[Adam's POV]
Friday September 2nd 2011.
It’d been just under three weeks since I’d talked with Anders about the marriage. And still I hadn’t proposed to Brielle.
Every day that passed felt like another failure, I was getting too tense, too worried. However I was finding it difficult I didn’t know, I just was.
I grunted tiredly to myself as I felt the dawn of another sleepless night approaching me.
I couldn’t carry on like this.
With a heaving sigh I rolled over and took my phone from the bedside table to check the time, 11:56pm. The hope was slight but maybe there was a chance Brielle was still up, for already in the workings of my mind was a crazy spontaneous plan that might just set everything into place. I grinned as I loaded up my phones messages, quickly finding Brielle in my contacts before I swiftly typed out a text to her:
‘Hey Bri, are you up? x’
Not five minutes later I got a reply back.
‘No :)’
I frowned at her response and let out a light chuckle, she honestly was such a joker. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me from batting back my own witty reply.
‘Oh that’s’ a shame... I was hoping I could come visit.’
As hoped, my text ruffled her curiosity enough for her to respond almost instantly.
‘What?’
‘Adam it’s almost midnight??’
I suppressed a giggle as I sat up and leant against the headboard, typing out another reply.
‘Yep :) sooo are you free?’
I waited a few seconds till a new message appeared.
‘Right so I’m officially confused (not that I understand you anyway!) but you can come round x’
I smiled at her charm for a moment before I went to get out of bed only to be stopped by another text.
‘But don’t you dare bring any funny business over here!!! ;)’
At her comment my grin only widened, she truly was such a sassy tease!
Shaking my head with a smile still touching my lips, I quickly replied back saying I’d be round soon before I locked my phone and got out of bed.
As my feet touched the familiar worn carpet of my bedroom floor I couldn’t stop the rush of butterflies that swarmed into existence in the pit of my stomach, for some reason, even though I had no idea where this midnight adventure was going to take us, I was feeling mighty high on the knowledge that tonight was the night.
The day I would propose.
My heart fluttered like a caged bird in my chest at the surreal thought. It was so incredible and unfamiliar that I had to quickly absorb myself in the process of getting dressed so that my heavily tainted nerves wouldn’t completely overwhelm. Luckily it seemed to work as I pulled on the crisp waistcoat and trousers Brielle had bought me for my birthday, soon finding myself completely unable to stop a mischievous grin tugging at the corners of my lips as my memory drifted back to a night that was beyond real. I sniggered at the guilty thoughts before quickly brushing them aside to go look at myself in the full length mirror on one side of the room, now wasn’t the time to get weighed down by such wild thoughts, there was a task at hand that needed to be done.
Instead I took a few hushed minutes to admire myself in the pale reflection. Grinning, as I once again ran my eyes down the whole outfit, feeling a deep sense of pride igniting in my chest as I saw how fitted it all looked. Again the word ‘dapper’ sprung into my mind, maybe even bordering on dark and mysterious; which was good, because tonight I wanted to look my best for her.
After another few minutes adjusting a few stubborn creases in my clothes and flexing my biceps for no other reason than to make absolutely certain that I looked and felt my best, I quickly rushed into the bathroom and further sorted myself out. Now up close in the sharp detail of the bathroom mirror I was able to check for any pesky stubble I’d missed while shaving, luckily I hadn’t, so all that was left to do was to brush my teeth, lazily run a comb through my hair, and splash on a little scented aftershave. The smell of which was warm and deeply alluring, one of Brielle’s favourites.
I chuckled heartily at the knowledge before looking myself deep in the eye once more and exiting the bathroom and tearing downstairs. My rampant footfall beginning to match the beating of my heart that was already starting to push hot blood around my body to course through every one of my veins and arteries, a stark reminder if any that this moment was special and oh so pure.
Reaching the hallway I weighed up a quick decision of dress shoes or plain sneakers which in the end was soon resolved by the realisation that I had to get to her house soon. So with that in mind I hurriedly laced up the glossy dress shoes, reasoning that even though I only wore them for special occasions which could alert Brielle to my plans, I wanted to make the effort. Standing up tall once again, I pulled on a thin black duffel coat and reached for the house keys, stopping abruptly however, as I caught my reflection in the sleek hallway mirror that was mounted just above the small table where the keys were kept.
I paused for a long moment as I looked myself in the eye, for some reason finding myself totally mesmerised by the fact that this man was me, that he’d been through so much and just short of one year ago, was starting to get the same kind of panicked nerves to ask his best friend out to officially begin dating. Times had moved on so quickly, so much had happened, so many feelings and emotions, so much love and joy. For everything we’d been through together I couldn’t believe that tonight was the night.
Finally reality caught up with me once again and forced my gaze away from the shiny reflective surface to take a deep, ragged breath and hurry on outside, shutting the door behind me with a definite click of the chunky lock. For another quiet moment I stood in the hazy darkness as the cool night air laced around my skin in delicate movements, a soft breeze soon picking up which tugged and ruffled at my hair. A gentle sort of feeling that sent impulsive shivers wrapping around every one of my limbs.
It had dawned on me that this was the last time I’d be in my house as her boyfriend.
For, if all went well...
...I would be coming back as Brielle’s fiancée.
The walk to Brielle’s house didn’t take long seeing as she only lived down the road from me, but despite that fact, every step had felt like a total dream.
And even now, as I pulled out my phone from my pocket and stealthily crept around the back of her house like some kind of criminal, the feeling of surreal never once left me.
“Hey Bri.”
“Adam? Where are you?”
I fought back a snigger and failed miserably as I looked up at the balcony that extended out from her bedroom at the back of her house, already scanning the timber clad building for means of a way up.
“Go to your room.”
“What?”
I ended the call as quickly as it had begun and rushed to stuff my phone in my pocket before I took a running leap and hauled myself up the sturdy drainpipe that ran down the side of the balcony. I had to admit it was higher than I had expected and so about half way up my climb I got a moment of queasy terror poking at my stomach as I lost my grip momentarily and my gaze was forced down for a perilous second.