Generation 1.5

--From Sunglow Goldenrod’s POV

I led the way out to the river, my heart thundering in my chest and my palms slick with nerves. I’d been planning this night for the past three months, and I wanted everything to be perfect. Vanilla deserved nothing less.

My girlfriend seems to be under the impression that she’s the lucky one with our relationship, but I beg to differ. Before Vanilla came long I was just going through the motions of living, listless and more than a little jaded with how my life had seemed to turn out. No family, only a few friends and a pretty low-end job. Truth was, I’d gone to the Tic-Tac that night to drown my sorrows with juice and hope I passed out somewhere along the line. And then I noticed her sitting at the bar next to me, and somehow my entire life changed in an instant.

As pale and pure as a fresh snow fall, refreshingly sweet and adorably shy. She was worlds different than all the other girls I knew, and I don’t think I’d ever seen one as beautiful, inside or out, then or since. I fell fast and hard and I thank my lucky stars every night that Vanilla feels the same for me. And that her friend Mango stuck around that night to help lead me to her after she fled the club.

I was given the blessing of a second chance that night, and I don’t intend on squandering it. Which is why I’ve brought her out here tonight, under the guise of trying out one of Twinberry’s public fishing spots.

“So,” I heaved, praying my nerves weren’t coming across too heavily. I didn’t want to ruin the surprise after all. “What do you think of this?”

“It looks amazin,” she beamed, gray eyes dancing. “I bet we get some pretty big fish out here.”

“Well you might,” I corrected with a snort of self-depreciating humor. “I doubt I’ll catch more than mud and weeds.”

“Never know until you try!” Vanilla coaxed, giving me a playful push before hefting our fishing rods out of the car.

I followed her down to the creek bed with a smile, silently musing on the differences in Vanilla. She had been so shy and uncertain at first, but the closer we became the more she blossomed out of her shell. She had such a bright and vibrant personality, one of the many things that made me crazy about her. And yah, I know I probably sound like a broken record by now, but the truth is the truth.

We set up on the shoreline and got down to some serious fishing. Well, Vanilla got down to it. She’s a natural with a fishing pole, she’d make my Grandpappy proud, no doubt about it. I still sucked, but I had fun nonetheless.

Once evening fell completely we abandoned the fishing rods and settled down into the grass instead. We sat side by side and stared up at the stars above as they began to come to life, one by one. She was pretty engrossed by the beauty above us, but I kept getting distracted by the one a little closer to home.

After a moment I went ahead and made my move, resting my hand over her smaller, thinner one.

I think I caught her by surprise a bit. I almost started to worry I’d rushed things.

But then she turned and gave me that sweet smile of hers, and I couldn’t help but grin back. Like a complete idiot I’m sure, but I just couldn’t summon up the will to care overmuch.

Under some wordless agreement we both scooted closer together until there wasn’t a breath of space between us. I made myself just sit and take it all in, then. The sights, smells and sounds of the night. The feel of her warm, slender little frame tucked up against me. This must be what Heaven is like.

More than an hour passed, I’m sure. Time ceased to have much meaning, it was just the two of us and the stars. Every so often I would point out an interesting constellation.

And she would lean close and relate funny stories she knew about their mythology. I admit, I found it a little hard to concentrate past the feel of her breath tickling against my neck and ear, but somehow I managed. I’ll be the first to tell you that it was a near thing, though, trust me.

A moment later and we were standing there, facing each other. I thought my heart might burst from the sheer happiness and contentment I felt in that moment.

“I love you, Nilla Bean,” I found myself whispering somewhat huskily, my throat clogged with emotion.

Vanilla just smiled, reaching up to take my face in her hands. My arms found themselves around her tiny waist, and not a bad place to be either.

“I love you, too.”

Well, here was the moment I’d been waiting for. I don’t think it could get much more perfect than this. With my heart in my throat, I forced myself to pull away. At her slightly confused look, I held up my hands.

“Just a minute, Nilla Bean. There’s something I have to ask you.”

I got down on one knee, smiling a little at Vanilla’s continued look of confusion. I thought it might be pretty obvious by now, but I guess not.

Vanilla seemed to catch back up to me when I pulled out the jewelry box though. Her eyes went as wide as saucers and her mouth dropped completely open with shock. I prayed that it was just confused shock, not angry shock, but forced myself to continue nonetheless.

“Vanilla Cream Palette, I love you more than I thought it possible to love another person. There’s nothing I’d like more than the chance to spend the rest of my life proving that to you. Will you marry me?

“Oh Berry, yes!” was her high-pitched, squealing answer, and I almost collapsed into the dirt with relief. “Yes, yes, yes!”

I had to laugh at her enthusiasm, but I was incredibly glad of it at the same time. When she held her hand out I carefully slid the ring on her finger. Neither one of us commented on the fact that our hands were shaking like leaves, either.

Vanilla held her hand up afterward to stare at it, then looked back at me with tears in her eyes. Happy ones, I was thankful to say.

“Oh Sunglow,” she whimpered. “I love you so much.”

I took that as my cue, standing up again and scooping her up for a big hug. Vanilla Cream Palette, my fiancé. Soon to be my wife, for the rest of our lives if I had anything to say about it. I couldn’t be happier. And oh, by the way? I was wrong before. This is what Heaven is like.

((Woo, officially engaged! Sorry if this chapter is a bit heavy on the mushy sugar. I’m a hopeless romantic at heart, and these two bring out the worst of it in me, lol. Hope you enjoyed, see ya next time!))