Spy School: Life After Graduation

Chapter 18: Sadness and Surprise

Hey, I'm back and have a plan for the next few chapters so they should be done pretty soon. 1.8k views and counting!?! Can't believe it! Thanks! Here's what Erica was thinking/felt at Olive Garden. I chose there cuz I love Italian, especially Olive Garden, and it's really fancy so it fit the requirements. Felt like the picture kinda fit and I'm a potterhead, so it stays.

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

Erica's POV:
We got in the car and Ben drove us there. I was so shocked by his proposal, and couldn't have been happier at the same time. But one thought wouldn't leave my mind, even after I sat next to Ben. 

My mom and dad thought they loved each other and they got divorced when I was like 5. Who's to say that won't happen to us? It was hard enough when it happened to my parents. If it happens with us, I might never recover. It was already hard when Josh betrayed me, but if Ben does, I don't know what would happen. I might not ever fall in love again. Or even trust anyone again. I trusted Josh so, so much, and he broke my heart and shattered it into a million pieces. But Ben's different, right? I mean he truly loves me, right? He wants to spend the rest of his life with me. He has loved me since he met me. So why am I having these thoughts. What if he only pretended and led me on to break my heart again, rendering me useless as a spy because I couldn't trust anyone. What if this is all fake? What if he never liked me? I realized we were ordering so I got chicken gnocchi soup, a salad, and some fettuccine alfredo. But soon, the thoughts returned, causing me to be severely unhappy. They are just thoughts and nothing more, right, I mean, they have to be. I love Ben and he's to sweet, loyal, and caring to betray someone, especially me. 

He turned to me and rested his head against mine, our faces mere centimeters away. "I love you so, so much." I blushed as he leaned in the rest of the way and kissed me, right next to our friends and my family, but he didn't seem to care. 

"I love you too." I whispered into his ear as we pulled away. My grandpa looked seriously pissed. But no matter. What Ben and I do is our business and no one else's. Though I did notice my parents grinning widely and my friends shocked that I let this happen in public. Alexander even told Ben to call him Alex or dad, though knowing Ben, he'll still call him Alexander or sir, but now he had options. 

Even though they know I've changed, it's still relatively new for all of us and especially this much. And I've only ever acted this way towards Ben, so while he's used to this, they're not. Those few seconds were amazing and peaceful.  But, the thoughts wouldn't leave my mind. 

Is he really in love with me or is it all just an act? I wish I could stop thinking about this crap! It's annoying! 

I noticed my mom's devious smile and knew this wouldn't end well. "So Benjamin, I have a few... questions." Fantastic. 

"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." He said. 

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

"Ooh! Okay, where are you guy going to live?" 

He glanced at me and answered, "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."