The Best Friend's Contract

"Try to remember this. Say it out loud," He says, slowly handing me his phone which causes me to furrow my eyebrows at the word count. This does not seem like a proper proposal because this seems like a damn essay. "Okay, when you get there... pretend as if you've been running to see her. Like you were going to lose her if you didn't hurry. You were supposed to be on your flight to somewhere but you ditched your flight so that you'd be able to propose to her. Sweet, eh?" He says, grinning. "This is like a Bollywood movie. Do I have to change clothes, too?" I ask, causing Gerald to let out a scoff but he quickly covers it by clearing his throat-continuing to look down at the road with both of his hands gripping onto the steering wheel.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Dimitri laughs, "Man... since you're proposing in public, I'm trying to attract people to watch your damn proposal. Once they start lifting up their phones and record the whole thing, it could just get viral. Then, you can shove it in your mother's face." He replies. If anything about me goes on the internet, mother wouldn't be pleased. Well, if those kind of things are scandals... but if it's a proper proposal, she'd flip with confusion and joy at the same time, especially if she finds out that it's Kenna. Does proposing in the emergency room at the hospital count as a proper proposal? The main point is to surprise Kenna. She doesn't need to know I'll be proposing today because like she said, she wanted a proper proposal a proposal where the other person is surprised.

"Do you think it'll work? The emergency room is always busy and what if I get kicked out?" I question with a slight worry showing on my face as I keep on gripping onto his phone.

"For all I know, you'll be curing those people." He responds before pointing onto his phone, "Now... stop procrastinating and start reading. Memorise them," He adds.

As I'm about to read, he stops me.

"Never mind. Let's do a little bit role play here," He turns his body so that he'll be sitting the opposite from me instead of beside me. "I'll be Kenna and you'll be yourself, now read the damn proposal," He says, making me think that the proposal might already be damned. "Kenna... thank god you're here," I begin to read as I look up at his face, making sure that I'm doing it correctly before continuing, "Look, do you have a minute?"

"Don't forget the panting," He interrupts.

Just as we both continue the role play, I am already memorising the words. They seem to fit our situation perfectly... me describing the years we've spent together and how her beauty somehow mesmerises me she'll be stunned at the words. Yet, this proposal isn't something genuine from the heart. It's made to impress her and also the people around her for them to stop what they're doing and look at us.

"Remember what I said, don't forget to pretend as if you've been running." He looks up at my hair, "Run your fingers through your hair a little bit, try making them look messy in a good, attractive way." He adds which causes me to chuckle, doing as told.

Just as I'm about to ask him something, his phone starts to ring which causes him to raise his index finger up before looking down at the screen-immediately answering the call as soon as he sees it's no other than his, son.

"I'm leaving," I say before turning to Gerald, "Drop him wherever he wants and then come back here to pick me up at the exact spot," I add and he nods, making me turn to Flynn who is stepping down the car to open the door for me. As I step out of the car, Flynn quickly catches up with my walking pace before answering his phone that has been ringing for the past couple of minutes.

"Yes, I'll make sure to tell him." He says on the phone, quickly hanging up as he stands beside me, "Mr. Ashton... you're needed in the office as soon as possible. Esmeralda told me that" I cut him off by turning to look at him, causing him to press his lips into a thin line. "Flynn, I'm going to propose to Kenna and you're asking me to head back to the office? That has got to wait, this can't." I reply before entering the emergency room which is not as packed, making me swiftly walk in the middle, eyes wandering to look for Kenna.

Flynn is being left behind, answering another phone call as he makes his way towards a different direction-making me turn back to look for Kenna. According to the informations I have gathered, she's working at the emergency room this week during the day with no night shifts so she should be here... somewhere.

All of a sudden, I find Kenna walking towards one of the patients which is a little girl around the age of six. The little girl's eyes are filled with tears as she holds back the pain from the injury on her knee, making me see that Kenna is doing her best to calm her down. Kenna smiles at her as she cups onto the girl's face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The little girl nods her head, wiping away the fallen tears with her tiny hand-somehow, leaving me smiling at myself at the current situation.

