Chapter 30
“Jayson, what are you doing?”
Oh my God. Is this really happening? I look over at Ryder and Julien. They look as shocked as I do.
What do I do? I'm too young. I'm not ready. My nerves are already frazzled from slow dancing with Ryder, and now this. Part of me is stupidly excited and giddy, and I want to leap into Jayson’s arms and scream yes, yes, yes. Then there’s the other part of me that knows that as much as I love Jayson, I’m also in love with Ryder.
Jayson pulls my attention back to him when he begins to speak.
“Elizabeth Penelope Fairchild. I have loved you since the first grade. The happiest day of my life is when you said yes. Yes to us. Yes to me. Yes to everything. My heart is not whole without you. My life is not complete without you in it. You are my soulmate. You’re my princess.
And as your prince, I will lay the world at your feet and make all of your dreams come true.
In the tradition of all of our next times, I want to forever promise you my heart, my love, and my soul.
Will you wear my promise ring, knowing it represents my promise to you for our happily ever after? ”
Several sighs erupt around us from various girls.
I hear Keith ask, “Does he do this stuff all the time?”
Beth exclaims, “That is so freaking romantic!”
And then, I hear Celeste. “Why don’t you do stuff like that for me?”
Jayson laughs at the apparent relief displayed on my face when I figure out he’s not really proposing.
“I’m going to kill you, Jayson Jameson. You about gave me a heart attack!”
He winks at me and stands up. The promise ring he bought me is a simple silver band.
The ring is on a silver chain which he unclasps and places it around my neck, tucking it beside my rose quartz heart pendant I’ve worn since the day he gave it to me.
“It’s engraved,” he shows me. In tiny cursive letters inside the band are the words All Our Next Times
“It’s beautiful, Jayson.”
He grabs my face in both hands and swoops in with a kiss to end all kisses. As I get lost in the pleasure Jayson’s kisses always bring, I hear everyone around us clapping and cheering.
Jayson twirls me around like a ballerina until I'm breathless with laughter. “Now, I want to slow dance with my girlfriend,” he says with a grin.