>>So I decided that I'd ask her to marry me.
>>Or ask her if she would marry me.
>>Or say that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.
>>Or tell her I loved her, and that I wanted her to be with me forever.
>>Or give her a ring -- a big, huge diamond ring. Or just get
>down on my
>>knees and let my eyes say it all.
>>
>>
>>Well, I had reached a decision. What exactly I was going to do about
>>it, I didn't know -- at least not yet.
>>
>>
>>It's now exactly one year since the first time I had started talking
>>with
>>her-- an anniversary of sorts. I remembered, because that
>first time was
>>New Year.
>>
>>
>>And tomorrow it's New Year again.
>>And we had become close friends.
>>And I had fallen in love.
>>
>>
>>And since I am a simple-minded sort of guy, I have decided I want to
>>marry her.
>>
>>
>>But How to tell her, though, was a bit of a problem.
>>There were so many ways to do it and choosing the right one wasn't
>>easy. And I had no idea how she'd react.
>>
>>
>>Would she think I was moving too fast?
>>Was it too early to suggest marriage?
>>Was she even interested in me in that way?
>>
>>
>>Surely, the best way to find out was to tell her how I felt, and ask
>>her
>if
>>she felt the same.
>>And if she did, then we could get married. Right?
>>
>>
>>These thoughts had been in my head from the moment I had
>woken up that
>>morning. And I'd only been awake a few minutes. As I finished
>brushing
>>my teeth,
>the
>>phone rang.
>>
>>
>>"Hello?"
>>
>>
>>"Hi!" It was her.
>>
>>
>>The sound of her cheery voice took my breath away. "Hi!" I replied,
>>almost whispering.
>>
>>
>>"Listen," she said, sounding very excited. "I'm having a
>party at home
>>tonight. Be there at eight."
>>
>>
>>"Sure," I replied.
>>
>>
>>"Ok, bye!" And she put the phone down.
>>
>>
>>I stood there for almost a minute, staring at the phone in my hand.
>>
>>
>>And then I stupidly said "Bye" to it.
>>
>>
>>I would have to reach the party early, to tell her in private. Or
>>should I say it right there in front of all the guests? Or after the
>>party, when we were cleaning up after everyone was gone?
>>
>>
>>And what was I going to get her? Should I get her anything at
>all? How
>>about flowers? Roses? Or was that too clichéd?
>>Orchids sounded better.
>>Or bluebells.
>>Or tulips.
>>Or cauliflower.
>>
>>
>>I checked my thoughts. No. Not cauliflower.
>>
>>
>>It's New Year.
>>A gift was definitely in order.
>>I could get her that moonstone pendant she liked so much.
>>But then it was a little flimsy as a gift.
>>It was really a toy more than a piece of jewellery.
>>But did it matter if she really liked it?
>>
>>
>>Should I get her a book instead?
>>Or a CD?
>>Or an earring?
>>Or should I make her something?
>>I thought about my artistic skills and decided that that was probably
>>not
>a
>>good idea.
>>
>>
>>I spent so much time looking for a suitable gift all day that by the
>>time
>I
>>decided that flowers would be a better option, all the florists had
>closed.
>>
>>
>>And it was also too late to try to get to her house early and
>catch her
>>alone.
>>
>>
>>So I decided I'd tell her after the party when everyone was gone. And
>>that I wouldn't get her anything -- more because I couldn't, than
>>anything
>else.
>>
>>
>>Feeling like a fool, and extremely nervous, I reached her doorstep. I
>>was on time, but there didn't seem to be any noise coming
>from inside.
>>Maybe no one had turned up yet. After all, who came to a
>party on time?
>>
>>
>>I stood there and composed myself for a minute.
>>Then, reasonably confident that the turmoil I was going through
>>wouldn't show, I knocked.
>>
>>
>>She opened the door, but only a fraction.
>>She slid out without opening the door completely, handed me a
>piece of
>>cloth, and told me to tie it around my eyes. "We're playing
>Blind Man's
>>Buff," she said.
>>
>>
>>Meekly, I put the blindfold on, and she led me into the house. There
>>was silence, and no one was making a sound. Quite sneaky of
>everyone, I
>>thought to myself.
>>
>>
>>She spun me around a little, and then made me stop.
>>She backed away, and then said from somewhere behind me, "Ok, you can
>>take it off now."
>>
>>
>>Though a little confused as to what version of Blind Man's Buff was
>>played after taking the blindfold off, I complied.
>>
>>
>>And as soon as I opened my eyes, I froze.
>>
>>
>>I was standing in the middle of her empty living room, and the lights
>>had all been turned off. But the room was brightly lit with dozens of
>>candles.
>>
>>
>>And on the wall in front of me, was a big poster with the following
>>words on it:
>>
>>
>>One year ago, this day we met.
>>
>>
>>There was an arrow pointing to the right, beside the poster.
>>
>>
>>So I turned. On the next wall were the words:
>>
>>
>>One year of friendship
>>One year of joy
>>One year of laughter
>>between a girl and a boy
>>
>>
>>One year of comfort
>>One year of closeness
>>One year of peace
>>and a whole lot of happiness
>>
>>
>>On the third wall, was:
>>
>>
>>One year or Six,
>>a lifetime it seems,
>>And yet, it feels just like yesterday
>>
>>
>>I turned to look at the fourth wall, and there, standing in front of
>>it, was she, holding up a poster in her hands that said:
>>
>>
>>I want to be this happy forever
>>
>>
>>Will You Marry Me?
