Chapter 33
One week from Ben’s accident marks our 3-month anniversary. He doesn”t seem to understand that getting hit by a car precedes any plans he made. After two days in the hospital, he was released and told to take it easy. Something I’m learning is not in his vocabulary. A gap in the Briarwood curriculum. He insists that we will still go on our date, playing up the ”almost died” card anytime I try to argue. I don’t know what he has planned, but he’s determined not to give it up.
He even talked Brody into playing chauffeur in his new, very safe truck that he bought him. While it is too soon for him to drive with his wrist injury, I think the purchase has to do with Alyssa and Brody insisting that he never drive a motorcycle again. I second that decision.
We are now in the back of the previously mentioned truck, with me sitting opposite his injured wrist so we can hold hands. I’m in my favorite green flowy dress and comfy black sweater. Ben’s wearing dark jeans and a black sweater. He looks desperately handsome, and the cut over his eye makes him look like the cover of a dark romance novel. He could have just competed in an underground boxing tournament or fought off a rival gang. I use that comparison anytime he worries over the cut.
Despite refusing to take any more painkillers, he’s been a ball of energy the entire night. Of course, I have been given no details. Mom knows and won’t tell. Alyssa was useless too. I think even Kate and Sarah Mae know something. They finally met, by the way. At the hospital, and just as I expected, they get along well. I can’t seem to find time to hang out with Sarah Mae, but she and Kate already made plans to go to the gallery together. Kate surprised me with a hidden talent for sketching. I was shocked when she showed Sarah Mae some of her stuff. They are more similar than I thought. I’m working hard not to be offended, knowing that Ben does take up a lot of my time.
The truck turns into the same open field as the fall festival, and that is when I see the lights. The Winter Carnival isn’t supposed to start for a few days, but here in the middle of the event grounds, all the rides are set up. It’s beautiful. The Ferris wheel stands tall above everything else.
“Ben,” I squeeze his hand.
“I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our 3-month anniversary than in Kansas,” Ben leans over and kisses the top of my forehead. I’m shocked. Never in a million years would I have expected this. I don’t even want to think of the logistics behind putting this together. I’m bouncing up and down in my seat with excitement. It’s then I see the other cars. I recognize all of them. Sarah Mae’s, Kate’s, my mom’s. What in the world?
I don’t wait for Ben to be a gentleman and open my door, something he grumbles at me about and Brody laughs, asking him what he expected. Sure enough, at the entrance, stands all my friends, my mom, Alyssa, and even Grace is here. I turn shocked to Ben.
“I figured that we could enjoy this night all to ourselves, or we could enjoy it with all of our friends and family.” I thought I realized Ben was perfect when we had our first back-and-forth, but no, it is the moment that he included all the people we love in our special night. If we were older, I would think he was going to propose. That would be crazy.
Hand in hand, we walk into the carnival grounds. There isn’t a full staff, but there are enough people working so that all the rides are active. Ben’s injury limits him from going on everything, but it doesn’t stop him from cheering as I smash into Lisa on the bumper cars. Hey, just because we are friends doesn’t mean there aren’t some hard feelings to work out still.
The whole night we laugh and talk. I notice my mom and Grace eating cotton candy and laughing together. Grace looks good. I was worried about her being out in the cold, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering her.
Kate, Sarah Mae, Lisa, and Bella huddle up, and it is bizarre seeing my two worlds collide. Sarah Mae did threaten Lisa with her life if she ever spoke sideways to me again. It was entertaining because Lisa backed down. Lisa continues to surprise me. It helps that she and Bella can openly hold hands and be together here. No one will say anything. Aside from a strange glance from Ben and me shaking my head to him not to say anything, no one has acknowledged it.
As I approach the group, I hear Kate “Tell her now. It’s the perfect time.”
“Tell her what?” I ask.
“Sarah Mae has something she wants to tell you.” Kate answers pushing Sarah Mae toward me.
“Not now.” Sarah Mae tells her. “Tonight isn’t about me.”
“Okay, now you have to tell me.” I say.
Sarah May glares at Kate then turns back to me “Ugh. Fine. I want to preface this with I’m not trying to take away from your anniversary.”
“Okay, no need. Now tell me.” I reply.
“So, I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure it would happen, but I applied to Briarwood.”
“You what?!” I exclaim.
“And I got in under the recruitment program.” She says nonchalantly.
I squeal and throw my arms around her. “I’m so proud of you! This is amazing. When do you start?”
She hugs me back. “First of the semester”.
“Oh great.” Ben says “More people to share her with.”
“Hush Ben.” Kate chastises “You know you love us.”
“Sure.” he says. “Okay. We are very happy for you, but I have one more surprise for Amelia.”
I give him my own award-winning smile then turn back to Sarah Mae ecstatic “We can talk more tomorrow? Breakfast at my place?”
“Absolutely. I’ll place my order with Gabriel now.” she laughs.
After I few more words, Ben pulls me to the Ferris wheel. It’s the one ride he can go on without getting jostled around.
I wrap my hand in his, sitting and look around at the scene. Our friends having fun, Ben looking relaxed, happy, and very proud of himself.
“This is amazing Ben. Thank you” I peck his cheek.
“It isn’t over yet” he smiles a big, silly smile.
“Benedict Blake, what else could you have planned that would top all of this? I still want to know how you pulled this off” I gesture around the carnival grounds as the Ferris wheel shuffles us around.
“A gentleman never tells.” He offers.
“Really?” I raise my brow.
“Okay, Okay. Your mom helped. She was planning the event anyway. She called in a favor. Originally, I was only supposed to bring you a few hours before they opened, but she talked them into letting us have it the night before. Your mom is persuasive.”
“That she is.” I smile.
“Besides Dorothy, you can’t keep comparing me to the lead in all those romance novels you read without me living up to it.” As he speaks, he pulls a small box from his pocket and my breath catches. He is not. Horror streaks my face.
“Calm down, Dorothy. I’m not proposing,” he opens the box to display a beautiful pendant on a necklace. The necklace holds six stones that start large at the bottom and get smaller to the top. “It’s called a journey necklace. It”s meant to mark special occasions as you move throughout life” he explains, handing me the box.
“Ben, I love it.” I really do. It’s perfect. I move to take it out of the box. I attempt to hold it to put it on. Ben moves to hold my hair out of the way with his uninjured hand. “Thank you. It’s perfect.”
“You’re perfect,” he scrubs his hair. “I heard how cheesy it sounded, but it’s true.”
“You are pretty perfect too.” We are a scene out of a movie, and I love it. I lean in and kiss him.
“Really Amelia, this year was going to suck. Between my mom being sick and me screwing up, I thought I’d get stuck mentoring some freshman kid. Then I get you as a mentee, and that was just about the luckiest day of my life.”
“I’m the lucky one. I know we haven’t talked about it much, but between my dad and the disaster that was Tyler, my confidence in dating had been wrecked. Then I get assigned this really cute and funny mentor that brings me coffee.”
“See I knew it was the coffee.”
“Ha Ha. Seriously. I’m really happy because of you.”
“I’m really happy too, Dorothy.”
“I love you.” The Ferris wheel stops.
“I love you too.”
And in my own personal romcom, the scene fades with me kissing my boyfriend at the top of the Ferris wheel. I couldn’t have written a better ending myself.