I modeled Paul the dress I had bought for tonight in the hotel room. I had thought about asking Paul about that night in France but I did not dare tell Paul the truth about Jason’s anger—it was none of his business. Plus, I didn’t want to know his reaction.
“Oh, it’s nice!” Paul said.
“Really? It’s just a random dress I found,” I said.
“You found it?”
“Well, no…”
“Lily!” Jason called me from outside the hotel door. His voice gave me chills; it reminded me of that night in France.
“Jason?” I opened the door and ran into his arms—I knew he wasn’t going to harm me today. He held up white lilies for me.
“Well, I’ll see you later!” Paul hugged me and left out the room.
“Bye, Paul!” we both said.
Jason shut the door. “So, are you ready?”
“Yeah. Do you like my dress?”
“Pretty.”
“Thank you.”
“We should go now. I made a reservation.”
“Okay, let me just get my handbag.”
As I went to get my bag, I popped my new best friend. I didn't want my night to be ruined with an unexpected schizo episode. I smiled at myself in the mirror. I felt beautiful again.
Jason took me to a very exclusive dinner away from town. The table had white lily petals placed perfectly on it and the scent added to the beauty. The sound of a band played a soothing sound that was familiar but I couldn’t quite put my finger on where it was from. And everyone around us was in their own world—ignoring someone famous like me. I loved it.
“How do you know Europe so well?” I said as I loosened the curls in my hair that flowed down my right shoulder.
“I’ve been everywhere, Lily,” he said. “The question is why don’t you know Europe so well?”
“I’m just not that cool,” I laughed and sipped my water.
The dinner continued with on and off silent moments. I would have called them awkward moments but Jason would call them more of peaceful moments. He liked silence for the most part, because he said his mind was always busy—just like mine. I appreciated the silence as well. I hadn't had silence in my head for years.
“Ooh this is nice, Jason,” I said, easing the awkward moment.
“Because I love you.” He began to dig around in his pocket. “I really do.” He pulled out a small red box and opened it to expose a huge pink diamond. “Marry me, Lily.”
The stone in my heart suddenly came back. “Woof.” Did I just bark again? “Oh my…”
“Will you?” he said as sweat slid down his face.
“But, we’re so young,” I said as my lips quivered.
“You’ll be eighteen in July,” he reminded me.
“I know but I’m still so young—”
He closed the little ring box. “I mean, you’re mom got married at eighteen.”
“Yeah, but that was back in the day and look at the marriage now, it’s over.”
Jason stiffened up and rolled his eyes. “There’s no rush, Lily, really.”
I could feel the stone in my heart getting heavier and moving up my throat. “But—” I grabbed the box out his hand. “There is no rule to being engaged for a while.” I grabbed the ring and put it on my finger. “Plus, people stay engaged for about a year maybe ten—”
“I’m not staying engaged for ten years, Lily. That is just damn stupid,” he snapped.
“Okay, I was just kidding.”
“You either want to or you don’t. I don’t want to pressure you. However, if you don’t take the ring, we cannot be together anymore. It's too much of an embarrassment.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, because obviously you don’t love me.”
“But, it’s just a ring.”
“No, it’s not…it’s a commitment. And if you refuse, obviously you’re in this relationship for the wrong reason. And I don’t have time for games—”
“Look, the ring is on my finger. I’ll marry you, dammit!”