“You two will always be the most unlikely pair…” Merilla giggled. “How did this even happen?”
“She bakes really good cupcakes,” Fabian admitted.
“And he’s a bit of a loser, but that’s okay because I like them pathetic.” Victoria joked and Fabes rolled his eyes at her.
After that Armani learned that Merilla and Muleya would be moving in together soon and that he met her parents and they loved him. That Keomi would be the first Japanese woman to lead an orchestra at the Sydney opera house all on her own, that she had fallen for one of the pianists she’d met during rehearsals. She’d learn that Fabian won an award for being the best upcoming artist to look out for and Victoria had gotten a pet cat named Chester. Geneviève had been spending her free time travelling the world and seeing all the beautiful places that it had to offer. Armani learned that alas, her friends had grown up, that they were doing well and it made her the happiest person in the world.
“I’ve got to answer this, hold on,” Keomi spoke, excusing herself rather suspiciously.
“When is River getting here, it’s kind of late?” Armani huffed checking the time on her watch, he was supposed to arrive twenty minutes ago.
“Don’t worry about that, tell me more about the academy,” Genevièvesuggested, then glanced at Keomi almost as if in an attempt to distract Armani from asking any questions.
After about an hour Keomi stumbled back and called out to them “It’s time, come on!” And everyone immediately stood up from their seats.
“Wait, what?” Armani wondered,
“Already?” Fabian asked, making sure.
“Yes, yes it’s happening right now come on!” Keomi answered, pulling Armani along with her as they made their way out of the cafe, Armani having to hold onto her beanie so it wouldn’t fly away.
“Where are we going?” Armani shouted over the rain.
“Somewhere special!” Merilla answered her, running alongside the girl.
“You’re all crazy!” Armani protested.
“That was confirmed a long time ago, babes.” Victoria reminded her.
Soon enough they stopped on a cobblestone pathway that Armani easily recognized stopping in her tracks, there were rose petals on the ground, and she turned around to look at her friends who were just smiling at her, noticing that Keomi was getting teary-eyed.
“What is all this?” Armani asked, her voice small.
“It’s yours.” Was all Victoria answered? “Follow them.”
And at that she began to follow the rose petals until it led her right to a very familiar bookstore, she glanced up at the sign that readLE CHAT CURIEUXand her heart swelled in her chest at the realisation that she’d been here before. That this was where she’d met him for the first time. She pushed open the door and the bell chimed above her, the bookstore seemed to be vacant except for oil lamps giving the rustic room piled with novels to the ceiling a dewy orange glow. The room was ornamented with various paintings of Armani, dating all the way back to her first year at St Katherine's, when she was much younger. All with River’s signature on them, she realised then that he had been painting her…always. He never stopped. That this must’ve all been orchestrated since the very first day, that there was never a moment in which he hadn’t loved her with intention.
There was a note on the front desk that read;
FIND THE BOOK.
So she made her way down an aisle with the author's names beginning with R and found the copy by Robert Louis Stevenson. She opened up the book and right inside was a blue diamond ring, she cupped a hand over her mouth in shock, her heart racing in her chest, tears trickling uncontrollably down her cheeks. There was an engraving on the inside that read9/9/10which was the date that she was first here.
“You can come out now silly.” Armani chuckled, wiping her tear-stained cheeks. “You’re so creative.”
Just then, as if it were the very first time River appeared from behind the shelf, her deep blue eyes pinning her in place, still effortlessly taking her breath away. He knelt down on one knee and reached out for her hand,
“Armani Oyana Nnandi will you do me the extraordinary honour of allowing me to be eternally yours?” River proposed and she smiled because he did not know, he did not know that she had been his since the very first day.
And where it all started, was where it was destined to end. With a midnight girl in a bookstore and a beautiful boy who only ever dreamed of bringing her all the happiness in the world.
A year later
Armani held the camera in her hands narrowing her eyes to shield them from the midday sun, it was much harsher here in Nairobi than it ever got to be in France. She positioned the camera to suit her liking, having recently gotten into photography since graduation.
“Move a little closer,” Armani suggested as Jaadi moved closer towards River, the elephant swinging its long trunk beside them as they fed it bright green leaves.
“I’m scared!” Jaadi admitted and River chuckled.
