PART 1 - The Proposal
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Charlie hurried through the mall, making a beeline towards the jeweler. It was a small but open store with several glass cases displaying jewelry of all types. It was the rings Charlie was interested in.
"Hello sir." A man in a suit greeted. "Can I help you with anything today?"
"I'm looking for an engagement ring." Charlie answered.
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As Charlie drove his mother's Ford Taurus from the mall towards the apartment Miley shared with Stacy, he had to grip the steering wheel in both hands to keep them from shaking; never in his entire life had Charlie ever felt so nervous.
Stacy's words about Miley's fears kept echoing in his mind, and the only way Charlie figured he could convince Miley that he would never leave her, never choose another girl over her, was to propose; to show her just how serious he was, how much in love with her he had always been. He wanted to be with her, for the rest of his life, Charlie was absolutely sure of that. The only unknown factor was if Miley felt the same way.
Charlie parked at the curb right in front of Miley's apartment and turned the key off. Taking a deep breath, Charlie checked his pocket for the hundredth time and felt the small lump that was the ring. Collecting himself for a few moments, Charlie slowly got out of the car and walked towards the building's front entrance. Each step was like a mile as Charlie played out all the possible scenarios in his mind of what was about to happen.
In the apartment foyer, Charlie stood and stared at the intercom system and was unable to bring himself to push the button that would buzz Miley's apartment and enable her to let him in. His knees shook with the fear that she would think he was crazy and turn him down; Charlie didn't know if he could go through with it. It wasn't until one of the building's residents exited the building that Charlie snapped out of his deep thoughts; he slipped into the building before the door could close and lock itself.
Charlie noticed the door had been repaired when he reached Miley's apartment. He had smashed it open only a week earlier when he heard Miley's ex-boyfriend attacking her. Standing in the hallway, Charlie thought of that day. Miley had told him she loved him, but needed time before she was ready to discuss their relationship. They hadn't spoken since, and now Charlie was about to propose. Fear filled his chest, but he bravely lifted his finger to the doorbell button. Several moments passed before Charlie heard someone on the other side.
Miley cracked open the apartment door as wide as the safety chain would allow. "Charlie?" she sounded surprised, peeking through.
"Hey." Charlie greeted nervously. "Can I come in?"
"Um, yeah. Just a sec?" Miley pushed the door shut and ran her hand through her tangle of dark curls. She remembered what she was wearing, just a pair of panties beneath a long tee shirt, but realized Charlie had seen her many times wearing far less. She unhooked the chain.
As Charlie entered he looked Miley over, "Did you just get up or something?" Her long curly dark hair was tousled and she seemed flushed, but her legs looked so sexy beneath that shirt and she was as beautiful as always.
Miley closed the door and re-hooked the chain. "Hmm? Oh, yeah." she lied. "I was taking a nap actually."
"Oh, sorry." Charlie apologized. "I didn't mean to wake you up."
Miley waved a dismissive hand. "It's fine. So what's up?"
Charlie took a deep breath. "Listen, I know you're scared. Scared that I'll leave you."
"Charlie..." Miley started.
But Charlie lifted a hand to interrupt. "Just hear me out, okay?"
Miley bit her lip and nodded.
"I know you're scared." Charlie continued. "But I need you to understand that there will never be another girl on this planet I want to be with more. I will never, ever leave you Miley. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
"That's really sweet Charlie, but..." Miley's words faded as Charlie dug into his pocket and fell to one knee. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers.
"Millicent Andrews," Charlie said, holding out an engagement ring. "Would you do me the honor of marrying me?"
Miley lifted a hand to cover her gasp. "Oh my god!"
"I love you Miley." Charlie smiled, still on one knee. "I want to be your husband."
Miley concentrated on breathing, caught completely off-guard by the proposal. "Charlie, oh my god. You're supposed to do this somewhere really romantic, not while I'm half-naked in my messy apartment."
Charlie's brows rose, "I could ask again after you clean the place up a bit and get fully naked?"
Miley stared at Charlie in disbelief, and then burst into giggles. "Oh my god! I can't believe this is happening. You're seriously proposing to me?"
Charlie nodded, "I'm seriously proposing to you."
Miley bit her lip and looked at the ring again. "Charlie, I don't know. We're at different schools and we're only nineteen and..."
"I'm not going back to Providence." Charlie interrupted. "I'm never leaving you again, Miley. It was a mistake going to Brown; I should have stayed here with you. I'll submit my transfer paperwork to Brown on Monday and go to Florida with you next year."
"You mean it. You're really serious..." Miley whispered.
Charlie was still holding out the ring. "Will you marry me, Miley?"
Swallowing back her tears of joy, Miley beamed and nodded. "Yes! Yes Charlie, of course I'll marry you."
Charlie felt like the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders as he grinned and rose, hugging Miley tightly.
"Put the ring on me." Miley said, hugging him back.
Taking her hand, Charlie slipped the gold band, with three small diamonds inset into it, over the proper finger. Charlie frowned as it was too big. "Shit, I'm sorry. I had to guess at the size. But the jeweler said they could resize..."
"I don't care, silly!" Miley smiled, lifting her hand to view the ring. "It's gorgeous! But Charlie, how could you afford this?"
"Um, I had some loan money leftover after tuition from last year. I was going to use it to buy a car, but seeing the look on your face right now I'll be happy walking around this summer."
"Oh sweetie, I'll drive you anywhere you want to go all summer long!" Miley hopped into Charlie's arms again and hugged him closely. "Oh my god this is so exciting! I can't believe I'm engaged!!! I love you Charlie. I love you so much."
"I love you too." Charlie replied, holding Miley close and kissing her.
The way Charlie and Miley kissed it was as though they hadn't been broken up for the previous nine months, easily comfortable in one another's embrace. It quickly grew heated as nearly a year's worth of built-up longing flooded through their lips. Miley was the aggressor, which had always been the norm for them, as she began to grab at Charlie's shirt and pants buttons.
"Make love to me." Miley whispered from her throat as Charlie's hands started gripping her panty-clad backside.
"Don't you want to tell anyone about our engagement, first?" Charlie managed to ask between kissing her neck and nibbling on Miley's ear.
"The world can wait." Miley declared, pulling Charlie's shirt off to reveal his slender and hairless torso. "We've been apart too long."
Charlie hoisted Miley up by her butt. She squealed happily and wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. "I'm sorry Miley. I'm sorry I didn't stay."
"Shh, it's okay." Miley said, kissing him again as Charlie carried her down the short hall to Miley's bedroom. "We both let it go too far, but we're together now."
Charlie laid Miley on the bed and tugged at her panties, sliding them off her toned legs. She pulled her shirt off as Charlie finished getting naked as well. Miley took one more look at her engagement band before setting the ring on her bedside stand so that it wouldn't fall off and become lost.