Dear Diary,
Number of freak-outs: 5.
Number of arguments with mum: Too many to count!
Number of boyfriends: 0.
"Rae!" I heard someone shout.
Jumping slightly, I looked over my shoulder, to see Chloe standing in the doorway,
"Wha'?" I asked, feeling slightly breathless from the shock.
"Are y' comin' or not? Cause ah'm tempted t' jus' leave y' 'ere."
I rolled my eyes,
"Y' need t' calm down. It's only quarter-to seven! The party don't start till seven!"
"Yeah!" She stood up straight, unfolding her arms and letting them drop to her side. "An' it takes 'bout twenty minutes t' walk t' pub!"
I rolled my eyes,
"Then we'll take the car!"
"Um. If you think I'm staying sober and bein' the designated driver, y've got another thing comin', Rae!"
I huffed, standing up,
"Jus' get it in the morning? S'only a twenty minute walk after all." I smirked at her.
Chloe rolled her eyes at me, and she grabbed my hand,
"Come on!" She demanded, dragging me away from the table and out of the living room. We walked to the hallway, and grabbed our coats, shrugging them on.
"Y' excited?" Chloe beamed with a grin.
I rolled my eyes playfully,
"Sure, sure."
Chloe scoffed,
"Stop wi' the bullshit, Rae. Ah know y' excited!"
A smile slowly crept onto my face, making Chloe gasp and then grin,
"See?!"
I slapped her arm slightly,
"Piss off! Can we go now?" I asked; sounding annoyed.
Chloe smirked at me, and then she opened her front door, and the two of us walked out and over to her car.
Once we arrived at The Basement, we walked inside, and everyone's eyes turned to our direction, making me instantly feel self-conscious. I smiled nervously in their direction, hoping they'd look away. My eyes scanned the crowd, and then they stopped. There they were: Chop, Izzy, Archie, and… Finn. They made their way over to Chloe and me, and Izzy wrapped her arms around my neck,
"Oh, Rae!"
I laughed, looking at the gang over her shoulder, hugging her back,
"'Iya, Iz."
"Ah'm so 'appy for you!" She beamed, pulling out of the hug.
I smiled at her,
"Thanks, Izzy."
All the gang slowly disappeared, walking over to the bar, leaving me alone with Finn. We looked at each other, and then Finn wrapped his arm around my waist, kissing my cheek softly,
"'Ope y' don't mind this many people comin'." He murmured softly in my ear.
I blushed slightly, smiling at him, and I shook my head,
"Nah. It's alright." I told him.
"'Ow's it feel, eh? This time next year, you're gonna be mine." He paused. "Officially."
I grinned at him,
"It's gonna be the best day o' my life." I answered truthfully, kissing my lips softly once.
Finn had proposed to me last week, and obviously, I said yes. Sixth form has finished, and now I'm halfway through University. I decided to go to a more local Uni, as I wanted to stay close to everyone. But it seemed that the rest of the gang had different ideas. Well, Chloe and Archie did. Izzy stayed in Lincolnshire with Chop, whom was still working at the garage. Izzy was working in a cafe, and Finn. Well, my Finn had a very popular record shop. Which, by the way, is also now, a radio station too.
"Oh. Ah never told ya." Finn said, pulling me closer to him. "The show's been popular since you've been on it this week."
"Oh?" I raised my eyebrows at him, and Finn nodded, with a smile on my face. "Told y' my music taste's better."
Finn huffed out a laugh,
"Piss off."
I smirked at him, and then Izzy skipped over,
"Come on, lovebirds!" She exclaimed, grabbing our hands, and she pulled us over to the bar, where the rest of the gang was.
"It's your celebration night, you two! Stop spendin' it jus' together! We're all 'ere for you!" Chop said.
Finn rolled his eyes, holding my hand,
"Soz, Chopper."
"Yeah. You will be." He narrowed his eyes at the two of us.
Finn chuckled, leaning in, and he kissed my cheek softly.
"Oh, Rachel!" Mum gasped, wrapping her arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.
I let out a laugh, hugging her back,
"Mum! Ah can't breathe!"
She let out an emotional laugh, as she pulled away, and she sniffed, wiping her eyes. She then stroked my hair, a proud smile on her face,
"Oh, Rachel, I'm so proud of you."
I furrowed my eyebrows together,
"You are?"
Mum sniffed, and she nodded,
"Yes." Finn came up behind me, placing his hands on my hips. I smiled, keeping my gaze on mum, as she carried on. "You and Finn." She shook her head, and shakily sighed happily. "You've been through so much together, and I'm so happy for the both of you, that you're here now."
Finn smiled,
"Thanks, Linda."
"You best look after my girl, Finn Nelson."
He chuckled,
"Don't y' worry 'bout that." He promised.
"Rachel. Congratulations." Karim said, as he walked over, holding Jasmine's hand.
Oh, yeah. Mum since I've been gone, mum gave birth to my little sister. Crazy right?
I smiled at Karim,
"Thanks."
"And, Finn. Uh, good luck?" He looked at mum.
The three of us started laughing.
"Thanks, Karim." Finn replied.
Finn kissed my hair,
"Ah love you."
I smiled to myself, and I turned my head to Finn,
"Ah love you, too."
