The girl was a walking contradiction. Around others she loved to be loud and obnoxious, but alone she loved the quiet and peace. Marley could see both sides to most situation, and if not she was definitively open to other options, no matter how bias she could be. In the comfort of family and friends she would voice her opinions and quirky comments, but at school and work she was the person to sit in the back and keep to herself. Being musically inclined was one of her best traits, but if you ask her she would meekly tell you yes but would refuse to demonstrate her skills.
You could probably say that she chose to feel alone all the time. She chose to stay home and be alone instead of going out to the movies, or to parties. She would on the rare occasion attend various parties and events after the long pleading and pressuring from her roommates. "Give me one solid reason to go," was the usual response from Marley. The reasons varied but she was only interested if there was food present.
Exhausted from work, Marley walked through the door, tossed her bags on the floor, then fell onto the couch. "Hey, party out at the dunes, wanna go?" One roommate hollered from the bathroom.
"I'm good, thanks though." Marley sighed.
Trying to sneak back to her room before her roommate came into the living room to plead her case, she was too slow. "You're going. We're leaving in 20. You're GOING."
Too tired to fight she agreed.
As soon as they arrived Marley split up with her roommates and picked the farthest tailgate away from the fire and sat down.
"You know what they say about Fords," a voice said walking over.
Marley couldn't make out who it was but she responded, "that the tailgates are the most comfortable seat because they need somewhere to sit after it breaks down on the side of the road."
"Exactly," the voice chuckles. His face finally lit up from the fire, "Howdy there, I'm Brian, you are...?"
"Marley, I wasn't trying to make fun of your truck, sorry," She says shyly.
"Oh heavens no, I wouldn't drive one of these by choice. Its just the one I've had since high school. I'm not gonna complain too bad, my pops gave it to me when I turned 17." He said proudly.
Condescendingly to which Marley replied, "Wow, I can't tell if you hate it or really proud of the fact that your parents GAVE you a truck, whereas other people bust their ass to buy their own vehicle."
"No, its just that I'm not going to complain that my parents gave me a vehicle, but I did however bust my ass day in and day out since I was a kid working on our farm. So yeah, I guess you could say I'm PROUD. Didn't mean to offend you but just because I didn't hand money to someone doesn't mean I earned this."
"You're right, haha, I literally had my parents do the same thing. I was just giving you a hard time. At least you could have had some input on what kind of vehicle you wanted." she chuckled.
That half smile, and the way they she looked at him while talking, instead of through him, made Brian feel like he was being heard. Brian now, he has seen his fare share of girls who only want to talk to him because he has a country accent, tall, built just like a tough cowboy, well they only talked to him because he WAS a cowboy. You could probably say that was the new thing, dating a cowboy. Its hard when you're one of a few that go to a big city college instead of some rural one. Brian never had a girl he immediately liked. They usually took several encounters as well as a few drinks.
What wasn't to like about Marley? She was tall, pretty, maybe not super girly, smart, and had a sense of humor. Every girl was the same, they want you to make them laugh. Brian had a sense of humor but it wasn't the funniest. They're never the funny one. But it was Brian's fault he always dated the same type of girl, short, super girly, clingy, and always looking to go partying. Hoping he wasn't wrong about Marley, he asked to get her digits, and then bid her a good night.
Marley, didn't think anything about it. Just a new friend. She literally gives her number out to everyone who asks, unless they're creeps. She doesn't mind making new friends.
Being a typical guy, Brian didn't wanna rush into anything. "Should I text her and ask her out right now? Should I wait a few days, maybe a week.." All sorts of questions ran through his head on his drive home.
"Who was that you were sitting with, he looked cute."
"I think he said his name was Brian or something. Yeah he was ok."
"For real, he was totally hitting on you."
"Hakuna your TaTas, Sara, I kinda pissed him off. Oh well."
"MARLEY, you gave him your number. He text you yet?"
"I literally give everyone my number."
"Uh no, my brother asked you."
