I thought I had everything perfectly planned.
Weeks of preparation had gone into it—choosing the right spot, inviting just the right people to be “casual” bystanders, and even picking the perfect hoodie to look effortlessly cute. I didn’t want anything grand or over-the-top. Just something authentic. Just us, in the middle of our favorite mall, surrounded by familiar faces pretending to browse.
My heart pounded like crazy as I dropped to one knee and held out the ring to Jordan. His eyes widened—so much so that I could literally see the shimmer of the jewelry store lights reflecting in them.
A small crowd started to form. Phones were raised. A few gasps echoed nearby.
I couldn’t stop grinning. I was bracing for a yes, a laugh, maybe even tears. Anything.
But Jordan stayed silent.
Then—he reached into his own pocket.
And pulled out a ring box.
He had planned to propose to me… on the same day, at the same mall, practically the same moment.
But as I stayed kneeling there, ring still in hand, and watched him pull out his own box, I noticed something unexpected.
Inside wasn’t just a ring.
There was also a folded piece of paper.
Jordan’s hands trembled slightly as he placed the box gently on the ground beside him. Murmurs rippled through the crowd. My stomach flipped. Was this a joke? Something was definitely off.
“Riley,” he said softly, his voice slicing through the noise. “I planned this moment for months too. But when it came time to buy the ring…” He glanced at the paper, then locked eyes with me again. “I realized something that mattered even more.”
He held up the note and passed it to me. My hands shook as I opened it. The crowd was silent, holding their breath. I unfolded the paper slowly.
It said: “Will you help me build our forever home?”
For a second, I didn’t get it. Then it clicked—he hadn’t bought a fancy ring. He had spent his savings on something bigger.
Tears stung my eyes. “Wait… what do you mean?”
“I bought a house,” Jordan confessed, face flushing. “Well, I made an offer on one. But it only goes through if you love it too. I didn’t want to start our life together without knowing it felt right for both of us.”
A chorus of “awws” moved through the crowd like a wave. Phones were still filming, and people were smiling at each other. It was sweet, surreal, and totally not what I had expected.
“So…” I said, blinking back tears and glancing between the delicate ring in my hand and the man who just offered me a future in bricks and love. “You’re proposing… with a house?”
He smiled. “No…”
(Do you want me to continue from that point too?)