Chapter 39
Mandi sat with Chris as he told her what he was feeling. "I have a ring in my dresser drawer. I want so bad to ask her to marry me, but I can’t. I just can’t compete with Justin." Mandi’s mouth dropped open, "You can’t compete with Justin?! What the hell! Since when is it a competition?" He shook his head, "I don’t know. She loved him so much, there is no possible way that she could love me the same way." Mandi shook her head, "Chris, Chris, Chris. Who has been there for her ever since Justin was killed? Who was there to help her?" Chris swallowed hard, "Me." Mandi nodded her head, "Has she told you she loves you?" "Yes, quite a few times." She nodded her head, "Believe her, she means it. I’m gonna go back out to Lance." Chris smiled, "I’ll be out in a few minutes." Mandi went outside while Chris remained seated. He ran his hands through his hair as he thought about what he was going to do.
Chris finally had it set in his head what he wanted to do. "It is now or never." he thought to himself. He made his way upstairs and pulled out the tiny box from his drawer. He held it tight to his chest and closed his eyes, "I hope this works."
Outside, Shannon sat in the chair talking to Lance, Mandi, and Joey. She made small talk with them, but all she could think about was Chris. She looked all around the yard, but didn’t see him. "Do you know where Chris is?" she asked them. "He’s inside, he said he’ll be out in a few." Shannon smiled and nodded.
A few minutes later, Shannon was listening to Mandi and Lance talk when someone covered her eyes. Though she was startled, she knew right away who it was. He pulled his hands away and sat down in her lap. Mandi laughed, "Aww, that’s so cute." Shannon smiled, "What’s cute? Chris himself? Or him sitting in my lap?" "Both!" Mandi said as she smiled. Lance shot her a menacing glare, "I was kidding sweetie." Lance smiled and kissed her on the nose, "I know." Chris was shaking and seemed to have trouble finding the words he wanted to say. Finally, he mustered up enough courage to speak, "I have to ask you something."
Shannon swallowed hard, the last time something like this happened, Britney came flying out of nowhere and raised hell when it wasn’t needed. She could just picture Dani coming out of the sky, just waiting to attack her, but she knew it wouldn’t happen. Dani was a lot nicer than that. Shannon was cast out of her spell by Chris’ voice, "Shan? Are you gonna listen?" "Wha. . what? Oh sorry. Go on sweetie," she said as she placed her hands on his shoulders. Chris smiled, "Well, I’m not going to get all sappy and tell you all my feelings, because you know how I feel, and if you don’t, I know you haven’t been listening. What I am getting at is. . is. . " Tears started to fall from Chris’ face, "I can’t do this. I just can’t!" He ran into the house, leaving Shannon standing there, wondering what just happened. She stood there in silence, staring at the sky. She closed her eyes to fight back the tears that were wanting to fall, and she cursed herself for wanting to cry. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see JC standing there. She clung onto him, "Why can’t he just ask me?" she wailed into his shoulder. JC hugged her tightly, "Shhh. It’s difficult for him. You know how he is, he is afraid of being hurt." Shannon pulled away from him, "But Jace, you know I won’t hurt him. You know it, I know it, and everyone else knows it. Why doesn’t he?" JC shook his head, "I don’t know, I really don’t." Shannon ran inside to find Chris and talk to him. She found him laying face down on the couch, sobbing uncontrollably. She sat down on the floor and put her hand on his back, rubbing it softly as the tears fell from her eyes faster as well. "Chris babe, talk to me. Please." Chris sniffled, "I can’t. I just can’t." Shannon tried to control all the tears she had, "Why? You can tell me anything, and you know that. Why are you so afraid?" Chris looked at her and started to cry harder, seeing the tears coming from Shannon was too much for him, and knowing he caused them made it worse. "I’m afraid you will reject me." Shannon shook her head, "Well that’s crazy, because you know I won’t. You know I will never leave you. You are too much a part of me for me to back away now." Chris wiped his eyes, "You mean that?" She nodded her head, "Every word I say to you, I mean." Chris stood up and pulled her up with him and held her tightly in a loving embrace. He smirked a little, "I might as well do this right." He bent down on his knee and held Shannon’s hand, and proposed to her, hoping in his heart that she would say yes.
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