The one weird thing is that she and my best friend, Elone, never really clicked. It wasn’t that they hated each other; they just… didn’t mesh.

Jessica thought Elone was too sarcastic and rough around the edges, and Elone found her “too serious” and “a little judge-y.” It was a small tension I figured we’d all just deal with.

So, imagine my surprise when I spotted them together at a small coffee shop while running errands last Saturday.

Jessica and Elone were sitting at a corner table, facing each other, and they looked… comfortable. No awkward silences, no eye rolls, or tense body language. Just two people laughing over lattes.

I stood there shocked, my mind running wild with questions I couldn’t answer. Should I interrupt? Or pretend I didn’t see anything? Every logical part of me was like, Dude, they’re just talking. Chill. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

“Okay, this can’t be what it looks like,” I muttered, half-hoping I was imagining it. Because if it was what it looked like… well, that was a rabbit hole I wasn’t ready to go down.

Days passed, and I kept waiting for Jessica to casually mention running into Elone at the coffee shop — just a “Hey, guess who I saw!” or some sort of throwaway comment. But she didn’t. Nothing. She acted like it had never happened, and that bothered me even more.

“Who’s that?” I asked, trying to keep it light.

“Oh, just… someone from work,” she said, not meeting my eyes.

“Someone from work?” I echoed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” she said, reaching for her glass of water. “You don’t know them.”

I nodded slowly, letting it go for the moment. But the unease was creeping back. Ever since I’d seen her with Elone, every little thing she did seemed… suspicious. She’d glance at her phone and smile to herself, or mention she was meeting “a friend” without giving names. And each time, I found myself wondering, Is it him?

“Hey, man,” I said, calling him up. He picked up after a few rings. “You ditching me for someone more interesting?” I joked, but my voice sounded a little more serious than I’d intended.

“Nah, just got… stuff going on,” he replied, sounding distracted. “Let’s catch up next week, yeah?”

“Stuff? Like what?” I pressed.

There was a pause. “Just some… personal stuff. Don’t worry about it.”

Personal stuff? Since when did he get all secretive with me?

Yesterday was it — the breaking point. We were at this big wedding for a mutual friend, and from the moment we arrived, Jessica and Elone were inseparable. I tried to brush it off at first, but each time I glanced over, there they were — huddled together, heads close.

It felt surreal, watching them like that. My heart was pounding, and every rational thought I had just vanished.

By dinner, I’d had enough. After the speeches and dancing started, I spotted them off to the side again. They were whispering and laughing like they were the only two people in the room.

“What the hell is going on between you two?” I demanded, louder than I meant to. My voice sliced right through their laughter, and they both froze wide-eyed. It was like I’d caught them with their hands in the cookie jar.

“Uh…” Elone started, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

Jessica’s eyes darted from me to Elone, and for a moment, she looked almost guilty. But as she opened her mouth to say something, the lights dimmed, and a bright spotlight swung right over us, blinding me. A hush fell over the crowd, and I heard my name echoing over the speakers.

My heart skipped, and I turned to see Jessica, now standing by the mic at the front of the room. She was staring at me, her face pale but her eyes determined. My stomach dropped. What was going on?

“Come on, please,” she said softly, gesturing toward the front. Everyone was staring at me, and there was no way out. So, still reeling, I made my way up to her, feeling like the floor could disappear at any moment.

Jessica took a deep breath, her voice slightly trembling as she spoke into the mic. “I know this probably seems strange. But there’s something I’ve been wanting to say in front of everyone who matters to me. And to you.”

“Jessica… just tell me what’s going on,” I managed, my voice shaky.

She took a deep breath, then looked me right in the eyes, her gaze softening. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I can’t imagine my life without you, and I’d do anything to make you as happy as you’ve made me.”

She took a shaky breath, and I could see her hands trembling slightly. “So… I want to ask you something.”

Before I could respond, Jessica knelt on one knee in front of everyone. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, elegant ring box, opening it to reveal a beautiful, simple ring.

“Will you marry me?” she asked, her voice strong but full of emotion.

My jaw dropped. Time seemed to slow as I stared at her, the weight of everything finally crashing over me. Jessica — smart, kind, a little reserved — was down on one knee, proposing to me, in front of all these people.

I’d always thought I’d be the one to pop the question, but here she was, turning everything I thought I knew upside down.

For a moment, I was speechless. I glanced at the crowd, catching Elone’s grin from ear to ear. He mouthed, “Say something, dude!” and I realized everyone was waiting for my answer.

The room erupted in applause, cheers echoing as Jessica jumped up, throwing her arms around me. I could feel the tears stinging my eyes as I held her tight.

She pulled back just enough to look at me. “Surprise?” she whispered, grinning.

“Best surprise of my life,” I said, laughing as the tears finally fell.

Later that night, after everyone had finally drifted away and it was just the three of us left by the empty tables, Jessica looked at me, still glowing from the excitement. She took my hand and laughed softly. “Okay, so… I owe you a few explanations.”

Jessica chuckled, squeezing my hand. “I had no idea it would mess with you this much! I thought you’d catch on eventually.”

Elone laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Catch on? This guy was convinced we were hiding a major scandal!”

Jessica smiled, glancing over at him. “You have to admit, Elone, we weren’t exactly subtle about it. Meeting up at coffee shops, all the secret texts…”

I shook my head, a sheepish grin spreading across my face. “So, let me get this straight. You guys were… ring shopping during those coffee dates?”

Elone reacted, giving me a mock look of hurt. “Come on, man, I helped pick out the perfect ring. I even coached her on what to say. And you thought I was… what, trying to steal her?”

“Honestly?” I laughed, rubbing the back of my neck. “Maybe for a second there.”

Elone slapped me on the back, shaking his head. “Dude, you really thought I’d betray you? I’m offended.”

Jessica laughed, resting her head on my shoulder. “I wanted it to be a surprise. You’ve been everything I could ever want, and I thought you deserved something special.”

Elone rolled his eyes, pretending to brush away a tear. “This is too much, man.”

Jessica laughed, her eyes twinkling. “So… what do you say, fiancé?”

I looked at her, grinning. “I say… let’s start forever.”

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided as “is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.