Motough Prompts

The Right One

"Will you marry me?"

Those 4 words keep playing in Bethany's mind as she stares at the shiny diamond on her finger. She hadn't answered the question yet but those 4 words had already changed her life. They lead her to this moment, sitting in her car outside of the building where she first met him. She can't even remember driving here, she doesn't even remember deciding on a location when she jumped in her car and fled her home. She just knew she needed guidance and this was at one time sacred ground for her. She had many revelations here. It was where she first realized that she was in love.

She inhales deeply as she wipes the tears from her face with her sweater sleeve. She knows that she needs to go back home to the man waiting for her. She knows that he's still standing in the middle of their living room with the same shocked expression on his face. He deserves an answer even if it is no. He doesn't deserve to sit there wondering why the woman he's given everything to for the last 3 years bolted out the door with the ring still on her finger. He deserves to know why she can't say yes.

She does love him but seeing him get down on one knee in front of her made her panic, not happy. She was supposed to cry tears of joy and jump into his arms, not run. She was supposed to be in his arms at this very moment, talking about their future together. She's not supposed to be driving to a vacant park in the middle of Los Angeles. She's not supposed to go to his favorite spot and sit where they used to lay with one another. She's not supposed to think that this is the last place that she truly felt love when a man just professed his undying, unconditional, passionate love to her right in their very living room. But she does think that and she does feel that. She feels that so deeply that she can't control the sob that escapes her as she collapses to the ground, her knees digging into the dirt.

She sees the future she could have flash before her eyes. She sees her wedding day, her dad walking her down the aisle and handing her off to the sweet man who loves her. She sees their home, her dream home, and their children running around the yard. She sees their family vacations and holidays. She knows that she could be happy, but she also knows now that she doesn't love him anymore. In fact, she doesn't think she ever really loved him. Not like how she should. She hasn't loved anyone like that in a long time.

She gets up from the ground, not bothering to clean herself up, she turns to head back to her car, but she stops dead in her tracks when she sees him. He looks just as shocked as she is. His eyebrows are knitted together as he opens his mouth to speak, he's interrupted.

"Babe, why'd you stop?" The brunette girl asks as she steps in front of him.

Bethany turns away from him as she feels more tears well up in her eyes. He brought someone else here. He brought someone to their spot.

"Beth, what are you doing here?" He finally speaks as she feels him come to stand next to her.

"Um, I just needed a quiet place to think. I was a little stressed." She lies, not daring to look up at him. Even though it's been a few years since they've seen each other, she knows he could still read her like a book.

"Are you alright?" He asks sounding concerned.

"Yeah, I'm good now. I was just about to leave actually." She turns to face him, bringing her hand up to push some hair out of her eyes. She finally looks him in the eyes but he's followed her hand back down to her side.

"Whoa, Beth are you engaged?" He exclaims reaching for her left hand.

She's stunned by his touch before she realizes that she doesn't know how to answer that. She could tell him the truth, but that would bring up a whole different conversation that she couldn't have with him especially not with his girlfriend here. Or she could lie.

"Yeah, I am." She answers quickly, deciding to lie. Even if she goes home and gives the ring back, he wouldn't have to know. It's not like they call to catch up anymore.

"That's...great." He drops her hand and avoids eye contact. She wonders if he's trying to hide something from her now too. "So, I take it things with Will are good then?"

She forces a laugh and answers, "yeah things are great." Bethany's phone begins to ring but she ignores it. She thought that Will had given up on calling her an hour ago. "I better get going. Will's probably worried about me."

"Oh okay, yeah. Tell Will I said hello and congratulations. I better be getting an invite to the wedding." He jokes as he pulls her into a bone crushing hug. "It was so good to see you, Bethany. Take care of yourself, okay?"

She pulls away as she feels that lump in her throat that indicates that she couldn't hold back the tears for much longer. "You too, Derek."

------

"Where have you been? I've been calling you for 2 hours." Will jumps up off of the couch as soon as she shuts the door. "I've been worried about you.  I called pretty much everyone asking if they've seen you."

"I needed some space to think." She admits as pours herself a glass of the champagne that was still sitting in the bucket on the coffee table.

"You could have let me know that you were alive at least." He scolds as he sits on the coffee table in front of her. "Bethany, I love you and I still want to marry you, but if that's not what you want then we can figure it out, okay. Don't run from me."

Bethany chugs the glass of champagne and sits the glass aside. "I don't...I don't want to marry you."

"Right now or ever?" The blonde boy asks, his green eyes are boring into hers begging for one certain answer.

Bethany looks down, she watches her fingers play with the seam of her sweater a nervous habit she'd picked up from the man she left in the woods at the park. "Ever." She finally chokes out.

Will stands up and begins to pace in the middle of the room. Bethany takes off the ring and places it on the table before she silently leaves the room. She's packed up most of her clothes before he checks on her. She feels like she's been punched in the gut when she looks up to meet his gaze. His eyes are bloodshot and puffy from crying. She zips up her suitcase and goes to stand in front of him.

"You are perfect, Will. You deserve better than what I could ever give you. I'm so sorry. I hope one day you find a woman who will love you like you deserve. I'm sorry." They both look into each other's eyes as silent tears roll down their cheeks. Bethany finally steps up on her tip toes to place a kiss to his cheek. "Goodbye, Will."

-----

It's been six months since Bethany left Will. She's living on her own again and focusing on her work. She's busier than ever with her mini empire and traveling a lot, which helps keep her mind occupied. Will is dating again and seems happy. She hopes he is.

She's sitting at an empty table in a small cafe waiting for her manager who is 30 minutes late. They were supposed to be having a meeting about closing a brand deal with a cosmetics company.

"Is this seat taken?" Bethany looks up from her phone to meet a familiar pair of blue eyes.

"Hey you!" She exclaims as she jumps up to hug him. "Sit down, my manager is a half hour late so she missed out on the seat."

He laughs as he sits down in front of her. "It's good to see you again. How've you been? I heard about you and Will. I hope you're okay now."

"I'm great. I've been busy with work and traveling, but I'm home for a few months, my sister is about to have another baby so I want to be here. Life is good right now." She tells him.

"I'm glad you're doing well." He tells her, but still looks concerned. "What made you guys decide to end it? That day I found you in our...the park you were upset. Was that why?"

"Yeah, I was having a tough time deciding if he was the right one. If he was the person I really wanted to spend my life with." Bethany pauses for a moment. "And he wasn't, so I ended it."

"Wow, I'm sorry. I know that you guys were together for a long time."

"Yeah, but it was for the best. He's moved on and seems happy and I'm living my life. It's all good." She assures him with a genuine smile. "So how are things with you and that girl I saw you with last time. She was pretty."

"We broke up that day." He tells her with a smirk. "She wasn't the right one either."