Ch. 2
I arrive at school and step off the old, ragged bus and begin my routinely walk past the eighth grade patio, past the kids that stare at me, whether it be gawkingly or teasingly, and through the high schooler patio to the usual spot where my friends and I hang out before school. I'm the first one there, because Chloe leaves to the library to have her boyfriend, Dylan, follow behind her like a puppy.
I reach into my pocket and feel the box in my hand as I look around from behind my black bangs, waiting. I pull it out briefly to grab the item inside it and enclose it in my grasp before placing the box back to its original spot.
Not too long later a beautiful woman walks up to me excitedly and wraps her arms around me. I smile wide and hug her back, my fist still closed around the object. Today is the day. She's eighteen and hands down the most beautiful girl I've met. We started dating three years ago near the end of freshman year. We've had our arguments of course, but true love conquers all, right?
I pull away and smile down at her. "Hey," I say simply, beginning to get nervous. A couple other friends have gathered around us now, but that's only making me even more anxious.
"Hey, baby," she replies, kissing my cheek. It's now or never. Man up, Felix.
I pull away and take a deep breath. "Hannah," I start, looking into her pretty chocolate eyes. She raises an eyebrow at me.
I get down on one knee, closing my eyes briefly to gather all my courage before I look up at her and open my hand. In it is a ring that her grandmother gave me two years before. I decided to save it for this moment.
I hold up the ring with two fingers and look into her eyes. It seems everyone has their eyes on us now. Hers are wide and brimming with tears. I gulp and take another breath.
"Hannah Elizabeth Davis, will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?" I hold my breath. I have a split-second of thought of saying I'm a man when I'm not physically male, but I brushed it off for now.
She shrieked. Our friends "awww'd" as tears streamed down her face and she threw herself at me and hugged me tightly, nodding furiously.
"Yes, yes, yes!" she cried, almost choking me. "I'll marry you!"
I stood back up, the biggest grin on my face as I slipped the ring on her ring finger, right in front of the "swear ring" I gave her the day after I got the engagement ring. I love her so much.
"I love you," she says, sniffling.
"I love you too-" I barely get to finish before she smashes her lips against mine. I kiss her back deeply, feeling her arms slide around my neck.
Maybe today won't suck.
