(Not me fantasizing of a boy acting like this to me while writing this. But on with the story!)

~

“This is for you.” My who-I-thought-to-be- just-best-friend, Luke says, holding out a necklace to me.

I accept the gift, feeling a swirl and mix of feelings inside of me. Excitement and surprise and one more emotion which I can’t quite name. All I know is that it leaves a warm, fluttery feeling in my stomach.

As I hold it in my hands, I examine it closer. It has a rose gold chain, with a single cherry blossom flower as a pendant. Exquisite engravings of ovate leaves adorn the pendant. The cherry blossom itself is a light antique mauve and shell pink color, seeming to glow with a hallow in fading light of the setting evening sun.

“I-I don’t even know what to say.” I reply like the idiot I am. He gave me such a stunning necklace as a gift, and I can’t even express my gratitude properly.

“Well then, could you do something for me in return as a thanks?” He asks me.

I curiously look at him. What could he possibly mean?

“Sure.” I reply. He won’t make me do anything bad, so I have nothing to lose.

“Close your eyes.” He says.

“Okay.” I reply, wondering what he would ask of me.

I hear a rustling of something, and a fragrant scent of earthy- honey and raspberries enters the air.

“Open your eyes for me, please.” He says, his baritone voice carrying clearly over the noise of wind in the cool springtime air.

I open my eyes, and immediately gasp at the sight in front of me. There’s Luke, holding out a huge bouquet of lilies, roses, and violets to me in one hand, and a beautiful diamond ring in other hand.

“So, what do you think?” He asks with a nervous smile on his face, since I didn’t speak a single word.

“Why.” I manage to chock out, my voice full of emotion.

“Why.” I repeat again. I might be extremely stupid when it comes to a boy’s feelings about me, but even the most ignorant woman could see what he is trying to do. And I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve it one bit. He’s so sweet and kind and caring while I’m- what, annoying, lazy, and overbearing. He deserves a girl much better than me, and I know it.

“Why what?” He asks me, a curious and startled expression from my reaction on his face.

“There- there are so many other girls that you could have. So many other girls who would readily give anything to have your love. So why, why me?” I ask him, gripping the necklace in my left hand tightly when I feel tears starting to well up in my eyes.

I was always told I was never enough by my parents. That my older sister, Emily, would always be better than me. She seemed to be a genius since the moment she was born. By the age of five months, she could walk and form basic sentences. By the age of seven, she could do a middle schooler’s math homework. By the age of fifteen, she had won the national spelling bee, president of numerous clubs and organizations, and was valedictorian of her grade. Compared to athletic and average me, she shone like a radiant star in a sea of darkness.

I argued day in and day out with them, saying they shouldn’t compare me with other people and let me be myself. In response, they cruelly replied that myself was stupid and obnoxious, and if I was to please them for once and not be an embarrassment, then I would do what they said. My young self, surrounded by my hateful and unloving family, would do anything to get even the tiniest bit of praise or attention. So I sucked up all of my pride and true thoughts and agreed. Little did I know, my relationship with them was abusive, and if I hadn’t decided to move away from my home when I got a job as a barista at another state, then I would have been stuck forver in an endless cycle of abuse and hatred.

The experience left me so traumatized and insecure of myself that I never got into a relationship. If my own parents hadn’t loved me, how could a man possible do so? I thought the same up until the time I met Luke. He was protective, thoughtful, and affectionate to me. He was everything my parents and sister were not. And that’s why I would never be able to deserve him. A poor, drab girl like me with a kindhearted, smart boy like him. It sounded like a terrible romance you find in cheesy books.

“Why you?” He says, a look so full of emotion which I can’t read.

“You are the most extraordinary woman in this world that I know of. You are so supportive and loving of others, and never let anyone down. I don’t know one person who is more determined and dedicated than you. Though you’ve been through so much, and I know I can’t ever erase the pain your past left behind, I can make every day full of happiness and joy if you’ll let me. And to answer your question in short, it’s all because I love you.” He replies.

I stare at his windblown black hair, cheeks pink from the cold, and warm, honey brown eyes. Everything about him is perfect. And yes, though I might still think I don’t deserve him, I know he will make every day joyful and fun. There’s only one thing left that I have to do.

As if reading my mind, he drops the flowers on the ground and gets down on one knee.

“Elizabeth Merrie Sinclair, will you marry me?” He asks, eyes shining bright.

“Yes.” I say. “I do.”