One late afternoon, Liam brought Clara back to Willowridge Elementary. The place hadn't changed much, same rusted swings, same uneven patches of grass but to Clara, it felt like stepping into a dream.
Liam took her hand the moment they got out of the car, guiding her gently through the gate. He didn't ask questions when she'd mentioned wanting to come here. He just drove.
They walked slowly along the perimeter of the school grounds, past the old classroom windows and the garden plot some long-forgotten class had once planted. When they reached the far corner where the swing stood, Clara stopped.
"This is where it happened. The first time I met you," she said softly.
His brow lifted, surprised. "Here?"
Clara smiled wistfully, her eyes sweeping over the swing, "I was being pushed down from the swing. I was crying. I'd scraped my knee, and everyone just… walked past me. I didn't know anyone back then. I was new. And then you showed up and brought me to the sick bay. "
Liam blinked, the memory slowly surfacing. "I remember that day. I happened to be at the playground playing too."
"I never forgot it," Clara said, her voice softer now. "Since then I have started to notice you. I wanted to talk to you but I was too shy. "
She took a deep breath and looked up at him, heart pounding. "So this time, I won't waste the moment. Liam… since I was 10 years old, you have been in my heart. I love you. I always have. Even before I realized what that meant."
Liam didn't speak at first, only watched her with an unreadable look. Then he smiled.
"Thank you for having me in your heart for so many years," he said quietly, reaching into his coat pocket.
Before she could ask, he dropped to one knee.
Clara gasped.
From his pocket, Liam pulled out a small velvet box and opened it, revealing a delicate ring, a rose gold band with a small sapphire nestled in the center, surrounded by tiny diamonds like stars.
"I didn't plan on doing this here," he said, eyes shining. "But it feels right. You were always there, Clara. Even when I didn't know it. You've seen the worst of life and still chose to fight. You've come back stronger. Braver. And I don't want another lifetime to pass without you knowing how deeply I feel the same."
He held the ring up between them. "Clara Harper, will you marry me?"
Her breath caught as tears slipped down her cheeks. She knelt down with him, hands shaking as she cupped his face.
"Yes," she whispered. "A hundred times yes."
Liam slipped the ring onto her finger, and she threw her arms around him as the playground, the sunset, and every regret she'd ever carried melted away. This time, she hadn't waited. This time, she'd chosen love and it chose her right back.