She wakes tangled in the sheets and turns to find him still sleeping peacefully on his side facing her. She holds up her hand in the dim light of the room, admiring her engagement ring's sparkle. And then the realization hits her like a ton of bricks. She's engaged…to be married.
She looks over at him again, and her heart swells with love for this man beside her. His eyes flutter and then open. "Hey," he smiles.
"Good morning," she whispers.
"So did I dream last night, or did all of that really happen?" he asks adorably, and she laughs.
"It all really happened," she tells him, waggling her diamond ring in front of his face.
"I can't believe you said yes," he says, leaning over to kiss her.
"I can't believe you asked," she replies with a grin.
"Listen," he says, leaning up on one elbow, "We don't have to get married right away. I'm fine with a long engagement. I'm even fine if you want to keep it a secret for now."
"Really?" she asks, "Because I'm not sure I want to announce it to the world just yet. I mean, our families can know, but I don't think Twitter and Tumblr can handle it right now."
He laughs, "Wouldn't want to crash them again. And actually, our parents already know. I told mine what I was planning, and I asked for your parents' blessing yesterday afternoon."
"You did what?" she sits up abruptly in bed. "And were they happy?"
"Yes," he assures her, "Your mom cried, and your dad was like 'Take care of my baby, son," he imitates William's voice.
She laughs, burying her face into her pillow. "I was sure I was going to get a lecture about how I'm rushing into things," she says, peeking out at him.
"Yeah, I was nervous too. But I don't think we're rushing. I mean, I know how I feel about you, and time isn't going to change that, so why wait? My mom always told me that when you meet the right person, you just know. And I've always just known with you."
"Me too," she smiles at him. She climbs out of bed, and he groans into his pillow. "I have to get ready for work," she says, tossing her pillow at his head.
She walks into the bathroom and turns on the water for the shower while she brushes her teeth. As she's about to step into the hot water he walks in, pressing his body against the length of her back. "You're so beautiful," he whispers, brushing her hair off her neck and kissing the skin he reveals underneath.
She leans into his touch. "You're going to make me late," she breathes, turning around to face him and pulling his lips down to meet hers. She kisses him, slowly moving backward until they're both in the shower together. "Definitely late," she breathes as he picks her up, wraps her legs around him, and presses her into the tile wall.
Skylar's enthusiasm is relentless as he makes love to her first in the shower, and after washing her carefully and shampooing her hair, he scoops her up again, carrying her back into the bedroom and depositing her still soaking wet on the bed. "Extremely late," she moans as he climbs on top of her, kissing her passionately.
He worships her body, and she's trembling as he whispers the words, "My love, my Anna, my future, my bride," and punctuating each with a heated kiss. And afterwards, when she's completed sated and her limbs feel like jelly, she snuggles up to him.
"Seriously," she says, still trying to catch her breath, "Every time we're together, I get why Camp is so desperate to have you back."
He laughs, "And it wasn't even this good with her."
"There should be monuments built in your honor," she tells him. Reluctantly, Anna extricates herself from his body and finishes getting ready. She opts to leave the ring with him because she'll just have to remove it on set and she doesn't want to misplace it.
Skylar heads back to Los Angeles two days later, and she finishes the film a week after that. They have a month together before she's travelling to Canada to film her next movie, and he's starting up on Ground Floor again. Anna's thirtieth birthday is fast approaching, as is the Pitch Perfect 2 premiere.
They keep their engagement a secret from everyone except their families and trusted best friends. They decide they'll announce it once they can decide on a wedding date, not wanting there to be too much time between the announcement and the actual wedding. He buys her a long white gold chain so that she can wear the ring hidden under her clothing. For her birthday, he throws her a huge party at a fancy L.A. restaurant, and invites all their friends and his and her family to attend.
This time, when she leaves for Canada, he isn't filled with the sense of panic he had the other times he knew he wouldn't see her for a while. In a month she's flying back for the premiere, and he safely tucks her engagement ring under her shirt as he kisses her goodbye at the airport.
