I am so sorry, it's been forever since I've updated! I found this chapter quite hard to write- and then my laptop died and I didn't have my own computer for a while. But I've got a new one now :D
Also, the things I've written about the court case- I've never been to court, so I have no idea what happens and the Internet doesn't really give away much. If anybody sees any glaring errors, please point them out to me!

Nicki's Point Of View

That Saturday was undoubtedly a good day by most people's standards- it was sunny, warm and with barely a cloud in the sky. The slight cool breeze was the only indication that this wasn't part of a summer heatwave- it was, in fact, September, and probably nearing the end of the warm spell we'd been having. But not even that could dampen our spirits as we drove home, putting the court room that we'd become very well acquainted with over the past few months far behind us.

For even though we'd spent a long time in that court room, the outcome had only been finally decided today. An outcome that meant my stepfather would be returning to prison, a place he knew well, and getting to know it even better as he spent the next few decades of his life there. It was the outcome we were expecting all along, but the more hours we'd spent in that courtroom, the more worried I got that they'd decide that he was innocent after all. It's hard to describe just how terrible that thought was, but it no longer weighed me down. Instead, I was happier than I remembered being in a while. Catching Tom's eye as he drove and receiving a big grin from him told me that he was just as happy as I was.

When we got back home, we hadn't even got out of the car properly before Josh was running outside, asking us for the news even though he could tell from our faces what it was. The joyful hug he gave both of us felt entirely natural, and only for a moment did I marvel at how quickly I'd been accepted into his life. Some teenagers would be unable to bear their parent's partner moving in- especially one who was also their teacher- but Josh didn't seem to mind at all.

Now, it was just the two of us at home. Josh was seventeen now, and he usually wasn't home on Saturday nights. This gave us the opportunity to have a quiet meal (tonight's choice was spaghetti carbonara, something relatively simple that wouldn't test our mediocre, albeit improving, cooking skills) and then sit and watch television, with only two people fighting over the remote instead of three. It wasn't anything exciting, but it was relaxing, and something we appreciated when we were further into the term and spent more time stressing over our work.

"Are you going to stay in the kitchen all night?" I called from the living room, already settled on the sofa and seeing if there was anything interesting on TV.
"No, I'm just doing the dishwasher!" Tom replied. He walked into the living room a few moments later. "Anything good on?"
"So far I've found Grease on Channel 4, or that new Brian Cox programme... or Strictly if we really can't find anything else."
"Let's watch Grease- I haven't seen it for ages."
"Which is code for 'I love that film but don't want to admit to liking musicals'." I teased.
"Cheek." He muttered. But only because it was true.

Around fifteen minutes later, I had gone into the kitchen to retrieve the bag of popcorn we had started earlier in the week, when some new, colourful things on the fridge caught my attention. As I looked more closely at them, the bag of popcorn dropped to the floor, scattering the white flakes all over the floor. For a good thirty seconds or so I was speechless, but then I managed to gather myself enough to call out "Tom?". He arrived in the kitchen moments later.
"Yes?" He said, appearing to be calm, but underneath I could tell he was hiding nerves.
"Is this... is this for real?" I whispered, still fixated on the fridge- or more specifically, what was on it. Spelt out in plastic alphabet magnets, it said, clear as day: 'Nicki, will you marry me?'

Suddenly, Tom was down on one knee, holding out a small box containing a ring. "Yes, of course it's real." He said softly.
Oh my God. Oh my God. Is this really happening? Tom, proposing, to me?! There were a few moments of silence while I took it all in, but then I found myself saying- well, more like screaming- "Yes! Of course, yes!"

It was as if I was in a dream as Tom took my left hand, sliding the ring onto my finger- and oh, what a ring. It's the most perfect thing I've ever seen- a single diamond set in platinum, simple yet beautiful. Then we were hugging, and he was wiping a tear off my face when I hadn't even realised I'd been crying.
"No use crying over spilt popcorn." He joked, and I smiled back, because this amazing man is the person I love more than anything else in the world, and we're going to spend the rest of our lives together.

I can hardly believe it. I'm engaged.