�Better Than Best� Chapter 18: The Burning Question

I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. �What Dan?�

�What happened that night after I left?� Dan asked.

�What?� I asked taken aback. �I called Matt back.�

�And?� Dan prompted.

�And I threw your ring at the door,� I said disappointed. �Is that all you wanted to ask?�

Dan laughed. �What? Did you think I was going to ask you to marry me?�

I laughed uncomfortably. �No. I didn�t think that.�

Dan stopped laughing. �So, will you?�

�Will I what?� I said as I tried to control my giggles.

�Will you marry me?� Dan pulled a ring from his pocket.

I gasped. For am minute all I could do was stare at the ring. It was a gold band with a heart shaped diamond. On either side were heart shaped rubies. It was beautiful. I realized that he was waiting for my answer. I tore my gaze away from the ring and looked into his eyes.

�Jenna, you don�t have to answer now,� Dan said setting the ring down on the table. �I shouldn�t have asked.�

�No, Dan, it was a great thing that you asked, but I just� I just� excuse me for a minute,� I said getting up from the table and trying not to run to the rest room.

Once inside the ladies room, I locked myself in a stall and sat there in shock. I couldn�t believe he had asked me to marry him. I was too young to be thinking about things like that. I dug out my cell phone and called Ashley.

He answered on the third ring, just as I was about to hang up. �Hello?� he asked out of breath.

�Ash?� I replied, tears filling my eyes.

�Oh my gosh, Jenna, what�s wrong?� Ashley asked me.

�Ash, Dan asked me to marry him tonight at dinner,� I let the tears slip down my face.

�He did what?� Ashley asked shocked.

�I know, that�s how I felt. But I knew it was coming, more or less,� I said.

�What did you say?� Ashley asked already knowing the answer.

�I didn�t say anything. I ran to the ladies room and locked myself into a stall,� I said.

�You�re where?� he asked.

�Oh gosh, this is so like me. Running from my problems. Who knew that Dan asking me to marry him was a problem?� I laughed a little.

�Jenna, I can�t tell you what to do, but I think you need to go out there and explain yourself to Dan,� Ashley said.

�I know Ash, but I just needed to say it out loud. Thanks for talking to me,� I said.

�No prob,� Ashley replied. �I�ll see you later.�

�Later,� I hung up the phone.

Composing myself, I unlocked the stall door and came face to face with a girl who was no older than nineteen. Wondering how much she had heard, I brushed past her and went to the sink. I washed my hands and began fixing my makeup when I noticed that she was watching me. I turned around.

�You�re Jenna Fairfield, right?� she asked.

�Yeah. And you are?� I replied.

She stuck out her hand. �Kayla Weston. I�m a huge fan of yours.�

�Thanks,� I said as I shook her hand.

�Did Dan Miller really ask you to marry him?� Kayla asked.

�How much of my conversation did you hear?� I asked.

�All of it,� Kayla blushed. �I didn�t mean to eavesdrop.�

�It�s okay, I shouldn�t have locked myself in the stall,� I replied.

�If you don�t mind, can I ask again, if he did ask you to marry him,� Kayla asked uncertain if she should or not.

�Yeah, he did,� I said.

�And you didn�t accept? If you don�t mind, you must be crazy!� she said shocked that anyone could turn down Dan Miller.

�Would you still be a fan if we did get married?� I asked her, wondering if that was why I hadn�t accepted his proposal.

�Hell yeah! As much as I think the guys are hot, I love the music more,� Kayla replied fixing her lipstick in the mirror.

�That means a lot to me,� I said shoving my stuff into my purse. �Is there anything I can do for you?�

�An autograph?� she suggested.

�I don�t have a pen or anything to write on with me,� I said. �How about you take my lipstick. And I�ll get you backstage passes to our next concert.�

�Okay!� she said excited as I handed her my lipstick.

�Our next concert is next Friday. How many tickets do you need?� I asked making a mental note.

�Three?� Kayla silently counted to herself.

�Done. Three tickets will be reserved in your name at the front box office on Friday. Have fun!� I said as I left the rest room, ready to face Dan.

<<< Back | Forward >>>