POV: Aletta

The ceremony was stunning. Watching Ella walk down the aisle with her dad to meet Alex, and then to watch the expression of true awe in Alex's eye makes me realise how much he deserves this.

Alex has worked so hard and to have Ella by his side means a great deal.

I try to focus on the beautiful scene taking place before me, but I can feel eyes on me the whole time.

I look to my right to find Angelo's steel eyes focusing on me with great intensity.
I smile at him sweetly but all he does is blink. His lips part slightly so I can see his breath clearly in the crisp air, but he remains still with his eyes refusing to leave my face.

He seems deep in thought so I look away and back at the couple but I know he's still staring at me.

Every time I look at him, he is looking at me. I can't figure out why though.

"You May kiss the bride" A voice interrupts my train of thought.

Everyone claps and cheers as Alex lifts Ella off her feet and kisses her. Everyone throws white petals as the happy couple walk down the aisle to the back where a black rolls Royce with a white ribbon and flowers awaits them.

The car drives off as Ella and Alex wave and I can hear the tin cans attached to the back rattle.
Everyone then begins to walk to the car park ready to head over to the reception but I wait for Angelo who is stood at the front still, with his back to me, facing the forest.

"Hey.." I say as I place my hand in his shoulder.

"Hi." He replies but doesn't turn to face me.

"Is everything ok?" I ask and he turns around.

"You look beautiful, Aletta." Is his reply and I can't say anything. My whole face feels like a beetroot so I look to the ground.

Angelo then moves closer to me and takes off his jacket. "Here."

He places it over my shoulders. "You must be cold, we've been stood outside for a couple hours and yours doesn't seem particularly warm."

He's right. My fluffy bolero was snug at first but after being stood outside for so long the cold has began to get to me.

"Thanks." I smile, blushing even more.

He takes my hand and we begin to walk to the car. Everyone else has left, except the people packing up, so we're alone in the car park.

He walks over to my side of the car but before opening the door he surprises me by kissing me.

"What was that for?"I ask curiously.

"Can't I kiss my beautiful girlfriend?" He says and smiles at me.

"Well I guess you can." I laugh.

He opens the door and I sit in. "You truly look mesmerising today, love.".

We arrive at the reception which is a beautiful hall that has been decorated with snowflakes and fairy lights.

It's stunning. I'm in awe of my beautiful surroundings.

The gardens are also stunning. The thin layer of frost coating the grass, trees and flowers glitters beneath the sunset.

Everyone is inside, seated so we head to the main table also and sit down.

Angelo sits besides Alex and I sit opposite to him. He then stands to do his best man speech and this is probably the first time I've seen true emotion on plastered all over his face.

As he goes through his speech his emotion changes, flowing with the stories he tells.

He starts off by telling childhood stories, for example how Alex fell in the pond because Bella pushed him due to the fact that earlier that day he'd flushed her Barbie doll down the toilet, or the time when he drew a beard on his face in permanent marker because he was a 'big boy'.

Everyone laughs at the hilarious stories, including Angelo, who seems truly happy for his best friend.

He then continues... "Growing up with Alex has been one of the greatest experiences in my life and I can strongly say that I have been truly rewarded to be related to you. You are one of the strongest, hardest working people which is great but I swear it is sometimes so difficult to argue with you due to your immense stubborn nature!" Everyone laughs and he continues.

"Technically your my cousin, but I can easily say that our bond is stronger than that. You are my brother. And yes Bella that makes you my sister too, no need to get jealous." He winks and everyone chuckles.

"But having you as a younger brother means that I feel it's my duty to look after you and that's never been an issue as you have always looked out for yourself, and therefore as you can imagine, when Ellie came along and you put her before yourself I wasn't too impressed. At first, I didn't understand how someone, other than family, could mean so much that you'd die for them but then I found that feeling too and ever since I've realised how lucky one is to feel so deeply for the one they love."

As he says that last part, his eyes dart to me, making me turn so weak I almost pass out. I love that man so much and to hear him say those things makes me so happy I almost explode!

"Ellie, you are an amazing girl and Alex is lucky to have you as his wife, and honestly I'm not sure how he did so well." He grins which evokes some chuckles.

"Hey!" Alex says while grinning.

"What? It's true! Aha, but anyways as I was saying, Ellie please do look after him because I've seen his side of the wardrobe and it is not a pretty sight. You two complete eachother as I've never seen him so happy, other than when he discovered kinder ice cream at the age of 17, but that's a story for another time.

I wish you the best for all the years ahead, and welcome too the family! It's too late to back out now!" As he sits back down everyone is laughing and clapping.

Bella then does her speech, embarrassing Alex even more, as well as recounting some of the great girls night outs that we had and mentioning some hilarious scenarios which make me laugh so hard I almost fall off my chair. Bella throws in some of her, Ellie and I's best inside jokes which is even greater as the three of us are in tears from laughter and everyone laughs but not understanding why.

She includes many high school stories and tells stories about her and Alex's experiences at college, like on their 21st Birthday when they thought doing yaha bombs was a good idea! That did not end gracefully as I can remember.

Ellie's maid of honour then does a speech as well as her parents and Alex's. My speech is short and I try to save Alex some embarrassment but after telling the story of Alex literally running home from the coffee shop after getting Ellie's number, then realising he left his convertible there and having to run all the way back in the rain, just to put the roof up manually (luckily it was vintage soft top) and run all the way back home, as he forgot his keys there the first time, he was a soft shade of rose.

The speeches are then concluded and the food is served.

The food is amazing but is nothing in comparison to the extraordinary six tier cake sat on its own table near the ice sculptures which I am keenly eyeing up.

The bride and groom then cut the cake as everyone claps and cheers. Each tier has a different flavour so I have my favourite (triple chocolate of course) meanwhile Angelo tries the raspberry and coconut cake (of course I eat some of his too)!

