The atmosphere in the arena was electric, the audience still reeling from the emotional impact of Lucas's heartfelt piano performance. On the big screen, the camera zoomed in on Jennifer, capturing the tears glistening in her eyes. The sight of her raw emotion only added to the poignancy of the moment.
On stage, Lucas, his shirt damp with sweat from his passionate performance, caught Jennifer's eye. With a playful smile, he blew her a kiss. Jennifer, her face lighting up, pretended to catch it, pressing her hand to her heart. The audience, catching this tender exchange, couldn't help but cheer.
Then, to everyone's surprise, Lucas hopped off the stage. The fans nearby surged forward, their excited shouts of "Lucas!" filling the air, only to be gently held back by security.
Lucas, undeterred, made his way along the front row, high-fiving the lucky fans who managed to reach him. Those further back watched with a mix of envy and excitement, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of their idol up close.
But Lucas didn't stop there. To the crowd's amazement, he continued his path directly towards the VIP section - directly towards Jennifer.
"Oh my god, is he...?"
"No way, he's going to bring her on stage!"
The murmurs turned to squeals as Lucas reached Jennifer, extending his hand with a gallant bow. Though they couldn't hear his words over the din of the crowd, his intention was clear.
Jennifer, her smile radiant, took his hand without hesitation. "Well, why not?"
Hand in hand, they made their way back to the stage, the audience parting before them like the Red Sea. As they ascended the steps, the cheers reached a fever pitch.
Lucas, picking up a microphone, turned to face the crowd. "I know I said that last song was the end," he said, his voice echoing through the arena. "But I think I've got one more in me. What do you say, Los Angeles? You want to hear it?"
The response was deafening.
"Yes! One more song!"
"Lucas, you're a legend!"
"This is the best night ever!"
Lucas grinned, giving Jennifer's hand a squeeze. "Alright then. This one's a special request."
As the opening notes of the song filled the air, recognition dawned on the faces of the audience.
"Wait, isn't this...?"
"Oh my god, it's the song from 'Like Crazy'!"
"I love this song so much!"
In the VIP section, Felicity Jones, Lucas's co-star from the film, felt a rush of nostalgia. Memories of filming with Lucas, of watching him sing this very song with a guitar in hand, came flooding back. It was like stepping into a scene from the movie, the lines between fiction and reality blurring.
But as Lucas began to sing, it was clear that this wasn't Jacob singing to Anna anymore. This was Lucas, singing to Jennifer. Real love, raw and unscripted.
"I met you in the dark, you lit me up
You made me feel as though I was enough
We danced the night away, we drank too much
I held your hair back when
You were throwing up"
The audience swayed, caught up in the emotion of the moment. Couples held each other closer, singles raised their phone lights in solidarity.
"Then you smiled over your shoulder
For a minute, I was stone-cold sober
I pulled you closer to my chest
And you asked me to stay over
I said, I already told ya
I think that you should get some rest"
Lucas's voice, rich with sincerity, filled the arena. On the big screen, Jennifer watched him, her eyes shining with love and pride.
"I knew I loved you then
But you'd never know
'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go
I know I needed you
But I never showed
But I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old
Just say you won't let go
Just say you won't let go"
As the chorus swelled, the audience sang along, their voices joining with Lucas's in a moment of pure, shared emotion.
For Felicity, watching from her seat, the moment was bittersweet. She couldn't deny the twinge in her heart, the remnants of a crush that had never quite faded.
But more than that, she felt a deep sense of happiness for her friend. Lucas had found his real-life love story, and she couldn't begrudge him that.
As the final notes of "Say You Won't Let Go" faded away, Lucas and Jennifer stood hand in hand, basking in the cheers of the crowd.
The emotion of the moment was palpable, the audience still reeling from the heartfelt performance they had just witnessed.
Then, in a move that surprised everyone, Lucas pulled Jennifer close and kissed her. It wasn't a long kiss, but it was filled with love and tenderness. The crowd, far from being upset by this public display of affection, erupted in cheers and applause.
But the surprises weren't over yet. Suddenly, a burst of smoke filled the stage.
At first, Jennifer and the audience assumed it was just part of the show, a final flourish to end the night on a high note.
But as the smoke cleared, a collective gasp rippled through the arena. There, in the middle of the stage, was Lucas. On one knee.
Jennifer's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. In the crowd, a similar reaction was playing out. Thousands of minds all thinking the same thing: "Is he going to...?"
Lucas reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. The screens zoomed in, giving everyone a clear view as he opened it to reveal a stunning ring. It was a Cartier Destinée solitaire, the diamond seeming to catch every light in the arena.
The venue fell silent, a hush of anticipation falling over the crowd. Jennifer stood frozen, her eyes locked on Lucas.
