"If you're going to leave, just leave," I said through quivering lips. "You can keep the ring." I cleared a lump in my throat. "I couldn't take it back."
"It's not mine." Jenna stretched her arm to hand me the small box.
"It is yours," I said, pushing her hand away. "I'd be too embarrassed to return it."
"It was a birthday gift, not an engagement ring."
"Oh, you would throw that up in my face."
"You don't understand." Jenna ran her free hand through her long, red hair and sighed. "I didn't see the day ending this way."
"Remember when we didn't have a dime between us?" I said, remembering times of little means.
"Mark…" Jenna held her head in her hands. "We've been over this a thousand times."
"Just listen to me."
"I'm all ears," Jenna said, lowering her body to the brown leather sofa.
"I shouldn't have said I hated you more than I loved you. It wasn't true," I said.
"But you still said it!" Jenna said, folding her arms.
"But I didn't mean it." I motioned.
"What did you mean, then?"
I lowered my chin. "I'm not the best at this 'love' thing."
"You can say that again." Jenna folded her lips under her teeth, hiding a grin.
"I didn't expect…"
"Open the fucking box, dude," Jenna said in her temptress tone.
"So you can rub it in my face?"
"The box. Open it."
I removed the lid. "This is a Boston Red Sox ring." I half tilted my head, gazing at her through crinkled eyes.
"Your favorite team, right?" Jodie smiled.
"What's going on here?"
"Since you weren't going to ask me to marry you, I'm asking you," Jodie said, grinning. "Well?" she shrugged.
"You still love me?"
"More than I hate you." Jenna brushed away a tear.
"Maybe," I said.
"Playing hard to get?" Jodie said.
"I was going to give you this tomorrow, but since we're here and were still dressed…" I pulled out a ring and dropped to one knee. "I'll marry you if you'll marry me."
"Of course," she sobbed.
I fit the ring on her finger, ad her family and friends applauded in the backyard, decorated candles, a gazebo, and the band New Found Glory, playing The Story So Far.
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