Page 11 of It Couldn't Be You
He punched the air excitedly, and it thrilled me. I rolled my eyes for show.
“Okay, but sixteen-year-old us didn’t have red wine.” Victor pointed to his glass.
“Put it away then,” Gabe said, deadpan. “Okay, let’s start with the guest of honor.”
“Who’s the guest of honor?” Ricky asked.
“Maggie, of course,” Gabe said. “Truth or dare?”
I felt for her shy self, so I stepped in. “Okay, okay, let’s take it easy on the newbie.”
He was enjoying messing with us—with me. “For sure. You know me.” Gabe defended himself as if shocked at the accusation.
Maggie laughed nervously. “I guess…truth?”
“Who is even asking?” Katie asked.
“Me,” Gabe said.
“What? Are you the keeper of the game?” I asked.
“I’ll ask for starters then she does the next one. The last answerer becomes the questioner. You guys, we’re not so old that we don’t remember how Truth or Dare goes,” Gabe said.
Though, once the game got going, we didn’t really stick to these rules. We were all joining in shouting out questions and dares until we settled on one as a group.
When it landed on me, it was technically Victor who asked me truth or dare, but when I chose Truth, it was Gabe who talked the group into asking if I was in love with Jordan.
“Yes,” I said confidently. I’d been sure I would love him since we were walking hand-in-hand on our first date. “Of course.”
“Told you it was a boring question,” Katie said. “I could’ve answered that one.”
Gabe narrowed his eyes at me. “Okay, I have another then.”
“Not how the game works,” I countered.
“I vote we get another question since the last one was so boring and easy,” Gabe said to the group.
“I mean, we could all just go to her Instagram and see she’s throwing around the word love,” Victor said. “So, yes, another question.”
“Sure, another question—but a juicy one,” Katie said.
“Wait, I’m not throwing around the word,” I defended myself. “Idolove him.”
“We get it,” Gabe said sourly.
“Em, we know. You guys have been together forever. Love is a given. Gabe is just behind the times,” Katie consoled me.
“Fine, another question,” I complied.
“If he asked you to marry him tomorrow, would you say yes?” Gabe asked.
Katie’s jaw dropped. My heart started beating so fast I felt it in my fingertips. It wasn’t that shocking of a question, right? I wanted to casually and coolly answer, but then, when I went to answer, I realized…I didn’t know how to answer. Yes didn’t feel right in my mouth. Maybe didn’t either.
If he asked me tomorrow…Tomorrow? We’d been together for a couple of years now. It wasn’t that crazy of an idea. But I couldn’t say yes. I wouldn’t want to marry him right now. But it felt cruel, or wrong, to say no. I’d be lucky if he asked me.
“That’s kind of…” Kind of what? I didn’t finish.
“Wouldn’t you say yes?” Katie asked me, her eyes wide.