On the other side of the bed, stands a little boy, also around the age of six with his parent holding onto his shoulders-realising me that the little boy might've pushed her down and cause the injury which leaves me remembering about Kenna and I, in the past. "You're a strong little girl," I read Kenna's lips as she wipes away the blood with an antibacterial liquid on the girl's knee, paying attention to her expression and seeing that she's wincing in pain. "We're almost done and you'll get better," She adds, putting the bandage. As soon as Kenna's done, she begins to stand up and turn towards the parent. She looks down at the little boy, gesturing for him to walk towards the little girl which he does and slowly, he is already standing in front of her, saying something unreadable from my distance. I smile to myself, seeing them shake hands.

My eyes widen as soon as Kenna turns to look at me, her lips curving up into a smile when she sees me standing in the middle of the hallway. I continue to stare at her, seeing her making her way towards me, leaving me think back of the words I've memorised. "Kenna... thank god you're here," I say, earning myself a confused look from her. "Look, do you have a minute?" I ask, looking around at the emergency room.

"Of course, I'd be here. What's wrong, Aidan? Is there something wrong?" She raises an eyebrow, her blue eyes are squinting at me which causes me to forget the whole thing I've memorised, making me curse, mentally.

Screw it. I thought. I forgot everything.

My eyes wander around before slowly going on one knee, making a few people stop walking as soon as they get the whole point of a man going down on one knee. Within seconds, I am left staring back at Kenna who has the same confused look on her face. "Here?" She asks, her voice low but loud enough for me to hear.

"Here," I answer.

"I'm sorry, I know that you're working

but I don't want to lose you." My eyes are focusing onto her blue ones, "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me and by far, the only person I want to spend the rest of my life with." I say, the words randomly appearing in my head due to forgetting Dimitri's words.

"Oh my god! Someone's proposing," Someone says and I begin to slightly look around, the people here are turning to look at us including a few doctors.

"Kenna... I know that things

between us were sometimes rough. I mean, we met when we were both six and ever since then, we've been through a lot but we were always. side to side. You helped me when I was at my worst, you're my lifesaver." I add, the words slowly coming out of my mouth-realising that most of it is true.

"I am myself when I'm with you. You bring out the best of me because you were just perfectly made that way... your beautiful blue eyes, your pink rosy cheeks and oh, don't get me started when you laugh you're like an angel. You're real and I want us to be real, too." I focus onto her eyes which she does the same,

making me lost unintentionally.

"I love you, Kenna Anne Roosevelt." I breathe out, "I want you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you... will you marry me?" The question pops out as I take the red box out of my jacket's pocket which causes the people in the emergency room to gasp before muttering words under their breaths. Kenna stands still, her lips are not twitching into a smile and neither does her eyes. She just stands there before blinking a few times as her eyes wander around the room.

"If you're not going to say yes, I will." A man says and people begin to cheer which leaves both Kenna and I to laugh before turning around, seeing that there's people standing behind me while a few are on their beds, clapping their hands. "Damn girl, he's hot." A woman says.

"I will, too!" Someone else says.

"Say yes! Say yes!" They begin to cheer which surprises a few doctors, including Kenna. My lips are already curving up into a smile as I look up and wait for her answer.

Kenna nods her head with a smile plastered onto her face, "Yes, Aidan. I will marry you," She answers and I slowly stand up straight, looking down at her due to our heights before sliding the ring into her ring finger-leaving the crowd to clap.

We awkwardly stand as I hold onto her hand and to my surprise, she starts to pull me by the neck, "Hug me." She whispers and within seconds, I am already wrapping my arms around her body as she wraps her arms around my neck, causing the people here to cheer. As we both pull away, we begin to realise that our lips are inches apart so both of us begin to pull further away, seeing that she's currently eyeing down at the ring on her finger.

"You got Dimitri to help you... cute," She smirks while I chuckle, looking at the ring on her finger, seeing how much it matches her-slightly leaving me happy for choosing it. "Did he help you with the proposal, too?" She playfully pushes me on the chest before smiling. My eyes are looking into hers, "Yeah." Sort off.