Leslie's Second Year of College
They had only been dating for a few weeks.
They'd met in her Government Finances classes the second week of school.
Matthew had kissed her after their first date at a bar.
Leslie had been nervous and a little uncertain every time Matthew kissed her.
But she kissed him back because it felt like the polite thing to do, and it made him happy. And Leslie was all about making people happy.
It was when they were leaving class one day, Leslie mid ramble about the different ways to calculate a cities Gross Domestic Product and why trying calculate environmental externalities was impossible, when Matthew took both her hands in his, and got down on one knee.
Matthew, Leslie Knope's boyfriend of only 3 weeks was holding her hands and on one knee in front of her.
"Leslie Knope," Matthew looked nervous and he couldn't keep eye contact.
Leslie's eyes widened and a million voices flooded her head, the strongest being "I don't know what to do."
Matthew cleared his throat and started over, "Leslie Knope, you are an... Interesting person." Leslie scrunched up her nose, not quite the compliment she expected in a proposal but okay. "An interesting person who I, frankly, have no interest in. Please never, I mean never, call me again." Leslie's stomach dropped. "Like I'm begging you, on my knees, I want 0 contact with you. For forever."
And then Matthew got up and walked away.
Leslie wasn't sure whether to breathe a sigh of relief or cry. On one hand she knew it wasn't really working out with Matthew, after all they had no common interests. But another part of her was heart broken. Here Leslie thought Matthew was proposing, he was going to pour his heart out to her about how their whirlwind romance changed his life and he wanted to spend eternity by her side reading articles from The Economist and watching political documentaries.
But he had begged her not to call him. Ever. Emphasis on the "ever" part.
This breakup, Leslie mused, was definitely one that would be included in her memoir.
One time Dave got down on one knee to look for her earring that fell on the floor.
Leslie had gone to the bathroom to throw up.
When Dave asked her to move to San Diego with him Leslie's froze. Her palms got clammy and her throat constricted, waiting for him to get down on one knee. She didn't want him to, but she had a feeling that he would.
Had a fear that he would and that would end everything.
He didn't get down on one knee.
And he didn't end everything, Leslie did.
It was shortly after Leslie came back from her first visit to see Ben in DC when Ann brought it up.
"Do you think he's the one?" Ann had asked casually, eyes glued to the TV. They were watching Greece for the third time that week.
"Yes, definitely." Leslie didn't even have to think. She was 100% sure in her instinctive answer. Ann had grinned in approval, if Leslie was happy then Ann definitely was.
"Have you talked about it yet?" Ann was digging, and Leslie could tell. Usually in her relationships Leslie had at least one moment of panic and those moments of sheer and utter panic lead to feeling talks with Ann. But since she had gotten back with Ben Leslie had not had a single moment of panic. Sure Ben and Leslie would argue sometimes, but they always resolved it; in the end they were always on the same team. The unity was calming and a little different, but comforting.
So Leslie hadn't panicked over the fact that Ben might break up with her for the dozens of Hot Rebecca's in their swanky D.C. Apartments. The thought of Ben breaking up with her hadn't even crossed her mind, everything in her life was so right it just felt like they never would.
"Talked about what exactly?" Leslie grabbed a handful of popcorn and turned her attention away from Sandy and Danny to look at Ann.
Ann laughed and rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean! Have you guys talked about getting married?" Ann pulled the bowl of popcorn into her lap, as if awaiting a long and engaging story.
Leslie furrowed her brow, "Well- I mean there was- I think maybe?- wait no..." Leslie shook her head. "We haven't." Ann felt the change in Leslie's demeanor, now she was Nervous and anxious and on edge and it was all her fault.
"Oh my god Leslie I didn't mean to make you upset, really you and Ben are perfect for each other." Ann reached across the couch and held her best friend's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "He loves you and you guys are going to have an amazing future together, whether you talk about it or don't."
Leslie smiled at Ann through watery eyes, "Oh Ann you beautiful intelligent mama bear. Where would I ever be without you?" Leslie paused before continuing "Really though, do you think it's bad that Ben and I haven't talked about marriage? Like is that a bad thing? Do couples do that? Is it a surprise? Because on one hand it is a major life change and a major life change should be discussed. But also it just wouldn't be a proposal if it wasn't a complete and total surprise." Leslie had started pacing the room halfway through the second question.
