YES! I'M ENGAGED! to my lover and my best friend of 1 year ++ almost 2. (I'm not the kind to celebrate monthsary, neither is he. So we dont keep count of months).
It all started when I had given up all hope and was not even looking. And there, he appeared. When I least expected.
He's a friend of a friend that I know, that we both know.
It was on the evening of February 2008.
Sitting at Starbucks, drinking chomomile tea.
We talked and we laughed. We both had to admit, we didn't hit it off straightaway. It took us a few dates, before we learn about each other and how strong our common bases are. Funny how it happens. He picked me out of thousands of women.
Somehow, we met again the second time, the third and now the countless times.And I've enjoyed it. Every single one of it! Because, he's just so much fun to be around with. He makes the smartest jokes. He's a walking wikipedia. I will never forget how he smiled at me. It's the sweetest. Kind and generous. Lovable not only to me but to his close ones; family. And that's what attracted me most.
Tapping into the things that I love about him.
Unlike so many guys, he was never a social climber or follower. Although sometimes he consult Mens Health to get himself in shape but he doesn't want everything that a typical guy wants. He believed in living his life to its fullest and I quote " There are just so many things I wanna experience and do, life's too short to remain stagnant. So I wanna make full use of it."
Bottomline, he wasnt about checking off boxes or trying to impress or ever striving to be someone or something he wasnt. He never aspired to settle down in a big house in the suburbs. And he preferred travel and experience to fancy possessions. He was all about simplicity and sincerity. He is everything that is not cliche. He is very unique in his very own ways.
Fast Forward.
1 year ++ almost 2 years later.
He surprised me!
My 21st Birthday.
At the backlane garden of our favourite place.
It was after our X-MEN movie, I so wanted to see Hugh Jackman (but if I knew what was coming, I would have skipped the movie altogether)
After movies, after the sunset,he insisted we go C. Square. So we headed down. We walked around and admired, the fountain, the running kids and the beautiful light up around the area.
And then he said we should sit at the backlane where my next birthday surprise awaits. Once we sat down, the small little fountain lights up, and you could hear the soft streaming water. I thought that was so amazing! Like, how did they know we were coming?!
So, we talked for a while, about our future, our lives. Then he pulled out a maroon SK jewellery box from this sling bag he had been wearing all day. He seldom carries a bag and I kidded into checking out what's inside... And he had to raise his voice at me so many times just to ask me to stop touching the bag coz it was the only way he could keep the ring hidden from me, yet still safe!
By now, he was on his knees in front of me saying a speech he had written and rehearsed many times (but i guess he was too nervous and had forgotten everything )-- asking me to be his wife.
Being a crybaby that I am, I teared with amazement and was so touched by his words and gesture and that he had managed to surprise me so totally. But then, I realized that I had never actually told him yes!! So he asked, "Is it a YES or a NO?"
And I said, YES, YES! I will marry you. The sweetest, most romantic birthday ever.
And there! I've declared that I'm very much in love with this amazing man! We have been engaged for almost a month and plan on getting married end of next year.