Started With A Rumor

Plot Twist

Sarah's POV

I fixed my pink dress for the hundredth time as I stood outside the restaurant at 7:12 pm. I took a deep breath before walking into the restaurant.

"Hi. Welcome to. . . Oh my gosh! You're Sunny! You must be meeting Jeremy. Right this way." I awkwardly smiled as I followed the hostess.

I narrowed my eyes when we turned a corner and walked down a hallway. I gasped when we approached a room. I looked around and saw that the other tables had roses and candles on them. There were actually about six tables, but only one of them had someone sitting at it. Jeremy was sitting with his back was to us.

"Hey," I said softly as I approached the table.

"Sarah!" He gasped as he stood up too quickly, almost knocking the table over making me giggle. "It's. . . It's great to see you. I. . .I started to think you weren't coming," he said softly.

"Yeah, sorry," I stuttered tucking my hair behind my ear. "I wasn't sure what to wear and I couldn't get a cab and then he took like three wrong turns and we ended up at this sketchy. . ."

I gasped when Jeremy pulled me into a hug. "I'm so sorry about the things I said to you. I was hungover and. . ." He pulled away and retucked the same piece of hair behind my ear. "No more lame ass excuses. Sarah, there's something I need to tell you."

"Jeremy," I said cutting him off. "It's. . . It's okay. And you were right," I shrugged, "this is just for publicity. I shouldn't have gotten so upset. Why don't we sit down and order? I'm starving."

"Yeah, okay." Jeremy stuttered as he pulled out my chair for me.

"And besides, it's not like there is anything real." I said softly, as I unfolded my napkin and put it on my lap.

"Yeah," Jeremy laughed. I looked up and watched as he sat down. Something seemed off about him. His shoulders were tense and it sounded like his laughter was forced. I opened my mouth to say something, but decided not to.

**********

Jeremy's POV

Dinner was awkward. It was like there was something we wanted to get off our chests, but neither one of us wanted to start.

As I sat across from her, I couldn't help but notice how her hair flowed over her shoulder. How her eyes were the most beautiful color. How when she laughed the world seemed brighter. How even eating her dinner she looked beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off her.

I have to tell her. I have to tell her how I feel. I can't just sit back and watch as she thinks I'm using her. I have to tell her. Right now.

"Sarah," I started.

"I can't do this anymore," she whispered looking at her wine glass.

My heart stopped. It felt like I had the wind knocked out of me. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, Jeremy," she said as she started to gather her things. "I thought I could do this but I. . . I just feel used and. . . I'm sorry."

"Sarah wait," I said grabbing her wrist before she could leave. "Please. Let's at least talk about this."

"Talk about it? There is nothing to talk about, Jeremy. It's not working. The "fake dating" thing is just. . . It's too much. I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore. I can't pretend to be head over heels for a guy who. . .who is only with me because he wants to improve his image and I'm the only way he can." She pulled her wrist out of my grasp and started to leave the restaurant.

"Sarah, stop." I said, stepping in front of her. "Let's talk about this. I mean. . . This isn't that bad. . . Is it?"

"Jeremy, this is all for publicity," Sarah sighed. "It's fake. Don't you understand that? You don't really care about me that way and I. . . It's not like what we have is even real. We've been acting, pretending. I mean, how long did you expect this to go one? That we were gonna fake this so long and end up getting married? I mean, that's insane." Her laugh came out forced.

"Really? Us getting married is such a crazy idea that it's laughable? Like me proposing could never happen? Like we could never actually get that far? Like I could never do this?"

And then I did the dumbest thing ever. I took her left hand and knelt down on one knee.

"Sarah Walters, you are the most amazing woman in the world. I've known that since the minute we met. Every day I have known you has been the best day of my life. I can't image my life without you and I don't want to. I love you and I want to be with you forever. So, Sarah "Sunny" Walters, will you marry me?"

In the corner of my eye, I saw our waitress walk into the room and then quickly run out.  I knew in that moment that I had officially gone too far.