I knew every expression on Jessica’s face — every smile and every glance. But when I saw her with my best friend, sharing whispers and secret looks, I realized maybe I didn’t know her as well as I thought. Something was going on, and whatever it was, it was something they didn’t want me to know.Jessica and I have been together for three years now, and honestly, she’s the best girlfriend I could ask for. She is funny, smart, a little too organized sometimes, but in a cute way.

Couple on a picnic date | Source: Midjourney

The one weird thing is that she and my best friend, Elone, never really clicked. It wasn’t that they hated each other; they just… didn’t mesh.

Jessica thought Elone was too sarcastic and rough around the edges, and Elone found her “too serious” and “a little judge-y.” It was a small tension I figured we’d all just deal with.
Then, about two weeks ago, I started noticing things. Little stuff, like these odd moments where they seemed to be having actual conversations, which was rare. Normally, when we hung out as a group, I did most of the talking to keep the peace.

So, imagine my surprise when I spotted them together at a small coffee shop while running errands last Saturday.

Jessica and Elone were sitting at a corner table, facing each other, and they looked… comfortable. No awkward silences, no eye rolls, or tense body language. Just two people laughing over lattes.

People at a restaurant | Source: Midjourney

I stood there shocked, my mind running wild with questions I couldn’t answer. Should I interrupt? Or pretend I didn’t see anything? Every logical part of me was like, Dude, they’re just talking. Chill. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

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Before I could even decide, Jessica reached across the table and grabbed Elone’s hand, squeezing it. And that… that felt like a punch in the gut.

“Okay, this can’t be what it looks like,” I muttered, half-hoping I was imagining it. Because if it was what it looked like… well, that was a rabbit hole I wasn’t ready to go down.

Days passed, and I kept waiting for Jessica to casually mention running into Elone at the coffee shop — just a “Hey, guess who I saw!” or some sort of throwaway comment. But she didn’t. Nothing. She acted like it had never happened, and that bothered me even more.
A few days later, we were hanging out in my living room, just watching a movie, and her phone buzzed. She glanced at it, smirked, and typed a quick reply before setting it face-down on the coffee table.

“Who’s that?” I asked, trying to keep it light.

“Oh, just… someone from work,” she said, not meeting my eyes.

“Someone from work?” I echoed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” she said, reaching for her glass of water. “You don’t know them.”

I nodded slowly, letting it go for the moment. But the unease was creeping back. Ever since I’d seen her with Elone, every little thing she did seemed… suspicious. She’d glance at her phone and smile to herself, or mention she was meeting “a friend” without giving names. And each time, I found myself wondering, Is it him?Later that week, I decided to ask Elone outright. We were supposed to catch a game together, but at the last minute, he texted to cancel.

“Hey, man,” I said, calling him up. He picked up after a few rings. “You ditching me for someone more interesting?” I joked, but my voice sounded a little more serious than I’d intended.

“Nah, just got… stuff going on,” he replied, sounding distracted. “Let’s catch up next week, yeah?”

“Stuff? Like what?” I pressed.

There was a pause. “Just some… personal stuff. Don’t worry about it.”

Personal stuff? Since when did he get all secretive with me?

Yesterday was it — the breaking point. We were at this big wedding for a mutual friend, and from the moment we arrived, Jessica and Elone were inseparable. I tried to brush it off at first, but each time I glanced over, there they were — huddled together, heads close.

It felt surreal, watching them like that. My heart was pounding, and every rational thought I had just vanished.

By dinner, I’d had enough. After the speeches and dancing started, I spotted them off to the side again. They were whispering and laughing like they were the only two people in the room.

Man and woman smiling at each other | Source: Midjourney

I clenched my fists, feeling the frustration finally hit its breaking point. I walked right over to them, not caring anymore if it made a scene.

“What the hell is going on between you two?” I demanded, louder than I meant to. My voice sliced right through their laughter, and they both froze wide-eyed. It was like I’d caught them with their hands in the cookie jar.

“Uh…” Elone started, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.

Jessica’s eyes darted from me to Elone, and for a moment, she looked almost guilty. But as she opened her mouth to say something, the lights dimmed, and a bright spotlight swung right over us, blinding me. A hush fell over the crowd, and I heard my name echoing over the speakers.“Could you please join me up here?”

