"Will you marry me?" John peered into Sandra's eyes, a wide smile attached to his face.
A little crowd of strangers strolling began to gather around the park because it was obvious a man was on his knees, holding up a ring to a beautiful young lady.
It was a sunny but warm Saturday afternoon. The sun was at its highest point in the luminous blue sky, shining down its warmth on everyone.
It was on this day that John Sanders decided to propose to Sandra, the love of his life. The only woman out of many that he, and his heart had chosen to live the rest of his life with.
Holding the ring in his hand, John was already visualizing how Sandra would scream her heart out to the world. And how she would jump up and down excitedly, and then push her hand forth.
The crowd gathering around the park were recording the moment, and that brought a pang of fear to his heart. The smile on his face widened. He need not worry. It would only help heighten his popularity. That he, John Sanders, who was horrible at love had finally found love.
He knew Sandra would never reject him. Who would reject a billionaire's proposal? Absolutely no one! They both loved each other. There was no denial in that.
"No." Came the voice of Sandra. It was filled with so much clarity.
The crowd who were bustling with joy over the couple suddenly turned silent. The ones who ceased to record suddenly brought out their phone to record the moment. They've found a sight to increase their popularity in social media.
The smile faded off John's face. 'No' Sandra's voice echoed in his ears. 'No' He seemed to have a strong sense of déja vù. NO? Why no? Where did he go wrong? Was the ring not expensive enough?
"No, absolutely not. And get up, people are staring." Sandra said with so much bluntness.
John's face was damped with sweat as his eyes darted at the crowd. He did as told with shivering legs, they felt like rubber.
"Sandra pls don't do this to me. Don't you love me?" Johns asked. He couldn't deal with another rejection.
Sandra let out a sigh. "I love you John, but I can't marry you. I need a man, a grown one, and not a man-child."
John's eyes flared red, veins popping on his forehead, he asked, "A man-child?"
"There we go again. Exactly why do I refer to you as that? Why are you always like this?" Sandra rolled her eyes.
"Like what?"
"This... Very childish. You are not worth my love John. When you are more mature, I'll think about it. Bye." Sandra left. Just like that.
John thought over Sandra's words. How was he not worth her love? She was only after all a daughter of his mother's driver. How could she refer to him as a child when he decided to give her a chance? No, this is not acceptable. He needs to teach her a lesson. There should be no thinking for her.
His nostrils flared as his eyes searched around the crowd. He wanted Sandra to take back her words. His eyes spotted a black beauty in the crowd. She was even more pretty than Sandra. The love he had for Sandra vanished at that moment and he wondered why he'd trapped himself in it.
With just a voice ringing in his head. "Teach Sandra a lesson. Make her get on her knees to beg you to take her back." He strode towards the girl he spotted.
The crowd was already shocked and the girl herself was in the limelight. Her dark face turned paler, if possible; and her mouth was wide open as words were unable to come out.
"What are you doing?" She hugged her bag tight as John got on his knees.
A TikToker beside her was already recording the event, saying out sentences that were attention-catching.
"I believe you will give me some face," John said and inserted the ring on her finger.
A smirk hung at the corner of his lips when he noticed no sign of resistance. He certainly expected no rejection from her. He was after all that wealthy billionaire. A 'no' would no longer be accepted. Not anymore.
***-***-***
____________
Fikayomi:
She never expected to be fished out randomly and be proposed to. Albeit the scene was sad, it was amusing too. She was just going to get a product from a street away; she didn't expect to witness a proposal.
And it had to be the famous John Sanders, the one rumoured to be bad at love. 'Does he never get tired?' She had thought to herself.
That was not the first time he had tried to propose to his girlfriends, in the same park. But the only reply he got was rejection, so much so that it had turned into some kind of game.
Everyone knew that John Sanders was indeed arrogant. All of his exes had complained about that when asked in interviews. Some of them said he was self-centred. But all of this could just be rumours to ruin his business.
But damn! Sandra did him badly, to be honest. She should have told him those sensitive words in private. Sandra was a friend, a close one at that. And she had complained a lot about her relationship with John. She once said he looked down on her and he-
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw the man who was once absorbed in sorrow minutes ago moving towards her.
What was going on? She looked around. There were a few girls around her, and they were acting just like her. Who amongst them was he moving toward? And when he was a few steps away from her, she held her breath.
His eyes were glaringly red and they were fixed on her. When the people noticed he was coming for her, they paved the way, and she stood in the middle. The spotlight was on her.
She hugged her bag tight as he got on a knee.
"I believe you will give me some face," John muttered to her before slipping the ring on her finger.
This was all being recorded but she decided to play along for now. This could be a way of getting more popular. Maybe people would even dig her up and visit her TikTok and Instagram page. She could already taste the amount of followers notifications she would receive.
But then, what if people suddenly call her a gold digger for accepting too easily? Or would she be blamed for being too nice, so that John wouldn't face more embarrassment in a day?
How will Sandra feel too? Heartbroken? She did well by not accepting but she, Fikayomi just accepted. That was the most stupid thing she had ever done in her life. 'I think I should reject it.'
"Mr John..." She called but John had already walked off. He was almost by his car.
Even the crowd that surrounded her had almost dispersed. She bit the inside of her cheeks.
"It's not like the engagement is official. Everyone can tell it's done by anger." She hissed at herself.
She decided to forget about it all and go to purchase what she wanted. Her baby brother was waiting. She needed to go and attend to him.
However, once it was nightfall, she would calmly lie on the bed, with her two brothers beside her. She planned to check out gossip news on the internet. The incident was sure to be the first trending news. She hoped for positivity and an increase in her followers.