Gwen's POV

It's been five years since we teamed up with Kevin. Ben and I just celebrated our twentieth birthdays and Kevin's twenty-first was around the corner. I couldn't believe that even after all these years we were still kicking alien butt as a team. Even more unbelievable was it that mine and Kevin's relationship had just gotten stronger over the time. I smiled when I saw him waiting for me outside the college gates. Spring break started today so I was finally going to get to take a break from all the physics and studies.

I walked straight into his arms and then jumped into the passenger seat of his car. It was exactly the same as it had been five years ago.

"So," I start as he drove. "How are we celebrating my first day of freedom? Are we meeting Ben and Julie somewhere?" Their relationship also survived the years of arguments.

He chuckles and shakes his head, his still-shaggy black hair brushing his chin. "I thought we could spend the day alone for a change. It might be nice to get some alone time with my girl."

I blush and nod. "Definitely. Where are we going?"

"To the beach, before it gets too late. It's been a while since we've hung out by the ocean."

I was so glad I had gone easy on my wardrobe this morning. I looked down at my skinny jeans and blue V-neck vest and sneakers. I would have worn my usual and classic uniform but I was too lazy to do the laundry. I guess that's lucky. Kevin was wearing the same thing he always did. It was amazing how he could wear this outfit while fighting aliens and still where it casually and look good.

I stared out the window until we parked near the sand and as soon as I opened the door the fresh ocean breeze hit me and I smiled. He got out and took my hand as we walked down the beach. My long hair was untied and blew in the gentle wind. Kevin's hand felt so right over mine as he held me protectively.

I stared up at him as we walked until he noticed.

"What?" he asked.

I shook my head and giggled. "I'm just thinking about the irony of all this. At some point, we wanted each other dead. And now. . ."

He smiled and stopped walking, turning so that our bodies were flush against one another. "And now we're in love?" he finishes smoothly.

I nod. "Absolutely."

He leaned down and pressed his lips gently to mine. Minutes pass this way until I have to break away for air. Even then, his lips never move from my skin. They just travel down to my neck and I turn to look out at the sea. The sun was just setting on the horizon and cast a bright orange flame to the pink sky. The deep blue waters shimmered as they reflected the new stars that were just coming to view.

"It's so beautiful," I whisper.

Kevin pauses and stands straight up again. I stare into his dark eyes and I see something in them . . . something I'd never seen before. A glint that sparked something in me. I was surprised to see a delicate pink on his cheeks before he coughed nervously.

"Gwen, there's something I need to do." I waited patiently as he cleared his throat and took my hand before he spoke. "You and me, we've been through a lot together. And we stayed together through all of it, no matter what happened."

"Where are you going with this, Kev?" I interrupt.

"Please, just don't say anything until I finish." He held up a hand and closed his eyes. I wondered of my outburst had caused him to lose his nerve to say what he wanted. I was about to speak again when he opened his eyes. They were burning fire and smoldered me under their intense gaze. "Gwen, we've been together a long time now, and I'm really in love with you. And I know you love me too."

"I really do," I say, despite his request for me to keep silent as he talks.

"Well, I've wanted to do this for a few months now, but I could never work up the nerve." He breaks off, chuckling to himself. "You would think if I was able to battle off all those deadly aliens almost every day then I would be able to propose to my girlfriend without breaking into a cold sweat and shaking like a baby."

My eyes widen. "Wait, do you mean—"

He silences me with a look so fierce and adoring that the breath out of me. He digs around his pants pocket before pulling out a black velvet box. I shudder as I realize what is within it. He sighs and lowers himself onto his right knee. I gasp and cover my mouth with my hands as he lifts the lid to expose the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen. The band was thin and white-gold and it framed the perfect sized, square-shaped diamond. The main diamond had two smaller diamonds on either side of it and they were shaped like elegant and simple flowers. It was perfect.

"Gwendolyn Tennyson," he said softly, burning me with his eyes again. "I promise—no, I swear—that I will love you for the rest of our forever. And I know that I don't deserve you, I'll never be good enough for you, not if I live a million years. But I know that you can look past that, because you don't see me as the delinquent kid, someone stupid and not worth your time. You see me as Kevin, as a person. In fact, you might well be the only person in this world that has never doubted the good in me, even when I didn't think it was there myself." I had a feeling he was referring to the time with Aggregor but I could respond. I was too close to tears to risk it. "I want a future with you. I want to wake up every morning next to you and know you're there when I fall asleep. I'm so into you, I'd go to the store to pick up your feminine products if you asked me to, I swear. I would be . . . so unbelievably proud . . . to call you my wife." He paused and I felt a tear escape and drip down my cheek warmly. "Gwen, will you marry me?"

I am frozen with shock . . . for about five seconds before I tear my eyes away from the ring and look into his pitch black eyes. "Of course!" I squeal. "Yes. Yes!"

He chuckles with relief and stands up again, pulling me into a bear hug tight enough to squeeze the air out of my lungs. When he releases me, he takes the ring and places it swiftly on my third finger on my left hand and I gaze at it adoringly before looking back up at my boyfriend—no, fiancée—and he's glowing.

It was so easy to just reach up on my tip-toes to kiss him deeply on his mouth in celebration of our engagement.