His breath hitched when she said those three magical words to him, the stars looked down and smiled, their conspiracy finally come true today.

Their hearts beated faster than ever, they could feel fireworks around, butterflies erupting in their stomach.

It looked ethically beautiful.

~♥~

"Trust this woman when she wants you to die out of curiosity" I mumbled to myself and looked at the chit in my hand with a frustrated look.

Alaia had been playing a really bad game with me now. I looked at the people in front of me with pleading eyes who were happily munching some or the other junkies.

" Guys please say!" I pleaded for the 100th time to them, who as expected shook their heads and focused back on eating.

I cursed them under my breath, shooting staggers at them.

I wish murdering someone was not a crime.

I looked at my best friend, who enjoyed my frustrated face with a chocolate bar in his hands.

Macey looked at me, grinning like a cheshire cat with a bag of nachos in her hands.

Isaac shot me a knowing smile while carter sighed dreamily.

Max, along with Liam gave a wide smile to me and at that time, I wanted to murder every single soul.

OK.... One last weapon.

" Pleaseeeeeeee...." I used my puppy dog eyes, batting my eyelashes with a pout.

"Ewwwwwww! Stop giving those puppy eyes, you rather look like a pit bull dog " Nick said.

I gasped. My gaze travelled to others who nodded their head, agreeing with this asshole's point and what they did next made my jaw drop.

They all stood up from the couch, one by one and left but not before wriggling their brows at me.

Wierd!

Super wierd!

" And.... Enjoy!" they singsonged in unison before giggling and bolting away from there.

Super duper wierd!

I shook my head with a sigh and turned to look at the chit that was in my hands.

It read:

I stand up tall and made of steel
With baguettes and garlic at my heel
The hunchbacks house could see my head.
I am well known than a certain bread,
I love the colour red, white and blue.
But obviously, not as much as you.
I am marvel for all to see
Though to some, I am monstrosity.

She just made me realize, how much of a dumb person I am.

While I was still trying to figure the answer out, a ping of phone got me out of my thought, a smile creeped on my lips as I stared at my screen.

Alaia messaged me.

Alaia : I know, you are an absolute idiot. You were not able to guess such a famous place Ashton!

I gasped, she called me an idiot!

But I cannot even disagree here, I actually am one. I shook my head at such thoughts and read her second message.

Alaia: Let me give you one more hint, hmm.....So it is 'symbol of love'.

OK......

Symbol of love?

Symbol of love......

" What is symbol of love?" I muttered to myself, scratching back of my head slightly.

Wait.... Then it clicked me.

Is it the Eiffel Tower?! Thousands of proposals have been done there and if I am not wrong, it is called as symbol of love.

Wait a second, proposal?

I almost stumbled back at this one.

My heart thudded, I took deep breaths to calm myself down.

I read the last message she had sent.

Alaia: If you don't get the place with this hint also then..... I myself don't know what I am going to do! But wear black tuxedo please *winks* you look super hot and handsome.

I blushed profoundly, this girl!
She is not even present in front of me yet manages to make me blush like hell.

I took few deep breaths and bit my lips to stop that smile that was erupting on my lips.

OK.... It's OK Ashton! You don't want to die due to cardiac arrest right?

Calm down heart....

I rubbed my chest and took deep breaths while blushing and grinning like an idiot.

Do I really look handsome in black tuxedo?

♥

The puddled iron structure stood in front of me, illuminating brightly in red, blue and white colour. The gush of cold wind caressed my face slightly as I looked up at the tallest monument in front of me.

" Mr Ashton Johnson"

I turned around and gasped, almost fainting upon seeing the view in front of me.

There stood, Alaia.....

Looking breathtaking as ever, dressed in simple black gown that had a slit at right leg, off shouldered and embedded with beautiful silver stones at the sleeves.

Her face adored with no makeup but a beautiful smile, twinkling eyes and the natural tint of redness on her cheeks.

Her hair was open, falling behind her back, just the way I love it. I did not even realised when she walked towards me.

I came out of my LA LA LA land when she snapped her fingers in front of my face. I shivered slightly and breathed out, looking intently at her.

" You are looking gorgeous, Alaia " I breathed out and she ducked her head down, fighting back her blush.

I walked closer to her and bent down a little, to match her height. Brushing my nose against her cheeks, I held her arms softly.

She smiled and leaned closer to me.

" Today, I realised how big of an idiot you are " she mumbled and I chuckled softly, closing my eyes to feel her warmth around me.

" Such an easy guess it was yet...." she shook her head with a chuckle and pulled back, stepping away from me.

I opened my eyes and saw her walking to a nearby table set up.

I hadn't noticed it before, maybe I was too busy in noticing someone else, I chuckled inwardly at the thought.

