Dessert

Os walked into the restaurant unaccompanied, slipping her light jacket off her shoulders. The lady at the entrance started to ask how many were in her party, but Os pointed over to where her boyfriend was sitting and thanked the woman anyway. She made her way to the table and sat down across from him.

“Sorry it took me so long,” she apologized. “Traffic, ugh.”

“No problem,” Percy said.

Os thought he looked nervous, but it might have been a trick of the low lighting.

“So, how was work?” she asked, taking a sip of the water-with-lemon-no-ice that Percy had thoughtfully ordered for her.

“Long,” he said quickly. “I've been, uh, looking forward to this all day.”

He didn't look like he had been looking forward to it. He looked sick.

“Perce, are you okay? You look green,” Os said with some concern, reaching over to feel his forehead.

It was sweaty and cold – clammy. She put a hand on his cheek and eyed him with some concern. Maybe he had that stomach thing that was going around. He did look awfully pale.

“I'm fine, just, uh, just a little, uh, hot,” he stammered, fanning himself for effect.

“You're acting weird,” Os said suspiciously. “What's the matter?”

“Nothing,” Percy said, and he was saved further interrogation by the waiter's timely arrival.

They both ordered their usual, and Percy deflected all of Os's questions throughout the appetizer and entree. Over dessert and wine, however, he seemed to grow more nervous.

“Percy, what is the matter with you?” Os cried after Percy dropped a forkful of pie onto his lap.

“Nothing,” Percy said, rolling up the bite in a napkin and putting it on the table. “I just—Os, I need to tell you something.”

“What?” she asked slowly.

“You're the most amazing girl I've ever met,” he said fervently, “and I love you.”

“That's all?” Os said after a pause.

“You're supposed to reciprocate,” Percy said nervously.

“Well, yeah, you're awesome and I love you, too,” Os said, “but that doesn't explain the pie. Or the general nervousness.”

“Will you marry me?”

“Are you kidding?”

Her response was shot back so quickly, she hardly had time to comprehend the news.

“No,” he said, just as quickly. “I'm serious.”

He pulled a ring out of his pocket and held it out to her. The diamond glistened softly in the light.

“No, I won't marry you,” she said, quietly, and then she got up and left.

Her devil's food cake lay untouched on the table.

Inspiration: Prompt -- "proposal turned down"