Spy School: Life After Graduation

Chapter 17: Dinner

I'm back! Hope it's okay. Can't believe it hit 1,619 views already, it's only been a few weeks! Thanks! Lol, 16 and 19 are some of my favorite numbers and I've chosen 1619 for all kinds of stuff! Really appreciate it, everyone, thanks!

The Mall at Prince George's
Olive Garden
4:00 PM
Tuesday 
June 16th

Ben's POV:
I can't believe it! I asked her to marry me and she said yes! I'm gonna marry Erica Hale! Holy crap! 

I was ecstatic. I even guessed where she wanted to go for dinner a day before. I was thrilled. We had arrived 5 minutes before and everything was perfect. I drove her here and we talked in the car. She still seemed shocked and I was honestly kinda proud that I caught her off guard. The full list was Catherine, Alexander, Cyrus, Jessica, Zoe, Mike, Erica, and me. We sat in this order but wrapped around a rectangular table, putting me between Erica and Catherine. We all ordered some chicken gnocchi soup and we got 2 salads for the table. 

For food, most of us got the fettuccine alfredo because it's amazing! Cyrus and Erica, however got another salad, but Erica did order some fettuccine alfredo too. 

I had even made some special requests for Erica beforehand, so I was really glad she did choose Olive Garden. I set my arm on her shoulder, turned her face so she was looking directly at me, our foreheads touching. 

"I love you so, so much." She blushed as I kissed her, realizing we were in public next to our friends and her family, but I didn't care. It didn't matter what anyone else thought, because her opinion is the  only one that really mattered to me. 

"I love you too." She whispered in my ear as we pulled away. I looked up to see Cyrus glaring at me with a true look of hatred, but I understood; he loves her and doesn't want her to get hurt. 

However, Catherine and Alex, (He decided I could call him that), are thrilled. Alex keeps looking in our direction and smiling, clearly proud, while Catherine hasn't stopped staring at me with this malicious little smile. I don't know what she's thinking, but I know it can't be good. 

"So Benjamin, I have a few... questions." Me and my big mouth. 

"Do I even want to know?" 

"Probably not, but I do." 

"Of course you do. We've been engaged for less than an hour and yet you have 'questions' and an mischievous smile on your face." I replied. 

"*sigh* So what are the questions, and keep in mind that we might not answer them if we don't want to." Erica stated. 

"Ooh! Okay, where are you guys going to live?" I looked at Erica and said, "I honestly don't know because we've never talked about this stuff and haven't yet because of us, I don't know, being together for a week or so, and getting engaged almost an hour ago. If this is the kind of questions they are, planning for the future that is, I'm not answering them at least until we talk about it together. We will decide together because it's not my future or her future, it's ours, or at least I hope so. Sorry, but it's something that I need to ask Erica first." I said with an apologetic look. I looked at Erica who nodded with a smile, indicating that would have been her response too. 

Unlike her daughter, Catherine seemed greatly displeased that she couldn't know yet, but I didn't care. Not in a rude way, of course, I just felt that I couldn't answer until I asked Erica's opinion. I felt something on my shoulder, and my heart melted when I saw that is was her head. We had been dating for a little while, and she'd done this before, but I was still surprised every time, remembering how much we've both changed for the better. I gently rested my head on hers, pulling her closer.