Ruined

7

We find Ryan again in the crowd. He's dancing with a girl and talking to her. She laughs as he says something. Max and I get closer and Max taps Ryan on the shoulder.
"Hey Max," the girl squeals coming in for a hug.
"What's up Gem?" Max asks wrapping her arms around the girl.
"Nothin, I'm just here to keep an eye on my fella here." I can barely here her over the music, but I think an accent hints at my ears, "so who is this?" Gem asks.
"This is my best friend Ella. She's very uptight." I gape at Max and playfully slap her shoulder.
"No, I'm not." I tell the girl.
"Yes she is." Max says and Ryan chuckles and Gem giggles.
"And if I weren't, you'd be dead." I said to Max as the other two laughed.
"I'm Gemma." Gemma said holding out her hand. I shook it still grinning from what we laughed about, and feeling warm from the alcohol in my veins.
•••
I giggled softly as Ryan spun Gemma around like a ballerina. She was smiling the whole time. Max and I were just dancing and talking. I've have three of those drinks and Max has had about four.
Max gasps,"Oh M Gee. I see Gabe," she says suddenly. I turn around and catch sight of him. He's chatting with another guy and throwing his head back in laughter. Max grabs my wrist and pulls me through the crowd towards Gabe.
We get close to him and Max stops. She looks at me. "Do I look okay?" She asks.
"Perfect," I say, "he won't be able to keep his eyes off of you."
"Fuck that Ella, I don't want him to be able keep his hands off of me." I look at her like she's crazy, and open my mouth to talk, "You are inappropriate." I say to her hiding a small smile.
"Thank you. I will go talk to Gabe now." She walks slowly over to Gabe, and he pauses his conversation, looking over to Max. He smiles. She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear as she speaks. I watch them talk for a little bit before I go back to find Ryan and Gemma. I find them in the kitchen, filling two cups of water.
"What you guys up to?" I ask.
"Getting water," Ryan says as if it's not obvious, smirking.
"Well I didn't notice," I drawled sarcastically.
"Ella?" Gemma asks and I turn my attention to her.
"Yeah?" I ask politely.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" She asks. I'm taken by surprise at her sudden question.
"Um-uh, no." I answer awkwardly as her eyes get wide and she smiles.
"Okay then," she says and then she whispers in Ryan's ear. He shakes his head at her and she giggles.
"Why not?" She asks.
"Because," he answers sternly. I want to know what they're talking about.
"Fine, maybe not now, but later," she says mischievously smiling up at him. 
"What are you guys talking about?" I ask raising my eyebrows.
"Nothing," they both say at the same time.
"Oh, okay then," I say disappointed.
"I need to go into the living room and announce over the speakers for everyone to go outside," Ryan says quickly.
"Why?" Gemma asks.
"Fireworks, duh," he says.
•••
"Excuse me everyone," Ryan says over the speakers once he turns the music off, "I would be happy for you guys to move outside in the backyard  for a firework show, put together by me and some of my buds."
Everyone starts towards the back door as Ryan climbs off of the big speaker he was standing on. I follow him and Gemma out the door, and he calls someone telling them to start the fireworks. 
We watch for a couple of minutes in the front of the crowd, searching for the first sound of a firework. We heae a whizzing sound as a trail of sparks makes it's way into the sky and explodes five different colors. People start to gasp and smile as the other fireworks start to sound off.  I hear Gemma gasp from beside me and I look over to see Ryan on one knee holding one of her hands. Max appears beside me. "Romantic, huh? I helped plan it," she says shrugging her shoulders and grinning at me. I listen as Ryan talks.
"You have made this past year and a half the best of my life. You have been my best friend, and girlfriend, all in one. I can never truly give you everything that you deserve, but I can give you this," he pauses to pull a ring box from his jean pocket. Gemma starts to sob lightly. "Gemma Rae Cane, you are the best thing to have stumbled into my life, literally," he says laughing and I see a tear forming in his eye, "but I would love it, if we could do the next best thing. So with that said," he opens the box revealing a beautiful ring,        "Gemma, will you marry me?"
She lets out a squeal and a sob at the same time as she lunges forward to kiss him. Their mouths meet and they are both smiling into the kiss. She pulls away holding both sides of his face. "Yes," she says as he slips the ring on her finger and they kiss again.
"Yeah!"
"Get a room!"
"Nice job man!"
"Whoo!"
Cheers come from everywhere. I'm am shocked, but very happy. I didn't expect this to happen. The fireworks have stopped and Gemma and Ryan are hugging each other tightly. I congratulate them and hug Ryan, telling him how sweet his proposal was. Gemma is still crying when I hug her.
"He's a good one Gemma," I tell her.
"Yeah, I'm very lucky," she says quietly looking at the ring on her finger.
Max follows suite hugging Ryan and Gemma as everyone makes their way back inside.
"What the hell Ryan?!" Someone yells. I recognize that voice. I look around only to find Asher pushing through the crowd, and red in the face.