These days they spent most nights together, rotating houses throughout the week to whatever was most convenient. Hailey usually preferred Avery’s house because he had the bigger shower and that came in handy, especially after soccer games together.
As Avery pulled into his townhouse’s driveway, Hailey shouted “Race you!” and jumped out of the carbefore Avery even put it in park. He may have oversold his book, but her curiosity and the anticipation was absolutely killing her.
He rushed after her as quickly as he could safely get out of his car, chuckling to himself at her excitement. She beat him to the door, but had to wait since he already had his keys out. The moment he unlocked it and turned the knob, Hailey was pushing past him through the door, rushing to his living room couch where they usually exchanged their books.
Avery tackled her from behind into the couch, dropping their bags of books to the floor as he tried to distract her with tickles to her side.
“Avery, you cheater!” she said between fits of giggles.
“And what exactly am I cheating at?” he said with a mischievous grin while holding himself over top of her on the soft suede couch.
“I don’t know, but stop so I can beat you with my book!” He laughed and let her go, sitting up and pulling her with him so they could both reach the bags that fell to the floor.
“You first, Hailey. What’d you get me?” Avery looked at her with a big smile on his face, making her forget for a moment what was happening. He seemed to have an edge of anxiousness with his excitement this time and she couldn’t figure out why.
“Just since you’re so sure about your book, fine!” She reached into her bag and pulled out the Shusterman novel she picked for him.
“This one is insane. It’s a future where abortions are outlawed but when your kid becomes a teenager and you decide you don’t want them anymore you can donate their body to science and their parts go to people who need them!” Hailey explained in one breath. She took another deep one before adding, “How does he come up with this stuff?”
“Holy shit. I … I really don’t want to know but that sounds crazy and I want to start it tonight.”
“Right? He’s a total mastermind. I’m still thinking about hisScythe Trilogy. That shit changed my life.”
“Same. Okay, ready for yours? I think it might be pretty life-changing, too.” Avery’s confidence from before now seemed to be replaced with nerves. And his hands looked a bit shaky as they reached into his bag. “Of course! I’m sure I’ll love it.”
He let out a deep breath and widened his eyes for a brief moment, “I hope so.”
Out of his bag he pulled a romance by Roxie Noir and set it in Hailey’s hands. It was a hardcover, which was weird because they usually stuck to cheaper paperbacks.
“Always You,” Hailey read aloud. She let her fingers graze down the front of the book. There really wasnothing like a new book in your hands. “What made you choose this one?”
“Well, it’s the second book in that rock band series you started and it’s about a guy who has been in love with his best friend for years but has been afraid to mess things up with her. Classic friends to lovers story.”
Hailey looked up at him with adoring eyes, blinking back the tears that were threatening to escape.
“Open it.”
Hailey furrowed her brow at Avery but then turned her attention back to the book. As she opened it she realized most of the pages were glued together and the book was divided into two hard sections. She peeked a confused glance toward Avery, but then brought her attention back to the book, opening it all the way to see the center was hollowed out and inside it sat a diamond ring.
She gasped and Avery lifted himself off the couch and knelt in front of her, taking one of her hands in his.
“It’s always been you, Hailey. Even when we were kids and had no idea what love was, you showed me what a true friend was. You made me laugh when I was down. You stood up for me when I needed your support. You light up every room you walk in and you make me a better person because all I’ve ever wanted is to make you proud, to make you happy, to make you see how absolutely wonderful you are. You’re the most beautifulwoman I’ve ever seen in my life, inside and out. Everything you touch is just better. I can’t imagine going a day without you for the rest of my life and I want to be the one who makes you see how absolutely incredible you are. I’m so lucky to have you in my life as my friend, as my partner, and hopefully one day as my wife. Will you marry me?
Hailey choked back a sob as tears ran down her cheeks.
“Yes! Yes, Avery, I can’t wait to marry you.”
Avery’s eyes were filled with unshed tears as he picked the ring out of the book and slipped it onto her shaking finger. She took a moment to look at it on her hand before looking back up at her future. She lunged at Avery, tackling him to the ground with a kiss that left him trying and failing to hold back a laugh.
They spent a few minutes rolling on the ground, deepening their kiss and exploring each other’s tongues before they pulled back to take a breath.
“I love you so much, Hailey,” he said while running his fingers through her hair and tucking the strands behind her ear.
“I love you, too! But, wait, you glued that book together. That means I don’t have a book to read, which means I won this round because I can’t read it!”
“Give me some credit, Hailey. I bought a second copy that you can actually read.”
Hailey broke out in laughter, “Okay fine, I concede. You win this round. But, I’m pretty happy about it.”
