One

Vespa

My best friend and roommate Ria and I had a habit of daring each other to pull off pranks on ourselves and our classmates.

On a warm Friday afternoon, after our last class for the week, I had downed a bottle of cold Guinness when a dare suddenly popped into my head.

I revealed a cheap ass ring I’d picked up at a jewelry shop. It was a silver band adorned with a fake diamond.

“With my boyfriend arriving from the werewolf pack tonight and this ring in hand, I'll ask him to marry me right in the middle of the airport.”

Ria's mouth gaped open. “No!”

I giggled from part drunkenness and part excitement, and she found my reaction disturbing.

"Are you out of your mind, Vespa? Women don't propose to men; it's the other way around. And Donovan's a werewolf, for crying out loud! You're not even supposed to be with him in the first place.”

I wrapped my hands around Ria's neck and spun her around. "Life is short, darling. Besides, I've been dropping hints about wanting to get married early."

"What's gotten into you? You're only twenty-one, in your final year of college. Why would you even think of marrying a werewolf? They hate humans and call us meatbags. You can't possibly consider fucking an animal and having his babies. That's bestiality."

My laughter grew louder. The thing is, when someone dares or warns me off something, that's when I get a thrill to do it. Ria knew this and shoved my hands away, standing over me with her tall frame. Her hazel eyes flashed angrily, and her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

“You're drunk, and I'm not going to let you make a fool of yourself."

"I'm not drunk," I chuckled, the faint tang of alcohol lingering in my mouth. "When did you start backing down from dares, anyway?”

She turned away and headed to her bunk. “Not this one, girl. This is beyond stupid. It's disturbing that you even want to marry an animal.”

She pulled back the blankets and slid underneath them. I yanked it off. 

"For hell's sake, he has a human side too. In the grand scheme, we're all just animals, anyway. You need to get laid by a werewolf. Trust me, once you start, there's no going back. They're so hot, I bet you've not had sex since.”

"Vespa!" She glared, sitting up and looking like a pissed-off puppy.

“Your last heartbreak, I will hook you up with Donovan's friend for a toe-curling, earth-shattering orgasm,” I went on without pausing for breath.

I burst into laughter at Ria's disgusted expression while I scoured my wardrobe to see what I could wear. I wasn't a dressy girl and preferred jeans on most occasions, but I had to step out of my comfort zone.

A knee-length ivory-white gown with cap sleeves was the perfect option, paired with low-heeled sandals.

"Seriously, Vespa? Aren't you afraid? What if he says no?"

"He loves me,” I said, acting overly excited like a child on Christmas morning.

My hair was a non-issue, thanks to my stylish ash-blonde pixie cut. Ria refused to do my makeup, so I had to take matters into my own hands. I sat at the dresser to apply my foundation, blend it in, and add a quick swipe of brow pencil.

"You're coming with me, aren't you?" I said this while finishing my look with a coat of lip balm.

"Count me out of this crazy plan of yours."

I gazed at my natural nails and wondered if I should get them painted. Dismissing the brief concern, I tucked my ring securely in my purse.

"How would you even know I'd pulled it off? Come on, Donovan's plane lands in an hour; let's move.”

Her shoulders slumped, knowing she had no choice. After slipping on my sandals, I grabbed the car keys and raced out the door with Ria in tow, who was still muttering to herself about how crazy this was.

My old Volkswagen, a hand-me-down from my dad, was barely holding together and desperately needed servicing. I crossed my fingers that it would make it to the airport without breaking down.

At 4:30, we arrived at the bustling airport, surrounded by throngs of people flooding out of the gates and reuniting with their loved ones.

My eyes scanned the crowd for a glimpse of Donovan. It was chaotic, and Ria made things worse by planting doubt in my head.

"He loves me, Ria,” I snapped, irritated with the constant complaints. "Stop asking so many questions. You'll find out soon enough. He loves me to the point of discussing the names we'll give our kids.“

"You don't know men, Vespa. They're wicked creatures.”

"As soon as you spot him, switch on the camera. I want to capture every second of this moment. He's going to be so stunned!”

Ria shook her head, and I nudged her with a smile on my face. Donovan and I were deeply in love. Our romance traced back to the stairs of the journalism faculty's third floor last year when he was enrolling in his Master's program and I was a junior. That encounter sparked a connection that would become a beautiful journey.

Donovan emerged, and I rushed towards him, leaping into his arms. He looked exhausted from his flight but was also taken aback by my presence.

"What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I came to welcome you.”

He scratched his head, looking around. "But how did you know about my flight?"

I ignored his question, too excited to ask the big question. Without any hint of shame or embarrassment, I dropped to one knee, feeling bold and confident. I knew I wasn't one to shy away from anyone, so this didn't faze me at all.

Donovan’s eyes bulged open like saucers. “Vespa, what are you doing?”

“Will you marry me?" I laughed, showing all my teeth. Some onlookers had gathered, and some were even recording.

Donovan wasn't smiling. His eyes were fixed on me with a look of utter disbelief as if I had just made the worst mistake imaginable. 

"Is this a prank? Because it's not funny.”

I stopped breathing momentarily before forcing myself to laugh. My nerves were fried. To make matters worse, cameras were focused on me. Ria looked terrified and had stopped recording. I took a deep breath, trying to stay composed and appear dignified.

"Of course, it isn't a joke. Are you going to reject me in public?" 

He looked like a little boy caught stealing. Then I noticed a ginger-haired young woman dressed in a yellow sundress and green sneakers standing behind us and glaring at me in the coldest way possible.

"What's going on, baby?" She held onto Donovan's arm. "And who is this desperate girl groveling on her knees?"

Donovan scratched his head. “She…she's uh…nobody.”

Nobody slapped me on the cheeks, but they stung.

"Hello, meatbag. I'm Nebula, Donovan's fiancée and the mother of his unborn baby. Now take your pathetic self out of the way and stop embarrassing yourself."

My cheeks burned with shame. Ria was mortified by the public embarrassment and hastily tried to pull me to my feet, but I refused to get up.”

"Vespa, I'm sorry, but I can't marry you. You must have been out of your mind to pull this stunt,” he said, shaking his head and walking away from me.

I blinked to be sure that this wasn't a dream, and my body trembled like an aspen leaf. My vision was turning blurry. I couldn't believe this bastard paid me back with colossal embarrassment.

I was still reeling as I watched Donovan fade into the distance. Ria begged me to get up. I tried to stand, but my legs were wobbly. 

From nowhere, three tall male figures rushed towards me like I was the last candy in the store. Their eyes were intense on me, and the last thing I knew before blacking out was falling into one's arms.