: hiii, this is the last chapter before the ending! I added a song again, so if you want to listen & read, just swipe right above! I hope you like it 💘🥰

Graduation was fast approaching. I remember how excited I was just a few months ago. We talked about a leap year— gallivanting around Europe, not a care in the world. We talked about a lot of things— none of which will be happening anymore. It just doesn't feel right doing them without Neil.

I could practically hear Neil shouting at us to just live our lives despite his absence, but I wasn't there yet— and I don't know if I ever would be.

Perhaps one day I'll be doing a mundane task, like brushing my teeth or reading a book, and I won't be plagued with the thought of Neil's death— but until then— travelling, watching our favourite movies, laughing... it just feels wrong.

At least we all got into college— including Charlie.

Neil would be proud.

Meeks received his scholarships, of course, and him and Pitts are both attending the same school. I envy Pitts; who wouldn't want Meeks as a tutor?

Todd, Knox, Charlie, and I, are debating between a few colleges. I know we are supposed to move on, live our adult lives somewhat independently, but I'm secretly wishing we all choose the same school.

Leaving Welton is bittersweet. It holds some of my best and my worst memories. I met Charlie here, I met Neil here, and all of the rest of the boys. I was introduced to poetry, love, and true friendship. But I lost Neil here, and that will forever taint those memories.

I always believed if you look hard enough you could find beauty in the midst of pain. However, seeing the anguish on the faces of my best friends, I realized that maybe I was a fool to think that. There was no beauty in Neil's death. Only ugly, crippling pain and heartache.

But I knew Neil and I knew he would hate for his friends not to love, laugh, and enjoy life. In his letter, he wrote for us to live life to its fullest— which is precisely why I'm beginning to finally feel obligated to do so. I want to make him proud. When he looks down on us, I want him to that know his friends are happy— despite the fact that he isn't here to share that happiness— I just want him to know.

Which is precisely why I agreed to go out tonight.

I can't remember the last time I left Welton after the funeral. We had a few dead poet's meetings after our honorary return for Neil, but it just never felt the same— it never felt right. Thus, we decided to retire the meetings once and for all.

Which is why our new 'hangout' spot soon became the old diner. It had always been a place Charlie and I had shared, but once Knox had his first strawberry milkshake, he insisted we go almost every night.

"Sorry we're late," Knox's breathing was ragged, as he spoke quickly, perspiration dampening his forehead.

"What happened to the two of you?" I chuckle, gazing at a disheveled and out-of-breath Todd and Knox.

"Nothing, just overslept," Knox responds quickly, a little too quickly, earning an irritated glare from Todd.

I cock my brow; "You overslept? It's 8:00 PM."

"I was ugh napping? Yes, I was napping!"

Todd's eyes just about roll to the sky at Knox's pathetic attempt at lying.

"Right..." I say, giving both boys a pointed look, but decide against digging any deeper. I mean, it was Knox after all— that would be a pretty deep hole.

"Where are the others?" I ask.

"They're meeting us there," Todd spoke for the first time, answering almost immediately, as though he was scared of what might fall out of Knox's mouth next.

"Alright, where are we eating tonight— and Knox, if you say the diner one more time I—"

"— no, not the diner. Although, afterwards I wouldn't mind going to get a—" Todd gives him his 'are you being serious' look, and Knox shuts up almost instantly, causing me to laugh.

The two had gotten much closer over the last few weeks. It's funny, they couldn't be more of each other's opposite— Todd was realistic, Knox was a dreamer, Todd was introverted, Knox was very extroverted, and about a dozen others— but they had one huge similarity; they both lost a best friend.

"Okay, okay," Knox relented, throwing his hands up in mock defeat.

"But you both owe me a strawberry milkshake with extra whipped cream."

"Deal," Todd and I both chuckle in unison.

"We're going somewhere new—"

"New?" I ask bemused. The city wasn't that large, and I could swear we've exhausted just about every restaurant and diner nearby.

"Yes, new. Now come on, we're gonna be late!" Knox and Todd file into the yellow cab that's just arrived outside of Welton. It was springtime, the summer flowers will be beautiful, but in the meantime, we have heavy rains— hence the taxi.

Todd mumbles a location to the driver, as I sit in the backseat with Knox, glancing at the grounds of Welton. I remember when I first arrived, I hated everything about the idea of boarding school, but I always appreciated its scenery.

