I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read this story. It has been so much fun to write and I'm really happy that everyone enjoyed it!

I have changed a few things that are canon in the movie, mostly the jobs that Chase & Michal have. I liked the careers the movie gave them but I had written this plot before I saw the film and I liked the ideas I had given them. These are just my thoughts on how I saw the characters might be in the future.

Once again thank you to everyone who read this story. You have all made me so happy!


Another day had come to PCA; the cool breeze was letting everyone know that spring had arrived, and graduation was getting closer by the day. Zoey has been feeling conflicted since receiving her letter from her dream school. She had yet to open hers, waiting for Chase to receive his so that they could open their letters together. He had messaged her this morning that he finally came in the mail, and they could meet in the quad to open their letters together. She was so excited to open the piece of paper and find out if the start of her dream would come true.

"Zoey!" Chase rushed towards her, tripping over his own two feet, and came tumbling towards her. Jumping back up, he joined her on the bench, panting heavily with a few leaves in his hair. "Hi,"

She giggled, helping him pull out the leaves in his bushy hair. "Hi yourself."

They both showed each other their matching white envelopes, smiles wide with excitement and anticipation. Before either of them could ask, they were ripping open their envelopes, pulling out the letters, and silently reading the first lines that would determine their futures.

"I got in!" Both exclaimed in joyful glee, jumping to their feet and hugging each other. Their faces were beaming so bright you'd think there was a second sun.

Zoey was so excited. This school was the starting point for the dream life she's always envisioned to come true. "New York, here we come!"

When she said that, the smile on Chase's face disappeared. "New York?" He stuttered, suddenly feeling like his mouth had gone dry. "I thought you were applying to schools in California?"

"Well yeah, as my backup school, but my dream school is in New York." A wave of dread washed over her. "Why, where did you apply?"

He grimaced, he didn't want to show her, but he knew he had to. "California." He turned his acceptance letter around to show her the school's name and its location.

She gasped, taking the paper. "You're staying in California? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Me?" He did a double-take and snatched his letter back. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to New York."

"Why wouldn't I go to New York? It's one of the fashion capitals of the world!" She told him like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He scoffed, "And California is the entertainment empire!" He wanted to write for shows and movies. To do so, he needed to get into a good school, and the school he knew that could help him was here. "This is just like England all over again." He muttered under his breath, but she still heard him. Stepping back, she glared at him before stomping off. "Zoey!" He tried calling out to her, but she ran away from him instead.

While everyone else on campus seemed to be all sunshine and rainbows, Zoey felt like she had a dark storm cloud following her around. She all but slammed open her dorm room door, letting out a low scream as she flung her backpack and acceptance letter down on her bed.

Quinn and Logan were in the room, both lying on the same bean bag watching a movie on their little TV. He was lying with his arm wrapped around her while she had her head curled into the crevice of his neck and shoulder. They looked so peaceful and happy together.

"Zoey? Are you okay?" Quinn asked her roommate, concern evident on her face. Her entrance into the room frightened them. It wasn't normal for the girl to come in like that.

Logan merely rolled his eyes. "What's your problem?" He didn't really care, more so annoyed that his time with his girlfriend was once again interrupted.

That comment only set off her already short fuse. "You wanna know what my problem is?" She stomped over to the couple and pointed an accusing finger at the curly-haired boy. "My problem is I can't come into my room for one second without seeing your stupid face, so get out!" He was very taken aback by the anger that she was directing toward him.

"Zoey!" Quinn jumped to her feet, untangling herself from her boyfriend's grasp to stare at her roommate in shock. "What's with you?! You can't talk to Logan that way." She knew her friends weren't exactly his biggest fan, but to speak to him with such disdain when he hadn't even done anything wrong was not something she was going to let slide.

"I already told you what my problem is, so tell your arm candy to leave the room," Zoey yelled back, not caring for anything or anyone right now.

Quinn glared, "It's my room too, and you don't tell me or Logan what to do." She crossed her arms. She didn't want to fight her friend, but she would if she had to.

