Kayden

The beautiful Sapphire ring on my finger was real. The overwhelming love coming from every single direction was real.

Rhys pressed a soft, tender kiss to the top of my head, his large hand rubbing slow, soothing circles on my back. "Breathe, baby," he whispered gently against my hair. "I’ve got you."

I pulled back just enough to look up at him, my vision blurry from happy tears but my heart fuller than it had ever been in my entire life. "This is really happening," I said, my voice shaking with pure wonder. "You really did all this for me."

"For us," he corrected softly, brushing a tear from my cheek with his thumb, his eyes full of so much love it made my knees weak all over again. "Always for us. And don’t cry anymore, Kayden. Our future just started, and I will always be with you forever."

"Alright, group photo everyone!" Leo shouted suddenly, clapping his hands together to gather us as he raised his phone high, trying to capture the moment. But he wasn’t able to get everyone fully in the frame no matter how much he stretched.

Miller and Rhys burst into loud laughter.

Leo turned to face them, glaring hard. "What?" he demanded, eyes narrowing.

"Uhm... let the tall one hold the phone for now," I whispered into his ear, trying not to laugh.

He turned angrily towards me, his brown eyes widening in mock betrayal before he scoffed. "You made it seem like you are taller than me. You are only..."

"I am one inch taller than you," I said, unable to hold back my grin.

That only made Miller and Rhys laugh harder. Leo angrily shoved the phone into Rhys’s hand in a playful huff and scoffed. "Well, height doesn’t determine superiority. Studies in ergonomics and anthropometry clearly show that even minor differences in stature have negligible impact on overall capability, especially in coordinated group activities such as photography," he declared in full medical mode.

We all burst into loud laughter. Miller handed Starlight over to me and hugged Leo from behind. "Oh babe, don’t mind them. Your height doesn’t mean anything. You are cute and smart. They’ve got nothing on you.’’

Leo rolled his eyes dramatically. "Quit calling me cute and—"

"Pose everyone!" Rhys shouted, cutting him off.

Leo immediately struck a perfect pose as if he hadn’t been arguing a second earlier.

We took more pictures together with different silly and sweet poses. Miller also took several beautiful ones of just Rhys and me, then some with Starlight nestled between us. Finally, we all pulled into one big, warm group hug, arms wrapped around each other tightly.

Starlight meowed loudly between us, clearly done with being held but still very much part of the joyful moment.

Fireworks lit up the sky once again in dazzling bursts, and we gathered around to dance.

The first song that played softly through the hidden speakers was "Grow as We Go" by Ben Platt — gentle, acoustic, and full of quiet promise. We swayed together slowly, letting the music wrap around us like a warm embrace.

Then another song started playing, and it immediately caught my full attention because I knew it so well.

"Oh I love this song!" I shouted excitedly as the warm, heartfelt melody of "Ride Home" by Ben&Ben filled the air. ’’so I am coming home to you...’’ I belt part of the lyrics that I remembered.

Rhys smiled down at me with so much love in his eyes and nodded. "Then let’s make it our song," he said as he pulled me closer into his arms.

We started dancing to the beat — a gentle, swaying rhythm that felt like coming home. The song’s nostalgic indie-folk warmth carried us as we moved together on the soft sand.

Rhys twirled me slowly under his arm when the melody swelled, and I laughed freely, spinning back into his chest. He held me tight during the softer verses, our foreheads touching, bodies moving in perfect sync as the lyrics spoke about finding comfort and belonging in each other.

We rocked side to side, his hand on my lower back, mine resting on his shoulder, occasionally brushing fingers or sharing soft kisses between turns.

The dance felt intimate and joyful all at once with playful spins mixed with close, emotional sways that matched the song’s heartfelt journey of returning to love.

When the song ended, it started playing again from the beginning.

This time Miller pulled Leo into the circle with us, and we all twirled around together, forming a loose, laughing dance around the glowing lanterns.

This moment was the greatest of my life, and I truly hoped with every piece of my heart that it would last forever.

"All I need, the very air I breathe..." Leo screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice cracking with pure joy as he wrapped his arms tightly around my shoulders from behind. We danced together like two idiots who had forgotten the rest of the world existed, our bodies moving freely to the rhythm still pulsing through the speakers.

His laughter vibrated against my back, warm and infectious, and I couldn’t stop smiling even if I tried.

Leo suddenly raised his phone high with one hand, still holding onto me with the other, recording videos of us dancing under the glowing lanterns. The screen lit up his excited face as he captured every wild spin and silly move. "This is going in the forever folder!" he shouted, laughing.

Rhys and Miller couldn’t resist. They jumped in behind us, arms around each other’s shoulders, hopping and shouting along to the song like overgrown kids on the best night of their lives.

The four of us turned the quiet beach into our own private celebration — jumping, twirling, and singing off-key without a single care.

The lanterns flickered around us, the ocean provided the perfect soundtrack with its gentle waves, and the last fireworks painted soft colors across the sky above.

A loud, indignant meow suddenly cut through the music as the song came to an end.

We all froze for half a second, then burst into loud, uncontrollable laughter.

Starlight was clearly done with the chaos. She sat on the edge of the blanket looking thoroughly unimpressed, her tail flicking with annoyance, as if she had been personally offended by how long we had kept her awake with all the noise and movement. Her little face said everything — she was tired, slightly betrayed, and ready to be carried back to a quiet bed.

"Oh no, we’ve upset the queen," Miller wheezed between laughs, bending down to scoop her up gently.

Leo was still giggling as he lowered his phone. "She’s going to hold this against us forever."

Rhys pulled me back against his chest, his arms wrapping around my waist again as we both tried to catch our breath. His chin rested on my shoulder, and I felt his smile against my skin. "Best night of my life," he whispered just for me to hear.

I leaned back into him, my hand coming up to cover his where it rested on my stomach. The ring on my finger caught the lantern light again, sparkling like a promise I would never take for granted. "Mine too," I whispered back. "I don’t want it to end."

’’it’s never going to to end, this is just the beginning.’’ he promised.