"No, no I think it needs to be grand,"
"It would be what everybody will be talking about..."
"Leave the event decor to me, my friend is flying in from Paris just for this."
"The theme would be white and gold? What do you say?"
Chaos, complete and utter chaos.
That impromptu proposal has wreck havoc, not only on my senses but on all of us.
Even before I could say yes, or demand what and why he's doing this when only yesterday he agreed he would let go of this topic, Alex took hold of my hand and slipped an extravagant ring onto my finger.
All things aside, I do not and I repeat DO NOT like my engagement ring at all.
Sighing loudly I surveyed the living room, mom and Raven were busy planning out the wedding of the year, with papers and magazines scattered all around the table, Maya dashing from one person to other shoving her phone at their faces.
Apparently, she's "exploring" Pinterest for ideas.
Dad and Matt are both just bobbing their heads up and down at whatever the women are saying.
As for my dear future husband, he's out on the patio busy with an urgent business call. Business call my ass, he's avoiding me and the mayhem he started.
I'll get him for this but right now I'm more worried about Matt.
After the engagement, he looked at me as if I just kicked Loren's newborn puppies. Which is to say something.
I get he's mad, after that incident in the parking lot I didn't get around to explaining to him anything, although he had a rough idea about Alex he doesn't really know where he stands in my life.
And now all of a sudden I'm an engaged woman ready to be married.
If it was Matt who would've got engaged like this out of the blue, I would have caused a scene, not like in front of everyone but I wouldn't stop bothering him until he spill every last detail.
But more than this I would've tried to be best friends with his girl, he on the other hand just congratulated me and left saying it's a family matter and we would want our privacy.
As if he isn't part of this family but I just know what will get him to forgive me.
Fishing out my phone, I went to stand by the windows overlooking the patio. "Knock knock," sending Matt a message I waited for his reply.
It shouldn't take long, we made this pact long ago that no matter how angry we're with each other we won't stop responding to a knock-knock joke.
And he didn't disappoint me when his reply came back within seconds, "Who's there? 😒" My smile broadened, pushing my spaghetti strap upwards I leaned against the sill, "Adore.😁"
I could barely control the laughter, he's so going to love this one, "Adore who?🤔"
"Adore is between us. Open up!😂😂"
I couldn't control the laughter that bubbled up. Instead of burping a text, my phone started to ring.
"Ha ha ha ha, you think this is funny?" he sounded serious but I could detect traces of laughter.
"Oh please, this is by far the best knock-knock joke you could've heard."
"I have a better one, wanna hear?"
"Humor me," I know his joke can't surpass mine but at least he's talking to me.
"Knock Knock,"
"Who's there?"
"A little old lady," I could hear him laugh and I bet it's going to be something just as silly.
"A little old lady who?"
"Dang! all this time I had no idea you could yodel," and he burst out laughing. It took me a minute but boy.
I had to give it to him, he sure knows his way around the jokes.
"We good?" crossing my fingers behind my back I just hope he won't go all serious once again.
I hear him taking a loud sigh before he asked in a somber tone, "Kara we were always good, weren't we? It's just... I just...I never really imagined... ugh "
There was a long pause enough to make me wonder if he hang up on me, but I can hear his breathing.
"Matt take a deep breath, it's okay sometimes it takes time to form a sentence, especially when someone is like you,"
"What do you mean someone like me," I was sensing he would get annoyed but he sounded breathy.
"Someone slow, feeble-minded, dimwit, dumb,"
"Alright shut up,"
We both started laughing together, this is the thing about friends, your conversations literally mean nothing to anyone but you two.
"What I wanted to know is will you be happy? He wasn't very patient, he literally slipped the ring onto your finger,"
He was concerned about me, if only he know.
I looked out the window and found Alex still busy on his phone, he was half shielded by the tree and the sun was shining down on him, making a halo behind him, brushing his hair aside he looked straight at me.
And at that moment something just clicked inside me, I know I'll be happy with him, the last few days have been a testament to this.
"Yes, Matt I'll be happy." Yes, it's that simple. This man has been a constant in my wildest dreams, someone I always admired from afar. Someone I want to bask in the presence of.
Yes, I'll be happy. Correction, we'll be happy.
"I'm happy for you then, although I still think you could do better than that bulldozer of a man," he still sounded a bit upset but that is natural, you're bound to dislike every partner your best friend likes or goes out with.
There is this constant feeling where you know that you won't get to have that person to yourself anymore, where you know you won't be the first person they would call anymore, you won't be their shoulder to cry anymore and most importantly your childhood is over.
The realization is like an ice-cold bucket of water.
