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a few days have passed and it's finally my birthday. but to my disappointment joão is no longer in bed beside me. i shrug as i will see him later though.

i get up and put on a cute dress, i curled the ends of my hair and i did my makeup extra neatly.

i took some mirror pics before making my way downstairs and seeing rosia, antónio and mrs felix but no joão?

"happy birthday!" they all shout in excitement.

"thank you guys, but where's joão?" i ask and furrow my eyebrows

"uh- he's out right now but you'll see him soon!" rosia reassures me. "anyway let's open your gifts!"

i'm a little disappointed that he isn't here right now but i don't let it ruin my day.

"of course! you guys didn't have to get me anything i swear," i chuckle.

"don't be silly darling!" joão's mum hands me two presents wrapped in paper. i open it slowly and inside the first one is a camera.

"thank you so much!!" i hug her.

"you haven't even opened the second one!" she replies.

i open the second gift and it appears to be a salt lamp which i had actually been wanting for ages.

"i love the gifts, thank you so much!" i smile and nod at her, as she does the same.

"oh open mine next!" rosia calls out. she passes me four neatly wrapped gifts. i open it to see a perfume, a new bag and new headphones, and some chocolate.

"woah it smells so good, thank you!!" i say to rosia and she gives me a thumbs up.

lastly, antónio hands me his gifts. i unwrap them and inside there's a football, chocolate, a watch and some candles.

"a football for you to get better at the game." he laughs. "and i got you candles because i know you love them,"

"haha thank you," i hug him and he hugs me back.

my phone is blowing up with birthday notifications from people i don't know. all of my friends in england are wishing me a happy birthday on their story and now the public know. joão hasn't posted anything though

and i was even more surprised to see a dm from kat.

katerinaa.1

hey eleanor! i know you hate me and you have every right to.. but i just wanted to say im so sorry. i was manipulated by my stupid sister penny and i wish i wasn't - because i lost a great friend like you. i regret everything i ever did to you, and once again i am so so sorry. you don't have to forgive me but i just wanted us to be on a good note. happy birthday btw <3

eleanorsilva1

your right. i don't have to forgive you considering everything you've done to try and ruin my life, but because i'm a forgiving person i will forgive you.

i sigh. it's all a little crazy but i shouldn't be sad because of one person. i exit instagram and turn my phone off.

"we're having pasta for lunch! come sit down." mrs felix shouts from the kitchen as me, rosia and antónio follow her.

"i miss joão - did he say when he was coming back?" i ask worriedly as everyone sits at the table.

"you worry too much, he's fine." rosia chuckles. "he just told everyone to meet at that local beach at 6:00 so wear something nice."

i finish my pasta and drink my water in one sip, i take it to the kitchen and i wash everything.

i'm wondering why joão wants to meet there, maybe it's for a reason completely different to my birthday or it's something to do with it. i'm growing nervous as i really don't know what to wear, i can't tell if the dresses i have are too fancy or too less fancy.

i know i still have hours left but i'm worrying a lot. maybe i should nap for a while to stop worrying.

-

"girl it's 5:30"

"huh." i get up instantly, and it is indeed 5pm

"we need to choose you a dress!! quickly eleanor." rosia opens joão's wardrobe (which is mostly my clothes.)

"fine," i yawn from a good nap.

"okay you've got two options, this one of this one?"

i look at both and point at the second option "that one," rosia hands me the dress and i change.

i fix up my makeup and brush my hair gently, i spray some perfume and i'm ready to go. i see rosia and antónio in fancy clothes so i just assumed it's a birthday party.

we get into my brothers car and he drives us to the beach, i immediately remember this as the place where me and joão had our first kiss.

the sun was setting and the sky was looking beautiful, part of the beach was decorated with pretty lights that set the mood. i took of my shoes and stood on the warm sand.

rosia, antónio and i walk to a bunch of people but i can't see joão. but i do see my parents??

"mum, dad! what are you doing here?? i missed you so much!" i exhale and embrace them in a hug.

"oh.. sweetheart. we flew here yesterday just for you. happy birthday!" my mum says brightly.

i bend down to hug my sister eliza.

"anyway we'll see you around eleanor, you have more people to talk to!" she says and walks off.

suddenly someone hugs me from behind.

"ELEANOR!" they squeal. i turn around and it's someone i never expected to ever see again.

"TAMARA!" i shout back and hug them.

"it's been so long oh my god!! happy birthday girly!" tamara shouts in excitement.

