Page 13 of The Broposal

“We’ve been together forever.” It was the closest to an “I’m ready” I could muster. All I knew was that I was light-years more ready to get married than to be alone.

“It’s true that you just got back together,” my dad said. “Maybe you should wait a couple of years.”

“I agree,” my mom added. “Statistically, couples who are together three years before marriage are less likely to divorce!”

“But we’ve been together since high school!” Jackie pleaded.

“In the course of a lifetime, what’s another year or two?” my dad asked, and I couldn’t bring myself to argue. I felt relieved, actually. If I was being honest, I wasn’t in any rush, and I was happy Jackie had no power over my parents, meaning she didn’t have control over how quickly we’d get married.

“A year…” Jackie paused, then squeezed my hand and got up to hug my parents. “Thank you so much! It might take us a year to plan a wedding anyway. Now all we need is a ring to make the engagement official!”

Shit. Jackie wasn’t really supposed to know about that ring.It was clear my mom wasn’t going to offer it, and that made me think they didn’t approve after all. I should have been upset about that, but I didn’t know how to feel. I wasn’t happy, but I also didn’t feel angry like I’d expected to if they said no.

I thought Jackie might ask for the ring outright if the conversation went on any longer, so I thanked my parents for the food and their approval, then excused myself and Jackie to pick Han up from work. It was only a half lie. Han wouldn’t be off work for another hour.

“Stay safe! Love you!” my mom said as she hugged me goodbye.

“Love you too.”

“Love you too!” Jackie repeated enthusiastically, but instead of saying it back, my mom offered a stiff goodbye hug. Luckily, Jackie didn’t seem to notice.

When we got in the car, Jackie slumped into her seat.

“I thought we were going on a date today?” She puffed out her bottom lip.

“What? We are,” I said, unsure where Jackie got the idea that we weren’t.

“You said you were going to pick up Han.”

“Yeah, babe. I just need to get him and drop him off at home, and then we’ll go on our date.” I’d told Jackie the plan earlier, but she always seemed disappointed when I didn’t cancel on Han.

“Why can’t Han walk home?”

“Because I told him I would take him home.” I didn’t mention that Han still had a messed-up ankle from his high school soccer days. It wasn’t too far of a drive from the restaurant to our apartment, but walking would take about an hour, and after Han’s long walk yesterday, there was no way he’d be able tomake another one without coming home in more pain than I ever cared to see him in.

“Well, it would mean a lot to me if we could go on our datenow.” Jackie slithered her hand onto my thigh while I drove. I made sure to keep my eyes on the road and not meet her pleading gaze.

“I can’t just ditch Han.” I sighed. I hated getting guilt-tripped. Like I was a bad boyfriend for being a good friend. Couldn’t I be good at both?

Jackie paused, and I could feel her sizing me up. “Bryan would have never done this to me…”

I tightened my grip on the wheel. Bryan was the guy she’d cheated on me with only a few months ago, the reason we’d been on a break. We were still working through it, but Jackie bringing him up was a serious low blow.

“Besides, Han’s an adult. He’ll be fine.” Jackie pouted and pulled her hand away from my thigh. “Seriously, I feel like you love him more than me.”

My fingers tightened around the wheel again. I didn’t like when she compared herself to Han. I hated the thought of having to compare two of the people I loved most. But… Han was the only person who I could really relax around. The only person who made sure I putmyselffirst. How could I possibly have loved anyone more than the most consistent, loyal, trustworthy person I’d ever met?

Somewhere deep down, I knew I was wrong for that. I should have loved the girl I was going to spend the rest of my life with more than my childhood best friend… right? My lack of an answer only angered her more.

“Kenny…” she started, and I could feel her eyes once again trained on me.

I kept my own on the road.

“Kenny.” She said it sternly this time. “If you had to choose between me and Han, who would you choose?” Her confident tone showed she had no idea the true answer.

“I’m not answering that, babe.”

“No. You have to choose. We can go on our date, or you can pick up your little boyfriend. It’s me or him. I’m serious. Who’s it going to be?”

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