"Those Reminiscent Memories" by Maya A

     When you’ve known someone for so long, it’s hard to just forget them just like that; to
just stop loving the way they laugh, smile, the way they hold their head when focused or the
wrinkles they gather upon their brow when confused. I still remember that day very clearly when
she asked, “Could we talk…” I, of course, unconditionally said yes, because I was already
planning something of my very own that evening. I was on cloud nine the whole day.
We’ve been dating for three years already and I was ready to finally ask her the most life
changing question. I had the perfect restaurant, the perfect band that would play and the perfect
suit that I would wear. We had decided to drive separately to the restaurant, and I didn’t think
anything of it, but the tone of her voice sounded unusual as if she were distressed, or worried
about something. I didn't think too much about it as I hung up the call and started getting
dressed. I called the restaurant to double check the reservation, made sure I had the ring and
headed out the door. When I arrived she was already inside, and it took a lot out of me not to
skip to the table knowing that later tonight, I could finally call her my fiancé. I walked up to the
table calmly and gently kissed her cheek. I felt as though she slightly turned her head but I
figured I was my imagination. I sat across from her and she began to fidget so I started with
some small talk. She replied vaguely which I was thought was very unusual so I figured I would
cheer her up by proposing. I excused myself and asked the waiter for the band to be played in
two minutes. As I sat down in my seat, she said, “Let's talk.”
     I stared into her eyes and realized it was serious. I sat down glancing around the
restaurant for the band to show up any minute now. I grabbed the ring, and as I was bringing it
above the table cloth she said she wanted to speak first. I slightly lowered the ring to my thigh
then turned because I could hear the song I requested playing. I turned to look at her face and she
was flabbergasted, watching the band slowly travel to our table and the other customers of the
restaurant turning our way. I began to get up and she grabbed my arm as if to stop me and
jokingly shook it off and she clenched her hand together and looked down. As I got down on one
knee and opened the box she looked at the ring. I started to form the words “Will you marry
me?” and she said, “I know you wanted to be loved but, I don’t love you; all these years I just
didn’t have the heart to tell you, you weren’t the love of my life.”
     So many things went through my head in that moment. Our future was over; everything
that I worked for was gone. Just like that. I bit my lip trying to hold back the explosion of tears
waiting to happen and clenched the box with the engagement ring. As my eyes stayed fixated on
her big, blue, watery eyes, my legs began to tremble and I slowly rose from the floor, hearing her
say,
     “I’m sorry.”