A Girl Like You // D. Swing [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 9

Donald DeGrate.

"A ring?!" Joel exclaimed, examining the ring that remained in the velvet case I held.

"Yup." I smirked triumphantly, taking a peek at the ring myself. He stood there and shook his head with his hand covering his mouth as he stared at the ring in obvious shock.

"Well? You think she'll like it?" I asked, shutting the velvet box and shoving it back in my pocket.

He looks up at me and moves his hand. "I-is that a promise ring?" He asks and I chuckled and remained quiet, making him gasp.

"You're proposing to her!?" JoJo says loudly and I shushed him, glancing over at Cedric and Dalvin to make sure they were still engulfed in the video games they were playing and thankfully, they were.

"Shut yo' ass up!" He sits there silently and I just stared at him as I awaited his response. "Well?"

After a few more moments, he finally looks at me and sighs, "De, I don't think you should do it," He says bluntly, causing me to furrow my eyebrows in confusion.

I would've expected an answer like that from Cedric, hell, even Dalvin. But, not Joel. Joel was my best friend and since the beginning of our friendship, he'd always supported me and my decisions, no matter how outlandish they were.

"What you mean?" I asked and he sighed.

"You know I support you, all the way, no matter what it is you do but come on, De." He says before he continues.

"Think about it, I mean, really think about it. She's about to leave to Georgia, again and what are y'all gonna do in the meantime and between time? Go months at a time without seeing each other? And who's to say that in the matter of those months y'all are apart, one of y'all won't gain interest in other people?"

"Come on, man. You plan on devoting everything and spending the rest of your life with one woman? At only 19? And you've only known her for two years?"

"If the love is truly genuine and real, it doesn't take a long ass time to realize if you wanna give your all to someone and settle down with them. I get what you're saying, JoJo, I do, but I love this girl, man. I can't let her go."

She really was. The feelings I have for her are indescribable. I loved her with everything in me and I was willing to do anything to prove that, even if that meant proposing. I was certain of my decision.

"And whether or not y'all agree with me or understand my reasoning, I'm not changing my mind." I sat back against the couch and he was quiet for a few seconds before shrugging.

"Well, shit, that's what it is, man. I'm just tryna look out for you, but if this is what you wanna do, you know I support it." He says, holding his hand out so I'd dap him up. I laughed and dapped him up.