CHAPTER 12
The last few months of school passed by in a blur. Devan was so busy with classes, hanging with Jessie every evening, and sleeping with Ron every night that before she knew it exams were over and her and Jessie sat in the girls bathroom getting ready for the grad party.
"I'm so excited to see Charlie tonight," Jessie announced for the millionth time.
"I know," Devan said rolling her eyes.
"I'm really sorry Devan," Jessie said apologetically. "I know I haven't been…easy to be around these past few months but I want you to know that I appreciate you as a friend even more than you probably know."
"It's cool Jessie. I know you miss him. I'd probably be the same way if I didn't get to see Ron every day."
"Yeah," Jessie sighed. "I know it hasn't been easy for you and Ron either. I don't think he likes me very much…" Jessie frowned.
Devan grimaced. Her and Ron have had a couple of arguments because of Devan feeling like she had to spend so much time with Jessie. "It's not that he doesn't like you…he just doesn't like sharing me with you."
Jessie laughed. "That's fair I guess, well either way he can have you all he wants during the summer. Charlie and I are gonna be too busy if you know what I mean."
Devan rolled her eyes. "EVERYONE knows what you mean Jessie." They both laughed.
"Well, at any rate you're definitely going to be getting some action tonight. That dress makes you look H-O-T HOT!"
Devan blushed. Ron had purchased the little red dress for her, even with Devan's objection. He insisted that if his woman was going to wear what he wanted her to wear, than he must pay for it. Devan knew she looked good though.
"Yeah," Devan laughed, "Ron has really good taste."
Jessie grinned at her and they continued getting ready. They gossiped and over-applied their make-up and before they knew it it was time to go to the Room of Requirement for the party. Ron had gone down earlier, as per usual he was bartending for the first part of the evening. Devan was excited to see him work.
Jessie had practically run to the room, so they made it there in no time flat. There was a couple other people in the room, but for the most part it was still pretty empty. Charlie was helping Ron behind the bar so Jessie ran over to him, leaving Devan to perch on a stool by herself.
"What's cooking good looking?" Ron asked, appearing behind the bar.
He was wearing a black dress shirt tucked into a pair of dark blue jeans. Devan blushed. He looked amazing.
"You look hot," Devan said out loud, making Ron blush a little bit.
"You look hotter," Ron replied, winking at Devan. "Well I guess I lost my help," Ron said nodding over to where Jessie and Charlie were making out.
"Can I help?" Devan asked.
"Sure. You can cut some limes." He handed her a cutting board, knife, and a box of limes.
Devan worked quickly but Ron was quicker. In the time it took her to finish cutting the limes Ron had set up the rest of the bar and the room was now packed with people. Charlie and Jessie had disappeared to no ones surprise.
"Show time," Ron announced before making his way down to a group of giggling girls at the other end of the bar.
Devan watched Ron work for a while before deciding to go and find Jessie and Charlie. She found them sitting in a corner booth, Jessie practically straddling them. They were giggling and whispering softly. Devan felt like she was intruding but decided to sit down across from them anyways.
Devan cleared her throat. "Hi guys," she said announcing her presence.
Jessie slowly pulled herself off Charlie and sat down right beside him.
"No Ron?" She asked, wiping at at the corners of her mouth where her lipstick was smudged.
"No everyone wants to get smashed so he hasn't been able to get away yet. Should be anytime though." Devan sighed.
The three of them starting talking about all the things that they should do during the summer. Charlie told them of a pond that was only a short hike away from the burrow where he and his siblings used to hang out in the summer. There was a tire swing there and it seemed like the sun was always shining. Devan had just started day dreaming about all the afternoons that her and Ron could spend there alone when Ron appeared, sliding in beside her and placing his arm around her.
"Whatcha guys talking about?" He asked with a boyish grin on his face.
"Talking about all the amazing things we are going to do this summer," Jessie said warmly, not taking her eyes off Charlie.
"Actually, there is one other thing that I would really like to do this summer Jessie, if you want to," Charlie said.
Jessie looked at him quizzically. "If it's with you then I don't care what it is!"