Filming Ground Floor keeps him busy, and he really likes working with the cast and crew. The show has grown in popularity, and this year the studio has hired him an assistant. Anna has had assistants before when filming movies, but he's never dealt with one before. His assistant turns out to be a young redhead named Ashley with a nice smile and bright green eyes. She's perky and enthusiastic, and fawns all over him.
He's finishing up one night, singing to himself when he turns around and sees her standing there alone. "You have a great voice," she says.
"Thanks," he replies politely.
"I loved you in Pitch Perfect," she continues, "You know Jesse Swanson is the guy that every girl dreams about. And you, well you're even better in person."
"Um, thanks," he says awkwardly, wanting to leave as soon as possible.
"And definitely more handsome too," she adds, taking a step closer to him.
He takes a step back, "I really should be going. My girlfriend Anna is expecting my call tonight."
"Oh right," Ashley replies, "I heard you were seeing Anna Kendrick. Is that still going on?"
"Yes, and strong," he answers firmly.
"Must be hard with her so far away all the time," she says sympathetically. "You must really miss her."
"Yes, I do," he agrees.
"I could, you know, help you out with that," she offers.
His eyes widen as he takes in her meaning, "No, definitely not. Look Ashley, I'm flattered, but I'm committed to Anna and I really don't think that it's appropriate for you, my assistant, to be speaking to me this way."
And with that, he leaves, fully intending to ask for a replacement for Ashley as soon as possible. He tells Anna what happened later that night.
"Want me to fly down there and take care of her for you?" she asks.
He laughs, "No, I'm going to have her replaced, but it was just so awkward. I wanted to tell her that we're engaged and she should back off, but I couldn't. Do you think we could announce things soon?"
"If things like that are going to continue to happen if we don't, we definitely should," she replies. "I don't need all these other women trying to get their hooks into my man."
Ashley is replaced with a guy named Rob, and Skylar is relieved. The next few weeks pass by in a blur, and soon it's the night of the premiere. Anna flies in for the weekend, making it just in time to get her hair and makeup done and get dressed. He starts to fasten the chain containing her engagement ring around her neck when she stops him, sliding it off the chain and placing it on her ring finger instead.
"Show time," she says to him with a wink, looking gorgeous in a short black dress and red heels, and they climb into the limo and head to the premiere.
When the limo pulls up to the theater, they get out, and she hides her left hand in his right as they walk down the red carpet. Everyone is shouting their names, eager for the perfect photo of the couple. Other cast members are present, but they are clearly the main attraction. They enter the theater and sit down to the watch the movie. The final product is great. It's very funny, the musical numbers are spot-on, and the romantic scenes with Beca and Jesse are heartwarming and moving. Anna feels the familiar butterflies in her stomach as she watches Jesse kiss Beca on screen and she recalls with perfect clarity how it felt for her in that moment. Everyone applauds after the final scene where Jesse goes after Beca in Los Angeles and the music swells, holding so much promise for the future of the young couple. Skylar squeezes Anna's hand as the credits begin to roll. They stand and make their way to exit the theater and head to the after party. Outside, they separate to sign autographs. Anna is signing a soundtrack album from the first movie when someone comes up behind her and grabs her left hand forcefully, causing her to drop the marker she was using.
"What the hell is this?" an angry Camp demands, holding Anna's hand and pointing at the sparkling ring.
"Don't make a scene," Anna says between clenched teeth, still trying to maintain a happy demeanor. Skylar turns around, and after seeing the altercation, moves to stand beside Anna and removes her hand from Camp's death grip.
"We'll talk about it later," he says calmly, still smiling and grateful for the noise surrounding them.
"I'm assuming it's yours," Camp seethes at Skylar, "What did you wait, all of two seconds to pop the question?"
He doesn't reply, instead wrapping his arm around Anna's waist as he leads her in the direction of the waiting limo. The crowd, seeing his affection for her, starts screaming loudly with excitement. Camp stalks behind them, her biting remarks drowned out by the roar of the public. And in a move that none of them expected and neither one of them planned, he twirls Anna around, dipping her low and pressing a kiss to her lips. Her left hand moves to cup the side of his face, clearly visible to both photographers and reporters. Cameras click wildly all around them.