"You're brother is an idiot who wears skinny jeans so tight not even the girl of his dreams could get them off," Marley snapped. They both laughed, Sara turned up the stereo and those two sang their hearts out all the way back home.
*BUZZ BUZZ* Marley's phone vibrated on the table. The professor calmly turned around and asked, "You couldn't have a louder vibrate on your phone, could you."
"Vibration is not a volume, but I'll turn it down." Marley, embarrassed tucked the phone into her backpack. And then started a new page of notes on the lecture.
For the next 10 hours Marley completely forgot about her phone in her backpack. Brian however, thought that he was being annoying and that she was pretending to not see the messages. Finally he called her and left a message, "Hey, you might not recognize my number. I'm Brian Scott from the bonfire at the dunes a week ago. Hopefully you don't think I'm too clingy, I just didn't know if you saved my number. Aaaaannnyways, I guess I'm asking if you want to go to the rodeo on Saturday. Yeah, so, um, if I don't hear from ya I'll get the memo. Uh, yeah, let me know. K, yeah, deuces. Oh man I mean catch ya later. Oh hell, I mean to say is BYE. Not a mean bye just a normal bye. Just let me know if you wanna go. Thanks." He quickly hung up and tossed his phone onto the counter and could't believe the baffoon he sounded like. "Holy cow, talk about embarrassing.
Brian waited all afternoon and most of the evening until about 10 pm he got the message, "I would love to go. You gonna pick me up in your Ford so we can walk most of the way or do you want me to drive?"
"No, actually the thing starts at 7 but you should definitely show up about later. You could meet me there."
Marley confused says "Ok,,,," Thinking that most dates TAKE their date on a date, not tell them to show up an hour later.
"Trust me, I'm full of surprises, You WON'T be disappointed."
8 pm Saturday night Marley walks through the crowd finds a seat somewhere in the middle mostly away from people. The announcer comes over the PA system saying that the Steer Wrestling is on its way. And the first name read off was Brian Scott. "Yup, he said I would be surprised, and I am." Marley smirks. She watches as he slips off his horse, grabs the steer by his neck, lifts the nose and pulls it to the ground. He looks up to the stands to acknowledge his applaud and locks eyes with Marley, and gives her a wink,
He makes his way back to his trailer to put his horse back up and then makes his way to the stands to get his date. "Good job Brian." "SCOOOOTTT, atta boy!" "Great run you got the fastest time still!" All sorts of comments were made as he walked through the stands to get Marley.
"I didn't know you were a legit cowboy. Hmm its not roping or riding anything that bucks though..." Marley shoots a quirky smile at Brian.
"No, no its not. But I need to keep the money maker semi together."
"Oh my hell." Marley says rolling her eyes.
"Hey lets go, I'm slightly hungry and could use a milk shake." Brian tries to persuade Marley. But shes always down for food, especially if someone else buys it. They drove around until they could find a McDonald's. They pull up to the drive through, "Hi welcome to McDonald's can I take your orda?"
Brian orders a McFlurry and some Chicken Nuggets. "You want anything?"
"Yeah, actually just double that order I guess." She chuckles. That's all she ever orders when she eats out. A Milkshake and chicken nuggets.
"I always play it on the safe side and usually only order nuggets and a milk shake." Brian says embarrassed. "I'm not very adventurous.
Marley bursts out laughing, "I was literally just thinking about how I never get anything besides chicken nuggets and milkshakes when I eat out. I'm way too safe." The two carry on a conversation about chicken nuggets and how you can never go wrong with milkshakes and chicken nuggets/strips.
The two drive back to the rodeo, "Soooo is that your horse you ride or did you just borrow it." Marley asks.
"Yes the horse is MINE I bought her a couple of years ago. Her name is Shooter." Brian explains, "I'l take you to her. We need to take her home I guess. The two go and load her up hook up the trailer.
"Hey hold on for a minute, I'll be right back." Brian quickly runs off and is gone for a little while. Shortly he returns.
