Eddie's PoV

10 years ago

This was it. The final day of University had come around, we were all about to graduate and then dissipate as we followed our dreams. I'd probably never see half of these people ever again. But there was only one person I wanted to keep seeing.

"Your shoe's untied." Catherine walked over, pointing down at my shoes with her eyebrows raised. Without thinking, I looked down and she began to cackle with laughter. My shoes didn't even have laces.

"Shut up." I said, stifling a smile as I shoved her a little.

"What are you so nervous about?" She took in my visibly shaky demeanour, her tone and body language changing in an instant to something more caring. She threw her arms around my waist and cuddled me, making my skin tingle. She still had this affect on me even though we'd been dating for three years. "You've been so excited to finish uni, to go and start that business you've been going on about. What's changed?" In that respect? Nothing. It was the velvet box in my trouser pocket that was causing me to act this way. The plan was meant to have been so simple. We would graduate, we would take photos and laugh with our classmates and then, in front of everyone I would get down on one knee and propose. It was meant to be faultless. My nerves were the fault I'd forgotten about.

"It's just the amount of people. I'm not good with audiences." I lied, offering her a smile which seemed to comfort her.

"Well, as long as you're okay..." She said hesitantly, gently placing a soft kiss on my lips. I could read her so well, she wasn't as convinced as I wanted her to be but she didn't want to pry so she swiftly changed the subject. "Come on, it's nearly twelve. We'd best get our gear on." She linked her hand in mine and pulled me inside, where everyone was donning their black robes and hats as the room was filled with excitable chatter.

"There's my favourite couple!" Walter walked over to us with his large smile already in the picture perfect pose. He clapped his hands together as we walked towards him, his arms flinging around both of us as soon as we got close enough.

"Walt! Where have you been hiding?" Catherine started the conversation as I tried to take my mind off the imminent proposal. I picked up my robe and pulled it over my smart suit, adding the hat with hands so shaky I could barely put it on my head. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as I put my hands on my knees and tried to talk myself into a better mindset. Come in Eddie, don't act like an idiot. You can do this. You love her. Don't screw this up.

"Umm..." Walter's shoes came into view. I knew they were his because they were polished so well I could see the fearful look in my eyes from the reflection. "You okay, Ed?"

"He's scared he'll trip over his laces." Catherine joked about my shoes again, causing a smile to fall onto my face without a moment's delay. This was exactly why I needed to do this. With someone making me feel this good, I couldn't bear to think that I could lose it at some point. I needed to make sure she was mine.

"I'm so nervous." I added, partially true. "It's the amount of people I think. I hate crowds." I straightened and wiped the stray beads of sweat away with the back of my hand. Walter let out a smirk.

"It'll be over before you know and you'll be kicking yourself for not enjoying the build up. Just loosen up." He patted my shoulder a couple of times for good luck as he turned away and ran over to yet another person he wanted to speak to before we graduated. This was really happening. I took one last look around the hall where everyone was robed up and ready to go. The shiny floor housed different coloured lines to mark out the important areas of different sports; blue being basketball, yellow being football, pink being tennis. There were black scuffs littering the area from squeaky rubber soles of shoes which I could remember sitting and rubbing off once when I'd got into trouble. Against the walls, gym equipment was pushed as flat as it could to allow us to fit in for this special moment. Despite us being a university, the halls were often rented out by local schools for sports or competitions so we were often coming into this room for group lectures or meetings with old decor beginning to fall from the walls. This time, the last few letters of a banner for Shoreham High's badminton rally were slowly slipping diagonally before they would eventually fall too, that rally a forgotten memory to the next people inside the room who would decorate and show off their skills.

"Right everyone, seats please!" The Head called out, his voice booming and stunning us all to silence. This really was it. Was I even ready? What if she said no? How could I cope with the embarrassment? What if someone else professes their love for her before I get the chance? What if-

"Hey loser." Her voice stopped my thoughts dead. I looked up and noticed I was the last person in the hall, Catherine practically half way out of the door before she'd turned back to me. "You're gonna make us late. Don't make me get a cloth for you to clean in here again." She smiled as I let out a breathy laugh, finding what she said funny but not enough to calm my overwhelming sense of panic. She raised an eyebrow again. "You sure you're okay?" She pressed again. Come on Eddie. Act better!

"Yeah, sorry. I just need to do it. I need to stop thinking." I laughed as I ran over to her, linking our arms as we headed for the chairs. Soon, not only would she be holding her degree, but also her engagement ring in a velvet box.
I can't wait to see what the future will bring.