The volume goes from loud to deafening as the crowd sees the ring and takes in its meaning. Questions like "When's the wedding?" and "How did he pop the question Anna?" are hurtled in their direction, but they just smile politely as he pulls her towards the limo. They slam the door in Camp's face as it drives off in the direction of the after party.
"Nice move!" she says to him, smiling as she reaches for him and kisses him again. "I've missed you, Sky."
"I've missed you too," he replies. "Guess we'll have to deal with Camp in a few."
"Whatever," Anna answers, holding up one of her pointy stiletto heels, "I can take her."
By the time they reach the party, everyone is buzzing about their engagement. Brittany practically tackles them as soon as they get out of the car, and Anna is forced to tell the proposal story about a dozen times to different crowds of people all night long. Fortunately, Camp keeps her distance for the beginning of the party, and even Ben seems happy for them.
At one point, Skylar leaves Anna and heads in the direction of the men's room. "I just don't get," he hears a voice behind him say, "Why her and not me?"
He turns around, and Camp is standing there holding a drink and leaning up against the wall. "We were together for two years, and you never even mentioned marriage. You're with her for a few months and you're already practically married! I just need to know why."
"You and I just weren't meant to be," he replies.
"Oh, don't give me that shit," Camp slurs. "That's so cliché. You and her were 'meant to be'? It's like straight out of some lame assed romantic comedy."
"It's the truth," he says, "We fell in love, it's as simple as that. I couldn't imagine my life without her, so I proposed and she said yes."
"Give me a break," Camp rolls her eyes, tripping slightly over her own feet as she walks towards him. "I know you Skylar. You're a real ladies man. Always the charmer, always going from one woman to the next. So when are you going to get bored with her and dump her like you did me?"
"Never, hopefully," a third voice says, and Camp and Skylar turn to see Anna standing a short distance away from them. "Holy shit, I feel like I'm in the movie Groundhog Day, because we keep having the same conversation over and over again."
Skylar laughs and Camp just glowers at her. "For the last time Camp, Skylar and I are not in this relationship to sabotage you. We fell in love. It just happened. And we want to spend our lives together. You will find the right guy for you, but he isn't Skylar," Anna declares.
"I'm sorry you had to find out about the engagement this way," Skylar says sincerely. "We were going to make an announcement tonight and I was going to pull you aside and tell you privately beforehand."
"But then you had to go and make a scene," Anna finishes for him.
Camp looks sheepish, "Sorry," she mutters. "I guess it's still not easy for me to see you two together and so happy. I can't help wanting it for myself."
"And you'll have it," Skylar tells her, "With someone else. Now if you'll excuse me, I was on my way to the bathroom." He gives Anna a kiss on the cheek and both of them disappear into their respective restrooms. Camp stalks off into the crowd in search of more alcohol.
"Never a dull moment," Skylar muses later as he pulls her onto the dance floor, holding her close as they sway together to the music. "Have I mentioned to you tonight how incredibly sexy you look in that dress?" he whispers in her ear.
"Not as good as you look in that suit," she replies seductively in his ear, his body instantly registering the fact that he hasn't been with her in weeks.
"Let's get out of here," he grits out between clenched teeth, hauling her by the hand through the crowd, out the door, and into a waiting limo. As soon as the door slams shut his mouth is on hers, kissing her hungrily.
"Someone is a little eager," she notes, her tone teasing.
"Oh and what, you're not?" he breathes in her ear, causing her to shiver.
"Yes, but not enough to do it in this limo in full view of Ramon the driver," she replies, breathing hard as he peppers her neck and shoulders with kisses.
"Well, excuse me for not wanting to wait until I get my fiancé home to ravish her," he murmurs into her ear before nibbling on it, her eyes fluttering shut at the sensation.
They continue to tease each other mercilessly for the rest of the drive, so that by the time they arrive at the house, they're practically clawing at each other. He pulls her out of the limo, flinging her over his shoulder as he waves to Ramon, and runs up the driveway and into the house.
And very quickly, the only thing either of them are wearing is that sparkly diamond ring.