For someone who wasn't fond of surprises, you'd expect them to atleast try and surprise you with a romantic gesture, but no. Instead, he gets you to discuss the plans to him!
He asked what would be a wonderful proposal would be for me, and someone who wasnt expecting much from the surprise hater decided to give him a level of expectation. As a university student, the first thought that came to mind was the elevator we kept using everyday. wouldn't that be something, waiting to get in, but then it opens to someone handing you flowers and asking the magic words.
He was interested, he asked for the details, this lazy man decided that this hopeless romantic can gush her little fantasy bubble on a monday night. It didnt stop me, as i believed, he was just getting ideas on what he can do.
Months would pass and without any thought, the topic just got burried under the medical books you've been cramming into your head. all that's left peeking a few times out of your mind is his promise that he would pop the question soon.
At a certain point in time, you've gotten yourself stuck with final exams and a certain someone's recurring nosebleed from the changes in weather. Quite irritating but they did say you always had that motherly attitude and you end up running from building to building when you get a call of "My nose is bleeding again."
No different from any of the days before. I was on the 5th floor hallway, reviewing for my exam with my friends. we had about 15 minutes before the professor releases the class before us and so we decided a few snacks along with a bit of q & a is in order.
But then, my phone rings. i groan as i check the caller id. I didnt have time for this. I answer asking whats wrong. Just like most of his calls for the past month, his nose is bleeding again and he doesnt have his bag where his stash of tissues are.
I asked where he was while i was preparing to sprint down with a pack of tissues. I still had 10 minutes. i can make it, probably. As luck would have it, he was on the ground floor of the same building, hiding inside the men's washroom. As soon as I ended the call, I ran for the elevator.
Luck was on my side when it was open with no other students present. No one was even going down from other floors. I managed to get down to the ground floor in just a few seconds. Lucky me!
I expected a 5'9 boy with curly hair waiting for me by the washroom's entrance. Except, it was his friend who decided to push me back inside the elevator, cramming the both of us with the students who were heading up.
"Where is he?" I asked confused
"The sinks were broken, there wasnt any water, he got in the elevator Nd went up to your room." this confuses me even more. there's another washroom by the stairs on the second floor, why bother going to the 5th? Is the school on a water shortage?
While we were inside, he asked me to hold on to a small box with a cupcake inside. there was a post-it note on the box with a bad drawing of a bicycle wheel.
The moment the Elevator opens to the second floor, his friend suddenly goes out. he smiles at me while and i notice a few of their other friends were behind him and they gave me a box.
It was a box of japanese donuts with a post-it note that had a drawing of a U-turn sign. I looked at them confused, but they smiled and the doors closed before i could ask.
On the third floor, the doors open again and it was one of our mutual friends, he handed me the new album Taylor Swift had at the time. I was a huge fan and on it was another note with a drawing of a bee. I'm starting to get a feeling i understood what's going on.
At this point I had random strangers with me on the elevator and they've begun asking what's the occassion. Some were curious, while other were joking "why are you the only one getting gifts?" or "Is this happening on every floor?"
On the 4th floor, another one of our mutual friend showed up and he gave me a book titled "the most important thing i know".
Behind him i could see his mates and my own friends peeking from corner. I guess they knew. On the book was another note that had a drawing of two stick figures. A boy and a girl, with a question mark on the girl.
I understood what all those drawings meant, and the stranger with me, who decided to stay and see how this all ends catches on too. Cheeks red and burning while huge grins formed behind me. We all got out on the 5th floor.
and there he was. just standing there, in his uniform, no nosebleed, no flowers, nothing. our friends got up from the stairs and were looking at us from the railings. the strangers from the elevator stopping to shamelessly watch us with front row access, and all he did was held up his hand.
i got closer to him, takind his hand while i balanced every gift i got in the other. He took the gift down and held my hands and placed his forehead on mine. everything went quiet. the only thing i heard was his soft whisper.
"will you be mine?"
Though most of it was planned. right out of my own head no less. His genuine smile, how i could see his awkwardness the moment he extended his hand, and the secure grip he had on me as he spun me around in an embrace when i said yes....makes the moment much better than i could ever hope for.
