‹ Prequel: Everything I'm Not
Love's Requiem
Bars in Astoria
The next day was the day everyone was leaving to go back to wherever it was they called home. Well everyone except Niko and I. We were staying until the end of the week, which gave us more than enough time for us to see all of Moscow. I could now say I’ve been to every landmark, museum and important church in Moscow. I also could say I had an amazing vacation in Moscow, and how with one day left part of me did not want to leave because everything was perfect.
For our last night in Russia, Niko suggested that we go to St. Basil’s one last time, on our way back from dinner.
“It’s more beautiful at night.” I observed as I watched the domes glitter in the light that was being put on them.
“Did you enjoy the trip?” Niko asked me.
“Enjoy doesn’t come close, I loved it!” I exclaimed.
“Good, I just wanted you to be able to relax for once. You seemed so stressed out in December.” He explained as he put his hands in his pockets. “I forgot.” He added.
“What?”
“I bought this for you earlier, for your collection.” He chuckled handing me a nesting doll.
“I don’t think I have one like this.” I told him staring at the doll in my hands.
I leaned against the concrete and metal fence that surrounds the church, and began carefully opening each doll so I could see what it was. “Is it supposed to be a family?” I asked after I had opened the first two, which were an older man, an older woman, and now I was holding what looked like a boy. I started to open that one while I waited for Niko to answer, inside the boy doll was the typical smallest doll, but something was stuck on it. I pulled out the smallest one and when I did, I noticed there was a ring on it.
“Niko where did you get this? I think someone put this in here by accident.” I said looking up
from the doll and over to where Niko had been standing, except he wasn’t standing. He was kneeling on one knee- oh my god is he proposing! I thought as I felt my jaw drop, and my eyes go wide.
“I thought about all the conversations we’ve had about us being together, and I feel that if one of us is going to have to give up one of our dreams, well it better be so that you and I will be together forever.” Niko explained as he took my free hand in to his. “I love you Isabella,
will you marry me?” He asked, as I bit my bottom lip.
“Yes.” I smiled as I hugged him tightly. “I love you.” I told him, as I kissed him over and over.
“I love you too.” He said slipping the ring off the doll and on to my finger.
We walked back to the hotel, hand in hand; I was still trying to cipher the fact that I had an engagement ring on my finger.
“What made you chance your mind?” I asked Niko in between kisses when we were finally
back in the room.
“You did,”
“I don’t understand.” I told him confused.
“That song you played for me, and the fact that you were right. Without you, nothing feels right.” He explained.
“So you really want to do this?”
“More than anything.” He assured me with another kiss.
I figured the best way to tackle this new situation would be to just wait until I got home to tell everyone. That morning, Niko and I flew back to England, where he made me get on a flight back to New York against my will.
“But I can just stay with you for another week and then I could fly straight to Texas and meet them there!” I whined to Niko at my gate.
“Isabella, you have to go. I promise I will see you soon.” He told me kissing me.
“See when you do stuff like that, that only makes me not want to leave more.” I told him, making him smile.
“I love you,” He told me as he rested his forehead on mine.
“I love you too… which is why I should stay!”
“Goodbye Isabella, have a safe flight home.”
“You’re home.” I told him seriously. “Bye.” I said kissing him one more time before I boarded my flight back to New York.
I took a cab back to my apartment, because it was late and Jesse was still on tour. I was unlocking my door when all of a sudden it flung open, and I was yanked inside and pulled in to a bone-crushing hug.
“Welcome home!” I heard a way too familiar voice exclaim.
“Jack how the fuck did you get in here?!” I exclaimed in to his chest.
“I found that spare key set you gave me.” He explained taking my bag from me.
“How wonderful.” I said sarcastically as I took off my coat.
For our last night in Russia, Niko suggested that we go to St. Basil’s one last time, on our way back from dinner.
“It’s more beautiful at night.” I observed as I watched the domes glitter in the light that was being put on them.
“Did you enjoy the trip?” Niko asked me.
“Enjoy doesn’t come close, I loved it!” I exclaimed.
“Good, I just wanted you to be able to relax for once. You seemed so stressed out in December.” He explained as he put his hands in his pockets. “I forgot.” He added.
“What?”
“I bought this for you earlier, for your collection.” He chuckled handing me a nesting doll.
“I don’t think I have one like this.” I told him staring at the doll in my hands.
I leaned against the concrete and metal fence that surrounds the church, and began carefully opening each doll so I could see what it was. “Is it supposed to be a family?” I asked after I had opened the first two, which were an older man, an older woman, and now I was holding what looked like a boy. I started to open that one while I waited for Niko to answer, inside the boy doll was the typical smallest doll, but something was stuck on it. I pulled out the smallest one and when I did, I noticed there was a ring on it.
“Niko where did you get this? I think someone put this in here by accident.” I said looking up
from the doll and over to where Niko had been standing, except he wasn’t standing. He was kneeling on one knee- oh my god is he proposing! I thought as I felt my jaw drop, and my eyes go wide.
“I thought about all the conversations we’ve had about us being together, and I feel that if one of us is going to have to give up one of our dreams, well it better be so that you and I will be together forever.” Niko explained as he took my free hand in to his. “I love you Isabella,
will you marry me?” He asked, as I bit my bottom lip.
“Yes.” I smiled as I hugged him tightly. “I love you.” I told him, as I kissed him over and over.
“I love you too.” He said slipping the ring off the doll and on to my finger.
We walked back to the hotel, hand in hand; I was still trying to cipher the fact that I had an engagement ring on my finger.
“What made you chance your mind?” I asked Niko in between kisses when we were finally
back in the room.
“You did,”
“I don’t understand.” I told him confused.
“That song you played for me, and the fact that you were right. Without you, nothing feels right.” He explained.
“So you really want to do this?”
“More than anything.” He assured me with another kiss.
I figured the best way to tackle this new situation would be to just wait until I got home to tell everyone. That morning, Niko and I flew back to England, where he made me get on a flight back to New York against my will.
“But I can just stay with you for another week and then I could fly straight to Texas and meet them there!” I whined to Niko at my gate.
“Isabella, you have to go. I promise I will see you soon.” He told me kissing me.
“See when you do stuff like that, that only makes me not want to leave more.” I told him, making him smile.
“I love you,” He told me as he rested his forehead on mine.
“I love you too… which is why I should stay!”
“Goodbye Isabella, have a safe flight home.”
“You’re home.” I told him seriously. “Bye.” I said kissing him one more time before I boarded my flight back to New York.
I took a cab back to my apartment, because it was late and Jesse was still on tour. I was unlocking my door when all of a sudden it flung open, and I was yanked inside and pulled in to a bone-crushing hug.
“Welcome home!” I heard a way too familiar voice exclaim.
“Jack how the fuck did you get in here?!” I exclaimed in to his chest.
“I found that spare key set you gave me.” He explained taking my bag from me.
“How wonderful.” I said sarcastically as I took off my coat.