Wedding bells rang in the air as she walked down the aisles confidant and proud. Her bright red hair was done up in a style only professionals could dream up. She was the most confidant woman in the world. Nothing could make her change the way she felt.

        “Rose? Wake up, you got class in an hour,” spoke a familiar voice to her.

        “Huh?” Rose questioned as she sat up in bed. It was just a dream, she thought to herself, Ironic, I suppose. She looked over at her boyfriend, Joshua. He was the dream of any girls; dignified, intelligent and a true gentleman. They had met freshman year and he never let her go after that, taking her from date to date until they went steady. Here they were, now seniors and almost finished with college and occasionally staying over in the others room. He had just woke her up from the best slumber she had in months; with classes ending and her future coming ahead, her head has been heavy for a while.

        “You got to get up soon, you’ll miss class,” he spoke worriedly.

        “Oh, I got the hours to spare. I haven’t missed a class in months, I’ll be fine,” she reasoned in her post-sleep daze.

        “That’s just being lazy, you know that,” he frowned.

        “I’m sorry, but I think I have the right,” she groaned, turning over to go back to sleep.

        “That’s just irritating, you know that? I have almost 25 hours, that’s at least 4 classes a day and I don’t complain about it,” he stood up in frustration.

        “Well then again, Josh, I’m not trying to become a doctor; now am I?” Rose sighed. He gave up and left. They had been having these fights for a while now, mostly because she was getting tired of his ‘planed out’ lifestyle. She needed room to breathe from time to time; to break away from the mundane routine of life.

        “Fine, I just thought you’d want a wake-up call,” he sighed, “Did you remember our dinner date tonight?”

        Rose paused for a second, “Where are we eating?”

        “That new steak house you wanted to go to,” Josh replied as he opened the door to leave.

        “See you tonight,” she said, looking at him as she scratched her head.

        “I love you,” he smiled as he left.

        She wondered if he did and, more so now that ever, if she still does. He didn’t give her the time to answer back, but she was glad he didn’t. It would have been the longest fifteen seconds of her life up to this point.

        In class she was in between thinking about that thought and what she wanted to do after college. There was journalism, where she focused her time on music. There was the fact that she was also a musician, she could try starting a band again. Of course, there was her love of writing as well. She had many options but little direction for the time being, mostly cause of her pace and her relationship’s tendency to focus on Joshua’s future in med school.

        She excelled in writing for the school paper, but she knew she didn’t want to write for a paper for the rest of her life. And the life of a musician wasn’t the smartest in a financial standpoint. But that didn’t matter to her. She wanted to try things out throughout her life, not just be stuck to one stalemate position.

        Nightfall came and he picked her up at her dorm room. He wore slacks and a dress shirt with a tie, which confused her at first. So she decided to change from a two piece dress to a one piece, to match his informal attire. When he obviously approved, they left.

        The seats were reservations, which Rose forgot that this place was that high class when she had mentioned it the month before. After ordering, Joshua started the small talk.

        “How was class today?” he asked.

        “Found out my final in Writing for Mass Media will be a 2 page report that will be in the Weekly Journal,” she answered as she sipped water.

        “You mean THE Journal?” he gawked.

        “Yeah,” she began to blush.

        “That’s amazing,” he raised his glass in nod.

        “Thanks,” she smiled back.

        “Rose, can I ask you a question?” Joshua spoke after taking a drink.

        “Sure, what’s up?” she inquired.

        “What do you think about children?” he asked, cocking his head a tad when seeing the food come in.

        “You know one day I’d love to have some, why?” she asked back.

        “Well, what about raising them? At home?” he questioned further.

        “What are you getting at, Josh?” she began to cut into her medium rare steak.

        “I want…” he became frustrated with where his questioning was taking them, “N-never mind.”

        “No, what is it?” she pointed the fork at him.

        “I want to make your future decision easier for you,” he almost panted after speaking really fast.

        She was speechless for long enough for the waiter to come back and ask if everything was ok with their order, “Do what now?”

        “Be a stay at home mom for me. It’ll make everything easier on the family structure and all,” he began to get excited.

        “Whoa, calm down there. Who said anything about us being a couple at that point?” she stammered.

        “I was getting to that,” he held up his right hand in pause while his left dug into his pocket to take out a ring box. He then opened it up and dropped to one knee, “Would you marry me?”

        “Wait, can we talk for a minute?” she said, shaking her head.

        “O-ok, what?” he sat back down, box on the table.

        “What about the things I want to do? Hmm?” she reminded him.

        “Hobbies,” he spoke with a straight face.

        “Right, so you’re saying ‘screw your plans, follow mine,’ is that what you’re telling me?” she threw the fork down.

        “W-wait, Rose,” he stuttered, “Its cause I love you and want to take care of you!”

        She stood up and threw down her napkin, “I’m sorry, Joshua; but I stopped needing someone to love and support me at my father. I have a life and I’m not going to squander it on being a housewife. Come see me when you grow up.”

        She walked away, head held high. She knew he’d come back and apologize, but it was over. He had hinted at this plan of a life for himself ever since they had gotten together, but she thought he would have grown out of it by now.

        In short, she realized now what she really wanted in a man. Someone who didn’t have to support her but could support what she did. And obviously Joshua wasn’t that man. Now, she thought, If only careers were as easy to decide on as men are.