Lola came walking in, sipping on a smoothie but stopped when she saw the two angry faces of her best friends and the concerned face of one Logan Reese. She could feel the tension in the room from the moment she walked in. It felt like someone threw a weighted blanket on her. "Guys, I'm an actress, and even I say there's too much drama in here."

Zoey scoffed, throwing her hands up. "Just be quiet and stay out of this."

The future star did a double take. "What did you just say to me?" She didn't care who it was; she would not put up with anyone's attitude.

All three girls began to fight, screaming and yelling at one another. It was more accurate to say that Quinn and Lola yelled at Zoey, who yelled right back at them. They shouted, throwing insults and raising their voices higher and higher until it felt like their eardrums would pop. Usually, Logan would be all over a girl fight and be enjoying the show, but when it involved Quinn and her getting yelled at for no reason., he wasn't a fan. He knew his girlfriend could handle herself, but that didn't mean he liked seeing her get hurt. "Will you all shut up!" He yelled next, his voice overpowering them all. He jumped to his feet and shook off the headache he felt coming on. "Sorry, sweetie." He apologized for yelling at Quinn. She wasn't who he was really speaking to.

Lola rubbed her temples, a headache of her own coming on. "Okay, what is going on?"

"Zoey came in here acting like she's queen of the room and was rude to Logan for no reason." Quinn pointed an accusing finger at the blonde girl.

Zoey sneered, "I have a reason. I don't like him." She cried out when she felt a harsh zap hit her arm. "You did not just use your zap watch on me." Quinn's grinning expression said she did and was willing to do it again. This look only increased Zoey's anger. She tried to grab the watch, but the other two stepped in.

Logan stepped in front of Quinn, blocking the blonde from touching her while Lola pulled Zoey to the other side of the room. "Calm down," Lola sighed, stepping away and putting her hands in front of the blonde. "Just tell us what's going on. You're not acting like yourself." This was not their friend. Zoey never had problems expressing when she was angry or annoyed with them, but this hostile attitude was something new. Something that was the opposite of who she really was.

Zoey sighed, running her hands through her blonde locks. Her eyes looked over at the couple in the room; Logan stood protectively in front of Quinn, the latter standing behind him and glaring at her. Looking down, she saw they were holding hands, with Quinn rubbing her thumb over his knuckles. "I'm sorry," she walked over and sat on the couch. "Logan, Quinn, I didn't mean to act like that. I just…" she sighed, trying not to burst out crying. It felt like all her emotions were now coming to the surface. "Chase is staying in California, and I'm going to New York. We're going to be apart again, and I'm so scared it's going to be England all over again." She put her face in her hands, taking deep breaths to prevent herself from having a breakdown in the room.

Letting out a sigh of her own, Lola came to sit next to her friend. "Hey, it'll be okay." She wrapped one arm around the girl, trying to offer her a sense of comfort. "You and Chase love each other. And at least this time, you guys will be in the same country." Soft sniffles could be heard as Zoey lifted her from her hands, wiping the few stray tears that managed to fall from her cheeks. "Did Chase ever mention the colleges he was applying to?"

She shook her head, "No, he never said a thing."

"That's weird," Lola frowned, starting to feel annoyed at the boy. She did not like it when guys made her friends cry. "We'll, it's his fault for being stupid and not saying anything."

"Oh, come on," Logan scoffed, staring at the two girls sitting on the couch in disbelief. "You never said anything either." He found it hard to feel sorry for the girl after she nearly bit his head for just existing. "I've been in this room hundreds of times this semester, and I never once heard you mention which schools you were applying to."

Zoey rolled her eyes at him; she really didn't want to have this talk with him. She usually preferred it when he ignored her and focused all his attention on his girlfriend. "I'm going for fashion, so of course, I would be applying for schools in New York. Where else would I go?"

"And Chase wants to work in the entertainment industry," Logan cut her off before she could throw another tantrum. He was getting really sick of her attitude. "Chase isn't a mind reader, and neither are you. This was the same issue you guys had with England and Valentine's Day. You both assumed you knew what the other wanted and never talked with each other properly." He was sick of them beating around the bush then, and he was sick of it now. It was the same song and dance they had been doing since the girls first joined PCA. When were they going to learn?

