I did not care that we were in the middle of a forest. I could not be bothered that the tree I was leaning against had rough bark that scratched my skin. All I cared about was the beautiful girl cradled in my arms as we lay beneath the trees.

I stroked her soft caramel hair, liking that I could feel her heartbeat as I held her in my arms. I breathed her sweet minty scent, never wanting to forget it. She was here. She was mine. I had everything in this one little second.

I had always loved her, from the first moment I saw her to this very second. I knew that I would never stop. All the things I'd ever wanted or wished for... they all seemed silly now. She was the only thing that mattered now.

When I looked into her warm honey-chocolate eyes, I could almost feel the kindness radiating from within. My heart would start to fill with helium and float into the clouds. But then I would see the spray of tiny freckles over her nose, like dots of chocolate ice cream, my heart would swell so much that it had to come down. It didn't stop there, though. Far from it. For when I saw her cherry red lips, full, round and perfect, I could nearly hear the music that was hidden within. The music that had taught me that I loved her with every bone in my body. The music, that, when I heard it, pulled my heart so close to my sweet girl that I could feel our hearts connecting.

“Freddi?” Her hushed words broke the silence. I trembled at the sound of her voice. It was so gentle and careful. I loved that.

“Yes?” I breathed, brushed my fingers over her cheek.

“I love you, Freddi.” My heart was suddenly a rocket, surging through space, racing to earth to find her. An explosion of memories flooded my system. I could see her, the moment I first saw her, straining her eyes to see through the spotlight pointed at her. I could hear the moment we first spoke, and I could feel her arms wrapped tightly around me. I remembered the first time I felt her heartbeat. I relived every single moment of the five years that we were together, her every laugh, tear, whisper, and touch.

She was not what I wanted, but what I needed. The purity of her perfection, inside and out, was what I needed to be with me.

“Elli, when I look at you, I can't look away. When I hear your voice, I ache for more. When I feel your heartbeat, I know that my heart belongs with yours. I never want to lose you.” I pressed my lips to her hair, glad that the words had finally met air.

“It's getting harder to leave you every day, Freddi. I want to stay here forever.” I knew exactly how she felt. The pain was like my heart ripping in two, half of me always staying with her. I hated every step I had to walk when I would leave her. Which was why that little black box lay heavy in my back pocket...

Elli's hand curled around mine. I could feel her warm breath against my neck. My heart began to pound.

Show her! Show her! My heart pleaded. I shivered. The box in my pocket seemed to have grown to three times its original size. Was it poking out of my pocket? Did she see it? No, she couldn't! Not yet!

Gentle as a rabbit, I unlocked my arms from around her. I could not wait. My box grew heavier by the second. I needed an answer.

But what if she said no? What if she refused to wear my ring? I could not leave her again. I just couldn't! Elli was my soulmate-- of that I was sure. I'd known the first second I looked into those honey-chocolate eyes.

Take a risk, My heart urged. I wanted to, so much... but the fear of losing her was heavy in my stomach. I couldn't lose her.

If she says no, then you already lost her long ago.

“Freddi?” Her lovely voice resurrected me from my internal conversation. Only then did I look into her eyes.

Those honey-chocolate eyes! And the gorgeous girl that they belonged to! I couldn't ignore this any longer.

“Elli,” I breathed, taking her hand into mine. Clueless, she simply smiled and squeezed my hand tightly. “Elli, I can not leave you. Not after five years of having to watch you disappear into your house for the night.”

“It can't be changed, love.”

“Yes, it can. I love you, Elli! It is impossible to tell you how much I love you, but I can do this.” My heart racing, I knelt down on one knee. Elli froze. I nearly stopped because of that, but when I realized that it was silent joy written on her face, I continued. I picked the smooth black box from my pocket, watching her face as I took it out. “Marry me, Elli, and I will never leave.”

My box clicked open. This was the moment. This was the second, the mere second, that my life would change. I could not help but look straight into her heart-melting eyes.

Only for a second did she look at the golden ring that I wished to be hers. After that, her gaze went straight to me.

The purest of joy shown in her teary eyes. Her honey-chocolate eyes were glowing with unmistakable happiness. Her hands were suddenly trembling and squeezing mine much harder then before. Her smile seemed so much brighter! She was more beautiful then ever before with that powerful joy. I was having trouble believing that she was not a goddess.

“Yes! I will marry you, Freddi Smith! I will be your Mrs. Elli Smith!” She whispered, falling to her knees to kiss me. My heart exploded into a brilliant supernova of glory. I could feel her heart next to mine! At last, we would never have to leave each other again!

I pressed my lips to hers, feeling the music within us join. My -her- golden ring had found its home on her finger. Seeing it there only made the music ringing in my ears louder. Elli was mine. Elli Finn, soon to be Elli Smith, was mine!