Diamond Ring

I've been lying in bed for an hour when I hear the door downstairs. I'm so tired tonight but my thoughts have been keeping me awake. As the footsteps on the stairs get louder, I shut my eyes. I pull the blankets up to my chin and roll on my side when I hear the creak of the top step.

The bedroom door opens and I hear Nicole's boots on the floor. I can tell she's trying to be quiet; she doesn't think I'm awake. The door shuts softly, there's a jingle of keys being dropped onto the dresser and a thud of boots being kicked off. Something thumps onto the bed next to me; probably her phone. Though I'm still faking sleep I know every move she's making because most nights I watch this routine and it's always exact.

I open my eyes when I know she's gone into the bathroom for a shower. Her phone is on her pillow, along with something else. A brown paper bag with red sharpie writing on it. My mind starts racing, curious to know what's inside, wanting to reach for the bag and tear it open. But I never invade Nicole's privacy; we have perfect trust between us. Except now. She's been lying to me all week and it's the thing that's been keeping me up tonight. She doesn't know I know. Not yet.

Fuck it, I think. I grab the back and gently open it. There's a little red box inside, smooth and shiny. I pull it out and open it; my jaw drops.

A ring? I'm staring at a diamond ring and my heart is fluttering. Nicole is preparing to propose and I'm preparing to start a fight. Does that make me a terrible girlfriend? No. She was the one who betrayed my trust. She should know this is coming. I just hope the ring isn't an apology. I shut the ring box and stuff it back in the bag. The shower stops and just as I'm putting the bag back in place the bathroom door opens.

"Waves?"

I don't think she saw me getting back under the covers but she definitely heard me moving. Fuck. I don't move a muscle.

"Waves, are you awake?" Nicole asks. She right beside the bed now, on my side. She leans over me and her wet hair drips on my face a little and I twitch at the coldness. "Sorry, babe." She steps away and there's silence for a moment. Then I hear her walk around to her side of the bed. "I know you're awake, Waverly."

I open my eyes and feel a warm rush through my body. Nicole evidently took the towel from around her body and wrapped her hair with it. Her naked body is in full view as she reaches for her dressing gown beside the bed. Then she pulls it on and I frown. Nicole sits beside me on the bed and kisses my head.

"What's the matter, cutie?"

"Nothing's the matter."

"Okay, then why were you fake sleeping to avoid me?"

"I wasn't," I snap defensively.

"Please, Waves? Did I do something wrong?"

"Yes. Very wrong!" I sit up angrily, ready to release all this built up tension.

"What did I do?"

"Like you don't know!"

"Is this about the time I kissed Wynonna?" She asks me, her eyes now avoiding mine.

"YOU WHAT?"

"Oh, you didn't know about that did you?" She backs up off the bed and stands instead. She's fiddles with her sleeve nervously.

I can't even begin to think about that so I shove it aside. "No, this is about you and your lies! I know you weren't at work this morning! I went in to bring you coffee since you'd been asked to come in earlier every day this week but still having to work until so late but they told me you hadn't! They said you'd started at noon all week! So you've just been lying to me! To get away from me or whatever!" It feels good to get that off my chest but only for a second. Now I just feel terrible for yelling at my girlfriend like that. We've had our share of fights but I've never yelled at her, not like that. I glance at her face and she looks miserable.

"God, it's not what you think. I hope you don't think I've been cheating, fuck, you haven't been sitting here all day thinking that, have you?" Her voice is loud and scared; the only hint of anger is directed at herself.

"What if I have?" I yell.

"I'd feel really shitty. I hope you know I'd never do that in a million years. It's nothing like that at all. I've been planning something, a surprise, for you."

"Surprise as in party or as in surprise I don't love you anymore?" I say angrily. Her eyes are now glistening with tears and she shakes her head at me.

"Baby, can you calm down? It's a good surprise. God, I guess I'm just shitty at planning these things. I love you so much, Waverly. I love you more than anything or anyone."

My heart drops as I remember the ring, which I forgot in the heat of all my anger and nerves, and realise a proposal is probably what she's been planning this week. Stupid, stupid Waverly. She probably doesn't want to marry me after this. I take a few deep breaths.

"I'm sorry. I've been working myself up about this all day. I've been so nervous thinking maybe you wanted to leave me."

"I could never. It's okay, I probably would've felt the same if I had to stew in my thoughts all day."

I sigh loudly and she sits on the bed again, closer than before, arms open. I melt into her as she wraps her arms around me. She smells sweet as she pulls the towel off her head and tosses it off the bed. I gasp as the cold, damp hair brushes my face. She kisses me and my insides fill with warmth. But then I remember something she said.

"You kissed my sister?"

"It was forever ago, before we were together. That night before she and I got kidnapped. You were having a party with your friends and we were at the station late. We were drinking on the office floor and it just happened. It was barely more than a peck. If I wasn't already pining after you then it might've been something more. But it wasn't and we agreed not to speak of it again, once we'd sobered up."

"Oh. Is she a better kisser than me?"

"Nobody is."

"What're you planning?"

"What? Oh, umm, it's a secret."

"I thought we didn't have secrets."

She rolls her eyes but smiles and reaches behind her back. I hear the paper bag ruffle as she pulls out the ring box. She holds the little red box up in the tiny space between us, still closed. Then she flicks it open and I try my best to be surprised. My attempt fails.

"You looked at it, didn't you? You sneaky sneak! Good thing it's for Wynonna and not for you!" She teases. I stick my tongue out at her childishly. She kisses me and the world melts away. I fall back against my pillow and she's on top of me. "Now you definitely have to wait, I might even return this and get you an ugly ring for when I ask."

"I'd marry you with any ring," I say through giggles as she tickles me. Her smile gets even bigger and I poke at one of her dimples. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Do I really have to wait?"

"Yep," she says with a cheeky grin. I pull her down so she's pressed against every inch of me and bite her lip.

"I think I can change your mind."