Luca

you. Don’t you remember?”

“Err no.” I bit my lip and gave him a quirky grin. “Should I?”

“You were eight years old angel so don’t beat yourself up for not remembering such an important thing in our lives.”

I slapped his chest playfully as he pulled me to him again with both his arms wrapped tightly around my chest.

“We’re even now. We’ve both proposed to each other.”

14 years ago…

“Coming ready or not!”

I heard her shouting out from my hiding place behind the shrubs at the bottom of our garden. Freddie had taken himself off to the front of the house to hide. He knew she’d never look out there, but I wasn’t really up for this game of hide and seek, I’d only agreed because it was easier to just go with the flow than try to argue with Freddie and Chloe when they got together. So I’d chosen a really rubbish hiding place. One I knew she’d check first and that would give me more time to myself as she went off in search of Freddie who would have found some obscure corner to squeeze himself into.

“Come out come out wherever you are.” She teased and I rolled my eyes and grimaced as my legs started cramping where I was crouched down.

I shuffled my weight from one foot to the other and the rustling of the leaves drew her near.

“Well it’s either a wild animal scurrying around back there or…..GOTCHA!” She shouted propelling herself over the shrubs and landed on me like a lioness pouncing on her pray, forcing me to fall backwards as I lost my balance.

“Urgh…you win, you got me.” I grunted in a bored tone of voice, trying to roll over and roll her off me.

“I have got you.” She stated with confidence.

“I found you Luca Marquez so I get to keep you.”

“What are you spouting on about now Chloe?” I sat up now and rubbed the back of my head to get rid of the dead leaves that had mangled themselves into it.

“You’re mine.” She said without a shadow of a doubt on her face. “I’ll marry you one day Luca and we’ll live in one of those big houses on the other side of town with a swimming pool and games room and everything else we ever dreamed of.”

“You’re crazy. I’m too old for you.”

“No you’re not.” She folded her tiny arms over her skinny frame and pouted those rosy pink lips at me. “Marry me Luca. Say yes, go on. I’ll buy my own ring or borrow one of my Mum’s she’s got loads.”

“Chloe the boy is supposed to ask the girl. This isn’t how it’s done.”

“Says who? Why can’t the girl ask? I’m asking you right now aren’t I?”

Chloe never failed to surprise me every single day. I’d never met anyone like her in my whole life. There were hundreds of girls at my new school and since moving to the area I’d got to know tons of them but no one was like her. She was special, she stood out in a crowd. She was unique, crazy and infuriating all at once. But she was the only girl I ever enjoyed spending time with. The others were shallow, obsessed with their looks or the latest fashion but not Chloe. She had depth unlike anyone I’d ever met. She intrigued me and held my attention even though she was so much younger than me and she wanted to spend time getting to know the real me, not the face I put on for the rest of the world. Chloe had seen me at my worst and yet she always thought the best of me. I didn’t feel worthy of her praise and her attention. I couldn’t ever tell her that though, her head would grow way too big, and she’d always argue the opposite with me. She liked to challenge me and no one ever dared to do that these days. I was the tough guy, with the walls of steel, but she didn’t care, she’d broken them down and forced her way into my life. She was a nuisance a pest and my reason for getting out of bed each morning. Hell even I was confusing myself right now.

“So?” She gritted her teeth together and gave me her evil ‘I’m not taking your crap Luca’ stare. “Is it a yes?”

“I’m not playing your silly games anymore Chloe.”

We both stood up, I towered over her but she didn’t look intimidated whatsoever.

“I’ll take that as a yes then, and Luca I don’t play silly games when it comes to important things like marriage, babies and adulting.” She nodded to herself and strode off towards the front of the house shouting her intentions to find Freddie and leaving me gawping at her as she stomped away.

What the hell had just happened? Had I agreed to marry Chloe Ellis? I couldn’t even remember what I’d said, the girl had tied me up in knots. I crossed my arms over my own chest now and stalked back into the house. I was twelve she couldn’t hold me to anything. I’d been tricked. If and when I was going to marry anyone I would be the one doing the asking not Chloe. She’d have to wait until I was ready!

“I can’t believe you’ve remembered that, I’d completely forgot!”

“I never forget anything about you Chloe, every moment, every memory with you is etched into my brain. I think I loved you even back then but I couldn’t admit it to myself let alone you.”

“It all worked out right in the end for us.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he lifted me up so I was perfectly in line my body to his.