She's starting to babble.
I smile at her. It's reassuring for me to know that someone so smart, can also not have a clue when it comes to boys. Does she really not know how totally crazy Danny is about her? Is she really that blind?
“I know I shouldn't ask, Jadyn, but do you know anything? Has he said anything to you? I can't sleep, I'm eating too much and I can't concentrate on studying for finals. I'm going to be a moose with a bad GPA.” She sighs again. “So should I just give him an ultimatum or what?”
Wow, what do I say?
Lori is my best girlfriend, and I really want to make her feel better, but I can't give the big secret away. I'm sure the reason Danny's stopped talking about their future is because of the whole surprise factor.
“Lori, you know Danny is pretty strong willed, and he really doesn't like to be told what to do. I think you should definitely NOT issue him an ultimatum because even if he wants to marry you, well, that would just piss him off and make him not want to ask you. Why don't you focus on school, and well, just let Danny quarterback the relationship for a while? Let him run the game. It's what he likes to do.”
Her face tells me that this is not very reassuring.
So I pat her hand and add, “You know, someday he's going to throw you that perfect long bomb into the end zone, and it will have been worth the wait.” I look seriously at her, because this I know for sure. “He's worth it, Lori. He is so worth the wait.”
“Yeah, I know. I'm just sick of sophomores getting engaged.”
When Danny gets home from Lori's that night, he bounds into my room and plops down on my bed, jolting me awake.
I squint to look at the clock. “Danny, it's, like, 2am. What do you want?”
“Tell me about this candle passing stuff. Lori was talking about it. She didn't come out and say it, but I got the impression it's something she wants to do.”
DUH!
“Of course she wants to, but our last meeting is next week, so unless you move up the proposal date, she won't ever get to.”
“Why is this such a big deal, Jay? And what exactly do you do anyway?”
What I want to say is can't we discuss this at a time when my mind is functioning? But my eyes adjust to the light, and I get a good look at Danny. I can't help but smile. He reminds me of a little kid sitting on the edge of my bed, waiting to get told a great bedtime story.
He's also looking at me sweetly with those eyes.
I swear, I'd do just about anything for that boy when he looks at me like that.
Fine. Now it is.
“Don't you remember the candlelight ceremony at spring formal, when Bobby Allen and Linsey Newman got engaged? You were there. Didn't you watch?”
Of course, I know he didn't watch.
He and Phillip, who I had begged to go with me for lack of a decent date and who looked so hot that I wished it were a real date, were up at the bar doing shots with all the other guys. I know they never even looked over.
“Well, uh, I remember you all got in a circle and sang, then I think we hit the bar. I just don't get the big deal,” he says with frustration creeping into his voice.
This is going to take awhile, so I sigh, sit up and put my pillow behind my back.
“It is a big deal to us girls, Danny. We have watched with wonder as upperclassmen have announced being lavaliered, pinned, and engaged and each time you see it, you wish it could have been you. They always look so happy and in love, and let's face it, LOVE is what every girl dreams of.”
Well, that… and the rock, and the dress, and the presents, and the honeymoon…
“Okay,” Danny says, struggling to create a new game plan in his mind. “So could she pass her own candle without knowing that it's her candle? You know, could it be a surprise?”
Maybe it's the fact that I'm sleep deprived, but the boy is making no sense.
“Danny, she really can't be surprised because she wouldn't know it was her candle to blow out. So it would just go around and around, like some bizarre nightmare. You know, like the one where you take the same final over and over and over again, but you never get it finished.”
“Stick to the point, Jay.”
“Oh, yeah.” Then my mind comes up with a brilliant idea. “Unless, you want to ask her to marry you in front of the sorority, during the candlelight ceremony.”
He gives that some thought.
“I could do that,” he says bravely. “Do you think she'd like that, or would she prefer I ask her in private?”
“Well, the question isn't really would she like it, Danny, of course she would. The question is, are you sure she'll say yes? You know, you ask in front of all those people, she says no, it could be a bit embarrassing for you.” I can't help but tease him a little.
“Uh, I think she'll say yes,” he says, but I can tell he's slightly worried.
“But honestly, even if she said no, half of the sorority would be in love with you themselves and be glad to take you up on your offer. I'm not sure if it can be done, though,” I ramble on.
“At least I've never heard of it being done, but I guess it could be because the candlelight ceremony doesn't have to be done in private. We have done it at formals and stuff, so my final answer is yes. I think you could, and should, do it.”
“What about the serenading part that Phillip's frat does? Is that important?”
“Well if you were in a fraternity, yeah it's important. But what are you gonna do? Have the football team serenade her?” I laugh at the thought.
“Well, maybe. Come on, Jay. Help me pull it off?”
He gives me that look, the one I have seen so many times, usually before we do something that we probably shouldn't be doing. But for once, this is a case where we definitely should. He and Lori are amazing together, and I am so happy that he's finally found a girl that's perfect for him. And if I can help her wish come true too, of course I am in.
But I have to give him a hard time first. “Do I have a choice?”
“Not really,” he says, as he jumps off my bed.
He leans down and kisses my forehead. He looks so happy, as he bounds out of my room. “You can go back to sleep now.”
Yeah, like that's possible. Now, I have a million ideas racing through my mind.
I yell after him, “Hey Danny, is the ring ready?”
“Yeah,” he replies from the hall.
“Do you have it?”
“Yeah.”
“Can I see it?” I ask, trying not to sound as frustrated as I am with his one-word responses.
“Nope.”
“You're such a loser!”.
“Ah, come on, you know you love me,” he says with his sweet voice.
“Yeah. I do.” I'm such a pushover.
“Night, Jay.”
The week passes by quickly. Operation Engagement is in place, and the day of our last sorority meeting is upon us. I'm just getting back home from studying at the library. Well, I was sort of studying. Actually I was supposed to be studying, but instead I was flirting with and then making out with this hot guy from my Tech Design class. I've been trying to get him to ask me out all semester. Turns out he recently broke up with his girlfriend and finally appears to be interested. I was so hoping that would happen!
Lori is sitting at the breakfast bar, apparently waiting for me.
I see the candle box on the bar in front of her.
Uh, oh.