Until Forever (Changing Hearts Book 4)

by Yesenia Vargas

  “Will the driver of a black Honda Accord come up here, please? Your car is about to get towed.” Then they read out the tag number.

  “Wait, doesn’t your sister drive a black Honda Accord?” Mayra asks Jimmy.

  I see the puzzled look on their faces.

  “Yeah, she does,” he says.

  Jimmy looks towards the stage, and he winces a bit. He seems to recognize someone.

  “Wait—what?”

  Twenty-Two

  Lucas

  This is it. Now or never.

  I walk over to the reporter, who looks like she’s getting ready to leave, and ask her if she can do me a huge favor. At first, she kind of just blows me off, but when I tell her that I'm a friend of Jimmy's and that this is important, she finally perks up and listens to my plan.

  Things weren’t even suppose to happen like this.

  Jimmy was supposed to help me get things in place so I could propose to Ariana during dinner, but it's he's busy solving problems of his own. And it sounds like dinner is a no-go.

  So this is up to me now.

  This thing is almost over, and I'm not about to let the love of my life walk out of here without asking her if she will be by my side forever.

  And this feels like the right place to do it, the first place we ever met. At our old high school.

  The reporter finally nods and agrees to do what I’m asking of her. I glance back at Miranda, the high school counselor, and she gives me a small nod.

  I've already talked to her. We met last year when she came down to the middle school to talk to the eighth graders about transitioning to the ninth grade. I swallow and give her the thumbs up. She walks onto the stage, microphone in hand.

  “Will the driver of the black Honda please come up here? The driver of the black Honda? You're blocking the firefighter lane, and your car is about to be towed. The driver of the black Honda, please come up here as soon as possible.” She reads off Ariana’s license plate from a sheet of paper. “Thank you."

  I look for Ariana from behind the stage. The important thing is that she not see me back here or she might suspect what's really going on.

  I want this to be the biggest surprise of her life.

  But I don't see her anywhere. Is she still here?

  If she's not, then I’m probably making the biggest fool of myself right now. She's got to be here somewhere. Jimmy just saw her a few minutes ago.

  Miranda speaks up one more time before glancing back at me. I’m about to call this thing off when I finally I see her.

  I look over to the reporter, whose signaling to the camera crew.

  This is it.

  I hide behind some equipment to one side of the stage.

  Miranda motions to Ariana to come up on the stage, and she walks up the steps, confused.

  I turn to make sure she can’t see me.

  My heart is beating a hundred miles an hour, like the first time I finally got the courage to kiss her.

  Heck, like the first time I got the courage to ask her out. We hadn't even been dating then. I just wanted to spend more time with her.

  I walk out onto the stage.

  Ariana's back is to me, and Miranda finally looks at me.

  Ariana turns around to see who she's looking at. That’s when she sees me. The look of confusion on her face grows stronger.

  But then she must read the look on her face because her mouth falls open slightly and her eyes go wide.

  And it reminds me of the look that came on her face the second before she realized that I was about to kiss her the very first time.

  The reporter woman is saying something. I think she’s on stage too, and a small crowd gathers just as I slowly walk up to Ariana. The camera crew records everything.

  Good. This is exactly what I wanted. For this moment to go down in history as I become the happiest man in the world.

  Suddenly, the crowd starts clapping and screaming and jumping up and down. I think they know it's coming, and I think Ariana just figured it out too.

  I'm standing right before her. I kiss her on the lips. And I think I hear the crowd go even wilder.

  Finally, I pull away, and I get down on one knee, my left hand taking one of hers.

  That's when I hear Jimmy and Mayra. They’re just below us, and they have the biggest smiles on their faces.

  I look up at Ariana. I take the ring out of my pocket. Somehow, the crowd gets even louder, and the reporter is still talking, but I'm not paying attention to them anymore.

  All I can pay attention to is Ariana and the gasp that she makes as she brings her free hand up to her mouth. I show her the ring.

  Miranda is beside me, and she puts the microphone up to my mouth. I speak into it.

  My eyes meet Ariana’s.

  "Ariana Aguilar, this school is where we first met. I’ll never forget the first time I saw you in Spanish class. You were so beautiful. Still are.”

  More screams. I catch my breath.

  “You’re the love of my life, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy.”

  I pause, taking a deep breath. Taking in this moment.

  “Ariana, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  I chance another look at the crowd, and I see Jimmy screaming that that's his sister up there. I look back to Ariana, waiting for her answer.

  I know what it has to be. We’ve never been happier, despite our crazy work schedules.

  We’re meant to be together. A long time ago, bad timing got in our way. We ended up on different paths, but time brought us back together.

  Now I want to make sure that we’re never apart again.

  I'm still looking up at Ariana, but she's speechless. I give a small laugh. I guess this really was a big surprise for her.

  But still another minute seems to go by, and the smile starts to fade from my face, and now I'm starting to worry.

  Please don’t tell me that she's going to tell me no front of all these people.

  I try to think about why she would, and I’m starting to panic on the inside when she finally blurts something out.

  And I do a double take before my mouth falls open because I'm not sure I heard her correctly.

