The marriage project

»Twenty«

Day one hundred seventy of five hundred thirty eight.

"I am so nervous wow." Gray laugh, fixing the collar of his shirt again. Gray had this huge presentation in front of the whole school today, and everyone's parents and family is going.

"Hey, buddy, you'll do great." Nick watches him in the little mirror they had, running his hand through his cut hair.

"You're gonna kill it," My mom helps him fix his collar as my dad ruffles his hair, Gray whining and fixing it.  "We have to find our seats, bye, Gray. We love you and you'll do great!"

We get to our seats, which were in the middle of the third row, Nick sitting next to me with his mom on the other side of him. There was a screen on stage, Gray's presentation pulled up on it. Nick was bouncing his legs up and down like he was nervous. Gray walked out on stage with a mic attached to a headset he was wearing, waving awkwardly to the crowd.

"So, when you think of love, what comes to mind?" I glance at Nick the same time he glances at me, shaking my head and smiling.

"Love is, everywhere." Gray clicks a button and the slideshow starts playing, pictures of people popping up. "Love is beauty, and love is pain. It's beautiful because it's a safe house, but it's also very painful. Love hurts when you watch the love of your life leave, love hurts when they tell you they don't love you." He glances at Nick and I while smiling. Gray goes on about love for a while before Nick slips his hand into mine.

"When it comes to love, it's the easiest most complicated thing in the world." the slideshow stops, Gray walking to the side of the stage. My mom was recording it while my dad tried to stop crying, Harry joking with him about crying.

"Okay, when I ask you this you better not answer the way I think you will. What is love?"

"Baby don't hurt me!" Mike cheers and I laugh, Gray and everyone else in the Disney squad shaking his head.

"Well sure. But besides that, what do you think love is?" I play with the ring on Nick's finger, waiting for Gray to finish. As bad as it is, I could not wait for this to be over since Nick and I are getting pizza after this.

"Love is, this." he clicks a button and I automatically realize what it was. There was the picture of Nick and I at Disney, then videos of us yesterday. That was why Gray had his phone up, because he was documenting it. Nick's grip on my hand tightens, his breathing stopping for a second. Gray was refusing to look at me, or anywhere near us while Harry cheers.

"That is exactly what love looks like. They always talk about each other, and just by that, the way they look at each other, and the fact they're both blushing and holding hands right now, you can tell they're in love." He points to us and everyone suddenly looks at us, myself hiding my face in Nick's shoulder. My dad was not crying anymore, and was pointing at us and laughing.

"All of this happened from the buddy project. So, next time you complain about how it starts soon, just remember that this could be you in the future. Thank you." Everyone cheers and Gray exits, everyone giving him a standing ovation.

--

"Hey guys!" Mr Hall runs towards us, Nick leaning on me.

"Wait oh my god hi!" I hug our old teacher before Nick does, our teacher glancing at Nick's finger.

"Wait, you guys got married! I knew it!" He points at us as I clear my throat, Nick shaking his head awkwardly. The air around us became stiff as our teacher realizes he was wrong. "You aren't?"

"Nope." We say at the same time, myself rocking awkwardly on my heels.

"Oh, uh, well, I'm sorry to hear that. Are you getting married anytime soon?"

"We will just have to find out then, won't we?"

"I'll be there. I know it's gonna happen one day, and you bet your butts I will be in the crowd crying." He laughs and waves bye, leaving soon after that.

"That was awkward."

"Shush, now let's go get pizza." I laugh and link my arm in his, walking out of the crowded auditorium.

AUTHORS NOTE

HI!!!!!!!!!!!

Countdown to Pressplay: like 13 weeks idk????

stay gold,

Aesthetic-Akridge.