"Leslie, Leslie, Leslie!" Ann laughed and dragged her friend back to the couch, "Leslie I love you but you need to take a moment to take a deep breath and calm down and relax." Leslie shot Ann the "relax? Do you even know who you're talking to?" Look, but eventually slumped back onto the couch.
It's quiet for a few minutes until Leslie says "I never really thought about marriage and proposals before. While all the girls in school were planning what their wedding dress would look like I was picking out what color pant suit I should wear for my inauguration as first female president of the United States."
Ann smiled and wrapped Leslie in a hug, "I know, and Ben and I and everyone else loves that about you. You've always been so focused and goal Oriented on your career,"
Leslie frowned, "I hear a but coming on."
"But," Ann drew out the u's to make emphasis, "Maybe you should think about some not work aspects in your life?"
"Like what Ann? You know proposals make me nervous, I'm too afraid that if a guy gets down on one knee he'll either dump me or I'll have to change everything in my life to become a wife and a mom." Leslie shivered. "I mean not that there's anything wrong with being a wonderful wife and Mother I just, seven days a week? No work? God I get bored just imagining it."
Ann rubbed Leslie's arm and squeezed her shoulder, "Can you really imagine Ben making you do that? Leave your career behind? Or Dumping you?"
Leslie shook her head slowly, eyes focused on the popcorn bowl.
"Exactly, because it won't happen." Ann grabbed a pen and a notepad from the coffee table, "Now why don't we have some fun and you can plan your dream proposal." Ann was practically bouncing up and down in excitement and Leslie could never deny a happy Ann anything.
"Well obviously it would have to happen in Pawnee, and the ring would have to be from a Pawnee owned jewelry store. Engagements are fancy right?" Leslie didn't give time to answer, "Yeah definitely fancy, so Ben would probably have to wear a tux. Which is a bonus because his butt looks so good in dress pants, like ridiculously good. Remember the Best of Ben's Butt 2012 slideshow I sent you? I made a 2013 one and half of the pictures are in dress pants, Ann it's truly a heavenly sight to lay eyes on."
Leslie continued on about the perfect proposal, longer than Ann anticipated. But when she finally stopped she nodded, pleased with her decision, "That's it."
Ann beamed down at the notepad with every detail listed on it. "Good."
Ann sent pictures of the notepad to Ben the next morning.
"Think about your future."
The words were ringing in Ben's ears the entire night, he already had thought about his future. He knew what he wanted and it wasn't in D.C. or Florida, she was in the greatest city in all of Indiana, maybe America, and definitely the world.
"What are you doing?" Leslie is smiling at Ben as he walks across the living room to her. That smile that could outshine the sun, that makes Ben feel better on any day. That smile that means home.
Then Ben gets down on one knee, smiling that soft-lopsided-almost-smirk-smile. The smile that makes Leslie's stomach flip flop even though she's seen it for years.
"Oh my god, what are you doing?" And her voice cracks and she can feel her eyes start to water because really there's two options right now. Either A) her greatest joy in life, her number one supporter is about to leave her or B) everything is about to become all the more perfect in her life.
Leslie looks into Ben's eyes as he says, "I'm thinking about my future." His smile reflects in his eyes, as it always does, and he's just radiating love and support and he came back from D.C. Early to see her and Leslie is pretty sure she's already crying. He hasn't even asked her yet and she's crying because she knows what's coming and it's the good option. The happy one. The perfect one. The one she'd discussed with Ann a few weeks before, and it's all just so perfect.
"Wait, wait okay? Just give me a second." Leslie all but chokes back a sob, a happy sob, a relief sob, an I'm-so-in-love-Everything-is-perfect-sob.
Ben smiled and nods, "Okay."
And when Ben say's "Leslie Knope, will you-" he doesn't even get to finish because Leslie is already saying "Yes," and her lips have found his and his thumb brushes away the happy tears falling from her eyes.
There's no hesitation, there's no fear or anxiety, no nerves. Just happy endings, and Pawnee, and Ben.
Leslie smiles against his lips thinking to herself, "my Ben."