~1 year later~
“Clark?” Rena giggled, her voice filled with curiosity. “Where are we going?”
Clark chuckled softly, his hand warm and reassuring as he led her forward. “You’ll see, it’s a surprise. But I promise you’ll love it.”
“Do I have to be blindfolded?” she asked, a playful pout forming on her lips.
“Well, yes, otherwise it wouldn’t be a surprise,” he replied with a teasing tone.
“Cllarrrk, come onnn. Are we there yet?” she whined, her excitement barely contained.
“Just a few more feet… Annnnd there we go. But don’t take it off just yet,” Clark said with a grin she could hear in his voice.
“What!? Why not?” Rena pouted, her curiosity piqued even more.
“Because… Well… I’m…” Clark began to stumble over his words, his nerves getting the better of him. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. He knew this moment had to be perfect because he loved her more than anything.
He let out a nervous sigh before continuing, “Because I would stumble on my words and be a nervous wreck, so just keep it on until I tell you to remove it.”
“OK?” Rena said, puzzled but willing to play along. She kept the blindfold on, her heart racing with anticipation.
She felt him take her hands, his touch gentle yet firm. He squeezed them softly as he began to speak.
“Ree, you… Gosh, this is harder than I thought… Words can’t even begin to describe my love for you. From the moment I first saw you, I knew there was something special about you. Honestly, I noticed you even before that day at the lake, a few times actually, but I was too shy to approach you. Then, when I finally gathered the courage, there you were, silently crying. It broke my heart to see you like that. They say the silent cries are the saddest, and I didn’t know you yet, but I knew I never wanted to see you cry like that again.
I fell in love with you a long time ago but was too scared to tell you. I worried you wouldn’t understand what it meant. But I knew I had to be the one to give you all the love you deserve. When your father came and tried to take you away, I couldn’t let that happen. Leaving you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to do it to ensure you’d stay free. Free from that world and that life. I worked tirelessly so I could come back to you…”
He gave Rena’s hands one last squeeze before letting go. She heard him shuffling around, her heart pounding in her chest.
“All for our future. Because I can’t imagine a future without you in it. I want to see you smile every day, hear your laughter, and feel your warmth beside me. So I, um…” He pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket, his hands trembling slightly.
“So… Serena, will you—”
“WAIT!” Rena yelled, making Clark flinch.
“Uhm—” he started, his heart skipping a beat.
“Clark. Can I take off the blindfold now, please?” she asked, her voice trembling with excitement.
“Oh! Yes. You c-can take it off,” he said, the nervousness building again.
Rena took off the blindfold, her eyes blinking to adjust to the light. She looked around and finally down at Clark, who was kneeling in front of her. She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. As their eyes met, Clark finally asked the question that had been weighing on his heart.
“Serena Amara Reyes, will you marry me?”
“YES!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face. She held out her hand as Clark pulled the ring from the box and placed it delicately on her ring finger.
He then stood up, and Rena immediately tackled him, giving him the most passionate kiss she could muster through her emotions.
Clark wrapped his arms around Rena, holding her as if she might disappear. She was his light, his anchor, his everything. He wanted to stay in this moment forever.
Rena finally broke the kiss, and they stepped back. She looked around and gasped as she realized where they were.
“Clark, is this…?”
“Yes. It’s the treehouse. I rebuilt it. I talked to the owners of the property, and they had no issues with me rebuilding it. They plan to use this property as a rental getaway, so the treehouse would attract families with kids.”
“Clark, it’s… amazing. Can we go up?”
“Yes, we can. I wanted to take you up earlier but figured it wasn’t the best idea with your eyes covered,” he chuckled.
They climbed up the treehouse and sat in their usual spot, just like they had so many times before. This time, though, Rena scooted closer to Clark, and he reached around, resting his arm on her shoulders and pulling her closer. She rested her head on his shoulder, and they watched the sun setting over the lake.
“Ree… I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too, Clark,” she replied, her heart full.
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