"Hey Ray, can I talk to you for a second?" Ryan asked me. I wasn't quite sure why he would always call me Ray. I guess because I told him not to call me Rach. That name had died as an old memory with an old friend. No one called me Rach anymore.
"Yeah, just let me finish cleaning up," I smiled and continued to pick up paper products off the picnic table. My mom cleared her throat and I looked up at her.
"Your father and I have it under control. You two go talk," she winked. By this point, I was fully aware she knew something I didn't. I had never really been a fan of surprises, so I wasn't sure what to expect.
"What's up, Ryan?" I frowned as we headed down the quiet beach. The sun had already started setting and the view was absolutely beautiful. I had never seen anything so beautiful before. I focused in on his stunning blue eyes and waited for him to start.
"Well, we've been dating for almost a year and a half now," he slipped his hand into mine and intertwined our fingers. "And I've come to realize that whenever I'm with you, I can be myself. The real me, you know?" He asked and I nodded. "I love being around you, I love being with you and your family, and I don't want to spend my life with anyone but you." His voice was lowered to almost a whisper. "So, Rachel LaRoe, will you marry me?" He faced me completely and held both of my hands with his. He let go for an instant to reach into his pocket for a little black velvet box.
It wasn't that I couldn't find the words to say, it was that I didn't know which words to use. Yes or no. It seems so simple, right? I should know this! Yet it was almost like one of those dreaded pop quizzes in high school, so unexpected and, sometimes, so hard. Sure, I loved Ryan. But I had felt stronger feelings for someone else at one point in time.
"Baby?" Ryan frowned. I suppose my silence was worrying him...it was worrying me, that's for sure.
"Sorry!" I laughed lightly and looked at the ring he had slid up my ring finger. "Yes! Of course! Yes, I'll marry you!" I exclaimed happily. He laughed, and it almost sounded as if relief had come over him. He picked me up off the sand and spun me around, then kissed me tenderly in his arms. A grin formed over my lips as he placed me back down on the sand. I giggled as I watched my mom and dad run over from the picnic table.
"She said yes!" Ryan yelled back towards them. I fell into a fit of laughter as I realized they had known about this the entire time. We all exchanged hugs, dad telling Ryan how excited he was that he would be joining the family and mom already discussing wedding dates with me.
But there was something in my heart I was trying to cover up or hide. Some feeling that I was trying to look past. A feeling of guilt, maybe? Feeling guilty because I was hiding my true feelings? Of course not...I love Ryan. But still, there seemed to be something missing.
Author's Chapter Notes:
This chapter's kind of short, but I'll update more in a bit! Please review whether or not you're enjoying the story! Thank you! Also, I know none of the boys have been mentioned yet, but just bare with me. They'll come in soon :]