"Please don't hate me for saying this, but Logan's right." Lola quickly backed away into the corner of the couch and put her hands up in a defensive manner. "You said it yourself. The communication isn't exactly your strong point with Chase."

Zoey hated to admit it too, but Logan was right. "Have you and Vince talked about what schools you're looking at for next year?"

Lola nodded, "I'm obviously going to New York to study acting at the most famous school in the world for it," it had been her dream school ever since she got her first role in a school play. "And Vince…" she stopped, trying to track her brain but came up empty. "I'm not sure where he's going." She realized she never asked him. She had been putting together an audition tape to send to her schools this whole semester that she forgot to ask her boyfriend where he was aiming to go.

Zoey sighed; at least she wasn't alone in that boat. "Have you two talked about what you're doing next year?" She asked the couple.

Logan smirked, "We've been talking about it," he pulled his girlfriend forward so that he could wrap an arm around her shoulder and hold her close. "Quinn is going to Caltech while I study business at NYU. We'll take turns visiting each other over semester breaks and dividing up holidays. Come time for graduation; I'll start working for my dad while Quinn does graduate school out here. By then, we'll be more financially ready to have an apartment together." Ever since they took their college admission exams and started preparing, they have been discussing their college plans and what comes after.

The two girls looked shocked that they had already planned out their whole future.

"You guys have talked about all that?!" Zoey could not believe what she was hearing. She and Chase haven't even talked about summer break plans after graduation.

Quinn nodded, feeling her anger towards her friend come to a low simmer. "Logan and I talked a lot while keeping our relationship a secret and even afterward. We both wanted to make things work and knew that talking about stuff, even the things we didn't want to, was the only way." They were both painfully aware that whatever school she got into, he would have a very slim chance of getting in. Her grades were in the top percentile, while his were average at best. Besides, she didn't want to go to whatever school just because she went there. They both cared about each other's happiness and wanted them to succeed. If that meant being apart for a few years, they would put in the work and do whatever they needed to make their relationship last.

Zoey had thought this couple was done surprising her, but it seemed she was wrong. "How is it that the guy who used to ask me to make out with him and every other girl on campus turned out to be the best boyfriend in this school."

Her comment made Logan groan. "Did you really have to bring that up?" He knew he was a playboy and had flirted with the blonde on a number of occasions, but did she really have to talk about that in front of his girlfriend?

Quinn put a comforting hand on her boyfriend's chest. She was very much aware of his colorful past, and it didn't really surprise her. Actually, she needed to remind herself to ask him why he never asked her to make out. He had flirted with a bunch of girls who had boyfriends, so why never her? "Zoey, I know it seems harsh, but if you want to make things work with Chase, you have to be more open with him, or else you guys won't last."

Their residential genius was right. This would not be a fun talk with her boyfriend, but it was one she needed to have. "You're right, and I'm really sorry again, Quinn. And sorry to you too, Logan. I was just upset and took it out on you guys." She was embarrassed to say that when she walked in and saw them cuddling, her envy for the girl took over. Lately, she's been noticing more and more problems in her relationship and realized that the other two only seemed to grow closer. She wished her relationship with Chase was like what they had.

They both gave a silent nod, accepting her apology. "Good, now that we have that all settled, come on honey, let's get some dinner." Logan guided Quinn out of the room. "I'm craving some lobsters.."

Quinn couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, but maybe not five this time."


It was the next day at PCA, and their friend group could still feel the tension in the air between Zoey and Chase. She had tried talking to him, but it seemed he wasn't in the mood for a chat because he was ignoring her. She had tried messaging and calling him, but he would either not respond or send back one-word answers. Honestly, it made her angry all over again. Lunch had come, and the two sat on opposite sides of the lunch table.

"So, did I tell you guys I heard back and got accepted into my first choice?" Michael said, trying to break the tension before one of them burst.

"What are you going for again?" Logan asked, shoving another french fry in his mouth.

"I'm glad you asked," Michael shifted in his seat, looking very proud of himself. "I am going to be a kindergarten teacher."

