Author's pov
The drive to the island was filled with laughter.
Or at least...
Everyone else laughed.
Jay was too busy wondering why the girls kept exchanging knowing smiles.
"You've all been acting weird all day."
"We're not acting weird," Ella replied.
"You are."
Grace looked out the window.
"Nope."
"You've done that thing where you all refuse to make eye contact."
"We have not."
"You literally just looked away."
"..."
Jay folded her arms.
"I knew it."
Freya quickly pointed toward the sea.
"Look!"
"The sunset!"
Jay sighed.
"Nice try."
Still...
She turned to look.
The sky had already begun changing into shades of gold and orange.
It was beautiful.
The ferry reached the island just as the sun began to sink lower.
Jay stepped onto the dock.
"...Where is everyone?"
Ella smiled.
"We're taking a walk."
"Without me?"
"For now."
Jay frowned.
"What kind of girls' night starts by leaving one of the girls behind?"
Rakki gently squeezed her shoulder.
"Just trust us."
Before Jay could ask another question, the girls disappeared down another path.
She stood alone.
"...They're definitely hiding something."
A familiar voice drifted through the breeze.
"Jay."
She froze.
Slowly...
She turned around.
Keifer stood several metres away.
He wore the navy-blue shirt she'd once told him was her favourite.
He smiled nervously.
"What are you doing here?"
He chuckled softly.
"I could ask you the same thing."
She looked between him and the empty path where the girls had disappeared.
"...They lied to me."
"They did."
"You knew?"
"I may have been involved."
Jay couldn't help laughing.
"I can't believe all of you managed to keep a secret."
"I almost didn't."
Keifer held out his hand.
"Come with me?"
She slipped her hand into his without hesitation.
"Always."
They walked slowly along the familiar path.
The sound of the waves grew louder with every step.
Then...
Jay stopped walking.
The beach stretched out before her.
It was the same beach.
The very same one where they'd had their first date.
Only now...
A pathway of white flowers led across the sand.
Lanterns glowed softly as dusk settled over the island.
Hundreds of tiny fairy lights were wrapped around the nearby palms, their warm light reflecting against the calm ocean.
Candles flickered gently in the evening breeze.
Everything was peaceful.
Everything was beautiful.
Everything felt... magical.
Jay's eyes widened.
"...Keifer."
He looked at her.
"Do you remember this place?"
She laughed softly.
"Of course I do."
"You asked me on our first date here."
"You were so nervous."
"I was terrified."
"You kept pretending you weren't."
"I wasn't fooling anyone."
She smiled through forming tears.
"No."
"You weren't."
They continued walking until they reached the centre of the beach.
The waves rolled quietly onto the shore behind them.
For a long moment...
Neither spoke.
Keifer simply looked at her.
Then he smiled.
"You know..."
"I spent days trying to think of the perfect speech."
Jay smiled.
"And?"
"I forgot most of it."
She laughed.
"That sounds like you."
"So I'm just going to tell you the truth."
He took both of her hands in his.
"When we first met..."
"I thought you were one of the strongest people I'd ever known."
"But as I got to know you..."
"I realised strength wasn't what made you special."
"It was your kindness."
"The way you always put other people first."
"The way you never stopped believing people deserved another chance."
"The way you somehow made every place feel like home."
Jay felt tears sliding down her cheeks.
Keifer gently brushed one away.
"You changed my life."
"You gave me a future I never imagined."
"You became my best friend..."
"My home..."
"My family..."
"And every single day..."
"I fall in love with you all over again."
Jay was already crying openly.
"So..."
He smiled.
"I don't want to imagine tomorrow without you."
"I don't want to imagine next year without you."
"I don't even want to imagine growing old..."
"...unless you're beside me."
He slowly stepped back.
Then...
He lowered himself onto one knee.
Jay's breath caught.
Keifer reached into his pocket.
The small velvet box appeared in his hand.
He opened it.
Inside rested a delicate ring that shimmered softly in the fading sunlight.
His hands trembled.
Not from fear.
From how much this moment meant.
"Jay..."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"You once told me that home isn't a place."
She nodded through tears.
"You said..."
"'Home is wherever we're together.'"
She remembered.
Every word.
"So..."
He smiled.
"Will you let me spend the rest of my life making every place feel like home with you?"
He took a slow breath.
"Jay..."
"Will you marry me?"
Silence.
The waves continued rolling onto the shore.
A gentle breeze carried the scent of the sea.
Jay stared at him.
At the ring.
At the man she'd loved through every joy and every hardship.
The man who had stood beside her when the world seemed against her.
The man who had bought her an island because he wanted her to have somewhere she belonged.
She laughed through her tears.
"You..."
She shook her head.
"I had a whole speech prepared too."
Keifer blinked.
"You did?"
She nodded.
"I forgot all of it."
He laughed.
"So..."
She stepped closer.
She cupped his face with both hands.
"My answer is the easiest decision I've ever made."
Fresh tears filled her eyes.
"Yes."
Her voice broke.
"Yes."
She smiled wider.
"Yes."
She laughed again.
"A thousand times yes."
Keifer let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding.
His own eyes had filled with tears.
He carefully slipped the ring onto her finger.
It fit perfectly.
Jay stared at it for only a second before throwing both arms around him.
The force nearly knocked him backwards into the sand.
He laughed as he caught her.
"I was trying to make that romantic."
"It was."
"You tackled me."
"I know."
She buried her face against his shoulder.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"No..."
She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes.
"I really..."
"Really..."
"Really love you."
He smiled.
"I know."
"You absolute idiot."
"I know."
"You planned all of this."
"I did."
"You got everyone involved."
"I did."
She looked toward the tree line.
"I know you're all hiding!"
Immediately...
Twenty-one familiar faces slowly emerged from behind the palm trees.
Aries smiled warmly.
Ella was already crying.
Grace wasn't far behind.
Freya hugged Rakki, who was wiping away tears.
David clapped Keifer on the shoulder.
"You survived."
"Barely," Keifer admitted.
Jay laughed.
"You all knew?"
Everyone nodded.
She looked at her brother.
"You lied to me."
Aries chuckled.
"I preferred the phrase 'carefully omitted the truth.'"
Jay walked over and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you."
He hugged her back.
"He makes you happy."
"That's all I've ever wanted."
The group gathered around them as the last rays of sunlight disappeared beyond the horizon.
On the beach where their story had truly begun...
A new chapter had started.
Not as boyfriend and girlfriend.
But as two people who had promised that, whatever the future held...
They would face it together.
Forever.