Not Allowed

III

A few weeks later I lied awake in bed thinking about life, and how much I missed Spencer. I had spent the day at the cave and Ash was there.
        Over the weeks I've known him we've grown close like friends. We share everything with each other and the other listens. Never in my life would I  have guessed that I'd be best friends with the enemy.
       I was thinking about a story Ash told me that day. Apparently his mom went to get eggs from their chicken coop when one of the chickens flew up, sat on her head, and laid an egg, which instantly cracked. She then ran into their house screaming and the chicken was still on top her head and egg whites were running down her head.
I tried not to laugh so the I wouldn't wake up my brothers, when there was a soft tap on my window and I nearly jump out of my skin. I looked at my window and saw Spencer looking at me smiling sheepishly.
I got out of bed and opened my window. "Spencer! You figured out a way to sneak out!" I whispered.
"Yeah it took forever, but I found a blind spot where I can walk back and forth from our houses without being caught, but it has to be at this time of night," he explained.
"I'm just glad you're here. Get in here," I whispered. He climbed in and I shut my window.
"Nice room," he whispered.
"Thanks," I whispered back. You're not allowed to enter a non-family members' bedroom unless you're married or the same gender, so although we've been dating for six years we've never seen each other's rooms.
My room had one blue wall, two green ones, and one which I had painted a meadow I found one day when I found another entrance to the cave that's hard to find and walked through it, and I came across this beautiful meadow with flowers everywhere, trees surrounding it, and animals wondering around. I've never taken anyone there, not even Spencer.
He sat down on my bed and I sat next to him.
"Ryan I need to talk to you about something," he said seriously.
"What is it?" I asked concerned.
"I love you so much and I can't stand to be without you and I want to ask your dad for your hand in marriage before anyone else can," he said looking into my eyes with his hazel eyes. He looked down and ran a hand through his, an inch longer than a buzz cut, brown hair. "What do ya think?"
In Spero people get married starting at the age of 16 and the guy always has to ask the dad of the girl for her hand. Any guy can do it and it doesn't matter if he's your boyfriend or not if your dad says yes you have to marry the guy whether you like him or not. If your dad tells the guy no that's that.
I threw my arms around his neck. "Yes! Do it!" I whispered excitedly. "You know you didn't have to ask me if it was okay. I'd rather you ask my dad and then tell me what you did, but oh well."
"Yes I know I just wanted to make sure you were alright with me asking him now. You know before some other guy asks for you first," he explained.
"Yeah I know and it's sweet of you."
"Here wether he says yes or no I want you to have this," he took my ring finger and placed a ring on it. The ring was a simple gold band with something carved in it. It said "I'll love you forever."
"It's perfect. I love you too and I know my dad will say yes. Don't worry." I whispered then he kissed me.
Then there were footsteps coming from the stairs.
We jumped apart and Spencer whispered, "I'll ask him tomorrow. Love you. Bye." He gave me a quick peck on the lips and crossed my room as quietly and quickly as he could.
"Love you too. Bye," I whispered and crawled under the covers as I heard the window shut very quietly.
I closed my eyes just as my dad entered the room. I heard him walk around my room and kneel down on the floor to check under my bed, I think.
He heaved a sigh and exited my room. When couldn't hear his footsteps anymore and I looked at my finger and smiled. Sleep was impossible that night.

In the morning I couldn't hide my happiness. My mom and younger siblings kept asking me why I was so happy and I just told them that I had a good dream and they shrugged it off. When my younger siblings left the kitchen to go play outside my mom looked at me and raise her eyebrow at me.
"What?" I asked and then I noticed that I was fiddling with the ring. Nice going!
"I know that you didn't have that ring yesterday. Spill," she said smiling.
"Okay well Spencer snuck into my room last night, don't worry nothing like that happened, and he asked me if it was okay if he asked dad if he could marry me and he gave me this!" I exclaimed finally being able to share my happiness.
"Oh my goodness Ryan that's amazing! My daughter's growing up!" She exclaimed and hugged me tightly. Tears were rolling down her face. "It seems like just yesterday you took your first steps and now you're getting engaged!"
"Mom I can't breath!"
"Right, sorry. I'm just so happy for you!" She squealed.
"Really? I couldn't tell," I said laughing.
"Alright you go on and tell your friends," she said shooing me off.
Instead of telling my friends I went to the cave.
When I got there Ash was sitting in his usual spot and looked up. "What are you so happy about?" He asked raising an eyebrow.
I walked towards him, held out my hand and said, "look!"
"Oh Military Guy purposed," he said. "Congratulations."
"He's asking my dad if he can marry me today," I sat down and looked dreamily off into the distance.
"You're so happy it's making me sick," he said with slight smile.
I slapped him playfully and we both laughed. "Now I don't have to worry about some weird guy asking for my hand."
"It's a bit early don't ya think?" He asked.
"Well we don't have to get married right away. We can wait for a few years, as long as we're engaged now before some other guy asks my dad first we're good," I explained.
"Ah."
We talked for hours and when dusk took over the sky we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.
I practically skipped to my house and opened the door and sighed dreamily. I took my jacket off, put it on the coat rack, and skipped to the living room. My smile was wiped off my face when I saw that my mom was crying.
"Wh-what's wrong?" I asked.
Everyone looked at me with sympathy. "What happened? What's going on?"
"Why don't you sit down," my dad said.
I sat in my spot and look at him.
He took a deep breath. "It's about Spencer."
My heart dropped and I could practically feel the color drained from my face. "Wh-what about h-him?" I stuttered.
My dad took another deep breath. "He was shot and killed today."