"Well that's a good attitude to have I guess, because I wanted to ask you something." Charlie smiled, and slid out of the booth.
He got down on one knee. Devan gasped, and looked over at Jessie. Her face had gone stock white, and she stared at Charlie. Devan than looked over at Ron who was smirking knowingly. Devans eyes rolled internally. Of course he knew about this.
"Jessie, when I first laid eyes on you were telling off a baby dragon for eating your lunch. I had never seen such fire and passion for such a ridiculous cause. I knew that I had to talk to you. And I was so glad that I did because it only took a five minute conversation with you to realize that I loved you. In those five minutes I knew your life's ambitions. You were a girl who knew what you wanted and you weren't afraid to get it. I admired you. Then you said yes to dinner with me and that was the best night of my life. I knew that night that I wanted to marry you. But I also knew I had to play it cool because there is no way you would've stuck with me if I wanted to be the huge romantic dork that I wanted to be. But I decided I didn't care. I decided to be that dork. I wanna be the dork that loves you and follows you through all of yours life's adventures. It would mean the world to me if you said yes. Jessie, my sweetheart, will you marry me?"
If there wasn't music blasting the room would be silent. There were several onlookers all staring at Jessie in anticipation. Tears ran freely down her cheeks and when she tried to respond all she did was sob. Charlie looked worried for a second, but then Jessie nodded. Charlies faced lit up and he pulled a small ring out of his back pocket. The diamond was blood red, and matched Jessie's hair perfectly. He slid it on her finger and kissed it before embracing her. The room had erupted in loud cheers and Devan and Ron got up to hug the two of them. It wasn't long before everyone had come over to congratulate them and they slowly made their way out of the room, grinning and hugging people as they left.
Devan turned to Ron and smiled at him. He looked happy, but at the same time had a sad look on his face. "Let's get out of here," he whispered to her and pulled her through the now dispersing crowd.
They slid into the first empty classroom they could find and locked the door behind them. They kissed only for a moment before Ron pulled away and sat on a desk, pulling Devan closer to him.
"Jessie is going to be insufferable now while planning this wedding," he grumbled.
Devan frowned. "I think it's going to be fun. And at least she won't be miserable now."
"You're going to be too busy with her planning the wedding with her to hang out with me this summer." Ron said flatly.
"Don't be ridiculous," Devan said grumpily. "I want to spend the summer with you. Besides, helping plan the wedding will be good practice," she teased.
Ron looked at her, affronted. "Devan…I don't want to get married."
Devan's face fell. "What?"
"Life's too short. I can't be tied down, even if it is with an amazing girl like you. I'd rather just have a good time and not have to worry about a wife or kids."
Devan felt the tears coming as she came to the realization that she might not have the future she wants with Ron. She stepped away from him and stared out the window. "'When were you planning on telling me this?"
Ron hopped down off the desk. "I didn't think it would be that big of a deal. Besides, you never told me you'd want to get married.
"No, I was just considering moving my whole life literally across the world because I wanted to hang out with you," Devan spat.
"Well fuck Devan! What am I supposed to do? Change the way I feel about marriage to appease you?" Ron sounded agitated. It scared Devan a little.
"Of course not! I just figured that you knew what you were asking me when you wanted me to stay on this side of the world. I figured that someday we could be more than just people hanging out. I fucking love you Ron. Why am I crazy for wanting to get married?"
"Because marriage is barbaric! Humans weren't meant to be tied to one person. Besides, half of all marriages end in divorce. Who wants to go through that?"
Tears flowed down Devan's cheeks. "Yeah I guess it's better now than years from now when the paperwork might be too inconvenient for you."
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Ron said angrily, almost shouting.
"It means Ron," Devan said hysterically, her voice catching in her throat, "That I can't be with you if you are never going to marry me!" She shouted the last few words.
Ron stared at Devan for a few seconds before she looked away, her cheeks hot. She looked up in time to see Ron punch the wall beside the door and exit, slamming the door behind him. He left Devan alone in the classroom where she slumped down to the floor and begun to sob.
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Well, naturally I do two chapters in one day…..and only three more till it's over! ooooooooo
