Ring

I stare at you. I crinkle my eyebrows, raise my hands, palm-up, think to myself that you’ve lost it completely, and whisper, “What?”

You repeat yourself. “I told him I wouldn’t marry him.”

I stare at you. I gesticulate madly, hoping you’ll keep talking as I search for something to say.

“I mean, seriously – the man had no sense at all. Kept taking me to French restaurants even though I must’ve told him a million times that I hate French food.”

“You...you turned down his proposal because he took you to the wrong restaurant?”

“No, we had Italian tonight. That’s not why. It’s...he’s so insensitive! You know me, I like them tough, but he extended that to me. Remember when Bambi died? He didn’t understand why it was a big deal!”

“Didn’t he buy you a new goldfish the next day?”

“No, it was a week later. But that’s not the point. He...if you must know, he just isn’t a good kisser at ALL. Or...or anything else.”

“So you won’t marry him because he’s not...sexually satisfying? Why didn’t you break up with him before it got to this point?”

“Well, he’s improved significantly. But not really enough. And another thing! He’s so old-fashioned and expects me to do all the housework and he’ll probably want me to be a stay-at-home mom or something.”

“YOU’re old-fashioned. And you’ve always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, for as long as I’ve known you.”

“No, no, I just want kids. I wouldn’t mind staying at home, but I’d rather choose it on my own. And his mother hates me.”

“You’re probably the first girl to refuse marriage because of mother-in-law issues, you know that?”

“No! Sandra wouldn’t marry whatshisname because of his mother! Remember? Anyways, it’s not even really that. I just...can’t really talk to him, I sometimes feel. And it hurts me every time he acts as if he doesn’t care about things and lets me get my way. And I never know what he’s thinking!”

“I don’t buy it. Just last week, you were raving to me about how amazing your communication is. Look, are you sure you don’t want to marry him? Or are you just afraid that, once you make that commitment, you’re going to be trapped? He’s an amazing guy, L. Don’t throw it away because you’ve got cold feet. He’s been patient with all these little issues of yours, and he loves you, and there’s nothing wrong with getting engaged and there’s nothing wrong with getting married. Just because some people’s go downhill is no reason to throw out the institution altogether. If –"

You look so miserable that I have to stop and pull you in for a hug.

“It’s not any of that,” you whisper into my chest. “I just don’t think...I can’t...I won’t marry someone I don’t love, Desk.”

“And you’re sure you don’t love him?”

“Positive.”

I thought you did, I want to yell at you. I thought you did. I thought I would finally have a reason to get over you. I thought I wouldn’t have to hold you anymore, that he could deal with your heartbreaks, that I could move on with my life and move away from you if I couldn’t let go. I thought that someone else was going to be everything you needed and I’d lose the bittersweet title of Best Friend. I thought you loved him.

I can’t say it, though, so I just hold you until you fall asleep.

Let me just say: I know the fall-in-love-with-your-best-friend thing is as overdone as burnt toast. But.
In other news: creativewritingprompts.com
This is #296: List 7 reasons not to accept a marriage proposal.