating to tighten her grip on his hand.
They had had bumps in the road, but every single time they had come back to one another, their fights never lasting more than an hour because every single time they claimed to be mad at one another the other would come up with a corny joke that they just had to share with the other person. Those arguments always ended the same way, with the other person laughing at the awful corny joke and a big kiss on the cheek, there wasn't one time that it didn't happen.
Bethany had been able to control his anger and all his moods (unlike anybody else who had ever had to deal with him) with a roll of the eyes and one flash of her dimples. She had Derek wrapped around her little finger, and he didn't want it any other way.
Derek shook himself out of his thoughts when he saw Bethany's face from below him, expecting an answer. Derek pulled her hand pulling her closer to the ocean. Bethany smiled before opening her mouth, "Derek I swear if this is another one of your jokes where you're going to pretend to do something really romantic and then push me into the ocean I just want to tell you- it's not funny." Derek laughed loudly before bringing her waist closer to him, "It's not trust me."
Derek took another deep breath before continuing and looking straight into her big brown eyes. "Bethany Noel Mota, my sweet Beth- we've been together for four years- and without a doubt those four years have been the best of my life." Bethany smiled at him, still not understanding what he was about to do, "Ditto Blondie."
Derek smiled again at her quirky nature, "These four years you've brought so much into my life. You let me see so many things I hadn't seen before. You brought passion back into my life, and for that I am so thankful. "Bethany smiled with a confused look on her face, "Derek-". Derek tightened his grip on her hands, silencing her.
"Like I said these past years with you have been the best of my life, we've made the most incredible memories. Remember that one time I played a prank on you and told you there was a sale at Sephora and there really wasn't? I'm pretty sure I was deaf for at least a week with the way you screamed at me." Bethany laughed, "Well that's not nice!"
Derek laughed again, "You never fail to make me laugh. No matter what mood I'm in or whatever had happened in the day, a flash of your dimples would just make all of it go away. I've fallen in love with everything about you; adore everything about you that you hate about yourself. I love the natural state of your hair- though you never give me the pleasure of seeing it very often. I love your no makeup lazy days- to me you'll never look like 'Voldemort's daughter' as you put it, to me you'll always be the most stunning Disney princess. I love how tiny you are- it makes it easier to wrap you up in my arms at night. I love your adorable and long-winded arguments about how Starbucks will always be better than Dunkin Donuts. I love your sense of humor and how you always have a smile on your face- it's contagious and it brightens up everybody's day, well at least certainly mine. What I'm trying to say Beth is these past few years have been the best of my life- but only because you're with me- and I guess what I'm trying to say is I want to spend the rest of my life- with you."
Bethany put her hands over her gaping mouth before raising her hand to wipe away some tears that had fallen from her eyes during his speech. "Derek-". He cut her off again before she could get in another word, finally telling her what had been on his mind every single day they had been together. "Forever is a very long time Bethany", he said softly, "But I certainly wouldn't mind spending it with you."
Bethany closed her eyes again in pure bliss when Derek dropped down to his knee, bringing out a small red box out of the pocket of his shorts.
Bethany pressed her hand to her chest when he opened the box to reveal a stunning diamond ring; she looked back up at him, her eyes locking with his. "My sweet Beth, Will you marry me?" Bethany wiped away tears from her eyes before nodding, "Of course I will."
Derek stood up and taking her in his arms, lifting her and spinning her in his arms before he set her down and pressed his lips to hers. They broke from the kiss before Derek grabbed the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger.
He pressed his nose against hers, his face so close to hers that when he speaks Bethany can feel his lips graze over hers. "I love you so much." Bethany nodded her head, laughing slightly at the answer she was going to give him, "Ditto Blondie."
Derek laughed at her, "Bethany Hough- it's got a good ring to it." Bethany nodded her head again, not saying another word, only pulling his lips down onto hers. Derek lifted her body up from the ground, putting her legs around his waist before starting to walk towards the towel they had left on the beach.
He brought his lips down to her neck, thankful they had the whole beach to themselves. He broke apart from her before pulling Bethany closer to him on the towel, sighing in content, "Forever baby." Bethany looked at him with all the love in the world shining in her eyes, sighing so deeply it had to be filled with love.
"Forever."
