Another week had passed since the wedding dress was bought and the wedding cake was ordered. It turned out exactly as Chris and Street had imagined and all disagreements between the two groomsmen were forgotten.

Street was waiting for Chris. Tonight they were going to meet at his place to continue planning Bonnie and Tan's wedding. The seating plan was finally ready, now it was about the decoration for the tables. Bonnie had already expressed her wishes regarding colors and flowers and for the finer details she let herself be surprised by the two groomsmen.

There was a knock at the door. Street walked over with a grin on his lips and opened. "Hey Street." Chris greeted him with two beer.
"Hi, come on in." he took the bottles from her and they both sat down on his sofa. They talked about the decoration and disscussed wildly, as always, what would look best now. Both had quite different ideas, but with compromises they always somehow came to a result.

After three hours they were done and Chris wanted to leave.
"Oh wait a minute. Do you want to see something?" Street asked like a little boy who wanted to reveal something secret. Chris looked a little surprised.
"Yeah sure, let me see." She followed him towards the dresser and Street pulled out a small black velvet box. Chris's eyes grew wide.
"Is that what I think it is?" she asked, delighted. Street just nodded and grinned.
"Look at that, doesn't it look totally beautiful? Tan really showed good taste, I think." Street looked to Chris, waiting for her response.
"Oh wow, it looks beautiful, Bonnie is going to love it." She laughed.

"It should fit you too, right Chris?"
"I don't know, but maybe I can put it on real quick?" Street took the ring out of the box fearfully, got down on one knee in front of Chris and took her left hand in his. Her eyes grew wide.
"Street, what the hell are you doing?" she became nervous and a slight panic spread inside her.
"Well, listen. If you're going to try on the ring, you might as well do it with all the stuff that goes with it." he smirked. "Chris Alonso. The first time I saw you, I knew you were the one I wanted to be with and spend my life with." Street paused.
"Street, stop it now, don't be crazy. Get up, come on." Chris blushed and wanted him to get up. But Street had other plans.
"You're just one of a kind Chris, your heart's in the right place and you know me like nobody else. You respect me with all my faults and thanks to you I am the way I am today. You showed me that it is worth fighting for something and not to lose trust in people." Chris avoided Street's gaze, she was terribly uncomfortable and felt something stirring in her stomach.
"Street, this is childish, now come on up." He continued to grin.
"Why? It's amusing." Now it was getting too silly for Chris. She jerked her hand out of his.
"Stop it. We can't have a conversation like this here, not after everything that's happened between us. I - I can't." She grabbed her jacket, opened the door, and ran out. Street was left totally confused. Had he been exaggerating? He was just trying to have a little fun... after all. He rose from his knees and sat down on his sofa, sighing. He still had the black box in his hand. He looked at it and suddenly went white.
"Oh damn." he ran out the door, hoping to still reach Chris. She was sitting in her truck, looking off into the distance. "CHRIIIIIIIIIIIS!. HEEEEEYYY WAAAAIITT!" Street yelled, but it was too late, she drove off. Out of breath, he stood there. "You still have the ring on..."

Chris had arrived at home and was sitting in her truck a little out of breath.

"Son of a bitch!" she pounded her wheel angrily. Her mind was on a roller coaster. Why did Street have to do this? Did he even mean what he said, or was it just a lot of fun for him? Oh God, had he noticed that I was blushing? His words touched my heart, damn it! I don't want that, I can't do that. Chris, pull yourself together...

Her hands still on the wheel, her eyes widened. "Shit, the ring. No, no, no, I still have the ring on, this can't be happening now..." desperation was written all over her face. She got out and slammed the door. She was so angry and scared and also kind of sad.

I have to return the ring back to Street right now, but, oh man, I can't go back to him now after this situation. He thinks I'm completely crazy. First I run away, only to stand in front of his door half an hour later...

She went into her apartment and sat down on the sofa. She couldn't go to him and she couldn't call him...

Street was in the kitchen, pacing nervously.

Shit, I think I really messed up again... I didn't want to scare or hurt Chris, I just wanted to tell her how I felt and I thought with the little game around the ring it wouldn't come across too serious. But did Chris even understand? Did she understand that I was serious, or did she think I was just kidding? Great, Jim Street, you've done it wonderfully again.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and started texting Chris. Whether that was good or bad, he didn't know...

Street deleted what he had just typed and sighed. What was he supposed to do? Should he drive to her place and try to defuse the situation? He didn't think twice, grabbed his keys and drove his bike to Chris' apartment. He stood in front of her door and wanted to knock, but he didn't and lowered his hand again. He took a deep breath, tightened his shoulders and then dared to knock after all.

Chris, who was curled up on her sofa thinking, heard the knocking, but she just wanted her peace now. The knocking became more and more energetic and did not stop. Annoyed, she walked towards the door and looked through the peephole. She rolled her eyes and exhaled. Street, who else? She didn't want to see him now, couldn't after all he'd told her earlier, but she had that stupid ring and he probably wanted it back.

"Chriiiihhiiis, hey I know you're there, your truck is downstairs. Please open up, I need to talk to you. I really messed up earlier and I'm sorry, I really am. - he wanted to continue talking when the door opened.
"Well come on in, the neighbors don't have to hear your stupidities, do they?" she tried to grin slightly, which she didn't quite manage.

Street ran after Chris toward the kitchen. She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Street sat down a little awkwardly on a chair and looked at her. He didn't dare look her in the eye, though, too afraid that she would kill him with her gaze. The silence was very uncomfortable and suffocating. Street gathered all his courage.
"Chris, I'm so sorry about earlier. I don't know what got into me. It must have been the whole situation, the ring, the upcoming wedding and well just you..." now he looked her in the eye and saw a confused and sad look from Chris. "Say something, please?" he almost pleaded. Chris bit her lip and sat down at the table with him.
"That the situation made you do this bullshit ok, but what did you mean to me just then?" did she even want to know? Why had she asked him that? Chris regretted it right away...
"When I came to you after Erika's death, I meant every word Chris. I can't think of anything else but being with you. I - I really have feelings for you Chris and I know now that it was wrong to tell you then, to tell you that night, but if I had lost you, I don't know where I would be today." he grabbed his heart with his right hand. Chris thought she had misheard, her eyes widened and panic spread through her again. Why the hell is he telling her this?

"Street, you know that it can't happen with us. This is a pipe dream of yours and it will never happen. Please stop saying things like that to me, I - "
"Why? Why should I stop saying that I want to be with you? Because you want it too and you can't admit it?" said Street in a slightly sterner tone. Chris' jaw almost dropped at his words. Damn, he was right, but there was no way she was going to let him know that. She tried to collect herself, closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Go now. Please."
"Chris, listen, I was just about to - "
"No Street, that's enough, go now. We need to make a cut here, otherwise things are going to get worse and we have the wedding to organize and we need to work together. Please go, now." Chris opened the door and gestured with her hand that the way out was clear for Street. She had tears in her eyes, but there was no way he could see them.
"Chris?" one last attempt by Street, but she just shook her head.