This wasn't the way she had planned on seeing him again.

It would be the first time in five years, since graduating college. But then again, she never meant for them to drift apart either. It just got so hard to maintain a friendship with someone who was always battling her on her boyfriend. The two boys could never find common ground, and every time they tried, it seemed to get worse, making it harder and harder to maintain what she needed from each of them.

And that was partly her fault too. She could have tried harder. It was just easier to push him away. Not deal with one over the other. That's what you get for dating one of your best friend's fraternity brothers. But then again, she often thought she shouldn't have had to make a choice.

But that was the past now. They'd grown up and moved on. She'd graduated in 2011 and spent the first summer out of college traveling with her boyfriend, Matt. His wealthy family was eager to have her stay with them, encouraging her to bring her mom, and merge their lives together, from two very different worlds.

And she did, they packed up a summer's worth of suitcases, made the drive to the house on ocean that her and her mother could only never dream of. Matt and his family made sure they had their own space, but still made it so family dinners happened every night and long weekends and holidays on their family's boat felt special rather than required. It was more than anything Fallon had ever experienced growing up. A dream world.

It was that summer that Fallon's contact with Trent started to dwindle. No matter how many times they tried to set aside time to meet up, or time to talk, something always got in the way. And honestly, it was usually an event with Matt, or a vacation, or there just wasn't an empty block of time.

Eventually, the calls stopped, and then the text messages slowed, and soon after, she stopped hearing from him much at all.

She spent the next two summers back home with her mom. Trying to maintain a long distance relationship with Matt, a job that she had gotten after completing her internship; which took her into the city every few days, and attempting to save for an apartment that would put her somewhere in between Matt and home. She remembered reaching out to Trent, mostly on the long train rides between work and home, when the job had her working well into then night, and he crossed her mind when she had some quiet time to herself.

She'd sent him some photos of them from high school, shifting uncomfortably in the seat of the train as she looked for the right words to say.

Look at us here, not a care in the world. We wanted to be adults so badly and now look at us. I hope you're doing okay my friend. I miss you.

And while he had liked the message, he never responded.

These exchanges went on for years. Small reminders of him would come across her mind, her social media, her life, and she would reach for her phone, asking him if he remembered. None ever warranted a reply, only ever a simple like, or complete silence. She wondered if he had simply forgotten her and all the memories that went with her. A sad thought she never relayed.

In the summer of 2014, Matt and his family arranged a trip for everyone. Fallon, her mother, Matt, his parents, his three siblings with their significant others, all loaded on to a plane headed to Greece for a week. The idea of travel was still some what foreign to Fallon, despite doing it quite a bit since she began dating Matt. Her and her mother struggled growing up and the idea of a vacation was so far fetched that Fallon had never really thought about it. And no matter how often she found herself sailing or flying around the world now, her nerves never settled, and the idea of being in one place at one hour and then somewhere completely different the next, left her with a constant pit in her stomach.

When they landed in Athens, the entirety of their group made their way to most beautiful hotels one could imagine. There was the views of the ocean, the mountains, and the village, all in one frame. And to Fallon, this was where she decided she wanted to spend the rest of her life. Somewhere nestled in a village along the sea shore in Greece, living a simple life, in a beautiful place.

And when she finally pulled her head down from the clouds. She realized just how different her life had become in the last four years. She just wasn't sure if this was entirely what she had envisioned. The pull of perfect and the knowing feeling of it never lasting kept her constantly on her toes.

As that trip started to come to a bitter end and Fallon slowly prepared herself to return to the hustle and bustle of life that was home, she packed her last suitcase and found a note on the dresser of her and Matt's room.
The village square, 6 o'clock. Wear your favorite dress.
Love,
Matt.

Her heart soared at the thought of one last dinner in Greece. Especially one alone with Matt. While Greece had been beautiful, and Matt's family more than generous, they did everything together. A quiet moment for just the two of them was hard to come by.

So when she picked her favorite dress out of the suitcase she had just graciously packed, and done her hair and makeup, she practically ran towards the square at 6pm. And when she got there, she found it devoid of people, commotion, and going ons, in general. An odd site among what she had experienced the rest of her time here. But standing there as promised was Matt, dressed in his famous blue suit, and his toothy smile.

And when she took his hand to lead him to her favorite spot, he stood his ground and pulled her back. She took note of everything around her, the smell of the sea air mixed with fresh olive oil. The breeze that blew pieces of her hair out of place, the Matt would softly tuck behind her ear. And the low murmur of people who had suddenly appeared in the square.
If you asked her what her favorite moment of life so far was, this was it. And the words he spoke to her in that moment still rang as fresh and new in her ears.

"Fallon," Matt began, his voice filled with love and emotion. "Today has been nothing short of magical, just like every moment we've shared since we met. And right now, in this place that feels like it was made for us, I can't help but think about our future."

Fallon turned to him, her eyes shimmering with curiosity and anticipation. "Matt, what are you..."

He took her hands in his, his fingers interlocking with hers. "Fallon, from the very first day we met, you've been my rock, my partner in adventure, and the love of my life. I can't imagine my days without your laughter, your smile, and your warmth."

Tears welled up in Fallon's eyes as she realized the significance of the moment. Her heart pounded with excitement, and she listened intently to every word Matt spoke.

Matt continued, "If I could give you everything, the way I wish I could, I would swoop you off your feet and move you here in a second. And if I could single-handedly shut down the village square for a night, just for you and I to dance in it, I would. But since I can't do that, what I can do is hope to create a million more little moments where I see the fire of life burn in your eyes. I want to be in all those moments with you. Will you marry me Fallon?"

As he opened the box, revealing a dazzling diamond ring that shimmered in the last rays of the setting sun, Fallon gasped. Her emotions overwhelmed her as she nodded vigorously, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.

And of course, she had said yes, and of course she wanted that, and she had loved building a life and merging two worlds with him. And she knew he would give her the world if he could. These were things that were almost too good to be true. Things that she had never imagined were possible were becoming a part of her regular every day existence. But her heart soared when she thought about the future that her and Matt had together, and that was enough for her.

So when she flew home with a two carat diamond on her finger, a future husband, a family who loved her, and a new perspective on what life could look like, the last thing she expected when she landed, was a text message...from Trent.