Soon enough it's the first dance and the bride and groom head out to the dance floor.
After watching Alex almost step on her toes every other step, other couples head out as well.

"May I have this dance?" Angelo says bowing and offering his hand to me.

I giggle and take his hand, replying, "of course you may, kind sir."

We head on over to slow dance and I lean my head in his chest and he pulls me closer.

"Wow I didn't know you could dance? I'm impressed." I laugh.

"I am a man of many talents, and your not so bad yourself, love." He smiles down at me.
We continue to dance to photograph by Ed Sheehan, without talking, just relaxing into each others arms.

"Did I mention how stunning you look tonight, love?" He whispers and I smile.

"I believe you have several times."

"Just wanted to make sure because you truly are a vision, love." He smiles in return so I can see faint dimples either side of his lips.

We dance for a while longer until my feet start to hurt so we split and head off to socialise.

I go and talk to Alex's parents who are with Gio and Kataya and express how happy I am for the happy couple. Alex's mum seems so joyful watching her son dance with her daughter in law, and his father seems happy too.

Bella heads on over to us with a glass of gin and tonic in her hand and I can tell that she has become best mates with the barman already.

As we engage in conversation, I notice Angelo talking to my father, the two of them are sat at a table laughing with a glass of scotch in their hands.

Honestly, even after everything my father still loves Angelo almost as if he were a son. It makes me happy how well they get along.

I watch as my father then hugs him and pats him on the back, I'm intrigued to see what they're talking about so I shuffle away from Bella and over to the two of them.

Right as I head on over Ellie calls out: "Are you ready girlssss to see which one of you will be the next lucky gal to be walking down the aisle?"

A crowd then shouts "Yessss!!!!" As all the girls run over to the dance floor.

Bella runs and grabs my hand pulling me over so I follow and stand in the middle of the other girls.

"3...2...1...go!" The crowd calls and then there is so much pushing and shoving to catch the bouquet.
Despite this, the flowers fly off to the left and are caught by Dima's eldest daughter who's only about five or six. He does not seem impressed, in fact following the catch he grumbles "It will bloody not be." In regards to his daughters future marriage. Everyone laughs as she prances around and Dina sits sulking.

After Alex tosses the garter which he removed from Ellie's leg and throws it into the crowd of men which Angelo was reluctantly pushed into. He stands to the right of the crowd and ends up being hit in the face by the white frilly garter making me laugh so loud along with Bella who is howling at his dissatisfied expression.

"Congrats bro" Alex shouts and Angelo just rolls his eyes.

Son the crowd disperses once again and I head over to Angelo and my father who resumed their conversation.

"Hi, I'm surprised your not still at the cake table." I chuckle at my dad who laughs as well.

"I would but I was starting to get a few odd looks so I thought it better to take a break for now" he laughs.

"I guess so. Sooo Watcha talkin' about?" I ask leaning forward on my tiptoes and clasping my hands together behind my back, then rocking back on my heels.

"You." My dad says so I lift a brow.

"All good things I hope?"

"No I was just telling Angelo about how when you were younger, you ate all that whipped cream before we went on the roller coaster and you-"

"Ahem! Nonono you don't need to tell him about that..." I interrupt while turning bright red.

"Ahaha I guess not but I think it's time I head on over to the buffet table again. I'll see you later, have fun kid." He smiles and hugs me before walking off.

Angelo then takes my hand and whispers in my ear that he has a surprise waiting outside.

Curiosity gets the better of me as I speed up as we walk outside.

"Hold on a sec." Angelo says as he pulls a blindfold out of his pocket.

He then ties it around my head and I question what he's doing but he just tells me to be patient.

He then leads me through the leaves crunching beneath my feet and I can feel the ground getting damper as we walk further.

The wind becomes sharper yet more refreshing as it passes across my face.

We continue walking and I hear what sounds like a stream gushing.

The wet leaves stop as I move my feet onto some solid material. Concrete perhaps?

"Wait here." He then whispers and I give him a panicked expression.

"Wait! Where am I? Don't leave me!" I panick as the air becomes cooler yet again and the atmosphere becomes eerily silenced apart from the sound of branches creaking and leaves rustling.

Suddenly the silence is interrupted by the sound of a cello making me jump.

It plays a soft melody and is now accompanied by violins and flutes as well as an entire orchestra as far as I can tell.

I recognise the melody almost instantaneously; it's the song to which my mother loved to dance to the most. Her passion was ballet, and this was the last song which she danced to.

I feel tears prick in my eyes and all I can whisper is "Angelo.."

I don't know what's happening but my heart is fluttering and it feels like a dozen butterflies in my chest.

"Take off the blindfold, love." He whispers so I slowly remove it.

I glance in front of me and what I see astounds me. There, right before my eyes is Angelo.

Angelo is there. And he is on one knee. And I'm looking at him. And he is looking at me.

I can't break my eyes away from his face and the way his lips are smiling the most genuine smile I've ever seen, which provoked a tear escaping my eye.

We're beneath a silver gazebo like object which has white lilies and pink roses intertwined up the legs of the shelter.
The top is decorated with elegant fairy lights and white petals are scattered across the wooden bridge.

Angelo's eyes shimmer with so many emotions as do mine and his lips part slightly as he prepares to speak.

He says nothing other than the sentence which six months ago I would never have imagined possible to escape his mouth.

The sentence which I thought I was prepared to hear from the moment which I first kissed him on that hot air balloon when I was 17.

The question which potentially seals my future...

"Aletta... will you marry me?".

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Author note: Heyooo!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! (I certainly did- well the ending anyways) XD.

Only a couple of chapters left to go!

Don't forget to comment and vote!⭐️

See you in the next chapter...

Byeeeeeee