Austin, Texas

Spending her morning assisting Kristin with her cheerleading, Sue Ellen later asked her mother if they could have a moment to speak in private.

"Mama, I meant what I said last night. I am done with blind dates. The pressure of everything I have going on right now is ruining the relationship I do have and I've decided to do something about it. From now on I will date who I want to and right now that is Clint, if he still wants me."

Anxious about the state of her relationship, she revealed more than she intended to. Her mother didn't like Clint and wouldn't be overly sympathetic to their issues, she knew that, which was why she tended to keep the two separate.

"I understand that you do things with my best interests at heart, but your meddling is starting to ruin other parts of my life and I can't have that. I will continue modelling and performing my Miss Austin duties and if I happen to make connections with notable people then that's fine. However, I will not be controlled to the point where I can't even decide what to do with my spare time. Please respect what I'm saying, I love you mama and I don't want to ruin our relationship, but I also can't have my life controlled for me."

Telling it like it was, she stayed firm.

Watching her mother, she wondered how she'd react, her face unreadable presently.

Taking her time, her mother finally opened her mouth to speak.

"I'll lay off you for a little while. However, I don't want you corrupting your sister, she may be our only hope now. So, when you are in this house you are to be the obedient lady that I taught you to be, and when your relationship with this Clint falls apart, because it will, I don't want to hear you crying about how difficult it is to find anyone worthy all on your own."

Dramatic in her response, Sue Ellen knew it was time to leave. She had the answer she wanted, everything else was unnecessary.

"Thank you. I'm going to go and see Clint now and then go back to campus, I still have a lot of schoolwork to catch up on."

Reaching his apartment not long after, she called knocked on the door waited for an answer. She'd decided not to call first, thinking it would be too easy for him to hang up on her without listening to what she had to say.

"Clint?"

Hearing movement behind the door, she knew he was home.

Answering her knocks, Clint stood behind the threshold, not inviting her in but also not slamming the door in her face.

Giving him her best wide-eyed, sweet expression, asking for forgiveness, she started to speak.

"Clint, I came to apologise so please just hear me out, I think you'll like what I have to say."

Still standing in the hallway, she was pleased when he opened the door and waved her in, showing a hint of a small smile.

"You use that look knowing the affect it has on me, that's not fair."

Walking over to the couch he invited her to sit down, politely asking whether she'd like a drink, things between then still a bit tense.

She hadn't called him all week and he hadn't called her, he was clearly still upset that she'd cancelled on his plans in favour of something her mother had arranged, and it didn't help that she was only now coming to apologise, after the fact.

"No thank you."

Sensing the chilly atmosphere, she wondered when things had gotten so bad between them. They'd had fights before, but never anything that resulted in them not speaking for a week. That said, she knew it was mostly her fault, her life had gotten so busy and she had prioritised many things before the man she loved. His response was understandable too, if he'd done to her what she'd done to him then she would be annoyed too.

"Look, I hate this, I know I was wrong and I'm so sorry. You were right, I am to blame for most of our issues and I've had all week to think about it. I know that my schedule has caused strain on our relationship and that I should have just stood up to my mother when it came to our time together. I came to tell you that I'm sorry and that I have decided to make some changes to my life. I want to prioritise our relationship so I've told my mother that no longer will I be the pawn in her plan to increase our social standing and wealth. I am going to live my life the way I want to, and that includes a relationship with you, if you'll have me."

Explaining herself, her final few words were a whisper compared to the rest of her comment. She was hoping that he could see she was being truthful and really did want things to improve. She didn't want to know what her life would be like if he gave up on them now.

"You really mean that?" running his fingernails across the palm of her hand, his actions sent shivers up her spine.

"I do, I love you, please believe me."

Closing the gap between them, he whispered, "I love you too," and kissed her, sweetly at first, but then more passionately.

The sound of a phone ringing interrupted their reunion.

"Don't answer it, just let it ring," she whispered.

"I have to, the only people that call on a Sunday are people with something important to say." Placing a soft kiss on her nose, he got up to answer the phone.

"Hello?" listening to the person on the other end, he nodded along in agreement with what they were saying. "Ok, as long as it's quick, I'll be right there. Ok yes, goodbye."

Listening herself, she could tell from the conversation that he was going to leave, which wasn't exactly how she'd expected their day together to go considering the reason they'd been separated the past week.

"I'm sorry, that was Andrew from work, they're locked out of the storage room and the security company only have a man at the front desk Monday to Friday. I'm the closest person that has a key. He said all I have to do is open the door and then I can leave, so it shouldn't take more than half an hour. You can wait here for me if you'd like, I would really like to spend the rest of the day with you."

Smiling apologetically, she understood.

"I'd like that. I'll make us some lunch and then maybe we can go for a walk or something this afternoon."

Seeing Clint off with a kiss and a promise to be quick, she set about making lunch.

Working with what Clint kept in his pantry and fridge, she prepared a few sandwiches and fruit slices, finishing quicker than expected.

Looking for things to do next, she saw that his bed was still unmade so walked into his bedroom to tidy up. Straightening up the picture frames and books on his desk something on his bedside table caught her eye. Intrigued, her curiosity got the better of her and she opened the small black box finding a beautiful sapphire engagement ring inside.

Looking the ring over, noting it looked expensive Sue Ellen wondered how long Clint had saved to buy the ring. Following that, a series of other questions went in circles through her mind. Was this what his special date night was supposed to be? Was he going to ask her to marry him?

They had spoken about marriage a number of times, but she'd always assumed it would come after college and that she would have a modelling career or something similar to help contribute to their financial wellbeing. Clint would get a good job with his engineering and physics degree but she didn't want to feel useless in her marriage and her mother's words throughout her life had had an effect on her. Modelling jobs paid well and life was expensive, any contribution she could make was worth it, especially if she was to choose love over wealth.

Staring at the ring, all the details of an engagement at this time in her life started to feel overwhelming. Pageants weren't her favourite activity but they did benefit her. Unfortunately, pageant contestants weren't allowed to be married, so they would have to hold off on the wedding until after the Miss Texas pageant and if she won, then after the Miss America pageant too. Of course, that was all in the future and she might not even win Miss Texas, but then there was the question about her modelling career. She expected she'd soon be with child after they were married and that would end her modelling days.

Sitting down, thoughts about her present and future made her feel ill. It was all becoming so real. She'd put so much into her identity as a model and a pageant queen and if she wasn't either one of those then who was she? She would be graduating in a few semesters and she didn't have much of a plan for her life if her situation were to change and she couldn't rely on her outward appearance anymore.

Hearing the door opening, relief flooded through her as Clint walked inside. Snapping the box shut, she put it back where she'd found it and left his bedroom. She was happy with Clint and none of the bad things she'd imagined had actually happened, nor had the good things, like an engagement or marriage. Worrying herself sick was unproductive and unnecessary.