But I was in complete awe of the decoration. The table was not decorated with typical red roses but white lilies, freesia, red Camila and white roses. The bright fairylights sorrounded the table breathtakingly with few dishes adored upon them, covered with lids.

She gestured me to come closer and I walked to her, she smiled and pulled out chair for me to sit.

My smile etched wider at her gestures, I sat on the chair and she took the seat opposite to me.

" So....." I trailed off, not knowing where this was heading.

She smiled and opened one of the dishes and my eyes widened in excitement.

" It's my favorite" I exclaimed, looking at the food in front of me.

She gave me a small smile and leaned on her elbows.

" Remember, the day you ordered me to bring this dish, spaghetti alle vongole from 'bay leaf' restaurant?" she said, scrunching her nose.

I laughed and nodded, still remembering how much fun I had arguing with her over that pasta but somewhere I was guilty too.

" and you took my lunch too!" she said dramatically and I smirked internally.

" What is it?" I asked, pointing at the pot which was kept in front of her.

She smiled widely and removed the lid, letting the aroma of oregano and thin layer of cheese hit my senses.

" White sauce pasta " she said excitedly and I looked at my food with a frown.

I agree spaghetti alle vongole is my favorite, especially the clam part but the food in front of her is making me drool. I pouted slightly and looked at her pasta and then at my plate.

" I want that "

She looked at me wide eyed, the fork from which she was going to attack her food fell down on the plate.

" NO! Not again " she exclaimed, picking the plate and turned the other side.

I almost laughed.

" OK OK! I won't " I said and she glanced at me sideways.

I started eating my own food and she turned around, setting her plate back on the table.

I smirked inwardly, I stretched myself and took a bite of her pasta when she was busy searching for the fork.

" Hey!" she protested, slapping my hands away from her plate. But too late, I already had my part.

I laughed, showing my tongue to her. She pouted adorably and shook her head with a sigh.

She kept eating with a slight frown, I smiled slightly and shook my head at her antics.

She is a child!

.......

" So can I count it as a date?" I asked, rubbing corner of my lips with a napkin.

She glanced at me and smiled.

" Of course"

I fidgeted with my fingers nervously, not really knowing where it was heading to. I gulped visibly and looked at her, who looked all calm and composed.

" Let's go " she said, getting up from the chair.

" Go? " I asked with a frown.

She nodded and walked in front of me, forwarding her palms for me to stand.

" Yeah let's go " she said and I tried to hide my disappointment.

" It means that the date is over? " I asked again to get the words right.

She looked at me amused and kneeled down in front of me, my breath hitched for a moment, seeing her soft smile and kneeling down in front of me.

" It is, unless you were expecting something else" she whispered and flicked my nose with a teasing smile.

I fake smiled to hide my disappointment, maybe I thought too much.

I shouldn't have kept expectations anyways.

" Come on, get up " she said and got up herself, adjusting her dress. I stood up from the chair, straightening my tuxedo.

She held my hands, almost dragging me along with her.

♥

I thought we were going back home but the scene in front of me, made me stagger.

The sky above me looked like a black canvas with thousand of twinkling orb drawn upon it, the effulgence brighten up the white sand beneath our feet.

A gush of wind caressed the trees slightly, the sound of rustling of leaves, the fresh salty aroma of sea water hit my senses as I breathed in the beauty of this place.

This beach looked winsome at night. There is something about beaches that they look even more beautiful at night. Maybe it's the stars or the moon but there is something. But for now, it was the lady beside me.

She was the one who made the place even more beautiful just by her mere presence. That was the power she held over me. Her presence affected me at the deepest core of heart.

" Wow" I breathed out and looked around.

I turned around and saw Alaia looking at the waves with a serene smile adoring her face. My breath hitched for a moment, she looked ethically beautiful.

The way effulgence fell upon her face, she looked even more beautiful in darkness.

Maybe, it was the first time that darkness made someone look so beautiful.

I walked closer to her and slid my arms around her waist, she opened her eyes and smiled softly. Looping her arms around my neck, she caressed my hair slightly.

" You are really hot " she whispered and I ducked my head down, blushing profusely.

" OK stop it " I whispered back, still blushing like hell.

She laughed and shook her head. I smiled at her. She suddenly stopped laughing and wriggled out of my grip, I frowned.

" What happened, Alaia? " I asked as she walked away from me.

" Alaia " I called out but she gestured me to stand still with her hands.

She took a deep breath and sat on her right knee, her black gown flattered on the white sand. My breath got hitched seeing her sitting on her knee.

" Actually proposing you in front of Effiel tower would have been too cliche so..... " She said with a nervous chuckle and let out a breath before continuing,

" Mr Ashton Johnson, I fell for you. Hard. I don't know how to propose or say cheesy lines but Macey told me to say these line" She said with a smile, tears breaming in corner of her eyes.

