Short Love Story

I stared at my phone in disbelief. Zachary had just broken up with me. Over text. Apparently, I was boring and our six-month relationship lacked certain aspects that "all of his friends relationships had". Dammit I hated him right now. So much for that fairy tale I wanted when I was six.

I sighed and rested my head against the wall. I had failed my American Government test and there was a possibility of me being fired. Could today get any worse?

Yes. Yes it could. Zachary just walked into Starbucks with my friend, Ellie. They looked pretty serious, like they had been together for a while. My eyebrows furrowed and I whipped out my phone.

'So how long have you and Zach been together?' I sent to Ellie.

'Few weeks i guess. Y?' she replied

'He just broke up with me over text. Enjoy the cheating bastard. We're not gonna be friends anymore, k?' I typed angrily. Then I deleted her number from my phone.

Ellie looked at her phone in confusion and a hurt expression flitted across her face. After a minute, she shrugged it off and went back to fawning over Zachary.

I snorted in disgust, stuffed my papers and books into my backpack, and got up to leave. All of a sudden, I felt a burning sensation run down my chest. Some idiot spilt his coffee on me.

This was my breaking point. I didn't start to yell at whoever spilled their drink on me or go on a rampage. I just sat back down, covered my face, and let the waterworks flow.

"Oh, jeez. I'm so sorry. Hey... Are you okay?" said an apologetic and worried voice.

I looked up into a pair of curious green eyes. It was Jeremy Waters, the most optimistic person in my high school, and the last person I would explain my situation to at this moment. But right now I couldn't care less.

I wiped my tears, took a deep breath, and said,"No. No, I'm not okay. My now ex-boyfriend was cheating on me with my friend, I flunked my American Government test, and I could be fired any day now."

"How come he broke up with you?" Jeremy asked sitting in the seat opposite me.

"Because he wanted to have sex with me and couldn't take 'no' for an answer," I said. Jeremy looked at me and smiled.

"Ya know," he said "not many girls at our school would say no as many times as you did. They'd probably give in after the fourth time he asked. But those same girls need a guy to tell her she's pretty under a ton of makeup and slutty clothes just so they can feel a little bit appreciated."

I gave him a why-are-you-telling-me-this look. Jeremy leaned a little closer and continued.

"Besides, even with all that, they're not half as beautiful as you are," he said, a playful lopsided smile on his face.

"What are you talking about?" I said, taken aback by his words.

His cheeks grew pink. "I like you, Adelaide. A lot. You're smart and gorgeous and, in my eyes, perfect. I know you just got out of a relationship, but do you wanna maybe hang out sometime?" Jeremy asked sheepishly.

Tears filled my eyes and my cheeks grew hot. My glasses fogged up and I choked out a sob.

"Oh, man. I made you cry again. I'm sorry." Jeremy picked up a cheap brown napkin and dabbed at my tears. I caught his hand as he pulled it away. I held it close to my face.

"Yes, Jeremy. We can hang out sometime," I said, my voice trembling. He caressed my cheek and smiled at me.

I didn't care that I had sticky mocha staining my shirt or that Ellie and Zachary were staring at Jeremy and me. All I cared about was Jeremy because I knew he would love me to the ends of the Earth.

~Five years later~

As high school passed, I met Jeremy's parents and he met mine. We went to junior prom and senior ball together. We laughed and cried and supported each other through thick and thin.

Jeremy and I graduated four years ago and we were accepted at the same college. Our second year in college we made the trip back home to spend Christmas with our families. We all exchanged gifts and joked.

I got the last gift. 'From Jeremy' the label said. I ripped the paper away. It was a mystery box. I had to solve it to get my present. After lots of teasing and determination, I finally got it open.

Inside was a small black velvet box. My eyes widened as Jeremy took the box in his left hand and my left hand in the other. He knelt down on one knee. Tears filled my eyes and my cheeks grew hot.

"Adelaide Rosalie Karter, I love you more than you know," he said. "I cannot imagine doing what I've done the past five years with anyone else because I've already done it all with you. Will you give me the chance to try and make you as happy as you've made me? Will you marry me?"

At a loss of words, I nodded, bent down, and kissed my fiancé. Jeremy slid a gorgeous ring on my finger, a diamond with a blue sapphire on each side. I cried tears of joy with our mothers, our fathers slapped Jeremy on the back. I couldn't have been happier. My fairy tale had come true.