"Where did you go?" Marley questions
"You really didn't think I wasn't going to collect my winnings. I'm not the best but I'm pretty darn close."
"Did you win?"
"Sure did. Lets go."
"You're agg-science class is going to explode when you tell em you won."
"Actually Pre-Law. Contrary to the stereo type, I'm going to school to be a lawyer. You could just call me the modern Matlock." Brian corrects.
"You said I was going to be surprised and this whole night has been full of surprises." Marley shakes her head. The two bid each other good night as well as stayed up the rest of the night talking on the phone together. Brian talked until he realized Marley was asleep. When Marley woke up in the morning she couldn't wait to tell Sara all about her date. Even telling Sara the entire conversation about chicken nuggets.
Marley just loved talking about Brian and how he was full of surprises. He made her laugh, even when he wasn't trying. She wasn't laughing at him, but he wasn't saying anything funny. She just felt so happy to be with him, to talk about him. She didn't know what to to, shes never had someone like Brian. "He was so kind, humble, and he wants to be a LAWYER Sara!" Marley exclaimed.
Confused Sara asks,"A what? Isn't he a cowboy or something?"
"Yeah, like I said, surprises! I love it." Marley dazes off.
Many more rodeo dates followed, along with regular movie and dinner dates, those turned into study dates, and those turned into watching Netflix until all hours of the mornings. This is something that Marley could only dream about. She wanted this forever, Nothing to change. She felt like she was always with Brian, and even when they weren't physically together, they were texting, calling each other, they were never apart.
As perfect as it all seemed they did fight, they had those fights over jealousy. There were times where Marley thought something was going on while Brian went to rodeos out of town and she couldn't go. At one time Brian accused Marley only being with him because he and his family "have money." Yeah Brian and his family were well off but so was Marley. She was an independent woman who worked very hard to have the things she has, she didn't need Brian to buy her anything. She LET him buy her things, because she bought him things. "Its what you do in relationships. YOU BUY EACH OTHER THINGS BECAUSE YOU LOVE 'EM." Marley explains.
There were times where the couple would go on breaks and not talk to one another because they just needed time apart. After their final break Brian tells Marley that this is the last time. "Its not worth not bein' without you. All those times we weren't talkin' I was talkin' 'bout you. You're what I want in life. There's nuttin' I want more than to talk to you. I see you and I know that there's nothin' that makes me happier than when I'm with you. Marley, Life just makes sense when you're with me. I'm not a dumb ol' cowboy. My accent and upraising hasn't kept me from breakin' out from the norm. I see something and go after it. I see what makes me happy and I do it. If I wanted easy I would have just been a farmer, I would have not gone to school, I sure as hell wouldn't have dated you. But you're what I want. I want someone who makes me smile even when I'm not next to them. I want someone who makes me laugh so hard I can't see straight. I want someone who loves me for me. I want someone to tell me it's going to be alright when things are rough. I NEED someone to be real with me. I need someone to keep me grounded. I want someone who wants me. I want to come and hold you and never let go. I WANT YOU. I want those kisses you randomly give. I want you kicking open the bathroom door to throw flour on me, no matter how embarrassing that was. I want you next to me under the stars in my 'beater' ford in the mountains. I want the happiness you give me."
*Brian kneels* "Marley Benson.."
Marley interrupts, "This is not how I saw this going at ALL."
"Marley Benson, I'd ask you to make me the happiest man on earth but,"
Interrupting again Marley says, "and that took another turn. I'm on a roller coaster of emotions. What in the hell is going on?"
Brian continues, "I'd ask you to make me the happiest man on earth BUT, you already do that. I want to make you just as happy as you make me feel each and ever second of every day. I'm not going to ask you to marry me, I'm telling you, Marley, marry me."
Confused, "A normal person would say yes. But since you're not asking... how am I supposed to respond?" Marley wraps her arms around Brian and kisses him.
"You didn't need to say anything. I already knew the answer."
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