Quinn smiled; that was such an admirable role for him. "Why kindergarten?"

"Because it's the perfect grade to get the kids interested in music, comedy and help them come out of their shells." He can remember being a kid and even now as a teenager, experiencing life but not understanding the basics to move forward. He was lucky to have a supportive friend group, but not every kid has that. He wanted to be able to help the kids, especially the shy ones, who wanted to express themselves but didn't know how. At that age, most kids start to take an interest in music, comedy, and other areas. He wanted to do what he could to help them embrace their interests and pursue their dreams, especially if they had friends or family trying to discourage what they liked.

"Hey guys," Lola came trotting by with her lunch tray of a fruit salad only with a stack of papers. "Zoey, I printed these out online. I figured since we're both going to New York for school, we can live together again." She clapped, excited at the prospect of living with her best friend. They were going to different schools but being able to live with your friend while being in a strange new environment would make the transition so much easier.

Chase scoffed, "Oh, so you'll make plans with Lola about your future, but you won't make any with me."

Zoey glared over her salad at him. "Well, I tried talking with you about it, but you were ignoring my calls and acting like a giant baby." The remaining four friends looked at each other, eyes wide, as the tension made it so awkward to be around them. The fighting couple both stood up, knocking over their chairs and making the others jump in surprise. They didn't notice, or seem to care, and walked off in the opposite direction of each other.

"You guys, this is bad," Quinn said after they were out of earshot.

Lola nodded, feeling guilty that she had brought it up. "You don't think they'll break up, do you?"

Michael sighed, "I don't know." He has seen his friends fight before, but this time felt different.

"It's their own fault," Logan picked up his burger to take a bite but stopped when he felt three sets of eyes on him. "What? It is! If they weren't such idiots, they could have a conversation without storming off like a bunch of Neanderthals."

"That's it," now Michael had something else to worry about. "I'm taking away that word of the day calendar. It's just wrong hearing you talk like you have intelligence." The boy and big words do not mix. It was too disturbing.

Logan shook his head, "No way! Quinn said she snuck a sexy photo in my calendar, and I haven't found it yet." He said, pointing at the girl who was now blushing and hiding her hands in her face.

"Ew!" Lola pushed her bowl of fruit away. "You people always ruin lunch for me."


That night Quinn decided it was best to avoid her room. She didn't know how Zoey would behave, and she wasn't in the mood for another fight. After dinner, she and Logan made their way to one of the hammocks that were set up around the campus. She rests her head on top of his chest, curling her fingers into the soft fabric of his hoodie. The spring nights brought cool air with them, and even he admitted to needing sleeves. He rubbed a soothing hand up and down her back, relishing the feeling of her body against his. He loved moments like this when it was just the two of them, and they enjoyed their time together without any interruptions.

"Are you nervous?" Quinn asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had surrounded them.

He cast a glance down at her, "About what?"

"About college and us?" She lifted her head up so that she could look into his eyes. "Are you worried about us being so far apart from each other?"

He shook his head, "No, why? Are you?" He hadn't been concerned before, but if she was feeling some doubts, then maybe he should.

This time she was the one to shake her head. "Not really," she sighed, taking her finger to trace mindless partners just above where his heart was. "I just…I don't want us to fight like that. Or for you to feel like you can't tell me something. Even if it seems minuscule, I want to know everything that you experience in New York." He gave her a confused look, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Minuscule means tiny."

He gave a silent oh, now understanding what she meant. "We're not going to become like that," he gathered her in his arms so that they were both lying on their sides and facing each other. "I don't care how miniature things may seem; I'm gonna talk with you every day." He cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb against her soft flesh. "I want to be part of your life even if I'm not there."

She smiled, laughing to herself about his incorrect use of the word but still loving that he tried. "I love you so much." She kissed him.

"I love you too." He kissed her back.

Unbeknownst to them, Zoey is standing behind the tree. She overheard their conversation and felt her chest fill with jealousy and envy.

Walking off to the boy's dorm, she comes to a familiar-looking room and knocks on the door.

