Who Would It Be?
He dug in his suede-lined coatpocket and fingered the velvet box there. The sun was setting in such a way that rays of light appeared to pierce the sky Through the holes, darkness poured in. The here-and-there stars that pebbled the purity of it all twinkled with a hesitant grace. At least they looked hesitant. Everything felt hesitant.
In a flash he'd let go of her hand and rounded her side such that he was standing in front of her. He grasped her shoulders and smiled and had to squint as the rays of light spotlighted them so.
"Bailey Pickett," he started, in the midst of the lightshow sparkles.
She expected him to go on so she didn't say anything. When he didn't: "Yes?"
"I'm in love with you. From the moment I laid eyes on you for the first time, I knew you were the only girl for me." The words tasted tacky, falling sloppily off his tongue, but he pressed on, "I know this is, like, first grade, but…" and he dropped to one knee, raising a single arm to extend the black velvet box to her. In a fluid motion he opened it and allowed her to view its contents.
Her mouth hung loose on its hinges in confusion, "Are you proposing to me?"
A smile, "No. It's a promise ring. One day I will marry you, Bailey. But for now, this symbolizes my never-ending love and commitment to you and my undying desire and need to have you in my life." He hadn't meant to speed up at the end. So he slowed down, "Will you wear this ring?"
A disbelieving scoff erupted from her throat before she could stop it, "I don't know what to say, Cody."
"Say yes?"
She nodded tersely and looked into the scrap of diamond that sat at the crest of the ring. "I need to ask you one question, though."
He took the liberty of answering before she asked, "I'll never pressure you into doing anything you don't want to. Yes, I'll always be here for you. I won't-"
"Me or Zack?"
Shaking his head, he stayed quiet for a long second. Then: "I don't understand."
"If you had to choose, who would it be? Like, if the two of us were going to be killed and you could only save one of us, who would it be?" She said it like it was the plainest thing in the world.
He shook his head, "You know I can't answer that."
"But you have to. I have to know."
He rose from his knee and grasped her shoulders again. "I'd throw myself away to save both of you."
"That's not an option." She closed the black velvet box and pushed it back into the palm of his hand, "You have to answer the question, Cody. Thank about you answer very carefully. I'll be waiting for it. Until then, goodnight." And she turned and walked away.
He wove through the beams of sunlight to catch up to her before she ducked behind a corner, "Bailey, wait."
She turned slowly and looked expectantly into his eyes like it was the plainest thing in the world. "Do you have your answer?"
He jerked his head up and down once. "Zack. I'd choose Zack."
Her eyes fell to the sunsoaked floor, "You'd pick him over me?"
"Every time."
"I see."
For a long time nothing was said. Then: "You have to understand. It's not that plain and simple. He's my brother. My twin. I can't live without him. Please understand. I still love you, Bailey. I hope it never comes to that."
She shrugged, "So, you're sure? Zack is your answer then?"
"I'm sorry." And it was Cody's turn to spin around and walk off, heart feeling black as coal and empty as night.
"Then my answer is yes."
A broad smile danced on his lips then faded. "I don't get it."
"A man always puts his family first," she said. Like it was the plainest thing in the world. And the sun was gone and darkness filled the sky.
How'd you guys like it? Leave me a comment and tell me.
I am still here, just floating around in the background. The next chapter of 'Dreamer' is written, but I'm going to finish the story before I start updating again. I'm not going to promise a deadline, because (as you've seen) Deadlines and I aren't on the best of terms.
I may or may not write another short about Cody choosing Zack over Bailey, and then another about Cody facing her family after his decision to save his brother and let Bailey die. What do you guys think?