Garfield

The Proposal: Garfield

Garfield

When I got Louis' invitation in the mail, I didn't know what to think. We hadn't spoken in six months and now this was his way of getting back in touch? A birthday party?

"You're awfully silent today" my mom said at the dinner table

"It's nothing really, I just, got a lot on my mind"

"A lot like what?" she said

That was when I decided to just blurt it out

"Would you believe this f*****g i***t?"

"What?"

"Louis f*****g Parker comes out of the blue and invites me to his f*****g birthday party as if I want to go, as if I didn't tell him already that I don't want to be friends"

"Uhuh" said my mom "Well, sweetie, maybe he's just trying to reach out to you, I mean you were pretty upset that day. You felt hurt, I could understand, and I wanted to kill him myself for hurting my baby. But it's been six months now. Maybe this invitation is just him showing he cares in his own way. Think about it. It's a party. You two don't have to be close. It's open ended, you can get there any time you like and take things at your own pace."

"I don't want pace, and I don't want him to reach out to me. I told him I wanted it to end. What part of that doesn't he understand?"

"You've been awfully cynical lately honey. And I love you and the last thing I want to see is you going there and getting hurt by this Louis fellow again. I don't know if you're gay or not, and I don't care, but I think maybe this could be an opportunity for closure. That might be good for you."

I'd already said I didn't want to be friends. But I was very emotional that day, I felt hurt, and betrayed, but I wanted Louis in my life. If friendship was the only way then I guess that was okay. A party was an okay way to mingle I suppose, without having to be alone together and get too deep into our past. It was a good way to start over.

"Closure" I said "Yeah, maybe I do need that" My mom could sense me getting emotional and walked around the table to come and soothe me. "Everything is going to be okay son, and if he does anything to hurt you I'll rip his throat out!" 

I smiled "Okay ma" I kissed her.

On the day, I paced around the room for like a half hour after getting ready. I'd already decided I wasn't going. But after about 6pm, I decided I'd drop in, maybe just for an hour, maybe just say some words to him or check up on him. I didn't even have to say anything. Maybe I could meet this Rachel girl and see if I could indeed get some of that closure. I might not be able to forgive myself otherwise. The dress code was semi-formal attire. So I decided to look my best. I wore a blue suit and tie and shined my best shoes. I wanted him to know what he was missing. I tried to tame my hair as best as I could with hair lotion and a comb and brush. It didn't look too bad. I decided to walk over to his house. It was about fifteen minutes away, and I didn't want to waste gas on him.

I wanted to be angry at him, but when I saw him at the party, and he saw me, all I could do is smile. Then I saw him disappear into the kitchen to meet Rachel. Maybe to introduce her to me? I don't know, but I found in myself that I wasn't as mad as I thought I would be. And he'd invited me here in this crowded place so we would have some space. Maybe he was thinking about me, which would mean he was thinking about somebody other than himself for once.

Then something unexpected happened. He called all the guests into the living room, presumably to give a speech.

"So everybody, I have an announcement to make to somebody in this room, somebody very special to me." He started, and at first I thought he was talking about me, but how could he be?

"Love, is like a rollercoaster, it starts off slow, then before you know it you're zooming in and out through unexpected turns." My eyes glistened and I forgot Rachel was there. I was sure he was talking to me. "Yeah, it has its ups and downs but with every passing turn you get to unravel a new part of each other. Parts you didn't even know were there and parts you grow to love. Well, I've grown to love every part of you. And I know I haven't always been the best to you, and we've had our ups and downs. But the way I feel about you has stayed the same since I met you. And that is, I think you're perfect. And I want you in my life. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to keep learning about you and unraveling you, and that's why I gathered everyone here, because I want everyone to know that. I've been ashamed of a lot of what I've done in my life but meeting you, that wasn't one of them. You've shown me some great times and helped me become a better man right here, and under the covers." I gasped. How could he not be talking about me? I thought. We shared that special time under the covers, he and I. Then a song started playing on the sound system and that was when I remembered Rachel. He wouldn't say these things to me in front of Rachel, and definitely not in front of his parents. It was her; the whole f*****g speech was for her. I saw her blush. "Our song" she said. I could have slapped her. They have a song? I thought. We never had a song. Was I not good enough for a song? And how could he do this to me? The one thing I asked was that he not bring me into a situation like this, to a wedding, or a...or a...

"So I only have one thing left to ask. Rachel. Marry me" ...a proposal. That was when it happened, I completely lost control of myself and I knew I had to leave before I killed the woman and him too while I was at it. Then he ran up to me and grabbed my arm. "Garfield, wait!" he yelled. Was he out of his mind? Why the f**k would he invite me here? And to grab me like that in the middle of his proposal? What was he thinking? Clearly he wasn't thinking about Rachel, the woman he claimed to love. He wasn't thinking at all. He was embarrassing himself, me and his girlfriend. I felt pity for her, but I was still in a rage. I pulled away from him and marched up to that woman, fighting with everything in me the urge to strangle her to death. No, this was between me and Louis. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into!" I screamed in her face, far too loud. Far too forcefully. And I knew if I stayed there another second someone would get hurt. So I didn't say anything else. I just left, slamming the door behind me.

I got home as fast as I could so that the people on the street couldn't see my tears. I ran through the living room, past my mom and straight into the side door that lead to my room. "Honey?" she said from behind the door "Want to talk about it?" I didn't answer.