He Just Refuses to Die

30

Upon spotting the ring, she felt her body grow stiffer than a large block of stone.

"I told my friend to come by at eight and give me the envelope with the empty box," he stated, still on his knees, "I knew that you wouldn't resist opening it, and, I don't know, I guess I thought it would be a nice surprise." She did not know what suffocated her more: his lethal, venomous words or the scent of his stinging cologne.

"I..." she replied, but then she did not know how to continue the sentence, so she instead said: "Wha.." but immediately shut her mouth, for she did not know  how to continue that sentence too. After many more failed attempts at speaking, she instead directed her attention to her facial expressions, but she did not know how to deal with them either, mainly because she knew that facial expressions usually showcase how a person truly felt. How did she feel? Was she angry? Sad? Shocked? In disbelief? From attempting to complete her sentences to trying to decipher her feelings, she felt as though many things in this life suddenly became unknown.

"Tanvi, from the moment I laid my eyes on you, I knew you were special," he began, "Every date with you became more dear to my heart than the last. Your wit, your humor, and your temper are all things I could never, ever live without, even if I tried. I promise you that after today, you will never be alone."

This time, she decided that she will reply with the only sentence she knows how to complete: Silence. All the while he was speaking, he was still holding the ring that shone

So bright that it almost blinded her, causing her to emit a large groan.

She could not help but daydream about how it would have been if she had flown

Straight to China or Kuwait, and she could only imagine that she would have owned

Large palaces with grand rooms, each one housing a different throne

Wherein she could sit and watch her gardens, the ones whose grass would become overgrown-

She realized she that had phased out, so she quickly snapped out of her daydream. She glanced at his face and - Holy shit he's still talking?! How did I not notice? Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God - okay, don't panic, just get your ass back to the fighting zone!

"And finally, reason one-hundred of why I love you," another tear soaked his already wet shirt, "Reason one-hundred is that you keep up with my childish behaviours," he sniffled, "but I can assure you," his voice cracked, "Since our first date," he now sobbed, "I have grown."

Reason one-hundred?! She thought to herself, How long was I phased out? Goddamn it woman - stop talking to yourself and focus!

Instead of slowly finding her way back to the fighting zone, she found herself being thrust forcefully in it, for the four words she dreaded to hear were spoken by the man in front of her, the one still holding that bloody ring that shone:

"Tanvi,

Will you marry me?"