On Opening A Crayon Box:
"Will you marry me?"
"No."
"Will you marry me?"
"No."
"Will you marry me?"
"Nope."
And she burst out laughing.
27 year old Oliver Oken threw his hands up in the air. "Miley, this isn't funny. Come on."
The pretty brunette sat opposite him, her blue eyes sparkling, her brown hair flying.
"This is so stupid Oliver. Why do you even have to practice?"
He scratched his head. He bit his lip. He didn't know.
"Exactly what I thought. You should just ask her without practicing it so much, it's going to ruin the moment."
"Miley, please. She's going to know I'm inexperienced."
"Well of course you're inexperienced. YOU'RE PROPOSING TO HER GODAMMIT. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'VE DONE IT BEFORE… have you?"
"Just pretend to be her okay?"
"Why me?"
"Cause he obviously can't ask me. Miles, just help the poor guy.", Jake Ryan, who had been sitting in a corner all this time, watching his best friend proposing to his fiancé, intervened, laughing and clutching his side.
Miley sighed in defeat. "Okay fine. God Oken, you so owe me. Let's get this over with."
He nodded.
"Will you mar-"
"Sweet nibblets, that's not how it's done. You be Lilly and let me be you."
The two friends exchanged positions. The mop haired brunette folded his legs together and batted his eyelashes. "Ready whenever you are Smokin' Oken.", he said in a falsetto.
Miley got up from her chair and went next to him. She dropped on one knee and took his hands in hers. (Jake was trying very, very hard not to laugh.) "Lilly, you're the love of my life, the apple of my eye. Will you marry me?"
"Mhmm."
And that was that…
"Why are you fidgeting so much?", Lilly asked.
"I must have had way too much water after the match in the morning. My bladder feels like it's going to burst."
"I'm picturing something I really don't want to see. Please go to the restroom before it comes spewing out."
He nodded. He excused himself. And he ran.
Who am I kidding? I can't propose to her! I can't do this. I. CAN. NOT.
Come on Oken. Be a man. You've practiced it enough times with Miley. She said so herself, you're ready.
You're right. I've planned for this day almost my entire life. I'm not going to cave. I'm ready. I can do this. I CAN do this. Breathe in, breathe out. Come on, that's it. In, out. In, out.
Once sure his frazzled nerves were calm, he walked out of the restroom door…
… and walked back into it immediately.
He pulled out his phone and pressed 4 on the speed dial.
A deep "Hey.", sounded from the other side.
"Jake I can't do this."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"I. Can. Not. Do. This.", our hero explained slowly, as if he was talking to a three year old.
"Why not? Come on Oken. This is Lilly you're talking about. You love her, remember?"
"Yeah, but what if she says no?"
"I can't deal with this, hold on a second, MILEY, come her a sec will you?"
"NO! No no no! No Miley please. She'll ki- oh, hey Miles."
"Shut up, and listen to me", her voice was like venom, calm, yet deadly. "I did NOT spend the past 4 days of my life helping you just so that you could chicken out. I am going to hang up in exactly two minutes. And when I do, I want you to wash your face, and go back to your table. And once you're sure you're ready, pull out the crayon box. That's what you have to do. It's simple. Do. Not. Mess. This. Up. Cause if you do, trust me Oken, there will be serious consequences.", and then a dial tone.
"You sure took a long time in there. Are you okay now?"
He nodded. "I'm fine", his voice came out a little squeaky.
She noticed. She raised just one perfectly arched eyebrow. But she didn't say anything.
"I, uh, went shopping today.", Oliver decided it was time.
Her eyes lit up. "Ooh, what did you buy?"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. He gently placed the box on the table.
Her blue eyes darkened. "Crayons?", she asked incredulously.
"Yep. A 64 pack, with a sharpener."
"Oh, um, thanks?"
"You're very welcome."
Awkward silence ensued.
"Don't you want to open it?"
"Uh, now? I was thinking about going home and opening it."
"No. open it now."
"What's with you?"
"Open it."
"Why now?"
"Open it."
And that's exactly what she did.
"I just don't see what the big fuss is ab-"she stopped mid sentence. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. She visibly paled. She held her breathe.
She picked the ring up and fingered it. She was in a trance. She had a far away look clearly etched on her beautiful face.
"Oh my God.", she whispered, so softly.
And quick as a flash Oliver Oken was in front of her, bent on one knee. He took her hands in his (just like how he practiced with Miley) and looked into her eyes.
"Lilly. You're the love of my life. The apple of my eye. My love for you is larger than the oceans and more than the number of stars. You are, and always will be, my one and only. I have one question, and only one question to ask you. Will you marry me?"
Her laughter resounded in his ears. A pleasant tinkle. "That was so cliché."
His face fell, his jaw dropped.
"I have one answer, and only one answer for you."
He looked up at her. This was it. No turning back. Please say yes. Please say yes. Please say-
"Yes."
… all was well.