Airwalkers

Chapter 27: Keris and Ariah

Today is the big day. I've already asked Ariah to meet me at the library down the street from my house. Our friend, Carrie Thomas, is here waiting with me. I asked her to come because I was so nervous. 

"Hey, it's gonna be fine," She said, looking up from her phone to where I'm pacing a hole into the carpet. "You and Riah are two of the most in-love people I've ever met. She's gonna say yes, just you wait."

Riah and I didn't tell Carrie that we were dating; Carrie kinda figured it out on her own. She always says that she's our 'Number One Fangirl, second only to Iris.' 

"I-I know, but.... What if she's not ready? What if I bungle it somehow? What if I forget what I want to say?" 

"Well, then practice! Here, I'll be Riah. Now do your speechy-thing."

"Wait- what?"

She hurries me on. "Well? What are you waiting for? She'll be here any second!"

Keris asked me to come to the library today. He seemed a little disturbed, if the number of times he stuttered was any indication. I wonder what's going on.

"A-Ariah Quigly, I...."

"Keep going!"

"Well you are not Ariah, so this feels really weird!"

"Do it anyway!"

I mount the steps to the door, and go in. I look around for Keris but I don't see him. Guess I'll check the stacks, then. He likes the fairytale section, so I'll look there first.

"Ariah Quigly, I've loved you since the day you let me borrow a stack of your books...."

"Oh my gosh, you two are such nerds."

"Shut up, Carrie!"

"Fine!"

I think I hear Keris's voice coming from the Mystery/Fiction section.

"... I want to spend every last day I have with you. Ariah Quigly, will you marry me?"

Carrie fake-gasped. "Oh, Keris, I will! I love you too!" She said in a falsetto that sounded nothing like Ariah's voice.

"....-ill you marry me?"

I stop short. 

What?

"Oh, Keris, I will!"

Carrie?

What is going on? 

I stumble back, knocking some books off of a display nearby as I hurry to get away.

Crash!

I start, and lean backward out of the aisle to see what happened....

.....Just in time to see Ariah run out of the library, crying.

Oh no. 

-----------------------------

See, Keris isn't some kind of jerk! Shame on the people who believed that he could cheat on Ariah! How dare you look down on him like that! (I'm teasing. I know that all the evidence pointed to his being unfaithful, and I don't blame you for thinking that he was.)

Oh, by the way, for this particular flashback chapter,  Keris is kind of explaining it in real-time as the flashback happens. So the next chapter will start with Ariah's reaction to this chapter.

If it doesn't make sense right now, it should when you read the chapter!

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Love y'all,   

                                                             G.