My heart skipped, and I turned to see Jessica, now standing by the mic at the front of the room. She was staring at me, her face pale but her eyes determined. My stomach dropped. What was going on?

“Come on, please,” she said softly, gesturing toward the front. Everyone was staring at me, and there was no way out. So, still reeling, I made my way up to her, feeling like the floor could disappear at any moment.

Jessica took a deep breath, her voice slightly trembling as she spoke into the mic. “I know this probably seems strange. But there’s something I’ve been wanting to say in front of everyone who matters to me. And to you.”She paused, and my heart hammered so hard I thought everyone must hear it. A million scenarios ran through my mind, each worse than the last. Is she breaking up with me? Moving away?

Woman giving a speech at an event | Source: Midjourney

“Jessica… just tell me what’s going on,” I managed, my voice shaky.

She took a deep breath, then looked me right in the eyes, her gaze softening. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I can’t imagine my life without you, and I’d do anything to make you as happy as you’ve made me.”

She took a shaky breath, and I could see her hands trembling slightly. “So… I want to ask you something.”

Before I could respond, Jessica knelt on one knee in front of everyone. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, elegant ring box, opening it to reveal a beautiful, simple ring.

“Will you marry me?” she asked, her voice strong but full of emotion.

My jaw dropped. Time seemed to slow as I stared at her, the weight of everything finally crashing over me. Jessica — smart, kind, a little reserved — was down on one knee, proposing to me, in front of all these people.

I’d always thought I’d be the one to pop the question, but here she was, turning everything I thought I knew upside down.

For a moment, I was speechless. I glanced at the crowd, catching Elone’s grin from ear to ear. He mouthed, “Say something, dude!” and I realized everyone was waiting for my answer.

Happy couple gazing at each other | Source: Midjourney

Finally, I managed to choke out a breathless “Yes. Yes, of course, yes!”

The room erupted in applause, cheers echoing as Jessica jumped up, throwing her arms around me. I could feel the tears stinging my eyes as I held her tight.

She pulled back just enough to look at me. “Surprise?” she whispered, grinning.

“Best surprise of my life,” I said, laughing as the tears finally fell.

Later that night, after everyone had finally drifted away and it was just the three of us left by the empty tables, Jessica looked at me, still glowing from the excitement. She took my hand and laughed softly. “Okay, so… I owe you a few explanations.”

“Yeah,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief, “you do. You nearly drove me insane, you know that?”

Jessica chuckled, squeezing my hand. “I had no idea it would mess with you this much! I thought you’d catch on eventually.”

Elone laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Catch on? This guy was convinced we were hiding a major scandal!”

Jessica smiled, glancing over at him. “You have to admit, Elone, we weren’t exactly subtle about it. Meeting up at coffee shops, all the secret texts…”

People talking | Source: Midjourney

I shook my head, a sheepish grin spreading across my face. “So, let me get this straight. You guys were… ring shopping during those coffee dates?”

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Jessica nodded, grinning. “Yep. I had no idea what style you’d like, so Elone was helping me choose. And he’s surprisingly good at pretending to be interested in jewelry.”

Elone reacted, giving me a mock look of hurt. “Come on, man, I helped pick out the perfect ring. I even coached her on what to say. And you thought I was… what, trying to steal her?”

“Honestly?” I laughed, rubbing the back of my neck. “Maybe for a second there.”

Elone slapped me on the back, shaking his head. “Dude, you really thought I’d betray you? I’m offended.”

Jessica laughed, resting her head on my shoulder. “I wanted it to be a surprise. You’ve been everything I could ever want, and I thought you deserved something special.”Looking at the two of them, it felt like a weight lifted. The doubts, the suspicions, all of it seemed so silly now. I reached over, pulling them both into a hug. “Well, I don’t know how I got so lucky. Engaged to the love of my life, with the best friend I could ever ask for right here.”

Elone rolled his eyes, pretending to brush away a tear. “This is too much, man.”

Jessica laughed, her eyes twinkling. “So… what do you say, fiancé?”

I looked at her, grinning. “I say… let’s start forever.”

Couple bonding over bonfire | Source: Midjourney