"Jennifer," Lucas began, his voice trembling slightly. "I've thought about this moment for a long time. I've imagined a thousand different ways to do this, a thousand different things to say. But standing here with you now, in front of all these people, there's only one thing that matters."
In the audience, people were clutching each other's hands, holding their breath. Those who were recording found their hands shaking with excitement.
"I love you," Lucas continued. "I love everything about you. Your kindness, your strength, your brilliance. The way you laugh at my jokes, even when they're not funny. The way you challenge me to be better, every single day."
Jennifer's eyes were glistening now, tears starting to fall.
"I can't imagine my life without you," Lucas said. "I don't want to imagine it. So I'm asking you, here and now, in front of the world... Jennifer Lawrence, will you marry me?"
For a moment, the arena was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Then Jennifer, her voice shaking with emotion, spoke.
"Lucas, I... I've thought about this too. More than you know. And standing here with you, seeing the love in your eyes... there's only one answer I can give."
She took a deep breath, then smiled through her tears.
"Yes. Yes, I'll marry you."
The crowd erupted. Cheers, applause, and sobs of joy filled the air as Lucas slipped the ring onto Jennifer's finger, then swept her into his arms. Confetti burst from the stage, raining down on the newly engaged couple.
"She said yes! Oh my god, she said yes!"
"This is the most romantic thing I've ever seen!"
"I can't believe we just witnessed that!"
"Lucas and Jennifer forever!"
The chant started small but quickly spread, until the entire arena was shouting in unison: "Lucas, Jennifer! Lucas, Jennifer!"
Lucas, his arm still around Jennifer, picked up the microphone.
"Well, Los Angeles," he said, his voice filled with joy and a hint of disbelief. "I guess that's one way to end a concert."
The crowd laughed and cheered, the atmosphere electric with shared happiness.
"But in all seriousness," Lucas continued, turning to Jennifer. "Thank you. For saying yes, for being my partner, for everything. I love you so much."
Jennifer, her face wet with tears but glowing with happiness, leaned in to kiss him again.
Lucas's on-stage proposal had caught everyone off guard. Even his manager, Neil, who was watching from the wings, stood in shock as the events unfolded.
But as the initial surprise wore off, a smile spread across Neil's face. Despite the potential complications, he couldn't help but feel happy for Lucas and Jennifer. Shaking his head, he muttered under his breath, "Well, this is going to be a PR nightmare. Jennifer's team is going to have a field day with this."
And he wasn't wrong. Celebrity proposals, especially ones as public as this, were usually carefully orchestrated affairs. The agencies and managers involved would plan every detail, ensuring nothing was left to chance. After all, a lot could go wrong - the wrong words said, a "no" instead of a "yes" - and in front of a live audience? It was a publicist's worst nightmare.
On stage, Lucas and Jennifer shared one last embrace before Jennifer made her way off stage, waving to the cheering crowd. Lucas, still basking in the moment, turned to the audience.
"Los Angeles, you've been incredible!" he shouted, blowing kisses to the crowd. "This has been a night I'll never forget. Thank you, and goodnight!"
With a final wave, he jogged off stage, the cheers of the crowd following him.
Backstage was a flurry of activity, crew members rushing to and fro. Lucas, still riding the high of the performance and the proposal, collapsed into a chair, gratefully accepting a bottle of water from a passing stagehand.
Neil approached, his expression a mix of exasperation and amusement. As the crew dispersed, he turned to Lucas.
"What were you thinking, proposing like that?" he asked, shaking his head. "We've talked about this. You said you were going to wait, that now wasn't the right time."
Lucas leaned back, a satisfied grin on his face. "I know, I know. But in the moment, it just felt right. I can't explain it."
Neil raised an eyebrow. "Don't give me that. The smoke, the ring - you had this planned."
Lucas chuckled, conceding the point. "Okay, maybe I did have the ring on me. And maybe I was thinking about it. But I hadn't decided for sure until I was up there, singing to her. It was like... like everything just clicked into place."
He paused, his expression turning serious. "I love her, Neil. More than anything. And standing there, in front of all those people, all I could think was that I wanted the world to know it. I wanted to show her, in the biggest way possible, just how much she means to me."
Neil sighed, but there was a softness in his eyes. "Well, you certainly did that." He clapped Lucas on the shoulder. "Congratulations, kid. You've just made the front page of every newspaper and website in the country."
Lucas laughed, the reality of what he'd done starting to sink in. "Guess I should start preparing for the media storm, huh?"
"Oh, you have no idea," Neil said, but he was smiling. "But we'll handle it. You just focus on being happy. You and Jennifer... you deserve this."
Lucas nodded, his heart full. "Thanks, Neil. For everything."
As Neil walked away to start dealing with the fallout, Lucas leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. The adrenaline was starting to wear off, but the joy, the love, the sheer rightness of it all - that was still thrumming through his veins.
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Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur