4 years later, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

I've been twenty-four about awhile now. I was expecting a proposal on my birthday because I mean that's how Chase acted. He acted like he was gonna wife me up as soon as possible.

I'm been mentioning an engagement to him, but he's making it seem as if he wants to wait a year. I doubt he really wants to wait a year and he's trying to throw me off my game.

Right now I'm in North Carolina. For a weekend getaway.

I'm meeting up with my girls.

New York is great but it gets a little hectic. I can't get over all the traffic. I'm getting to the point where I want to sell my car but I know I need it.

Chase's basketball team is doing great. I go to all the games and have made friends with basketball wives.

Nicole is a great speech therapist for kids in Charlotte. She lives on the outskirts of Charlotte not directly in the middle. She didn't want to be that close to her family. She's married. She was the first one married out of the girls. Who would've thought? I was her maid of honor at her wedding and gave a great speech. I didn't forget to mention how we were mistaken for lovers.

Gabe did the NBA for two year after college and then decided he didn't like it. It wasn't for him. So now he coaches at a high school. Chase talks to Gabe a lot. He's always asking for advice from Gabe. I'm not sure on what. He won't tell me. Gabe is also married.

Ethan and Gracie got engaged our junior year. So when we graduated they were married. Ethan did basketball in college and now has a degree in business. They live back in his hometown in South Carolina. We don't hear much from them we just get invites to their kids birthdays and Christmas cards. They have three kids.

Hayden lives in Chicago and plays for the Bulls. He's not married nor engaged, but he has a three year old and a golden retriever. He's happy. At first he was confused. We all were. He had a baby at twenty-one and didn't know.

Loren our sweet Loren. Her senior year everything with her and Hayden was going great until her mom got sick. Then everything took a complete 180. She's now lives in Illinois. She didn't know Hayden was there. She took a job over there. She ran away from everything in North Carolina.

Safe to say the friend group is now stable and scattered around the U.S.

"I can't believe we are all here." Nicole says trying to pull into a hug but she's ready to pop any day now.

"I can't believe you're pregnant." I point out.

"Me either. You know I told him I wanted to wait but this baby was so unexpected." She tells us as a car pulls up in the driveway.

We rented a house this week.

"Nicole! Taylor!" Loren screams getting out of the passenger side of car and running towards us. I watch as Gracie gets out of the driver side.

"Who would've thought we'd be back here?" Gracie question. "I feel like I'm traveling to Ethan's games all over again."

"Well since Nicole can't travel this was the only option to get her out of Charlotte." Loren tells us.

"Let's go do something." Nicole suggest as we all pile in Gracie's Tahoe. She's such a mom now. She has kid toys scattered everywhere in the back.

"Sorry for the mess. Children are messy and when you have three under five, you clean but it doesn't stay clean long. So I gave up cleaning long ago." Gracie apologizes. Gracie and Ethan have a four year old, a two year old, and a six month old baby.

"Taylor how's New York with Chase?" Loren asks.

"It's amazing. We've been there for two years and everyday feels like it's our first day there. I got me a cheap place outside of the city and he had a man cave close to the city by the arena." I tell them and as I'm talking I notice we're pulling down the road that leads to the lake. "Are we going to the lake?" I ask

"I thought we could walk around." Gracie suggest. "Take some pictures. I mean we do look cute."

She's right. I'm in a White Spaghetti strap ruffled dress. The rest of them are all wearing navy blue. They're matching and I'm not. I guess I didn't get the memo.

Gracie pulls in a parking spots and parks.

We all start walking towards the lake. Not any side of the lake the side where that me and Chase have always had dates on.

Surely they don't know that.

"We should take a picture here." Loren says pulling out her phone and holding it up for a selfie.  "Excuse me!" Loren says flagging down a lady walking. "Will you take our picture?"

"Of course." The lady says turning around. I know her.

"Veronica?"

"Hi, Taylor. Get to together girls." She says holding up Loren's phone.

Okay something is definitely up. She's also in navy. V is suppose to be in Dallas. She took an internship there and her career has expanded ever since.

"Come on Taylor." V says linking arms with me.

"We will wait right here." Nicole says speaking up.

"Wanna tell me what's going on?" I ask Veronica as we start walking.

"I'm really not sure. I was just called down here and was told to surprise you. Something about a late birthday gift."

"Veronica Garcia do not lie to me. You are one of my best friends. You called me on my birthday and sang to me. Practically screamed through the phone. So stop lying and tell me." I tell her looking at her. I haven't noticed we've came to a stop. I hate surprises and secrets they give me anxiety.

"Want me to tell you?" She asks with the biggest smile on her face.

"Yes."

"Hand me your phone and crossbody and continue walking on your own."

When I look ahead I see a path of rose petals leading me somewhere. I know exactly where. To our spot. I don't hand her my phone and crossbody fast enough as she takes the initiative to take them from me and fixes my hair for me. "Love you, Tay."

I've seen and cried to enough YouTube videos and TikToks to know how this is going to end.

"Love you, V."

"Go see your Prince Charming." She whispers giving me a light push to get me started. I felt like my feet were glued to the floor. If she didn't push me I would've stayed there forever.

I follow the path of rose petals that lead to Chase.

When I spot Chase he's standing in the middle of a heart formed out of rose petals. In a suit.

"I feel extremely undressed." I admit as I stand in front of him.

He laughs. "Only you would say that right before getting proposed to."

"Who tied your tie?"

"My mom. Bare with me. I'm a little nervous."
He admits. Before reaching in his suit pocket and pulling out a paper.

He wrote a speech. He lets out a shaky breath. "Taylor Rae Lawson if I could describe you in one word it would be untouchable. That's what Coach Carson said to us. You were untouchable. Off limits. So that's what I told the guys. You are untouchable and burn brighter than the sun."

Of course he's gonna quote Taylor Swift.

"I'm constantly caught up in you and I constantly want to feel you by my side. So with this being said Taylor Rae Lawson will you marry me and be by my side forever?"

He's on one knee and has a ring. A diamond ring. Say something Taylor. This is not the moment to freeze up.

"Yes! Absolutely." I say and hold my hands out. "I don't know which hand it goes on." I admit my eyes looking up and meeting Chase's.

"I really should've thought this through." He says and turns around looking at the camera man taking pictures.

The camera man mouths left and Chase slips the ring on my left hand. We seal the deal with a kiss.

"Can we just stay here a minute before we go see everyone?" I ask pulling away from the kiss. "I need a moment."

He doesn't respond he just pulls me into a hug. "I told you I'd propose at twenty-four. We really gotta figure this whole engaged marriage stuff before we get to the altar though. I don't want to get up there and not know which hand or finger to put your ring on. Or what to say. That'd be embarrassing."

"Chase, chill. We're engaged in Chapel Hill at the lake."

"Our spot. How about a dance my fiancée?"

"Of course fiancé."