"Uh, hi. Everybody." Archie smiled nervously at the room. "I just wanted to say a little speech to Rae and Finn." He swallowed slightly, and then looked at Finn and me. "These two are my best mates. Finn's been my best mate since we were little. And he's honestly the bestest mate I've ever had." Finn winked and raised his pint at Archie. "And Rae." Archie's gaze moved to me. "Rae's the best. She's been through hell and back, and despite all that, managed to make that grumpy sod 'appy." Everyone started laughing. "My two best friends are now engaged. And I couldn't be happier." Archie raised his glass in the air. "To, Rae and Finn."
"Rae and Finn." Everyone toasted.
I smiled, trying not to let my teary eyes get the better of me. Finn pulled me in close, kissing my temple softly, and then Archie came over,
"Weren't too soppy was it?" He asked.
I smiled at him, wrapping my arms around his neck,
"Ah love you, Archie!"
Archie chuckled hugging me back,
"Love you, too, Rae." He looked at Finn. "Too soppy then." He teased.
Finn chuckled,
"Oh, definitely."
I scoffed, pulling away from him, and I hit his arm playfully,
"Cheeky sod."
It was after two, when Finn and I came home from our engagement party. I'd barely had a drink, because I knew I was going to have to socialise with everyone. But Finn, the poor sod, was absolutely out of it. Everyone was buying him drinks, and he was too polite to say no. Getting him home, was the funniest part:
"Someday you will find me,
Caught up in a landslide.
In a champagne supernova,
In the sky!" Finn shouted off the top of his lungs, as he heavily wrapped his arm around my shoulders, stumbling down the street.
I shook my head, smiling,
"Finn, ya drunk sod! Y' gonna wake the neighbours up."
He looked at her, a lazy grin spread across his face,
"Ah don't care. Because, Miss. Rachel. You're abou' t' be, Mrs. Rachel Nelson." He looked up at the sky. "I AM THE 'APPIEST MAN ALIVE!" He shouted from the top of his lungs.
I laughed,
"Finn!" She hissed.
Climbing into bed next to a passed out Finn, I rolled onto my side to watch him, and I couldn't help but grin. I leaned over, kissing his cheek softly,
"I love you, Finley." I whispered in his ear. "Ah can't wait to be Mrs. Rachel Nelson."
I woke up the next morning, seeing that Finn was still passed out beside me. Smiling to myself, I climbed out of bed, and walked out of our room, and down the hall to the kitchen. I turned on the kettle, and then I got some bread out of the bread-bin, and put them in the toaster. As I started making breakfast in bed for Finn, I couldn't help but think about last week.
"Finn?" I called out, as I walked into our flat, noticing that all the lights were off, and the house was quiet. Too quiet.
Setting my keys on the table beside the door, I walked towards the living room, my eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. I turned on the living room light, and I gasped in shock. There was an old record player, which my dad had given me a few years ago, and on top of the record player, there was a ring box, opened, where inside revealed a gorgeous engagement ring. In front of the record player, on the floor, there were rose petals that read out: WILL YOU MARRY ME?
"F-Finn?" I spoke softly, trying to keep my emotions intact. Seconds later, Finn walked into the living room, from the kitchen, his hands stuffed in his jeans pockets, and a sheepish smile on his face; as he watched me.
"Wh-wha' is all this?" I asked in awe.
He shrugged slightly,
"Wanted it t' be perfect."
We both smiled at one another, and Finn walked over and he brushed his fingers over my f necklace,
"Ah gave this t' ya, with a promise that someday in the future, ah'd marry ya. We've been through everythin', Rae. An' we're still 'ere today." He paused, wiping away the tear that rolled down my cheek. "Please, will you marry me?"
I nodded, unable to speak, and I grinned at him.
Finn grinned back, kissing me deeply, wrapping his arms around my waist. I kissed him back and then seconds later; he pulled away. Quickly rushing over to the record player, Finn bent down and took the ring out of its box, and he rushed back over, taking hold of my left hand. My vision blurred, as I watched him slide the engagement ring onto my finger.
"Ah know it's not the best ring, bu' I 'ave been savin' up for a little bit, an'—"
"Finn, it's perfect." I sniffed. "Ah love it." I smiled, looking up from my hand. "I love it, and I love you. So much."
Finn's face fell in relief, and then I wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him passionately.
After I buttered Finn's toast, I picked up his coffee, and plate, and I walked back towards our bedroom. When I walked inside, Finn was laid on his back, and his hands were resting on his chest. I smiled to myself, walking over to him, and I placed the cup and plate on the bedside table, and then I leaned down, kissing his lips softly once.
"Mmm." He stirred, before opening his eyes slowly; a hint of confusion on his face.
I smiled down at him,
"Mornin'."
Finn smiled tiredly,
"Mornin', Rae-Rae."
I nodded to the bedside table,
"Breakfast is there."
He glanced to the table, and then he sighed deeply, rubbing his hands over his face, before he held my hands, tugging me down. I squealed, falling onto him, and the two of us laughed, before Finn tucked my hair behind my ear, and he smiled,
"Mine." He murmured huskily.
"Yours." I smiled.
"Wha' d'ya wanna do t'day?" Finn asked me.
"Hmm…" I trailed off in thought. "We could—"
"Stay in bed?" Finn interrupted, a devilish grin on his face. "Love that idea." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
I grinned at him, shaking my head, as I tried to stop the laugh from leaving my lips.
"Talk about lazy, Finley." I teased.
"C'mon, Rachel. Y' know y' wanna."
"Hmmm…" I pretended to think.
As I did, Finn wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me down, so I was lying on my side of the bed. A loud squeal and laugh left my lips, making Finn grin widely at me, before pressing his lips against mine.