I laugh. “I guess I could bring her here.”
“Here?” he asks confused.
“Yeah, we used make out like crazy on this couch.” I smile, knowing what I’ve done.
His face goes slack as he looks from me, to the couch, and back. He turns and walks out, shaking his head and mumbling something under his breath, leaving me to sit back and laugh.
Even though I’m laughing and joking around, I think about what Dad said about the place I choose to propose. Back then, a lot of our time was spent at school, football games, parties, the garage, or one of our houses. I really don’t want to propose here in a dirty garage, but I doubt the school would be very romantic either. After hours of considering my options, I finally have an idea.
It takes me a week to get everything lined up, but finally, Friday night comes along, and we head to the football game with Blake and Pearl. The girls fill their arms with popcorn, nachos, hotdogs, and sodas before we take our seats on the bleachers. The team is playing against The Rangers tonight, and while this isn’t going to be anything compared to last week’s game, I know just the thing to make it memorable.
The four of us sit back and stuff our faces with more junk food than we should eat. We talk and laugh, remember the old times, and joke around as we watch the game. When there’s only a minute left in the second quarter, I stand up and excuse myself to use the bathroom. I head down the bleachers, and once I’m sure she’s not watching, I head back to the announcer’s booth. The clock counts down and the whistle is blown. Both teams start making their way off the field as the cheerleaders make their way to the center for their halftime show.
Darrel removes his headset and spins his chair to face me. “You still doing this?”
I nod with a smile in place. “I’m still doing this.”
“Let’s do it then.” He shakes my hand as he hands me over the mascot uniform. I pull the bodysuit over my body and put on the giant wild cat head, then we walk back outside where I join the cheerleaders on the field.
When the kids see me dancing around, they laugh, point, and jump up and down. It gets everyone’s attention, and before I know it, every eye in the place is locked on me. Most people are laughing and smiling at the fact that I very obviously don’t know the cheer. I look into the stands and find Pearl and Jade. They’re both watching me with wide smiles. She doesn’t even know what’s coming.
Fifteen
Jade
The halftime show starts, and the cheerleaders make their way onto the field. Pearl and I sit and chat as they do their flips and chants. The moment the mascot joins the field, we stop talking and watch a little closer. The mascot costume is usually only ever drug out for the parade or really big games. It’s usually one of the cheerleaders who knows the cheer, but whoever is in this costume clearly doesn’t know what’s going on.
The cheerleaders raise their arms above their head, and the wild cat jumps. The cheerleaders jump, and the wild cat spins. It’s funny to watch him mess up every move and before I know it, Pearl and I are both dying of laughter as we watch the mascot screw up every move the cheerleaders attempt.
I notice big white cards on the ground, and I roll my eyes, assuming they read, “Go, Fight, Win!” I hate when they want the crowd to help them cheer. I finished my cheerleading days long ago.
The first cheerleader picks up her card and shows it to the crowd. My heart starts pounding and confusion takes over when it reads, JADE.
The next girls shows us her card, and it reads, WILL YOU.
The next is, MARRY ME?
The cheerleaders part, and the mascot walks between them, front and center. He takes off his giant wild cat head, and beneath it is Memphis.
A wide smile spreads across my face.
Pearl shakes my shoulder. “Go down there!” she squeals.
I stand up and start making my way down to Memphis, who’s down on one knee in front of the whole town, dressed as a wild cat. I rush across the track that circles the field and come to a stop in front of him.
He pulls out a microphone. “Jade, I’ve loved you since it was the two of us on this field, and I can’t wait one more day to make you mine. Will you marry me?” He holds out a small back box and flips the lid open. The huge diamond on the ring catches the stadium lights, and it lights it up like wildfire. I’m speechless as tears sting my eyes. I can’t believe he did all this.
I can’t speak. I can’t do anything but nod my head as tears fill my eyes and fall over, running down my cheeks. When I nod, the whole crowd erupts in a loud round of applause, and Memphis leaps up, picking me up against him as his lips find mine. He kisses me hard and fast but with more love than I’ve ever felt.
He sets me on my feet and slides the ring onto my finger. It’s absolutely beautiful and takes my breath away every time it lights up and sparkles under the bright lights.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.
“It’s nothing compared to you,” he says, kissing me a second time, this time much slower and softer.
The horn blows, meaning halftime is over, and we break away to get off the field. He takes my hand in his and pulls me onto the track as the teams rush the field. He releases my hand long enough to pull the costume off, and he hands it to one of the men that work the field. The moment it’s off, his hand is right back on mine, leading me up to our seats.
“Let me see the ring,” Pearl says the moment we sit back down.
I hold out my hand, moving it slightly from side to side to watch it sparkle under the lights.
She gasps. “It’s beautiful, Memphis.”
“It was my grandmother’s,” he replies, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me closer to his side.
“I have another surprise for you,” he whispers low in my ear.
“Another one? This is more than enough, Memphis.”
He smiles. “We’re not done yet, baby.”
I smile up at him, and he shoots me a wink before turning his attention back to the game.
For the final two quarters, I can’t keep my head in the game. All I can do is look at this ring and think about everything we’ve overcome to get here. I keep thinking about our future and how we’ll live our lives. I think about future children, growing old together, and living out the rest of our lives, happy and in love.
I’m surprised when the horn goes off, indicating the end of the game. The crowd stands and cheers as the players make their way off the field. Memphis reaches down and takes my hand.
“Ready for surprise number two?”
I smile and nod, wondering how much more my heart can take. It’s already beating at double its normal speed. He leads me down the bleachers and out of the field with everyone wishing us a congratulations as we pass. He doesn’t stop to talk though. His mind is set, and nothing is going to stop him from giving me the next surprise.
He opens the passenger side door of his car, and I slide into the seat. He closes it behind me, then rushes around to the join me behind the wheel.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“If I told you that, it wouldn’t be a surprise,” he says, flashing me a smile.
It’s not before we’re pulling into the driveway of the house that he wants to buy and fix up, but this time, there is a stand of twinkling lights strung up along the front porch and weaved through the branches of the two trees out front.