  "Lucas, I'm pregnant,” she says.

  The gym goes silent.

  Twenty-Three

  Ariana

  I can't believe I just blurted that out in front of everybody.

  Why did I just say that?

  I should've just said yes. Why didn't I say yes?

  Uh, because I'm scared out of my mind right now, that's why. I'm pregnant. What am I going to do?

  I just found out less than an hour ago, and now my boyfriend is proposing to me on a stage in front of hundreds of people.

  WITH A NEWS CREW.

  So that could explain this. And now I'm embarrassed beyond belief.

  I look around. The crowd is still buzzing but not as loud as they were a few minutes ago. The woman reporter comes up to us, and she’s asking me what I just said.

  If I'm accepting my boyfriend's proposal. And is it true that I'm Jimmy Aguilera’s sister.

  But I don't have a chance to answer because Lucas stands back up and he says, “You're pregnant?”

  The reporter starts talking to him, and now I'm really embarrassed. The whole world is going to know I'm pregnant. Even my mom and dad don't know. They’ll find out from our local news.

  It really is like I'm back in high school. My worst nightmare has just come true. I've almost pinched myself before I know this isn’t a nightmare.

  This is freaking reality.

  This isn't how it things were supposed to go. Yes, I thought maybe Lucas would propose someday, but I never thought it would be so soon and not like this. I'm not supposed to get pregnant yet. Not until a few years from now when we’re married and good and ready to have kids.

  I’m not ready.

  Lucas finally stands back up, and he comes up to me and takes my hands. "Are you serious?"
<
br />   All I can do is nod slowly.

  Lucas smiles, and he hugs me. He whispers in my ear. "I thought I was the happiest man alive a minute ago, but now I'm even happier, you know that?"

  He finally takes a step back and looks at me. And I think he sees the look on my face and finally realizes how scary this is for me right now.

  All of this. I start shaking my head. I don't know why or what I'm shaking my head at, but I think this all just became too much.

  I walk off the stage as quickly as I can, and I run through the double doors, away from all of these people.

  I can't handle this right now. Less than an hour ago, I saw those two lines appear on the pregnancy test. I shoved it all aside when everything with Mayra and Jimmy happened, but seeing Lucas made it hit me like a bus.

  And now I just said it out loud, and it became real.

  It's too much. Lucas's proposal. My pregnancy. My promotion. How am I supposed to handle all of this? Everything is happening all at once.

  It's not supposed to happen like this.

  I walk and try to remember where I parked. That’s when I realize I left my purse back inside, but I'm not about to walk back in there. I grab my phone from my pocket, and I'm about to text Mayra, asking if she can bring it out to me.

  But then I hear the double doors slam again and someone running up behind me. I turn around.

  It's Lucas. I don't see the ring in his hand anymore. Instead, he comes up to me and asks me if I'm all right.

  I shrug. "Lucas, I just found out I'm pregnant. In the girls’ bathroom an hour ago. And before that, I found out I got a promotion, and I start next week. And now—”

  "Now I’m asking you to be my wife,” he says. "Now more than ever, Ariana, I want to be with you for the rest of my life."

  I turn around and try to keep walking to my car, but he stops me. "Wait a second. Are you okay right now? How are you feeling? I know this is all a lot, but listen to me. Look at me, Ariana."

  I finally do, barely keeping the tears at bay. I look into his eyes, and I wait for him to say the right thing.

  Please say the right thing.

  "Lucas, I can't do this."

  And then I'm crying into his chest, my arms wrapped around him.

  Lucas pulls away gently and looks at me. He takes my face in his hands, and he says, “We’re going to be okay. We’re going to be more than okay. I know we weren’t planning on this, babe, but honestly, I'm ready for this. I'm so ready to spend the rest of my life with you, to help you in any way. I will always be there for you. I want to marry you. None of this means you have to give up your dreams. We'll do this together. I promise."

  He takes both of my hands, and he kisses them. I'm still crying, but I try to calm down. I hate crying. I hate feeling like I'm not in control, and I've never felt more out of control in my life.

  “How am I gonna handle all of this? My promotion? This baby?” I ask. “I don’t know how to take care of a baby.”

  “That's just it, babe. You're not alone. I'm right here with you. We’re gonna do this together. What do you say?”

  He gets down on one knee again.

  He takes the ring out of his pocket again. He looks back up at me again. "Ariana, I promise I will be there for you and our baby every single day of our lives for as long as we live. I want you to be the mother of my children. And I can’t wait to be a dad, even if we’re not fully ready yet. I don't care. I just want to be with you forever. I want to make you happy. Because you've made me the happiest person on earth right now."

  He laughs, and I can see tears in his eyes. I feel the tears welling up in my eyes again. Several tears cascade down my face as we kind of laugh and cry together at his words.

  At the fact that we’re going to be parents in about nine months.

  I'm going to be a mom. And Lucas is going to be a dad.

  "If you let me, I will be there for you every single day. If you let me, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure this child has everything he needs. That he or she has the best father in the world. Because I know you're going to be the best mom. No matter what."

