I Told My Roommate My Date Rejected Me… Her Next Words Left Me Speechless
Chapter 14
A year later, Claire walked into the same elevator where we’d once carried groceries, argued about rent, and talked about dates.
I stepped in behind her.
She smiled.
“Going up?”
“Apparently.”
She laughed.
“You’re annoying.”
“You love me.”
“Yes.”
The elevator doors closed.
There was a moment of silence.
Then she looked at the mirror.
“This reminds me of the old apartment.”
“Everything reminds you of the old apartment.”
“That’s because everything happened there.”
I smiled.
“Not everything.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Really?”
“No.”
She laughed.
Then she reached for my hand.
“You know something?”
“What?”
“I almost told you that night.”
“Told me what?”
“That I liked you.”
“You should have.”
“I was scared.”
“What changed?”
She looked at me.
“You.”
“How?”
“You told me about Emily.”
I laughed.
“That was the turning point?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you were finally honest.”
The elevator stopped.
The doors opened.
She didn’t move.
Neither did I.
Then she whispered,
“Your date didn’t reject you.”
“What?”
“Emily wasn’t important.”
I smiled.
“She definitely thought she was.”
Claire shook her head.
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“That night, you came home thinking you’d lost your chance at love.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t.”
She kissed me.
“You just hadn’t noticed it yet.”
I held her close.
Then she laughed.
“Come on.”
“Where?”
“I have a surprise.”
We reached the rooftop.
Claire had arranged a small dinner.
Candles.
Music.
The city below.
I looked around.
“You did this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you once said you’d never been on a date worth remembering.”
I smiled.
“This is a date?”
“This is the date you deserved.”
We ate.
We laughed.
We talked about everything except the past.
Until dessert.
Then Claire became quiet.
She reached into her bag.
I thought it was another letter.
Instead, she pulled out a small black box.
My heart stopped.
“Claire.”
She smiled.
“Relax.”
She opened it.
Inside was a key.
A new apartment key.
I stared.
“What is this?”
“Our future house.”
She laughed.
“You bought a house?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I made an offer.”
I blinked.
“You made an offer?”
“Yes.”
“Without telling me?”
“You were busy.”
“Claire.”
She laughed.
“I wanted to know whether you’d say yes.”
“To what?”
She stood.
Then slowly got down on one knee.
I stopped breathing.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
She opened another box.
Inside was a simple silver ring.
Nothing extravagant.
Just beautiful.
“I spent years waiting for the perfect time to tell you how I felt.”
She smiled through tears.
“There wasn’t one.”
She took my hand.
“So I’m not waiting anymore.”
I stared at her.
“You’re proposing to me.”
“Yes.”
“You were supposed to let me do that.”
“Too late.”
I laughed.
Then I cried.
Then I nodded.
“Yes.”
Her face broke into the biggest smile I’d ever seen.
She stood.
I pulled her into my arms.
“You’re crazy.”
“I know.”
“I love you.”
“I know.”
She kissed me.
Then whispered,
“Now you can’t say I never told you how I felt.”
