Snow had settled down around the reservation, creating a nice clean white blanket that crunched beneath my boots as I walked into Emily's house with Jake, hands intertwined, gloves adorning my warm fingers. Jake grinned as we walked in, a few balloons attached to the door for his eighteenth that Emily had insisted she throw for him like she'd done for other pack members and had vowed she would do for the ones when they had a birthday as monumental as an eighteenth one.
He gave my shrouded fingers a gentle squeeze as we walked inside, Grams and Dad already here, chatting to Emily as though they were old friends, Grams and she exchanging recipes from the sound of things. I withheld my smile at that as Jake helped me out of the thick puffy coat he insisted I wear in order to keep me warm. I hated wearing my face mask, but if it would prevent infection amongst over things, then I would suck it up, grin and bare it.
Anna and Embry were sat on the couch, chatting quietly amongst themselves with Paul and Jared, the formers girlfriend, Lauren, nowhere in sight, thankfully. I didn't like her one little bit, although it might've been the dirty looks I got every time I let out a horrible cough and a pained sound when it hurt horribly, almost as though I offended her by simply being there.
The person who gave me a part of her body gave me a beaming smile as she saw us enter the warm house, peeling herself off of Embry to come over and give me a tight yet equally as careful hug. I returned it, smiling behind my mask. "Nice to see you too Anna," I greeted warmly, returning her hug with a sigh while Jake came back, his hand on my lower back, rubbing gentle circles as I pulled away from Anna. She gave him a hug too. "Happy birthday," she greeted, a wide smile on her face, although it held something else, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.
He went over to my Dad and Grams while I followed Anna, taking a seat next to her and the guys, each of them giving me a one armed hug, the other one holding a gigantic plate of food, something I'd grown used to seeing, because hell, Jake couldn't half put food away when he wanted to.
Conversation flowed; We talked about school, something I was eager to return to, but had settled for taking the tests privately just so I could get my high school diploma, but in a deal with the school board, I would still get to walk in Graduation in the upcoming May, exactly two years since I started dating Jake. All my life consisted of was studying, Jake and hospital visits for regular check-ups to make sure everything was going as it should be.
Jake joined us after a few moments, his large warm hand keeping mine warm. Although he couldn't see my smile, he knew it was there, and he pressed a kiss to my cheek. He seemed to be waiting for something, and yet, after an hour, he still seemed to be waiting for something, and then he deemed the time was right, and to my absolute shock, rendering me completely and utterly gobsmacked, he slid onto the floor, on the whole one knee thing, a green velvet box in his hands.
I could see Dad and Grams watching from beside Emily in the kitchen, smiles on their faces as they watched Jake open that green velvet box, revealing a beautiful antique ring set that I loved already. He gave a grin. "I've been waiting to do this for almost two years." He began, a wide ass grin on his face. "We've been through absolute hell to get here today, and to be honest, I didn't even think I'd get the chance to do this, but I have that chance. I love you more than anything, Ellie, and it would be the best birthday present in the world if you would agree to be mine forever. Marry me?"
Tears leaked from my eyes before I could wipe them away, and I nodded with a wide smile, even though he couldn't see it behind my mask, but he knew it was there, as he always did, and pulled me forwards into his arms, cheers sounding around us as he hugged me tight enough to convey his joy but not too much to hurt me. He pressed his mouth to the area beside my ear, his breath hot on my face. "I love you," he murmured, tears still leaking from my eyes as I buried my face into his neck, knowing I would have a lot more to do than revise for tests, spend time with Jake and have those hospital visits, and now, I could plan a wedding too. "I love you too, " I whispered, feeling him kiss me gently.
