On My Way To Mr. Right

Chapter 34

I had gotten mere moments into my nap before I felt something drop on my feet. Glancing with one eye open and one eye closed, I saw it was a small blue box wrapped with a white ribbon. I looked up at James to see him cautiously watching my next moves.

Like a cat owner waiting for their cats to respond to their attempts at interaction, James sat frozen.

I pick up the box and raised my eyebrows at him.

“Open it,” he whispered softly with his deep, low voice.

“If this is a prank,” I started, ready to throw the box at him if he was indeed making fun of me again.

“No, that’s not a prank. Just for fork’s sake, Lottie, open it.”

I raise an eyebrow at his raised voice and he looks at me again with petty eyes. I unwrap the ribbon and opened the box to see a charming silver necklace with a teardrop pendant. I looked back up at him again and there he was smiling his goofy smile.

“Will you be my date to the formal, Charlotte Smith?” He says, kneeling on one knee.

“James,” I was lost for words on what to say to him. I slept last night knowing with confidence that even though I liked him and he liked me back, I wasn’t going to pursue a relationship with him. Dating was a big commitment and a big leap from being friends. It was a leap that I couldn’t back out of. I didn’t want us to break each other’s hearts days down the road.

He notices my hesitation and takes the necklace from its box, unclasping it and motioning to put it over my neck. I didn’t budge. But I didn’t reject his actions.

“Also, this was supposed to go more smoothly and may be grander and more romantic, but your hangry and sleepless moments are more than I can conquer hungry I want to be your boyfriend.”

He announced with a shaky voice and rather loudly. Thankfully, no one else was around to hear us. He returns to his seat and I get a moment to admire the sweet and dainty necklace around my neck. It was a thin silver chain necklace. The teardrop was shaped geometrically, with edges. The center part looked like it was made from a gem. I couldn’t tell if it was real or not. But it looked like it was.

My head snaps back up to him, with a curious look.

“Is this topaz?”

He could not have remembered. It was years ago.

“Yes.”

No.

“Swiss blue.”

His lopsided smile said it all.

With no hesitation, I jumped up to hug him even as we fell to the floor.

“Whoa, calm down. The librarian is not a big fan of mine. I wouldn’t want to risk detention right now with my grades, okay?” He laughs, helping me get up from the floor.

I looked up at him. His round blue eyes. The blue topaz of the necklace almost matched it.

I can’t believe he remembered. When we first met, I was gazing upon some rocks by the river on the edge of town during a school field trip. I wanted to take home some to try the new rock tumbler dad got me. I had heard from some video clips online that even the rarest gemstones can be found in the luckiest of spots. I wished that the riverside was lucky. I wanted to find a topaz stone so badly. He approached me, asked what I was looking for, and with no hesitation, helped me look for one.

Although, I’m pretty sure he had no idea what a topaz looked like that day. I wasn’t surprised when we didn’t find one. But he did help me load up two handfuls of stones and pebbles for me to try on the rock tumbler.

We’ve been friends since then.

“You jerk. How much did you spend on this?” I smacked his arm lightly. Quality Swiss Blue Topaz could go for $2.5k a carat. I’m sure this wasn’t cheap.

“Not much. Just a couple of weekends of mowing the neighbor’s lawns and side hustles.”

“Side hustles?!” My mind instantly goes to drugs and other shady businesses.

“Not the illegal kind,” He reassures, and my mind is put at ease. “Just dancing stuff. The skill pays, you know.”

My heart warms at the thought of him going through all that effort to get me something special. It almost made me feel guilty. I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. But damn it, here was the sweetest guy on the planet. Damn friendship.

“Yes,” I muttered even though I wasn’t entirely convinced myself. “I want you to be my date and my boyfriend.”

“No?” His smile slowly widens. He shakes his head in disbelief and I share the glee with him. He starts to jump up and down, and after a few minutes, he picks me up and twirls me around in a hug.

“Goddamit, Lottie. It’s too early for me to be this happy. But damn,” He grabs me by my cheeks and places a kiss softly on my forehead. “You make me so happy.”

I felt giddy inside. I was beyond exhilarated. But a part of me anticipated the relationship, with my experience with Adrian in mind. I cannot let myself get too invested as I had before.

After he had calmed down, we sat back down on the beanbag chairs, pulling the seats closer. It was a little bit awkward. We had come from friends. A mere title wasn’t going to change everything in a matter of minutes.

He takes my arm in his hands and stares at me, which weirded me out even more.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“I don’t know. I just can’t believe it,” he answers with a broad grin. He tried to suppress it but every time he said something, it would show. “You’re my girlfriend.”

“I can’t believe you remember my favorite stone, though.”

“How could I not? You were the most adorable kid on that field trip.”

Just then, his phone lights up to show a text message. He had it in one hand and so, I managed to catch a glance at his wallpaper, which was a plain colored Swiss blue.

“Is that the same color?” I asked, calling his attention. I didn’t even take notice of whoever messaged him. His sentimental abilities surprised me.

“It serves as my reminder,” he explains. “You know I don’t have the greatest memory.”

I do.

I don’t know how to explain it but my heart was full of warm thoughts and feelings at that moment. James has never surprised me as much as he did right now. I always knew he was caring and kind, and that I held a special place in his heart, acknowledging how differently he treated me from his other friends or acquaintances. But knowing just how special and significant I was to him was beyond my comprehension. Even Adrian didn’t give this much attention to detail – or me when we dated.

“Can I hug you?” He asks as I let my mind wander in his soft blue eyes. Even his eyes reminded me of the topaz. Or the topaz reminds me of his eyes. Either which really.

I snuggle under his arms, blatantly aware that the old librarian would never take the time to roam an empty library, anyway. James’ figure was considerably bigger than mine so that whenever we’d stand side by side, he’d tower over me. He was also a basketball athlete and a dancer, which helped him preserve his slim but toned torso.

His arms take me in almost whole and I enjoy the comfort and security his arms provided me while I have the chance.