  We’re both silently crying as he starts to slide the ring on my finger. “Will you marry me?” he asks one more time.

  And I finally nod. “Yes.”

  He pushes the ring up the rest of my finger, and then he's hugging me again, and I've never hugged him this tightly in my life.

  That’s when I realize that as independent as I've always wanted to be, Lucas has always been my anchor.

  I wouldn't be where I am without him. He makes me the best version of myself, and ever since we got back together a year ago, I have never been happier. He's put up with me and my dreams, and now we’re going to become parents together.

  Not to mention husband and wife.

  Lucas looks at me again. "I love you so much," he whispers.

  "I love you too,” I say with a smile.

  I look at the finger down my hand, and I touch the ring. It's perfect. I look up at him. “You're perfect."

  Twenty-Four

  Ryan

  “What just happened?” Krista says. Jimmy and Mayra just left, I'm guessing to go after Ariana and Lucas.

  I look at her. The reporter on stage finishes up, and they finally leave. The crowd disperses, and I look at the clock on the wall. I think this thing is almost over.

  "I don't know what happened either, but that was kind of crazy,” I say.

  “Yes, that was kind of cwazy,” Miles says after me. Krista laughs. I love the sound of it and the way her eyes light up.

  I think about when I’ll get to ask Krista to marry me. Someday soon, I'm thinking. And I'm going to make it just as special is this.

  Probably not in front of a crowd of people. That wouldn't be right for us. I think it'll be just the both of us alone with no one else watching. And I'll ask her quietly if she'll be my wife. If she'll allow me to be a dad for Miles.

  “What are you thinking about?" Krista asks. I look down and then back at her.

  "Nothing,” I say. But I'm already thinking about when I can go look at rings.

  We walk around the gym together one last time and let Miles burn off some energy with the games that they have going on.

  "Thank you," Krista says while we watch Miles play.

  "For what?” I ask.

  “For what you did back there. It means a lot to Miles and to me that you're willing to be there for him, to be like a dad for him."

  Her voice becomes weird at the end of that sentence, and tears fill her eyes.

  I hug her tight. I know how sensitive of a topic this is for her. That Miles was never able to have a proper dad.

  "I only said it because I mean it. I really do want to there for Miles. Not like a dad. I want to be his dad, if that's okay with you." I say.

  She looks up at me, but I still see something like uncertainty on her face.

  "I promise I'll never leave you two. You’re it for me. Both of you."

  She finally nods at me with a smile, hugs me again, and gives me a kiss.

  I don't think I've ever been this happy in my life. I wonder what I did to deserve it. We both look at Miles again.

  I can't believe how lucky I am.

  Twenty-Five

  Ariana

  A few minutes later, Jimmy and Mayra walk through the double doors and spot us.

  I can tell that they're not sure if they should come up to us right now, but then I show them the ring on my hand.

  Mayra screams, runs up to me, and gives me the biggest hug. Jimmy hugs Lucas. “Welcome to the family, bro. Officially, anyway."

  "Thanks, man. I can't wait to tell your parents."

  “So are you going to start calling my mom ‘mom’ too?" Jimmy jokes as he gives me a hug.

  "I don't know about that,” Lucas says, laughing.

  I turn back at Mayra as the boys keep joking around. I grab both of her hands.

  “Did you guys finally have a chance to talk? Figure things
out?" I ask.

  She smiles. “We did. Thank you. I have no idea how things are going to go. But I think he finally got it. We’re trying this again. Because as crazy as it is being with your brother, I just can't live without him."

  "I'm glad. I'm happy for you. You guys deserve to be together. If anyone is meant to be happy, it's you two,” I say.

  "So is it true?" she says. She touches my stomach. Jimmy comes over, and I can see he's wondering the same thing. Lucas puts his arm around my waist and gives me a side hug.

  “It's true. I'm going to be a dad,” he says, kissing me on the forehead.

  I smile and look down at my belly. I can't believe that there's a little baby growing in there already.

  "I can't believe this!" Mayra says. They give us another hug each. "You need to see a doctor, you know. As soon as possible. Plus, you need to start taking vitamins and—”

  "Well, you're going to have to help me through it. Because I have no idea what I'm doing." I say.

  "No worries. And I call dibs on babysitting."

  I nod with a laugh. “Sure.”

  “Jimmy, are you crying?” I ask when he wipes at his eyes.

  “No,” he insists, but we all laugh. He clears his throat. “I’m gonna be an uncle. And it looks like we have two weddings to look forward to, huh? We could get married together and save some money,” he says with a wink.

  I laugh and shake my head. I can tell he's joking.

  "No way. I am not about to share the spotlight with anybody else, even if it is my own best friend." Mayra says with a laugh.

  "Me neither," I agree.

  More people are leaving the gym now, and we step out of the way.

  That's when I see him again.

  I saw him earlier, after I’d found Jimmy and he’d gone off after Mayra. But I hadn't seen him up close until now.

  Maybe it’s the way I stare at him, but next thing I know, he’s coming up to us.

  It's Carlos, and he's holding the hand of a really pretty woman about my age. She smiles at us while Carlos looks really quiet.