Chapter 1: The Engagement

Well, that was the first night I have known my fiancé, Ash, on one Friday evening. He spent the night with me and he even made breakfast after that. He kissed me goodbye and asked me out to go on a date next weekend. I said yes and everything has been history.

We have been going steady for about a month as a couple. He told me that he worked as a civil servant at a government office and I told him that I was an IT engineer at a company. We went on a picnic sometimes and today was one of those days.

"Ash, hurry up. We're going to be late and I don't want to be inside when the sun was sunny," I shouted from the stairs. I have moved from the pier to buy a house and he had moved in with me ever since.

"You know, Ashley, you're being restless. It was supposed to be our day together," Ash said before I was rolling my eyes, taking the picnic basket as I was heading out to the car.

"Can you at least get the door?" I said before my boyfriend kissed me.

"Sure, Liebling," he said before I smiled. I went out of the car and he went to get the locks in. I put the basket inside the trunk before I closed it. He went to the driver's side and I took the passenger seat. I fastened my seatbelt before he ignited the engine and drove off from our driveway.

"So, where are we going today?" he asked me as he put his hand on my knee, rolling his thumb in small circles. I was looking at the scenery before I turned to look at him. I put my hand on top of his.

"Hmm, what about the beach? I heard that it was a good day for swimming," I said before Ash smirked, his eyes were concealed behind the sunglasses he wore. My straight, brunet hair was whipping against the wind as we were rolling down the street to our favorite, secluded spot at the public beach. Ash stopped the car before switched off the engine. I got out of the seat and went to look at the horizon of the beach.

"So beautiful," I said before Ash was standing next to me.

"But not as beautiful as you," he whispered before I chuckled as I was leaning closer to him. He kissed my neck before I went to get the basket and we headed own to the beach.

I opened the basket after Ash set up the mat and I laid out the food. There's roasted chicken and bread. I pulled out some fruits before I was looking at the beach. There was no one in this area and I was breathing happily as I was tying my hair in a ponytail.

"This is delicious," Ash said before I was smiling at him. the wind disheveled his hair as I was taking in his feature. He was so handsome and beautiful like Apollo, the Greek god of poetry and music. I don't think I would be lucky enough to have him as my boyfriend.

Feeling my stare on his face, Ash wiped his mouth before he was looking at me, arching his eyebrow in question. "What?" he asked before I shook my head.

"Nothing,"

"It's always mean something if you say nothing, Ashley. I know you have something on your mind so spit it out or I will have to get it out of you," he said before I giggled. No one, I meant no one, can read me as he did.

"Well, I was thinking that it might be a good time for me to go swimming. Alone," I said as I stood up before I was taking off my dress. I wore a bikini underneath it before I felt Ash was looking at me. I smiled at him as his darkened gaze traveled down my body. Then, I was off to the shore.

The water was clear blue and the beach was clean. I was waddling into the waves before I was diving underneath it. The water was warm enough as I was swimming around the shore that was closed to the alcove. I went to the surface before I broke the surface and took a deep breath. I turned to look at where Ash was left but it was empty. I turned around to see where he was until someone was coming from behind me.

I shrieked before Ashton was laughing at me. he pulled me into his arms before he was kissing me on the lips. I was wounding my hands into his wet hair before the sun was making his eyes looked like gold.

"I love you, you know that right?" he asked me before I was rolling my eyes.

"You tell me every single day, Ash. Of course, I know and I love you too," I said and meant it. He smiled before he was moving us toward the alcove. We never swam there before but as soon as we were inside, Ash was bringing us closer to the edge before we were on land.

I was looking around as I took in the scenery in front of me. The sunlight reflected on the water was shining inside the alcove. I don't think I saw something like this before. I was about to ask Ash before I saw something unexpected.

Ashton was on one knee, holding out his hand as he was gripping a ring. An engagement ring, I realized with topaz at the center and tiny diamonds around it. My hands flew to my mouth as I was choking on the sob that I don't know I was forming right now.

Ash cleared his throat before he was looking at me with all the love that shone inside his eyes.

"Ashley Banner, I know that we just only knew for a month but my heart was saying that I wish to know you for the rest of my life. I know I will never be good enough but will you at least give a chance to honor me by being my wife?" he asked me as I was sobbing now. He smiled before I was dropping in front of him on my knees as I was hugging him, cannot form any reply for I was sobbing right now.

"Is this a yes?" he asked me before I nodded, burying my face inside his neck. Hugging him, smelling him, loving him, it was all the things that kept me together and I know that he will do that honor for the rest of my life.

"I love you, Ashley Banner, and I will always be," he said as I was sobbing even more when he put his ring on me. I was kissing him and he claimed my mouth, tears and all. I landed on the dirt before Ashton was roaming his hands on my body. My nipples were hard before I was arching my back as Ash was kissing my neck before he went to my nipples.

"Now, I think we can celebrate it," he said huskily before he was removing my bikini and his swim trunks, showing me how much he loved me on that alcove over and over again until our hands were pruned from it.

*****

"I cannot believe it. you're engaged," my friend told me as I was looking at the food that will be served for our engagement party. I smiled before Aleena was putting the drinks on the other side of the table.

"I know. I was so happy that I did not dare to think that it was a dream," I said before Aleena giggled at me. then, she was staring at Ashton who was talking to Hermon, our childhood friend.

Aleena's crush.

"So, will you ever make a move on him?" I asked her quietly before Aleena sighed. She rubbed her neck before smiling at me.

"I don't know. It was hard to think that he would ever consider me as someone that was worthy to be his girlfriend, let alone wife," she said as I was looking at him. Hermon laughed at something that Ash said and I smiled.

"It's a shame really. He is very good looking," I said before Aleena scoffed and said something that I don't quite catch.

"Sorry, what?" I asked her before she shook her head and we were walking to greet the guests. Most of them were my colleagues from my workplace and some were from my hometown. I moved back to my small hometown, doing mostly my work online but they never thought that I would be spending some time here again.

Since I was keen on leaving but here I was, back in my backyard.

"Ashley, it's time," Ash said as I was excusing myself. Aleena was nodding at me before I was walking up to the center as I was gripping his arm. Ash was kissing my cheek before someone was howling at us.

"Well, settle down everyone." Ash started before he was looking at all the attendees in our party. I was smiling up at him as he was looking around.

"I never thought that I could be happy in my life. Serving the government, making my own money, and live a comfortable life." He said before Ash turned to look at me. I smiled as he smiled.

"But then, one night. I thought to myself if I was to be happy, I might as well share it with someone else. And then, here I was stumbling at the bar and I saw this beautiful, magnificent person that was sitting there alone on Friday night," he said before I blushed, thinking of the memory that was just one month ago.

"I said to myself, 'Ashton, if you don't say hi, you might as well die,'" he said before some of the crowd laughed. I smiled as I was squeezing my hands on him. He chuckled before his hazel eyes were looking at me.

"And the more I talk to that person on Friday night, the more alive I was after being alone for so long that I have found my light in my darkness. And you, my lovely Ashley, is my light till the end of our time together," he said before he pulled me in and kissed me on the mouth. I gripped his nape and everything was dawned upon us as the crowd cheered for the happy life that we will lead together.

If only I could see the signs.