I took in another deep breath of the fresh, autumn air in Central Park. Fall in New York City really was beautiful. Well, at least for someone visiting the Big Apple for the first time. Some people who have been to New York more times than I have, like my mother, say that summer is the best time to visit the city. I was just happy to be there, no matter what the season.

                I jumped off the edge of the Bethesda Fountain, watching as my worn-out black converse hit the concrete below me.

“Careful,” my mother reminded me. “You’ll fall right into the water.”

Shrugging off my mother’s orders, I continued to skip around the fountain, enjoying the bright colors of Central Park. Why can’t all fall days be like this? The last time I checked, all I wanted to do on a fall day in my hometown was to get a big Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks and hide out. Then again, this is coming from the girl who is always on her phone, being pushed by her mom to get out of the house.

“Look!” my aunt squealed, interrupting my thoughts. “He’s proposing!”

I whipped my head around, already seeing a crowd gather around the young couple. Squeezing my way through the people in front of me, I went to get a better view. The young guy kneeled down on one knee, as his buddies serenaded his girlfriend behind him. He ran his hand through his shaggy black hair, and pulled out an engagement ring from his pocket. The girl’s bleach blonde hair waved in the wind, but her eyes were steady and filled with surprise and happiness. It took no longer than a minute for the two of them to become engaged, fulfilling what truly seemed like a magical moment.

Well it seemed magical from where I stood. I thought it was beautiful. And then my sister leaned over and whispered grumpily in my ear;

“If a guy ever proposed to me like that in public, I would punch him in the face!”

“Even if you’d been together for a long time and wanted to marry him?” our mother asked, overhearing her comment.

“Yup I would,” said my sister, continuing to judge. “It’s just too cheesy.”

I continued to listen to my sister complain, while watching the young couple celebrate. This sort of thing only happens in the movies I thought.

 “You don’t think it’s sweet?” I asked my sister again, as we continued walking down the park path.

“No, I would be so embarrassed,” she said.

I looked back once more at the grand fountain, watching as the engaged couple smiled happily, taking selfies. I chuckled at the thought of my sister being there instead of the bleach blond girl. Big talker. She would never punch him in the face. And if she did, pass the popcorn, please!

The sunshine reflected on the park’s lake as we walked by. It had the same sparkle as the diamond the boy with the black hair had slipped on his girlfriend’s hand.

I looked at my own fingers as I ran my hand along the bushes as we walked. The needles on a branch pricked my palm and I quickly took my hand away.

“You’re a grump,” I said to my sister, to pester her.

“Look it’s just my opinion,” she said. “I would hate it to have people around and to have people sing to me in public.”

Selfish my thirteen-year-old-self thought silently.  A guy spends his time arranging a surprise like that, and you’re embarrassed? What about embracing life? Living life to its fullest? Letting things play out like a movie? Life can be like a movie if you choose to make it so, I think. Mr. Handsome sure did, when he gave his girlfriend the best proposal ever.

“Their children would be freaking beautiful,” I said to my younger cousin, who giggled in response. “I mean, come on. Did you see their faces? Talk about sweet genetics!”

“I don’t know,” I told my sister as we bundled into a taxi. “I think she’s lucky.”

I looked out the window of the taxi, and watched as Central Park disappeared behind us. We were on our way to Rockefeller Center, to go to the top of the building.

Who knows? Maybe we’d see another movie-moment proposal today.  Anything is possible. Especially in New York City.