Page 142 of I Blame the Rival

The university’s manicured lawns gradually turn into rows of trees and flowers as we enter the courtyard. It’s the one place we always seem to come back to, the one location on campus that never grows tired of our antics.

Trip squeezes my hand, “You didn’t make meatless tacos again, did you?”

I laugh, leading her over to where that unfortunate dinner date happened, “Not this time. I do have something planned for dinner though.”

“I’ll start mentally preparing now.” She looks around the empty courtyard, the memories of our freshman year reflecting in those gorgeous grey eyes, “I’m going to miss this place.”

“Me too.”

Clearing my throat, I do my best to ignore the swarm of butterflies attacking my stomach lining, “So, we’ve been dating for four years now.”

“I didn’t realize you could count so high.”

God. I love it when she’s mean to me.

“Four years ago, you decided to become the worst pack mule this school has ever seen and I got to experience first-hand just how much you packed in those boxes. Somehow, we ended up in the same psych class and I managed to find a way past that adorable scowl of yours.”

Trip laughs, “Your dimples did most of the work.”

She’s not wrong.

Pulling the small velvet box out of my pocket, I get down on one knee.

“Miss One Trip, otherwise known as Lou Mackenzie,” Swallowing the lump in my throat, I tell myself not to cry, “Crashing into you that first day was the best thing that ever happened to me. You’ve taught me so much and I want you to teach me so much more. You are the rom to my com and I am hopelessly in love with you.”

Fuck. I owe Nico twenty bucks.

Blinking through the tears in my eyes, I give her a dimpled grin, “Marry me, Trip, because I don’t want to spend a single day without you.”

“Oh my God.” She’s covering her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes, “Did you seriously call me the rom to your com?”

“I considered the Gabriella to my Troy, but that felt a little too on the nose.”

She laughs, those tears spilling over, “Of course I’ll marry you, Wes. There is no one else I would rather spend the rest of my life with.”

Beaming like a ray of sunshine, I carefully slide the ring onto her finger. The modest diamond shines back at me, the chain of daisies running along the band making Trip gasp in delight.

“It’s so perfect!”

“Lacey helped me pick it out.” Taking her hand, I sweep into a bow, “May I escort you back to the convocation, milady?”

She curtsies on cue, our routine well established by now, “That would be most gracious, kind sir.”

Together, we walk back to where our friends and family are waiting with expectant smiles. Trip raises her left hand and cheers break out.

Looking around the sea of familiar faces, I can’t help but think about the last four years. The laughs and tears we’ve shared, the lacrosse tournaments we’ve won and lost, the friendships and relationships we’ve formed. We all started freshmen year as young adults trying to find our place in the world, and now we’re slightly older adults still trying to find our place in the world.

My eye catches on Lacey and Skylar, smiling at each other behind the crowd of people. My sister’s midnight locks bring out the pale colour of Skylar's hair, the same way her presence seems tobrighten his own.

Rumour has it that Skylar’s brother was facing five years of jail time until someone swept in and bailed him out. Nobody knows who the person was, just that they were looking to employ the infamous Silverwood bully. Some people think it’s a cult while others think it’s an undercover military op for delinquent adults.

Personally, I think Vector is a guy who’s been stuck with a bad reputation for too long.

“Expressionless Wonder! I heard you started working in a tattoo parlour.” Nico grins, jerking his thumb towards me, “Maybe you could draw something up for the new groom.”

“Absolutely not.”

Skylar glances at me, “Afraid of needles?”

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