The Proposal

On a white New York City night, a young couple walks out of Penn Station. They are immediately assaulted by crystal-like snow. The concrete jungle has been transformed into a massive icy-castle. The man takes off his dark-blue scarf and gingerly wraps it around his partner's neck who tightens her white coat around herself while making sure her gloves are secured on her hands. She gives him a small, kind smile.

The cozy couple begins to walk to a restaurant that the man researched at home prior to the trip to make sure that they have all of his partner's favorite food. He guides her to the building that is close to the train station and into their reserved chairs at a table all the way in the quiet, back corner and takes her jacket off, noticing that she has never made eye-contact with him at all on this trip.

Wary but undeterred from the day's mission, he places a calm and kind smile on his face and sits down across from her. They exchanged few words throughout the entire duration of the meal—he thought that she was simply shy even though they have known each other since elementary school. The two ate in silence, ignoring the conversations around them and the noisy New York City ambience outside.

After they finished dining, they walked back into the softly falling snow, the man taking great care to hold onto her waist to be certain that she does not slip. They opted to walk rather than take a subway to Central Park, partly due to the fact that the trains have been buried under snow while in storage in the yards, and partly because they wish to explore the vast, urban environment.

The crowds walking amongst them on the city's sidewalks were heading in the opposite direction, forcing themselves around the couple and constantly accidentally bumping into them. At times, the crowds would even unknowingly—and uncaringly—force them apart as if making a silent statement of their disapproval of the couple. The young man would have to constantly fight the crowd and search frantically for her face, feverishly attempting to find her left, gloved hand with a distinct, oddly placed lump. Soon, he finally locked his fingers with hers so that they would not be separated.

They soon came upon one of the entrances to the mystical forest of white in the middle of the city. They left the fighting crowds and entered the created solitude of Central Park. The man knew exactly where he wanted to bring the love of his life and guided her down the winding and sloping paths of the quiet park. Nothing except the moonlight reflecting off the snow on the ground and the sparsely placed gothic street-light guided their way through the twisting paths. The mighty oaks and evergreen trees stood tall and proud over their heads; looking even more brilliant and seeming to not mind the cold that was their home, nor the silence. The branches danced with the song of the wind, making the leaves whisper secrets amongst themselves casting doubts on the couple below them.

Still, the man marched on.

They soon came upon a small congregating area with two fountains that would usually be full of people in the summer but was now empty in the off-season since people chose to remain warm rather than venture out and discover the secrets of winter's beauty. The man led the woman to one of the two fountains and set her down on the weathered park bench that was in front of it. He sat down right next to her, grasping her smooth-gloved right hand gently as they admired the swaying trees around them as well as the stone bridge crossing over an icy river in the distance. Still, the snow fell softly, not bothering the young couple at all.

The man fingered a small box that was in his jacket pocket and attempted to control his breathing while the woman continued to look around, seeming out of place in the winter environment and attempting to keep her summer-green eyes away from the icy—yet warm—blue ones of the male.

Finally, he stood up, letting go of her hand and took three careful steps in front of the woman, always keeping his eyes on her while never turning his back to her. He pulled out the box and slowly opened the black-felt top with practiced ease. Her eyes immediately went to the item in the box, not appearing to be surprised yet wishing she had at least that to offer him.

He spoke a small speech of how he had never wanted to leave her side since he first met her and even feeling of how he had always felt that he had to protect her and be her knight-in-shining-armor. Even when they broke up a month ago due to an argument, he still felt like part of his heart was missing which was why he had asked her to go to the city with him. Finally, he uttered those four words that begun many life-long relationships…and ended many others.

Small tears immediately appeared in her eyes as a sad smile appeared on her rosy-red lips. She had a feeling that this may happen but nevertheless, it still hurt her knowing what she was about to do.

The man was alarmed, fearing that he had done something wrong. He watched her intently, noticing how her eyes finally met his own for the first time that night. Cold, summer-green met warm, winter-blue. He saw her right hand reach up to his face, slowly stroking his smoothly-shaven cheek.

"I'm sorry," she muttered in a shaken voice. Her right hand then dropped down from his face, making him missing its warm caress. The hand then grabbed the lumpy glove on her left hand and slowly pulled it off, revealing the reason for the glove being lumpy in the first place.

She had already been claimed by another.

The man was shocked. He felt like a fool as his mouth hung open. Another sad smile crossed her lips as she held his hand with the box and the ring. Gingerly, she placed one hand underneath his hand that held the box. With the other, she placed it over the box, closing it and creating a warm embrace with his hand. She said that there is another one out there for him. One that will make him feel even more complete than her. And when he finds her, he will know that she will be the one for him the second he looks into her eyes. She hands him back his blue scarf and thanked him for the lovely dinner, and the calming walk in the woods…and walked away over the distant stone bridge, looking to find a bus or a taxi that will take her back to Penn Station.

The man collapsed onto both his knees, not caring how the wet ground soaked his dress slacks. The box was still in his clenched fist. He looked at the fountain, noticing for the first time how there was a stone dragon wrapped around a tall spire, mouth hanging open where the water would pour out during the summer as if it was fire. The creature seemed to have an angry appearance as it seemed to be glaring at something.

Curious, he looked into the direction of where the fiery eyes were looking, noticing that the other fountain came into view. This fountain was larger, grander. It looked to be capable of attracting the attention of everyone the second they entered the clearing. He was surprised that he had not noticed this other fountain. On top of this one was another spire, but with two dragons coiled happily around it, tails wrapped around each other in a loving embrace.

He looked back to the lonely stone creature behind him, nodded in understanding, and left as well but in the opposite direction, looking to explore the park and to quietly mull over his new thoughts. Perhaps, he had wasted the best years of his life on her, unknowing that he could have used that time to search for his true soul mate. He wondered if she is currently looking for him as well and how long it would take for their paths to finally cross.

The young man continued to walk on under the silent trees that seemed to be parting away from the path with the wind, allowing him clear access as well as a view of the park exit that he would soon be going through. He slowed his walk down to a halt, thinking of what he should tell his family when he arrives back home. He could shed tears and claim that his heart has been ripped in two…but then he decided to settle on the truth: he had not found that special someone yet. He felt for the familiar black box in his pocket and, once satisfied that it was still there, continued to walk, going through the exit and then going in the direction of the train station.

He noticed that now, it was easier to walk as everyone was going in the same direction as him. Another thing he noticed was that, despite the depressing events of the day, the snow continued to softly fall down to the ground, peppering his sleek black hair with white flakes. He smiled at how the tiny snowflakes transformed the vast, dirty city around him into something of a rare beauty.

No matter what happens, the snow would always fall.