"will you marry me"
Catherine woke up to the sound of Kyla's hair drier. As she rolled out of her bed, Kyla hurled a pillow at her.
"oh...not again!" Catherine thought to herself, but Kyla spoke on top of her voice.
"The princess is awake! prepare breakfast for her highness!"
Catherine tried to stuff her ears with the pillows, but Kyla grabbed her.
"what now Kyla I'm really tired today" she complained.
"oh come on don't be such a baby, weren't you invited?" kyla asked with excitement
"invited?" the words rang in Catherine's head.
"what do you mean?" she asked trying to sit up as Kyla let go of her.
kyla was taken aback.
"didn't you get a message from Greg?"she asked again reaching out to Catherine's phone, but Catherine was less concerned. she walked sluggishly to the bathroom and dunk her head into a basin filled with water.
"I still don't get it" Kyla complained as she punched the screen of Catherine's phone.
"don't beat yourself up Kyla, I didn't receive any invitation" Catherine yelled out to Kyla from the bathroom.
"but this is unlike Greg" kyla thought to herself, but shrugged.
"I'm leaving Cathy!" she said.
"Greg asked me to meet him at the "Grains restaurant, I promise I will be back before you know it" she said.
"want me to drop you off?" Catherine asked as she emerged from the bathroom with her hair dripping wet.
kyla looked her over.
"you've got to take care of all that" she said fixing her gaze at Catherine's nipples that were piercing through her night wear.
"you silly creature!" Catherine said as she hurried to her wardrobe. Kyla laughed.
"see you soon love! bye!" she said as she walked out of the room.
Kyla had no choice but to leave alone. She had gotten so used to going out with Catherine that she almost forgot she was also in a relationship with Greg.
Meanwhile, Catherine waited till it was nightfall to visit a friend downtown. she dressed up in the simplest clothes that no one could tell she was from a wealthy family. As she approached her car, a guy just about the same age as her walked up to her.
"Hey..." he said with a broad smile on his face.
"I'm Terrence" he said extending his hand for a hand shake. Catherine couldn't understand his intensions but she wasn't going to leave his hand hanging there either.
"Catherine..." she replied as she took his hand.
"I already know that..." he mumbled to himself.
"what did you say?" Catherine asked but he quickly spoke
"do you mind?" he asked as he looked at Catherine's car
"I think we are both going the same direction, was wondering if you could give me a lift." he said
"so many thoughts were running through Catherine's mind, like he could read them, he said
"don't worry I mean no harm Catherine, I'm Ryan's friend." Catherine's face brightened.
"really?" she asked
"yeah" Terrence beamed
"...then I guess you can join me" she said as she reached for her car keys in her pocket.
It was a long ride and no one spoke to the other, but Terrence kept stealing glances at Catherine. Just when she was about to ask him why, his phone rang.
"hello, Nathan, what's up with your voice?" he asked as he took the call.
Catherine was determined not to listen in on his conversation but Terrence's yell made her step on the brakes of the car without thinking twice.
"seriously? where? what building?" he yelled
"what's...what's going on" Catherine asked very worried, but Terrence gestured her to be quiet
"he was shot?!" he yelled again gripping his jacket in fear. At the sight of him, Catherine almost passed out in anxiety but tried to be calm at least till he was done with the call.
"yeah, she's here with me..." he continued
"we'd be there soon" he said and finally hung up the call.
"what's going on Terrence?" Catherine asked
"who was it you were speaking to? who was shot?" she asked breathlessly.
"RYAN!" Terrence replied as he gripped Catherine's hand.
"no...no...n..no this is a prank right?" she spoke visibly shivering.
"pull yourself together Catherine, we have to go to "sky high", that's where he was shot" Terrence spoke
"sk...sky high? you mean the building very close to Grains restaurant?" Catherine asked
"yes" Terrence replied,
"we have to take him to the hospital" he said
Catherine didn't ask anymore questions she drove at full speed to the building and dashing out of the car, Terrence followed her swiftly. As she ran to the elevator, so many thoughts came running through her mind.
"Please... please... please..." she kept saying as the elevator moved steadily to the roof of the building.
Getting there, she flung the door open and oblivious of anything else around her, as it was already so dark, she stared at the lifeless form underneath a white sheet with blood stains on it.
"Ryan?" she called out with a teary voice as she took a step forward.
She bent over the sheet and with shaky hands, she drew the covers away from the body. Like magic the whole roof was lit up making it possible to see the actual thing that had been lying beneath the sheet...a huge teddy bear!
Catherine would have been relieved at least, but the bold letters which spelt out the words "WILL YOU MARRY ME" kept her in her state of shock and confusion. Catherine picked out the card from the teddy bear's clutches and still shivering with fear, she stood to her feet. She looked around her and only then did she notice the decorations, the lightings, the romantic flowers that perfumed the whole place, and finally, the glamorous looking gentleman who was standing by the same door from which she had run in few minutes ago. He was holding a bouquet of red roses in one hand, and in the other, he was clutching something Catherine couldn't see.
"R..R...Ryan?" she called out in confusion.
Ryan walked to her, and standing so close like he was going to plant a kiss on her lips, he went down on his right knee.
"I thought I had it all..." he began
"...the wealth, the fame, the greatness, but I didn't know how much my soul longed for a mate, someone capable of giving it the happiness that even riches, powers and recognition are unable to give. I thought I had to sail an ocean or maybe soar high into the skies to find that perfect one, but I never knew you have always been right before my eyes, giving me all that makes me the joyful man I am today." he said, and taking Catherine's hand, he continued
"Today Cathy, I have become greedy, I do not wish to be joyful alone, but to be a fulfilled man as well; and that's why I have come to you to grant me this wish. please be my forever Cathy" he said as he opened up the ring box.
The diamond ring glittered in Catherine's eyes, but that was the least of her worries. As she threw down the card she had been holding, tears dropped from her eyes wetting her cheeks. She wasn't sure if they were tears of relieve that Ryan was alive or tears of happiness that he was proposing to her, but either way, she knew that she had to make a decision right here and now.
"y...y...yes!" she voiced out, and a loud cheer from everyone who had been hiding, almost deafened her. Ryan hurriedly adorned her finger with the ring and drew her into a warm embrace, and then a really wet and long kiss. As they smooched in the open, the others took pictures, while the famous band Ryan had invited before hand started off with a romantic lyrics. Kyla wiped a tear that had fallen from her eyes with Greg's handkerchief, and as he took her hand in his, he kissed the ring he had engaged her with hours before Catherine's arrival.