"I Do"

Cash plans on proposing to zoe

“I don’t know, man.  I feel good about this,” Cash exclaimed, beaming.

“It’s badass,” agreed Adrian, “I know you guys don’t want a big wedding, but you should just have something small so I can still get trashed.”

Cash shook his head, “Or we can just pick a random weekend where you get trashed just because and tell you it was the reception.”

“That works too,” Adrian nodded. “How did you pick the ring, anyway? Did Zoe drop ‘hints’?”

“Nah.  Anytime it came up she said it didn’t matter.  She doesn’t believe in expensive wedding rings,” Cash admitted.

“S**t.  That’s convenient.  I’m just over here hoping we make enough money off of this tour so I can afford to take some of these chicks out on dates.  It adds up,” Adrian complained.

“That’s true,” Cash nodded. “The more I hear about the dating life the better I feel about proposing.”

“How’d you get her ring size?  That part always confused me,” Adrian wondered.

“I didn’t.  That’s why I brought you here.  So the jeweler and I can just use your tiny hands and then go up a few sizes,” Cash fooled.  “Eh.  I just figured I get close enough in size, pop the question, hug, kiss, she posts pictures, then we get it re-sized,” he shrugged.

Adrian nodded, “Where you going to do it at? Our next show?”

Cash snorted, “F**k THAT.  Zoe would die.  She’d hate being proposed to in front of all those people.  Zoe is nuts.  If she dies, she’s taking me with her.  Good look replacing me in the band.”

“S**t.  We could replace you with a wind-up toy monkey or something,” Adrian asserted.

“Yeah, yeah.  I’m just going to propose at the house.  Everything about this is going to be chill.  I hope this isn’t a trap.  Maybe she’s just doing that thing that girls do where they say all this stuff, but expect us to do the opposite,” Cash shrugged, “I’ll probably just do it tomorrow morning or something while we’re in our PJs”.

Adrian laughed, “Nice.  Hit me up afterward and we’ll all go out tomorrow to celebrate.”

Zoe’s phone alarm began blaring. “I. . .will. . . kill. . .”, she muffled into her pillow before shutting off the alarm.  

Cash walked into the room, “Forget to turn off your alarm for the weekend again?”

Zoe rolled over, “Yeah.  I hate myself apparently.”

“Babe, you can just make it to where it will only go off Monday through Friday,” Cash explained.

Zoe responded by repeating everything Cash said in a high pitched tone with her face scrunched up.

“Whatever.  Now you’re awake. What are you going to do today?” Cash asked.

“Uhm. I’m going to see how long I can go without wearing pants today and FINALLY watch Attack On Titan. You?”

“I got nothing.  I’m just going to watch you not wear pants then,” Cash suggested.

“One thing is for sure.  I’m ready to eat and it smells like you were being an awesome boyfriend and that breakfast is already ready,” Zoe ran off to the kitchen.

While she was out of the room Cash fished the ring box out of his pants pocket.  He didn’t imagine he would be as nervous as he felt walking to the kitchen.  When he got to the kitchen he found Zoe at the table, bearing a concerned look.

“Who’s Amanda?” Zoe calmly questioned.

“What?” Cash was caught off guard.

“Hmmm.  Let’s try that again, Cassius. Who the f**k is Amanda?”

“Zoe, were you going through my phone, again?” Cash demanded as he walked over and retrieved his phone.

“Don’t turn this on me! It buzzed while I was sitting here so I looked.  Why is she sending you naked pictures?” Zoe’s voice raised.

“She’s a crazy skank! What were you doing with my phone?” Cash shot back.

“Hold on,” Zoe exhaled, “we’re yelling at each other.  Let me see your phone again.”

“Zoe...” Cash warned.

Zoe sat quiet, arms folded with a stern look.

“You want to see my phone, Zoe?”

“I do,” Zoe assured him.

“Here,” Cash tossed the phone on the table, “knock yourself out.”

Zoe pored over the conversation with Amanda, only finding that she previously had interest in managing Cash’s band.  She also saw that any time Amanda had tried to be flirty through text Cash was either curt with her or ignored her completely.  After that conversation Zoe glanced at other recent conversations and found nothing.  She gently placed the phone back on the table when she was done and couldn’t find it in herself to look up at Cash.

“You’re crazy, Zoe.”

“Don’t call me crazy,” Zoe retorted, finally meeting Cash’s gaze with her own.

“Look how you get! You saw ONE thing and started all this!” Cash pointed out. Cash had his arm outstretched, and Zoe noticed something in his hand.

“What is that?” Zoe asked, pointing to his hand.

“Nothing,” Cash mumbled as he hung his head and began walking to the bedroom.

“Oh no! No, no, no, no,” Zoe lept out of her chair and hurried to block his escape.  “Let me see,” she wrestled the box away from his hand with little resistance from Cash.

Zoe’s heart sank as soon as she saw the ring. “Cassius. . .”, Zoe’s voice cracked.

He stood wistfully in front of Zoe, searching her face for clues that would indicate what was going through her head.  Zoe remained speechless for the next few moments, staring at the ring, with her mind being pulled in every direction imaginable. She considered everything that led up to this; from the first time she saw Cash, to waking up this morning.  She thought about all the life changes the simple piece of jewelry offered, along with everything it denied.  Throughout the overwhelming mix of emotions she couldn’t help but wonder if she is even deserving.

“How long have you had this?” Zoe asked, not looking up from the ring as she held the box with both hands.

“I got it yesterday,” Cash responded.

“We’ve never talked about it,” Zoe pointed out.

Cash remained silent.

“I love you,” Zoe said softly.

“I love you too,” Cash responded, putting his hands in his pocket.

“I’m not ready, clearly.  You’re perfect to me and for some reason I go out of my way to question it or question you.  You know about my first boyfriend cheating on me, but you don’t know that I’ve pushed everyone away since.  It’s not fun or cool; it’s unhealthy.  I hate myself for it.  I hate that someone’s selfish decision from years ago is still driving my actions to this day. I -”, she was interrupted by Cash speaking over her, “Then DON’T, Zoe.”

“And then what, Cash?” Zoe snapped, “We get married? We’re together a few years before we grow to resent one another? I don’t want that for us. I don’t want that for you. I have a lot to workout and I don’t want that to be at your expense,” Zoe’s eyes welled up. “This is the happiest I’ve ever been, but I can’t. . .”, she concluded.

“Alright,” Cash replied, placing his hands on his hips.

“I hope you understand,” Zoe added, handing him the ring.

“I do,” Cash murmured as he walk passed Zoe, to the bedroom.