I fought back my own tears that were threatening to fall, taking baby steps, I walked towards her.

Is it finally the moment....

" If flirting with you gives me goosebumps, and makes me feel like I am on cloud nine, I wonder how exciting my life will be once you are mine and I am yours " she said with a slight smile.

A chuckle escaped from my lips along with tears that rolled down my cheeks. I sniffled slightly, brushing my tears away.

" OK that seemed way too cheesy " she mumbled and I laughed with tears.

" That was..." I admitted and she shook her head, wiping her tears away. A beautiful laugh escaped from her lips.

" Fine, I admit I suck at proposing but.... I love you " she admitted, softly.

I gasped and she blushed slightly, this time I couldn't control those stray tears that escaped from my eyes without my permission.

I bit my lips and looked around, feeling thousand of emotions at once. I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out, I kept gaping like a fish and making fool out of myself.

I laughed. I cried. I don't know what the fucking hell was wrong with me.

I just knelt down and took her in my embrace, hiding my face in crook of her neck, letting my tears flow freely.

" I... " I opened my mouth but choked on my own tears.

She patted my back and could hear her soft sniffles. I pulled back from the hug and cupped her face, wiping her tears away, gently.

" Say it again " I whispered, fighting back the lump in my throat.

She smiled as fresh warm tears rolled down her jaw, holing my palm with her hands, she planted a soft kiss on my knuckles.

" I love you " she whispered, connecting her forehead with mine.

Our breaths mingled as we breathed out slowly, I sobbed slightly and she held my hands in hers.

It was the first time she said I love you, she never answered my I Love you's and I was fine with it because I knew, she needed time to heal.

But this....

This feeling is so surreal...

So raw....

I don't know how to explain it in words, it's just....

Something.....

Very special....

" Run your fingers through my soul, for once, just once... Feel exactly what I feel, believe what I believe. And for once, just once try to understand, understand what I feel " she murmured, clutching my hands and I felt goosebumps all around.

I sniffled, wiping my nose messily and smiled, this girl is making me feel so many emotions at once!

I feel like crying, I feel like laughing, I just don't know what to feel..... It's so..... Ugh! I can't even explain. Maybe this is what love is. It leaves you speechless and overwhelmed at moments.

" I love you " I whispered and she bit her lips to refrain from sobbing, choking on her tears, she caressed my cheekbone.

" I love you more" She whispered back and I chuckled, not able to control my emotions, I again pulled her into a bone crushing hug.

The sound of waves lapping against the shore mingled with our soft sighs and faint breathing. I closed my eyes in escasty and let this new feeling set around.

She tapped on the ground a few times, looking something in her dress. I pulled back and looked at her who was busy searching something.

" What are you searching?" I asked as she kept looking around.

She didn't looked at me and got up, followed by me. She cupped her mouth, tears forming in her eyes.

"Shit! I forgot to bring the ring! " she muttered and banged her forehead, muttering hundred of curses.

" How can I! I proposed and forgot to bring the ring " she rambled, hiding her face with her palms.

Oh God! Now she is crying for such a thing....

I engulfed her into a hug, trying to calm her down. She hid her face in crook of my neck.

" Hey! It's OK..... " I cooed, rubbing her back.

She bellowed and looked up from her tear stricken face, my eyes met hers.

" No, it's not " she grumbled, rubbing her nose from back of her palms.

I wiped her tears from tip of my thumb.

" How can I forget to bring the ring" she whined, leaning back on my chest.

I held her tightly, rocking her back and forth.

" Proposing someone with ring is such an old way and you proposed me with such a cheesy pick up line! And believe me, I loved it. " I whispered and she chuckled lowly, hitting my chest with her fist.

" It was not that cheesy " she mumbled, snuggling closer.

" Gosh! Don't even get me started with cheese there. It was not cheesy..... " she looked up at me, " It was super cheesy!" I completed and she closed her eyes, letting out a small smile.

" But to be honest, I wanted to propose you first " I admitted and she frowned slightly.

" I wanted to make that day super special for you. I wanted to pamper you to fullest, make you laugh like hell" I said and chuckled slightly.

" Don't worry, you have whole life to pamper and make me laugh " she said and I laughed, caressing her hair lovingly.

I sat on the sand followed by her, looking at the waves in front of me, I got reminded of the last time when we had visited the beach.

The one Alaia took me to, where for the first time I felt that she started trusting me. That was a new start of our relationship.

I laid down on the sand without caring about my clothes or hair. I have always loved to see the sky like this, it always manages to make me mesmerize. I glanced at Alaia sideways who was about to lay down as well.

" Your dress will be ruined " I said and she smiled slightly.

" and do you think I care? " she said with a chuckle and laid down beside me, anyways.

