"Johnny! Johnny!" Jack Crusher ran at his friend from across the campus green.

"Hello, Jack! How was lab?"

"Eh great, great. Yeah it was great" Jack looked from side to side and pulled his friend under the shade of the campus' weeping willow. "Listen, eh," quickly he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "Listen, I was going to ask her tonight. What do you think of the ring?"

Jean Luc's stomach turned. Everything I've been dreading… But, he smiled, "let me see the ring".

Jack opened the small felt box. It was small. Simple. Nothing ostentatious.

"It's lovely, Jack. Best of luck, old boy! Tell me how it goes; I have to get to lab". He turned and left as quickly as he could. Should I say something? Is it too late? He knew he had to tell Beverly how he felt or he'd regret it. But, what if she didn't share his feelings? It would destroy their friendship that he cherished so much. It would ruin everything. No, he decided. I have to tell her. I have to tell Jack. He stopped in his tracks. She waved at him. Her class must have gotten out early and now she was walking towards him, "Jean Luc, how was class?" She smiled.

"Fine, eh, would you like to take a walk?" Don't say anything. Act normal. Be yourself.

Sensing a change, "Jean Luc what's wrong?"

"Um nothing. Why would you think that something was the matter? Nothing's the matter? Why would anything be the matter? I'm fine. I'm just fine. Perfectly normal-" Stop talking; you're making it worse!

Beverly turned to him, stopped and started laughing, "Jean Luc in the year that I have known you, you have consistently proven yourself to be a horrible liar. You even tried to tell me that my cooking was good despite the fact that you were clearly choking in distaste! Now tell me truthfully what's going on!"

"Beverly" he whispered, "I can't tell you because if I do… well if I do I might lose you as my friend".

"Jean Luc," she stepped into him, his eyes about level with her own, "nothing that you could say or do would make that happen. I know it's silly and I know that we don't get to spend all that much time together, but you're my best friend. When no one else understands, you do. I couldn't lose that even if I wanted to, so tell me really what's going on".

Here it goes, "Beverly, tonight Jack is going to propose and I… and I well for lack of a better way to phrase this…I…."

Clearly stunned, Beverly took a step back, her knees hitting a park bench, and sat down. Following suite, he sat next to her: "And what, Jean Luc – you what?" Please say it, please say it she repeated to herself as a mantra. "I, I can't let you say yes, if that's what you are going to say without having told you how I feel, how I've felt since the first moment that I met you 2 years ago. I love you. And well I just wanted to tell you that. I know it's selfish of me and if you never want to see me again I completely understand. That's all" he whispered.

She hung her head and let out the breath she'd been holding. Slowly a tear traveled in a clear trajectory down her perfect cheek, landing in a wet plop on her hand. She smiled and looked at him, "I've wanted you to say that. I've wanted to hear you say that so badly".