"Jeremy wake up. You're supposed to leave in ten minutes" I shook his shoulder gently, but when I got no response I shoved him with more force. Nothing.

"He's still not up? Wait a minute, flashback to every 8am Physics class sophomore year" Angela threw a shoe at Jeremy, but there was still no response.

"He's going to be late. Desperate times call for desperate measures" I looked at Angela knowingly. She went into the bathroom and returned with a huge glass of water a minute later.

"Care to do the honors?" Angela handed me the cup.

"I would love to" I dumped the water on Jeremy's head. He sat up sputtering, eyes darting around in confusion.

"Which one of you should I kill first" Jeremy shook his hair and water flew everywhere. I guess this was one way to ensure he woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

"It was her" Angela and I shouted at the same time before bolting out of the room.

Jeremy shot off the bed and stormed after us. Angela locked herself in the bathroom, which meant Jeremy had no choice but to chase after me. I practically fell down the stairs before recovering and sprinting into the kitchen.

I picked Charlotte up and held her in front of me.

"Jeremy I have a Charlotte and I'm not afraid to use her" I threatened. He slid into the kitchen and stopped in his tracks.

"Charlotte, Kayla's being mean. Come be on my team" Jeremy waved his hands encouragingly.

"Charlotte I am your sister, so I swear if you take his side over mine I won't make you my special ice cream sundae for a whole month" I made sure she knew how serious I was.

"You can't blackmail a child. What is wrong with you" Jeremy gasped.

"You're trying to steal my sister from me" I threw back.

Before Charlotte had a chance to decide a horn blared outside.

"Shoot he's here to pick me up already" Jeremy ran back upstairs, threw on some clothes, and was back downstairs in three minutes. I threw him a banana and a granola bar before he ran out the door to where his family friend that lived nearby was waiting in his car. Barely a minute later Paige walked through the front door. I'm pretty sure she hasn't used our doorbell in ten years.

"Alright ladies, girls' day is about to begin" Paige shouted.

"I want girls' day. Can I come with you Kayla? Pretty please?" Charlotte begged.

"I wish you could Char, but you have play practice at camp, and you don't want to miss that. You're the lead. They can't practice without the lead" I pointed out.

"Alright I'll go get dressed" Charlotte wasn't upset for long. My little aspiring actress had an unbelievable amount of talent for an eleven year old. I was so proud sometimes it was overwhelming.

After I dropped Charlotte off at camp I came back to my house to find that a bomb had exploded in my kitchen. A food bomb that is.

Paige and Angela attempted to make waffles for breakfast, and there wasn't a single cupboard or countertop that wasn't covered in batter.

"What is that smell? Is something burning?" I sniffed the air and checked the stove, but it wasn't on.

"Shoot we left the bacon in for too long" Paige shrieked before yanking the microwave door open.

"We burnt the last of the bacon. Is the universe punishing me for not eating healthy enough?" Angela shouted up at the ceiling before dumping the plate of bacon in the garbage.

"Sorry about the mess Kay, we were just trying to make a nice breakfast" Paige wiped a small spot of batter off the counter as if that would fix everything.

"Oh trust me I planned for this. I saw Angela eyeing the waffle iron when I left so I grabbed Starbucks and muffins on the way home" I pulled the bag and drink tray out from behind my back and saw relief flash across their faces.

How did I get stuck with two best friends who couldn't cook to save their lives? Thankfully growing up in a single parent household with a mother who had to work constantly, I learned how to cook pretty well.

We ate our breakfast and recalled our afternoon at the beach the day before. Jeremy fell asleep with a donut on his chest. He got so sunburnt during his nap that he now has a white ring on his chest.

He didn't notice it right away, and of course being the nice friends that we are, we decided not to tell him. A group of girls kept staring at him, and the hotshot assumed it was because of his "stellar good looks" so he winked at them. Of course they laughed and walked away. Paige, Angela, and I died laughing. It's safe to say he wasn't happy with us for the rest of the day.

We all showered and changed before heading out for our spa day. Paige and Angela had on cute sundresses, but as usual I stuck with my trusty high waisted shorts and a peplum top.

"M'am I'm going to have to ask you to take off your ring before your manicure" the technician said to Paige as soon as we sat down at the nail salon.

"Ring what ring!?" Angela shouted. Both of our eyes darted to Paige's hand. On her left ring finger was a sparkling diamond ring.

"He finally did it! You don't know how hard it was to keep that a secret from you" I let out a huge breath as a weight seemed to lift off my shoulders.

"You knew?" Paige asked as Angela opened and closed her mouth repeatedly in an attempt to wrap her mind around what just happened.

"Of course I knew. He asked for my blessing right after he asked for your parents'. The boy's not dumb. He knows whose good side he needs to be on. He wouldn't tell me exactly when, just that it would be this month" I picked up her hand and got a good look at the ring.

"Will someone please fill me in here? You two are engaged as seniors in college?" Angela sputtered.

"I know we're young and we've only been dating for a little over two years, but I've never been more sure of something. I'd be lying if I said this doesn't scare the hell out of me, but Stephen is the one for me. We're going to wait until after graduation to have the wedding, but this just feels so right" Paige just couldn't stop smiling.

"I'm so happy for you" I pulled her into a hug.

"There's going to be a wedding! I've never been to a wedding before" Angela was so excited tears were starting to form in her eyes.

"Oh my we actually have to plan a wedding now. I haven't even fully wrapped my head around all of this yet" Paige ran her hands through her hair.

"Hey that's the fun part. Don't worry we will help you with all the planning even if you become bridezilla" Angela teased.

"We'll be there for all of it" I squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"I'm sure everyone is going to say we're too young or that we'll regret rushing into this, but what does it matter if it's next year or in three years. This is it for me. Stephen is it for me. He was my last first kiss, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him" Paige wasn't looking at the ring. She was staring at the wall probably picturing that first date with Stephen.

That first date she probably never imagined that she would be engaged to that man at the age of 21 just over two years later.

We all know by now that I am the relationship cynic. Sure everyone will say they're too young, or they're being rash, or they're not thinking rationally. Normally I would be saying the same thing, but not in this case.

The first time I met Stephen and saw the way he looked at Paige I knew they were in it for the long haul. What does age have to do with love anyway?

There are very few things in life I know for sure.

I know Charlotte is going to be twice as smart and successful as I'll ever be, and that thought makes me unbelievably happy.

I know someday I'll look back on this moment as one of the happiest moments of my life.

I know my mom is one of the strongest people I have ever met.

And I know that Paige and Stephen have somehow found the kind of love that lasts in this crazy world we live in today.

Paige is engaged!! Normally I am against people getting married that young, but Paige and Stephen are a different story! What do you guys think? Is 21 still way too young?
Let me know what you think and don't forget to vote!