"That man..." my hand was raised slightly to my ear but my phone was missing, for two apparent reasons 1 it got snatched and 2 it got snatched.
Turning around abruptly, I collided face first with a solid wall made out of cotton. Looking up at that bulldozer of a man I was just about to defend his new title but now I think I'll let Matt use it.
Frowning I looked up where he was keeping my phone, away from my reach.
"What are you doing, return my phone I was on a call,"
"You shouldn't really attend calls when we're in the middle of discussing our engagement date,"
The nerve of this man.
"The pot calling the kettle black?" Pushing my finger hard in his chest I once more demanded my phone back.
I was holding my left palm in front of his eyes, so there is no way he could mistake the meaning. I could try and fight for my phone but that is exactly what he wants and I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of that.
But instead of returning me my phone he just simply pressed it to his ear "She'll call you back," and with his other hand he intertwined his hand with mine, turning us towards the lounge he pocketed my phone.
I would beat some sense into him later but right now the way he's holding my hand and rubbing small circles in the inside of my palm, that small gesture made me swoon on the inside.
On the outside though, I retracted my hand and scowling at him went to sit beside Maya, drawing her near I put my head on her shoulder not because I wanted to hide my blushing face from Alex, nope, not at all but just because Maya has nice shoulders.
Yes, nice and firm shoulders, thinking about her shoulders my eyes darted to Alex's shoulders once. And I think I'd prefer his shoulders over anybody else.
"What are you smiling about," looking up at Maya I found her smirking.
"Shoulders," and I patted her's just for emphasis.
She moved her eyes between her shoulders and my face and made a face that clearly states, You've lost your marbles.
"Alex over here," Maya motioned for him and stood up offering her seat to him.
But before I could grab her arm, Alex swiftly sat next to me.
"She likes shoulders," she winked at me and looked pointedly towards him.
Anyone out there ready to have a sister, I'll gladly give you mine with a basket full of chocolates and totally free.
"What exactly about shoulders you like in particular," at his question I avoided looking at him and instead focused all my attention on what our parents were discussing not that I could take heed of anything at all, but it's better to pretend than to answer him.
"What do you say, Kara, Friday sounds good right?" Raven and my mom asked simultaneously and honestly, I've no idea what sounds right on Friday? Harry Potter movie marathon, a hot relaxing bath, or a steamy makeout sesh with Alex?
No Kara bad, you shouldn't be thinking about him like this when you're surrounded by family, smiling sheepishly I was about to ask them to repeat their question when suddenly I felt something cold touching the inside of my arm.
The cold sensation then traveled slowly to the inside of my elbow and then up again, I discreetly kicked Alex on the shin to stop his movements but he is one of a kind because he increased the pressure of his fingers making goosebumps rise on my arm.
I wanted to scream and push him away, and then pull him back and make out with him but instead, I plastered a big fake smile on my face and said, "Yes Friday does sound right,"
"Yayyy!!" Maya jumped so does Raven and mom laughing and clapping they all started to talk at once.
And at that instance, Alex stopped his movements, created a respectful distance between us and fished out my phone, and handed it to me.
Smiling a smile as real as Santa, he leaned in a little and kissed my cheek, "See you at our engagement party on Friday, fiance,"
Hold a damn minute our what?
Confused I tried to recall the conversation over and over in my head to remember when did we discuss anything remotely related to my engagement, and then it hit me like a train, sound good on Friday?
They were asking about the party?
I don't think I'm ready to face an entire army of Alex lovers or any women who think they stand a chance with him. I looked at myself again and then at Alex who was busy shaking hands with my father.
My eyes were drawn to my stomach rolls and then at his straight flat stomach hidden behind the shirt, he probably has a few 20 something packs too.
This impromptu engagement among the family was a different thing than facing a sea of people and knowing Raven she'll probably invite the whole city.
Groaning I went to my mom, because who else do you approach to solve all your problems.
"Aww sweety I can't wait for Friday, you can have my wedding dress although we would need to alter it a bit and see what else we need to change, you'll look so pretty in that dress, and ah your hair needs a little shaping," my mom went to talk at 120mph, moving me here and there to see how well her wedding dress would fit me.
She was literally shining and the glow she had. Squeezing my hands she was literally bouncing on the spot.
I don't have the heart to postpone the engagement party now.
I looked around at everyone and literally, everybody was smiling except for Max, who was just nodding, but that's normal because the last time anyone had seen him smile was when their company made their 1st million.
My eyes came in contact with a midnight blue pair of eyes and I smiled in spite of myself. Insecurities be damn, I guess I'm getting officially engaged this Friday.