Chase opens up, and his body tenses when he sees her. Hurt and guilt show on his face as his eyes dart across the hall, not sure where to look or what to say. Taking the first step for them, Zoey stands on the tips of her toes and kisses him. "I don't want to fight anymore. I just want to be with you. And if that means us being together but at different schools, I think we can make it work."

He smiles for the first time in days. "You think so?"

She nods, "Yeah, I do."


Graduation day has come, and everyone is both excited and very nervous for what it brings. Dressed in their cap and gowns, they sit in the stands while Quinn delivers her valedictorian speech to her senior class. "When I first came to PCA, I knew things would be different, that I would be different. Maybe that wasn't always the best thing, but I made a lot of friends who allowed me to be me. They accepted my weirdness and helped me grow into the person I am now," she looked out at the crowd of students, some paying attention; most seemed to be staring off into space. However, she saw the few who were listening to every word she said. The few she considered her best friends and knows that they'll always be together even after today. "Life at PCA was full of adventure and excitement, of heartbreak and loneliness, and finding the things and people you love." She looked right at Logan when she said this, the boy staring right back at her with the biggest smile on his face. "Academia can help you so much in life, but it's with the support of good friends and loved ones that can help make even the most difficult journeys seem so fun." She finished her speech with a standing ovation. Her group of friends seemed to be cheering the loudest, shouting her name and whistling into the crowd.

Dean Rivers came up next and began to hand out diplomas, calling the students one by one as they took to the stage. Each of them remembers their time at PCA and everything they experienced. The good, the bad, and the weird. It was a lifetime of memories they would never forget.

Everyone cheered when it came time to throw their caps into the air. Some ran off instantly to get changed and start partying, while the others stayed behind to take photos and spend their last few moments with their friends.

"Hey Quinn," Mark called out to the girl that was once his girlfriend. This was the first time they had spoken since he broke up with her. "You did a nice speech." He stuck out his hand for her to take. Despite the way things ended, he was happy for her.

A little surprised by this behavior of his, Quinn offered him a kind smile. "Thank you, Mark." She took his hand and shook it. "I wish you nothing but the best." And she meant every word of it. Just a little over a year ago, she had been so heartbroken by this boy, but now she didn't feel much of anything towards him. She didn't wish ill things on him, and part of her was grateful for what he'd done. If he hadn't ended things, she would have never known the happiness and love that she feels now.

"Thanks, and same to you." He was happy to know that she seemed good, and perhaps they could become friends later down the line.

"Okay, that's enough." Logan stepped in, breaking their hands apart and wrapping a hand around her waist. "Keep your hands to yourself, Del Figgalo." He didn't care how many years passed by; he was not going to trust this guy around his girlfriend.

Taking the hint, Mark walked off, but Stacey appeared next. "Guys, can you believe it? We graduated!" She tried to hug them, but they took a step back away from her outstretched arms. "I hope we can stay in contact, and Logan, I do hope you can forget about me and the fact that you'll never feel these moist lips of mine," she ran her tongue over his lips, giving him a playful wink. She seemed not to notice how he tensed up and brought Quinn closer to his body, using her as a human shield. "But I am this close to getting Mark to admit that I am his girlfriend, and I-!" She was halted as someone spiked a beach ball right into her face, making her collide against the nearby tree. She groaned, making a strange noise as she stood back up on her feet. "That was seriously…" she stopped, gasping and looking at the couple in fear who didn't seem to know what to do. "S-S-Seriously…" she cried, cupping her two cheeks as she bolted through the quad. "No, my lisps is back! My lisps!"

Quinn felt bad, but she couldn't help but laugh. "It seems PCA is going to keep things interesting until the very end." She came to stand in front of her boyfriend, taking in his features before she had to get on a plane. They had made plans for the summer to see each other before they started school. She would fly back home for a few weeks before flying back out here to spend time with him. He promised to help her move into her dorm before he took off for New York. Pretty soon, she'll only be able to see him on the screen of her computer. "I'm really going to miss you."

He reached out his hand for her to take, smiling when she did so. "I'll miss you too, but hey, we promised to call each other every night and email, and my dad said we can use his private jet anytime we want." He gestured with his chin over to his father, who was busy talking with Quinn's parents. This was the first time the adults were meeting face to face, and he was oddly interested in his girlfriend's family alpaca.

