"So anyway, the nurse told him it was perfectly fine that I'm still working" Molly takes a sip from her glass of orange juice "which I already knew and told him a countless amount of times"

Loren, Shay and I all laugh around the table. It's been a few years and we're all finished college now. Mollys even two months pregnant and Sean is freaking out about it - but in a good way.

"That's so cute though" Loren grins taking a sip of her wine

Molly gasps "Cute? He won't even let me tie my own shoes"

"You'll be thanking him for that soon" I point out

"Okay so maybe I used a bad example" she laughs

"What about you missy" Shay turns to me "why aren't you say drinking with us. Don't tell me you're pregnant too"

I shake my head "that's a hard negative. That'll be another few years yet"

"Well one of you guys need to bite the bullet. Our little one needs friends"

Loren laughs "I'm out on that one"

"Oh like we haven't noticed you sneaking out of Trents place" Molly rolls her eyes playfully. Trent is new in town, he's around our age and immediately set his attention on Loren who liked to pretend she didn't like him

Loren doesn't say anything instead gulps down her wine

"I can see your mind spinning" Shay laughs "he lives next to my boyfriend dumbo"

"Oh whatever, it's not serious" Loren shrugs

I glance at the time on my phone and start to pick up my things "as much as I'd love to stay with you nerds I've got to get to work"

We say our goodbyes and I leave them to fight over Lorens feelings for Trent.

I pull up to my assigned parking spot outside the health centre. I ended up going into health and nutrition in college and came out as a nutritionist which I really enjoy because of the flexible hours and mainly because I got to design my own office which is small yet functional

"Hey Emmy" I smile at the receptionist when I enter

"Hey Talia" she smiles "your last two appointments cancelled and I checked but no one needs one today"

"Looks like I get to go home early" I grin "I'll talk to you later"

Emmy just so happens to be Helens older sister but my relationship, well lack there of, isn't affected at work. Emmys actually a really nice girl and we discussed the elephant in the room when I started working here a few months ago and as sorry as Emmy was for her sisters actions, it really didn't matter - Helen and Cammy got what they deserved, which ended up being two years garbage picking and a restraining order, I got the man of my dreams and some really good friends. I really am done with that high school bullshit.

Three hours later I'm finished with my appointments and write ups. Ryder and I are still going strong, we had a slight blip during our second year of college because of the long distance but two months later we were back texting every night. After college we both moved back to town and decided to move in to his place which didn't take much moving anyway. Ryders a personal trainer at the local gym which didn't surprise anyone when he revealed thats what he wanted to do.

Friday nights we always meet up after work to have a casual date. We may live together but our relationship still feels just as fresh as the beginning. Tonight we're going to a local waterfall for a picnic. I check the time, I still have two hours before the date so I decide to spend some time at Emily and Alex's house.

"Hey lovebirds" I say after letting myself into the house

"Oh hey Talia, you're finished work early"

I nod "last two appointments cancelled which means you guys are graced with my presence"

"Auntie Talia" Oliver comes running into the room with his arms stretched out

I lift him up and spin him around "hey little monster" I grin "look at you getting big"

Oliver nods enthusiastically "I'm turning four next month"

I gasp even though I already know the information "already? What am I going to do"

"Cry?" He laughs at his own response

"So what do you want?" I walk into the living room and putting him sitting on my lap

"A robot"

"What he means is he'll take anything that he gets" Alex walks in and picks up a few of Oli's toys

"Daddy's right" he gives me a shy smile "as long as you and uncle Ryder are there to meet my friends"

I grin "we wouldn't miss it for the world"

"Speaking of Ryder" Alex takes a seat across from me "he literally wouldn't shut up talking about you at the gym"

"Oh whatever, like you weren't just as busy talking about Em"

"I can't deny that" he laughs while shrugging

"Hey, have you been talking to mom? I can't get through to her" Emily walks into the room, her eyebrows scrunched

"Oh she's on a date with Frank" I tell her. Mom and Frank started officially dating before I started college and they have been going strong ever since

"Oh they told me that already" she lightly taps her head "it must be the baby brain"

Did I forget to mention she was pregnant again?

"So did you guys find out the gender?" I ask. They had an appointment yesterday but they hadn't decided whether or not to find out

Alex shakes his head "we prefer surprises"

"Especially surprise pregnancy's" I wink

"Almost four years later and were still not over that?" Emily laughs

I shrug "someone has to remind you two what fun really is"

"Oh we know what fun really is" Alex smirks and Emily throws a pillow at him

"Alex!"

~~~

I got to the beach a few minutes later than planned thanks to the trafic. The sun was already setting when I pulled up in the parking lot. I had my clothes packed in a spare bag but because of my trip to Emily and Alex's place i was able to get changed there

Ryder had already text me to let me know that he had already went into the cave beside the waterfall to set up the picnic

"Hey baby" I say nonchalantly while replying to a message on my phone from Molly. I stop dead when I look up to see a pathway of rose petals leading further into the cave

"Ryder?" I question while following the pathway. Around fifty steps and a corner later a picnic blanket set up with strawberries dipped in chocolate and other delicious treats surrounded by candles comes into view. My eyes connect with Ryder who's down on one knee smiling up at me while holding a ring

"Oh my god!"

"Tal, after all the years I've known you, even after all the ups and downs, I've never been more happy. I can't wait to go home every night just to wake up in the morning to see your face" he laughs "I'm really not good at this stuff but what I am good at is knowing that I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So Talia Ramsay will you marry me?"

I grin trying to fight back the tears of joy threatening to spill "of course I'll marry you" he puts the ring on my finger and wraps me in his arms "I love you so much" I whisper and when we step back I inspect the picnic

"I love the touch of the strawberries, it reminds me of when you grew a pair and asked me out" I grin and throw him a wink

Ryder smirks and bites into one of the strawberries "oh you knew before I asked you out that I didn't need to grow a pair"

I grin and sit down beside him. We eat in peace, talking about our days among other things. We decided to go ahead and do our usual type of announcement by posting on Instagram so all our friends and family can find out at the same time. I posted a photo of Ryder with a second photo of the ring and the caption saying 'swipe for a surprise'

Ryder posted a photo of me with the caption 'soon to be Talia Smith'

"Look at us acting like we're eighteen again" I grin and wrap my arms around his neck before I lightly peck his lips

Ryder smirks his hands softly tracing up and down my back "what can I say, love makes up do crazy things" he grabs my waist and lifts me up. I wrap my legs around his waist my fingers immediately going to run through his hair "now let's get home, so we can celebrate the right way"