Ann was the most beautiful woman in the entire theater that night. She stood among the brightly colored tights and sequined bows in the back stage. She was pinning a pair of angel wings on a small girl when a man came up behind her. She turned in surprise. She slyly told him to return to his seat, that audience members were not allowed backstage, even if they were dating one of the crew members. He laughed gently and caressed her cheek saying that he just had to see her before the show began. Just as he was pulling out a ring box, the stage went dark. He slipped the box into her pocket, whispered that he'd see her after the show and returned to his seat in the front row.
Michael had been dating Ann for nearly eight years now. They started going out in the tenth grade. It began as a humble crush. They simply told each other that they liked each other, simple kids stuff. Even better it was actually discussed in a note they had passed back and forth. At first, nothing had really changed between them; they just seemed like closer friends. They would barely speak to each other, everything was very awkward. Finally, they decided that they would kiss and see where things went from there. That was where things got really awkward. Neither of them had ever kissed anyone before. But Michael just did what he thought would be best. They shared a truly innocent childish kiss, but they couldn't part from each other for awhile. It was the most amazing moment. Not too long after this, Michael told Ann that he loved her very much. Ann was in bliss from that moment on. She never could believe that something that wonderful could happen to her, but it was. It was all real.
Ann and Michael became inseparable. They were always sitting together and always called each other to talk for hours. Typical boyfriend and girlfriend stuff. But they knew that someday they would have to separate. The day they would have to part for college. Michael promised that he would wait for Ann. No matter what happened in their future, he would always be there for her and she would always be there for him. After the next two years they spent together, it was time for them to leave for separate colleges. Both of them remained in the state though, and they continued to stay in contact by phone and email. After a year and a half in college, Michael realized that being away from Ann was breaking his heart. Although through the duration of their relationship, they knew that they probably would never get married, he suddenly felt that he would marry his Ann. He knew he wanted to marry her. He had all the right reasons to. But he decided to wait until after he finished college and could support the two of them.
Finally, just a year ago, after Michael and Ann had graduated college, they found each other. Ann got an acting career that paid really well and it was what she had wanted her entire life. She was even publishing a book she had written. Michael was working in technology, the "field of his dreams". He knew he was finally ready to make the commitment to the love of his life, Ann, and tonight was the night he was going to do it. She was helping put on a production with some friends of hers and he was going to take her to dinner right after.
As the production was going on, Michael wasn't paying attention to what was going on onstage. He was staring at his beautiful girlfriend standing on the side of the stage. She didn't notice him watching her for awhile, until she looked out and smiled at him. Suddenly she felt something in her pocket banging against the side of her leg. She reached in and grabbed the box that Michael had placed there. She opened it up to see the ring. She began to feel the hot tears brim her eyes and she looked out, but Michael was gone. Oh, where could he be at a time like this? But she didn't have to wonder that long. She turned to find Michael down on one knee before her, right next to the curtain backstage. All she could say was 'Yes' a thousand times even as he stood up to put the ring on her finger and kissed her over and over. She just kept saying it. He held her close to him as she let the warm tears pour down her face. He whispered that he loved her more than anything in the world.
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