Saving Tyler

TWENTY-SEVEN

Tyler

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Alec proposes.

My breath was caught in my throat; my heart is pounding against chest-- wanting to jump out of it's cage-- and the blush came to my cheeks like wind. I could practically hear my heartbeat in my ears.

I stare at him with my eyes wide, not knowing what to say. He just gave me a promise ring, he's going a bit too fast for my liking. I place my hand on my stomach, feeling sick.

Breathe, Tyler... In and out, in and out...

This is insane. He's taking too big of steps, I can't catch up. I almost threw up when he presented me the ring. He made me think he was proposing to me!

"Tyler, I know it's too much, but I want..." he says, but he cursed to himself. He looks at me, "I can't wait any longer. There's so many things I want to do with you. I-I'm ready to settle down with someone and that someone is you."

All I could do is blink at him. He's ready to settle down? He wants to do stuff with me? What the crap is going on? First Brianna focusing on college, second the stupid computer situation, then my father's plan, and now this? I feel like too many different worlds are pulling at me at once.

"Dammit, say something," he cursed, taking my hand that was on the table.

Was this why he wanted to have a dinner with me? So that he could serenade me with fancy drinks and food and offer me a promise ring and ask me out?

"You saw the engravement on the ring right?" he asks, not letting go of my hand.

I hesitated at first, but then nodded. I did see the engravement. The ring was simple. Made with platinum and a band of red going around the ring. Inside of the ring was a carving.

To us

I look down at his hand and we were wearing matching rings. I kept my eyes on it. How did I not see that all night?

He must've noticed I was staring at his matching ring because he had removed his hand from mine and removed the ring from his finger. He held it out.

"Read it," he says softly.

I grab the ring with a shaky hand. I lick my lips and looked at the engravement inside the ring.

7-7-15. Today's date.

Slowly, I look up at him. He was looking at me, fascinated with every movement I make. He had his head low and tilted. His brows were arched, and his eyes were on mine.

Butterflies had burst in my stomach.

He did everything for this night to be perfect as possible. He wanted me to know that he wasn't going to leave my side, that he wasn't going anywhere.

I realize, he is a man just looking for love. Something that he was missing for awhile now. And he had just found it. He found it in me.

He licks his lips, "I know it may not be the best way to ask you out, and I know it's a bit on the quick side, but I just want you to know that I don't plan on going anywhere. That I don't plan on letting people hurt you anymore." he clarifies, "I've been feeling this for awhile... I want there to be an us. Us against the world. Where you only matter to me and I only matter to you."

I nod my head slowly. I hand his ring back, and he grabs it from my hands. He squeezes onto it.

I play around with mine, staring down at it.