I laughed and looked at at her who was already gazing at the night sky with fascination. My gaze returned back to the unfathomable sky which looked brittle cold with sprinkled stars.

We laid down in silence until I felt her crawling in my arms, I smiled slightly and wrapped my arms around her waist as she kept her head on my shoulders.

" You know, I am an astrophile. " She murmured with her eyes closed and I gazed at her, confused.

" What is an astrophile? " I asked and her eyes snapped open, looking at me with a frown.

" You don't know what an astrophile is?" she asked in amusement and I shook my head.

I was genuinely clueless about this term, even though I don't have much interest in literature and this explains why I am unaware of such words.

" It's the person who loves gazing at stars and planets. The one, who finds solace in sky " she said and leaned up to kiss my cheek.

The soft touch of her lips lingered on my cheek bone as I sighed softly and smiled at her, nodding my head, indicating her to continue.

She setteled herself back on my chest, wrapping her arms around my torso and gazed back at sky.

" I have always loved sky, especially at night. It always relaxes me down. You know, I loved asking wishes from shooting stars but I saw only two in my life " she said with a pout and I chuckled lowly.

" and what wishes did you asked from shooting star?" I asked, removing a strand of hair from her forehead and her smile flattered.

Her hold tightened around me and I frowned, holding her chin in my hands, I made her look at me but she gazed down, not meeting my eyes.

" I saw both of the shooting stars with Ian....." she mumbled, letting out a breath.

" and asked for a life with him" she said and a lonesome drop of tear rolled down from her eyes.

" Hey! you don't have to share, if you are not comfortable." I whispered and she looked up from my chest, her face illuminating from the effulgence.

" I want to. I want this burden off from my chest and I trust you " she said, staring directly into my orbs.

I felt some warm feeling taking over my heart, I could feel it flutter. It gave me happiness, maybe even more when she said I love you.

This is what I had always wanted from starting, her to trust me and when I finally got that, I couldn't help but get emotional.

" I met Ian for a collaboration, my first ever deal" she whispered, with a small smile as if sliding down in the memory lane.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, resting my chin upon her head while she continued.

"It was a day before the meeting and I was standing outside my office, suddenly a good looking...."

I tightened my hold around her and she looked up at me.

" He wasn't that good looking " I mumbled with a pout and she looked at me amused.

" Wait! When have you seen him?" she asked and I looked at her, gaped.

" Macey showed me some old albums where he was also present in few pictures " I said and she nodded, continuing with her story.

" He was roaming in casuals so I thought he was some random person. When I was standing outside my office, he suddenly came to me and started flirting" she said with a soft smile.

" and I had beaten him black and blue, the next day when he came to the meeting room with a black eye, I was just shocked " she chuckled and I breathed out, trying to control my jealousy.

" I had no idea what would happen next, I was nervous as hell but fortunately, everything went good and we became friends. We started meeting and I didn't even realised when we grew something more than just friends" she whispered and my hold tightened around her.

" One fine day, he proposed me for becoming his girlfriend and I agreed. I thought we loved each other in and out but maybe, somewhere I was wrong...." she whispered and a lonesome drop of tear gathered in her eyes.

" He cheated on me" she breathed out and buried her face in crook of my neck.

I could feel her taking deep breaths that tickled me, I shuddered and rested my head against her forehead, rubbing her back softly.

" He slept with a girl, not just once but multiple times, that too when he was in his senses. " she murmured, wrapping her other arm around my neck.

I breathed out and gazed at her sideways.

" This was the reason I had trust issues, I was not able to cope up with it well. And that Samuel fiasco made it even more difficult" I could feel that wet feeling on my skin, clearly indicating that she was crying.

I turned sideways to face her, she wiped her tears and caressed my cheeks with tip of her thumb.

She smiled slightly and I pulled her closer to me.

" but you made me love again, you made me trust again " she whispered and leaned closer to me.

" I love you "

♥

Her heart inclined unknowingly towards the attraction of his yearning. Losing into the naughtiness of night, her heart swayed in rhythm of his eyes.

They both leaned in and their lips met, that was when a perfect picture was captured by the stars behind them. Their faces contrasted against the tiffany night as they sealed the promise of an eternity together.

Maybe, I love you are the three magical words that holds the power to escasty anyone. But more than love, he wanted her to trust.

His one single aim, that was winning her trust and when she said I trust you, that feeling brought greater escasty than any.

~♥~

OK.... I definitely got emotional while writing and this is the longest chapter of this book. Next will be the epilogue and then this book will come to an end.

I would like to thank everyone who voted and read my crappy work, just editing will be done after this book will be completed.

When I will completely edit this book then I will inform once.

So for the last time, till my next update take care and stay safe. Byeeeee