Something Worth Remembering
1175 Words
Elaina’s POV
The next morning I woke up to three things.
A headache.
Twenty-seven unread messages from the group chat.
And one text from Daniel.
“Don’t make plans after school.”
I stared at it.
I had completely forgotten about his mysterious plans until now.
I typed back.
“Why?”
His reply came almost immediately.
“I told you. You’ll see.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You’re being sus.”
“Good.”
I smiled at my phone.
“Where am I supposed to meet you?”
Three dots appeared.
“I’ll come get you.”
I paused.
That was… unexpectedly sweet.
Okay.
I put my phone down, already wondering what he had planned.
By the end of the school day I’d practically convinced myself that Daniel had forgotten about the plans he made.
I guess I was wrong.
I was walking towards the gate when I spotted him.
He was standing beside the school’s front entrance, still wearing his football training clothes.
And he was holding flowers.
I stopped walking.
Daniel noticed me and smiled.
“Hello there.”
I looked at the flowers.
Then at him.
“For me?”
He looked down at them.
“No, actually. I just walk around with flowers after football practice.”
I laughed.
“I hope your friends tell you how annoying you are.”
“You’re my friend.”
“Then you’re right on track.”
He held them out.
I took them carefully.
“They’re pretty.”
“I remembered you liked them.”
I looked at him.
“You remembered?”
“Of course I remembered.”
For some reason, that made me smile more than the flowers themselves.
He smiled from the corner of his mouth as he shoved his hands into his pockets.
“So…”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Not again.”
He laughed.
“Okay, okay.”
He took a breath.
“I know yesterday was kind of ……. chaotic.”
“You can put it that way.”
“And I know that technically I did ask you out yesterday.”
“You did.”
“But I wanted to do it properly.”
I stared at him.
He smiled.
“Come with me?”
I took his hand.
“Where?”
“You’ll see.”
I expected us to walk somewhere nearby.
I definitely didn’t expect him to take me up the small hill just outside town.
The second we reached the top, I stopped.
Daniel had parked his car facing the view, and the trunk was open.
A blanket was spread across the back, surrounded by pillows, snacks and little fairy lights that somehow hadn’t fallen off yet.
There was even a small speaker playing quietly in the background.
I turned to him.
“Daniel…”
He smiled.
“Surprise!”
“You did all this?”
“Well…”
He glanced toward the parking lot below us.
“The boys helped.”
I laughed.
“Of course they did.”
“They were very emotionally invested.”
“I’m sure.”
He walked around to the back of the car and picked up something I’d missed.
A small card.
He handed it to me.
I opened it.
Inside, written in his handwriting, were five words.
Will you be my girlfriend?
I looked up.
Daniel was suddenly very quiet.
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Okay, I know technically you already said yes yesterday.”
I smiled.
“But I wanted to ask you properly.”
He took a small step closer.
“So, El…”
He held out his hand.
“Can I be your boyfriend?”
I couldn’t stop smiling.
“You’re asking me twice?”
“I like hearing your answers.”
I pretended to think about it.
“Hmm.”
He groaned.
“Elaina.”
I laughed.
“Yes.”
His entire face lit up.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
He pulled me into a hug.
I laughed against his shoulder.
“You’re actually ridiculous.”
“And you love me.”
I pulled away.
“Unfortunately.”
“That’s enough for me.”
We sat on the back of his car, eating snacks and talking until the sun began sinking behind the hills.
At some point, Daniel turned the music down.
The sky slowly changed into shades of pink and orange, the same kind of colors I’d seen yesterday.
Only this time, everything felt different.
Daniel looked at me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You keep doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Looking at me like that.”
He smiled.
“Maybe I’m just trying to memorize this.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.”
My smile softened.
Neither of us spoke for a moment.
The world around us seemed quieter.
The breeze.
The distant sounds from the road.
The music playing softly behind us.
Daniel reached for my hand.
“Can I kiss you?”
I nodded.
“Yeah.”
He leaned closer.
For a second, neither of us moved.
Then his lips met mine.
It was quick.
Soft.
Almost nervous.
When we pulled away, we both just stared at each other.
Daniel laughed quietly.
“Okay.”
I smiled.
“Okay.”
“That was…”
“Yeah.”
“Good?”
I laughed.
“Very.”
He smiled.
“Good.”
He kissed my forehead before stepping away.
“Come on. I’ll take you home.”
When I got home, I walked through the front door with the biggest smile on my face.
My mom looked up from the kitchen.
She stared at me for a second.
Then smiled.
“That smile is even brighter than yesterday.”
I immediately looked away.
“Nothing happened.”
“Of course.”
“Mom.”
She laughed.
“Go upstairs.”
I grabbed my flowers and hurried away before she could ask anything else.
The second I got into my room, I dropped onto my bed.
My phone buzzed.
Hazel
“WHERE ARE YOU?”
Grace
“Girl???”
Emma
“Did he kidnap you???”
I laughed.
I opened the group chat.
Typed.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Then finally sent:
“Ugh. I loved today.”
The chat exploded almost instantly.
Hazel
“ I KNEW IT.”
Grace
“WHAT HAPPENED???”
Emma
“EL.”
Hazel
“Elaina Hart you cannot just say that and disappear!”
I laughed and tossed my phone beside me.
I wasn’t ready to tell them everything yet.
I wanted to keep today to myself for a little while.
I picked up Daniel’s card from where I’d placed it on my bedside table.
Will you be my girlfriend?
I smiled.
Then my phone buzzed again.
This time, it wasn’t the group chat.
Daniel
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
My smile disappeared.
I stared at the message.
Another text came through.
“And I don’t know how you’re going to take it.”
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