"i know! rosia this is tamara, my other best friend from england. and tamara this is rosia, who's also my bestfriend,"

"it's nice to meet you!" they both say in unison to each other which made us all laugh.

"and what about me too?" another voice says.

"LARA! oh my god i missed you so much!" i squal and hug her. "rosia this is also my other best friend from england too!"

"wow it's great to meet you! you both look so gorgeous!" rosia complements the two girls

"thank you! you are gorgeous too," lara replies in a friendly manner.

we continue walking as a group of four now, and rosia gets to know them better (and vice versa)

"how was italy, velia?" i ask as i approach her, she puts down her drink and smiles at me.

"it was cut short. i had more important places to be, happy birthday cousin." velia explains.

"thank you," i smile back warmly. "have you seen joão?"

she shakes her head, "unfortunately not, sorry."

"that's alright, why don't you come with us?"

"oh sure, who are these?" she whispers to me, as to not sound rude in front of lara and tamara.

"i'm lara," she smiles and handshakes velia.

"-and i'm tamara!" velia shakes her hand too.

"they are my best friends from england, i hope you guys get along. they are really kind." i explain to velia as she nods.

"wait - so, who invited you guys here?" i ask confusedly.

they all look at each other with knowing looks, then tamara speaks up.

"you should ask him." she smirks and points to joão, who's standing right in front of us.

i stare at him and he's giving me a gentle smile, he's wearing a suit that looks so good on him.

he walks up to me as my friends step back, and now everyone's attention is on us.

"happy birthday love," he smiles warmly and places a kiss on my forehead. he gets a gift out of his pocket and hands it to me. i look at him and he nods at me to open it.

i open the lid and inside is the most beautiful bracelet i had ever seen. it was white gold and has the initials j+e on it.

i hug joão instantly and he hugs me back, "thank you so much joão! you seriously didn't need to get me anything - i love it so much."

"it's nothing el," he helps me put it on my wrist and it looks beautiful. "but i've got a better surprise for you.."

he takes a deep breath and looks at his mother quickly, who gives him a thumbs up. i suddenly become very very nervous. then he looks at me in the eye.

joão suddenly gets down on his knees and pulls out a ring. i gasp and cover my mouth.

"eleanor alicia silva. i don't care if this sounds cringe or anything but, when the first time i saw you i thought you were the prettiest girl ever - and when i started to know you better you were the only thing in my mind. i would be thinking about you 24/7 and not even realise it, and that's when i realised i liked you,

your smile could make me melt and when i was sad you would always cheer me up, you are such a beautiful, honest girl and i love you. nothing would make me happier than seeing you everyday, so el, would you marry me?"

at this point my eyes are tearing up and i can hear some people in the crowd cheering 'say yes'

"YES!" i say, half crying out of happiness.

everybody is cheering and clapping loudly and i can see my parents smiling proudly.

joão slides the most gorgeous and expensive ring i've seen in my life onto my finger, gets up and kisses me passionately.

i couldn't believe we were actually married now, i thought i was the luckiest girl in the world.

the cheering gets louder and me and joão hug eachother.

"WOOHOO THATS MY BESTIE." rosia shouts and i grin at her.

i'm like sobbing at this point and joão has to wipe my tears with his hands "don't cry,"

"i can't" i tell him while crying/laughing. "i'm so happy."

"i am too," he responds and hugs me again. we just stay in the hug for a while.

-

the party carried on and everyone congratulated me and joão.

"congratulations! i know you'll take great care of my daughter," my dad tells joão.

"oh i do take care of her," joão winks as i roll my eyes.

"i'm still expecting grandkids now that you're married," my mother teases as i face palm myself.

"not yet, mum." i say, embarrassed.

"joão how did you get everyone here?" i ask as we walked away together.

"i had help from your parents," he explained. "they were very enthusiastic on our marriage."

"and rosia helped you buy the ring?"

"yeah - i hope it's alright? if it's not i can return it-"

"no, no it's perfect don't worry," i smile. "i love it."

"you know, i was so nervous you would've said no - i thought it was too sudden. but i was thinking about proposing to you for a long time and i finally did it. im so relieved you said yes because if you didn't i would be so embarrassed but anyway," he rants.

i giggle at him ranting.

"el, i want to start a family with you, i want to grow old with you, i want to raise our children with you, i want to travel the world with you.."

"we will, joão. because, after all, we are inseparable."