The rain fell heavy, and the drive was far longer than I had expected. I was nearly lulled to sleep by the sound of the pouring rain, the darkening sky, and the soft motions of the cab.

"We're here," Knox says softly, gently shaking my shoulder and pulling me from my sleep-trance and back to reality.

Although, I wasn't sure where 'here' was. It looked like a park, of sorts. No, more like a mountain range, or a quaint farm— it was like no place I had ever seen before. The grass was greener than ever and with the lessening rain, a rainbow sat beneath the heavy clouds. There was a gazebo off in the distance, sitting behind a flowery hill.

"What's going on?" I glance at Knox and Todd, who exchange big grins to each other.

"It's a surprise," Knox beams excitedly, Todd nodding in agreement, seemingly pleased with Knox's choice of words for the first time tonight.

The heavy rainfall had reduced to a barely-there-drizzle. The grey sky, with its thick clouds, was dark and luminous, yet I wasn't anxious.

"Seriously guys, what's going on? Where are—"

Suddenly I could hear music.

It was soft and nearly inaudible from where we stood, but there was music.

Todd nodded his head in the direction of the structure off to the edge of the field.

I followed the soft hum towards the gazebo. It sat atop a grassy divot in the hill, near a flowing stream. It was incredibly peaceful, I can't even remember the last time I felt so... relaxed. The soft bass of the music, the pitter-patter of the rain atop the stream, the cloudy evening sky— it was like some form of Heaven on earth.

As my feet padded atop the damp grass, approaching closer and closer to the incoming shelter, I notice Charlie sat on the stoop of the gazebo.

Small fairy lights with a soft yellow-glow hung from the sides of the structure. A record player spun with the music I had heard earlier, it was gentle and sad, yet oddly romantic. Kinda like the two of us. Petals from various flowers were spread about on the wooden floor. It was beautiful.

"Charlie," I breath, utterly speechless.

He glances up at me, with a look of almost disappointment in his light brown eyes.

"It was supposed to be romantic," he muttered.

And this isn't? I swear I could envision this very scene in a fairytale or a romantic movie.

"This is romantic, Charlie," I could almost chuckle, this was by far the most romantic gesture I've ever seen.

"The candles were rained on," Charlie nods his head towards the melting wax, their vanilla scent still lingering.

"— and I brought the wrong record. The weather couldn't be any worse, the lights are about to burn out, and dinner is definitely cold."

My heart swelled— Charlie organized a candle-lit dinner, with music and rose petals, in a beautifully decorated, fairy-lit, gazebo— and somehow it wasn't romantic?

"It's perfect."

"— it's not," Charlie retorts defeatedly.

"I just want to give you everything, but I just, I—"

"Charlie," I say softly, sitting closely beside him on the small stoop.

"It's perfect."

I've had things my whole life— money, fancy schools, tutors, nanny's, absent parents with well-paying careers— I wanted simple for a change. Which is precisely what we are, simple. We are simply Violet and Charlie— and we will be forever.

"Really?" Charlie's voice croaks, his eyes glassy with tears.

"Really," I smile sincerely, and for the first time since Neil's death, I felt a genuine happiness.

"This," I begin, referring to the dark rain clouds and the damp grass beneath our shoes.

"— is perfect. It's perfect because it's you, and I love you."

"I love you too," he responds earnestly, without skipping a beat, and I knew he meant each and every word he spoke.

"We're going to need to get rid of this," Charlie says softly, his finger slowly tracing across the ring on my finger— the ring he gifted me last Christmas. A symbol of our relationship, of our love, of us.

I still remember what he said when he gave it to me; he told me it's a promise ring, and that he "promises to love me forever and always."

I quickly learned that Charlie kept his promises.

I glance up at him puzzled, as his finger continues to circle the emerald stone.

Wordlessly, Charlie reaches into his pocket, pulling out the small black box that held our entire future within its velvet walls.

"Violet," Charlie begins, situating himself on one knee and pulling open the box's cover.

"Neil told me to never let you go and I would never let him down. Before he died I promised him, no matter what, I would always love you, care for you, and protect you. When I gave you this ring, I made the same promise to love you forever and always. And I want nothing more than to make those promises official."

My heart nearly fell from my chest. I tried to capture his every move, the smell of the burned out candles, the sound of the spinning record and the drizzling rain, but I was completely in a daze— only able to focus on the face I have loved since I first laid eyes on it.

"Will you marry me?"