"I know, but things won't be the same." Never in her life has she regretted Mark more than she is right now. "I wish we could've had more time together." If only they had realized sooner how they felt, maybe they could have made more memories at the school together. They could have been together longer.

"We'll have all the time in the world together soon," he told her without a shadow of a doubt in his mind. He knew Quinn was his future; she was the one he wanted to wake up seeing every day—the one with who he wanted to spend the rest of his life being with. For now, though, they had different goals to accomplish, but that didn't mean they were separating. It may be hard to stay in touch, but they were going to make it work. "Which reminds me, I got you something." Reaching inside his robe, he pulled out a black velvet box.

Quinn felt her eyes grow to the size of dinner plates at the sight of that box and what it could mean. "Is that a…?"

He chuckled at her expression, "Relax, I'm not asking…yet." He gave her a playful wink, hoping it could help ease her nerves but also giving her a tiny hint of how he really felt. Maybe one day in the future, he'll ask but not right now.

She opened the box with shaking hands and smiled when she saw a silver key inside. "What's this?"

"The key to my apartment in New York." His dad had set him up in one of the newest buildings, only a few blocks away from his school and in a good neighborhood. Not to mention great security. Just like this past year, his father hired an interior designer to set up the space and ready for him to move in. He was all set up with new furniture, electronics, the materials needed for school, food services, and more. All he needed to make it feel like home was her. "There's always going to be a place for you no matter where I go, so I figured, let me help make it easier and give you a key."

Quinn didn't bother trying to stop the tears that flowed down her face. What he was giving her was so much more than just a key. It was a symbol of their future together. A future he already knew he wanted her to be a part of. She threw herself into his arms, crying into his neck as she somehow managed to feel both happy and sad at the same time.

"I love you, Logan Reese."

"I love you, Quinn Pensky."

They kissed for their final time at PCA. It was a kiss filled with a promise. Even though this was their last time kissing at PCA, it wouldn't be the last time they kissed.


15 Years Later

"Logan, what are you doing?" Quinn laughed as she let him guide her blindfolded along their penthouse garden.

It had been a long fifteen years for them. They went off to college, missed each other dearly but kept true to their word and called each other and emailed as much as possible. He was always sending her gifts, and she did her best to visit him in New York or vice versa. By the time graduation came again, and he returned to California, she never wanted to be that far apart from him ever again.

He earned this degree and began to work with his father to one day take over the company. Meanwhile, she continued her education, pursuing her master's and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. She still had a deep love for chemistry and had that as her minor, but her real passion was for inventing.

They moved in together right after college; some said they were crazy or moving too fast, that they were still young and had all the time in the world, but they didn't think it was fast enough. Even living under the same roof, there were some days they barely saw each other. She spent much of her time in the lab while he worked hard to prove himself to his father. The few nights they managed to have the same night off were spent lying in bed together, holding each other. If they had some energy, they would put on their favorite song and dance around their apartment together, talking nonsense but whispering sweet words in the other's ear.

They had both grown and changed in this last decade. She had decided to switch to contact lenses, finding that it made things easier when working with the laser. Plus, with the dozen of movie premieres she attended, she wanted to look her best for Logan. She had also decided to add some blonde highlights to her hair. She wanted to break the stigma that came with girls and science. Many assumed you had to be a total geek to do science, but she wanted to show the world that you could be a girl who loves to look her best and rule the world of science. Logan had never pressured her or told her to change; in fact, he asked her every morning if she wanted to wear her glasses instead, but this was her choice. It was something she felt confident in doing.

He had toned down his ego and was much more professional now. Gone were his sleeveless shirts, save for their weekends together, and in their place were dress shirts and cardigans. His hair was no longer curly, now cut and slick back to add to his new business attire. His temper was still there and would flare up every now and then, but she always knew how to center him. They had both grown and changed into the best versions of themselves.

She was making technology that everyone believed to be science fiction, and he was not only running his father's company but expanding it beyond just movies and tv shows. They had done financially well for themselves, and it showed in the penthouse they lived in. Life couldn't be better.

They lived in Malibu, California, and had made the penthouse into a large complex their home. She even had her own little apartment a few floors down where she could do her experiments in peace. She had been down there all day; he had given clear instructions that he had a surprise for her and refused to let her inside the penthouse until just now. She had seen some men coming and going from their home, but when she tried to ask, they politely told her she would have to wait. When they finally left, he came down to get her and brought her back up and inside. Before she could step out onto the rooftop, he had wrapped one of his suit ties around her eyes, blocking her view. She giggled as she felt the night air tickle her cheeks, taking slow steps as he directed her where to place her feet.

"You'll see," he laughed, walking backward carefully as he held both her hands to guide her down the path. When they arrived at their destination, he positioned her so that she would be standing directly in front of the surprise he had set up. "Okay, you can take off the blindfold." He felt his body vibrating with excitement and nervousness.

Freshly manicured hands reached up to undo her blindfold and frowned when she saw a big trap concealing something in the middle of their garden. "What did you do?" she was almost afraid to ask. Internally, she was praying he hadn't gotten another garden statue made of the two of them. She did not know why he liked to have life-size versions of themselves.

"What I do best, something amazing." He mentally patted himself on the back before grabbing hold of the trap and ripping it right off.

Quinn gasped when she saw what was underneath. "Is this…?"

"Our bench?" he nodded his head, grinning wide. "It is."

Quinn took a slow step forward, carefully sitting down on what she believed to be the freshly painted bench. She recognized it in a second. This was the very same bench he had found her crying on all those years ago. The same bench they had kissed was the starting point of their relationship. "How did you manage to do this?" PCA had shut down years ago, and she heard it was up for sale. It broke her heart to know their school would be gone one day and that their spots would soon disappear with it. "You even got it memorialized?" she couldn't help but laugh when she saw the gold plaque at the center of the wooden bench, their names engraved in the metal.

He shrugged, "It wasn't that hard to do." He managed to track down the owner of the realtor company that currently had ownership of the school and made a good size donation to ask for the bench. Then he hired people to fix it up, had it engraved, and made sure to keep her out of their home long enough for him to set up the surprise. "This was where we started, so I figured it would be the best place to start our next chapter."

She had been staring at the nameplate when he was speaking but was confused about what he meant by what. "What are you-?" she turned around to look at him but gasped when she saw him down on one knee. A black velvet box in his hands with the biggest diamond ring she had ever seen resting inside the box. She threw both her hand up to cover her gaping mouth.

He smiled up at her, blinking away the tears in his eyes when he saw her own begin to water. "These years together have been the greatest experience of my life, and I want to continue experiencing more with you," he had been planning this for years now. During their decade-long relationship, he has often asked her about marriage, but she always said not yet. They both had so much they wanted to accomplish and do. She did love him and wanted to marry him but had never dreamed of having a wedding. It had never been at the forefront of her mind, but she would daydream about walking down the aisle in a white dress every now and then. See him standing there in a handsome tux as they said their vows and made a promise of everlasting love.

Lately, she had been dropping hints that not yet had finally become the right time. Once he realized the next time he asked, she would say yes, and he began his planning. He had spent over a year working with his father's jeweler, designing the ring specifically with her in mind. Once he had the ring, he knew he had to make the moment one they would never forget. "This spot is where you and I first got together, and I want it to be where we start our future." He knew she loved him. She said it every morning when they woke up and every night before they fell asleep. He loved her every second of every day and knew his future was with her. He wanted to shout to the world how much he loved her. "Quinn, will you marry me?"

Just like the last time they were on this campus, she didn't stop the tears that flowed down her face and threw herself into his arms. "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you!" She cried into his arms, cupping his cheeks so that she could kiss every inch of his face.

He cheered, grabbing her left hand to place the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit.

Wrapping his arms around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck, they pulled each other in for a kiss. This one was now filled with a promise that their future was only beginning. Untangling themselves slowly, they sat on their bench and watched the stars twinkle in the night sky. Their future was just getting started.

END