enchanted

60

It was when the biology teacher handed out our materials for the junior finals that I realized how quickly life goes by.

I was once a small child, running through the garden hose. I was once a middle schooler, swinging in the breeze. Now I'm closer to being a whole adult with adult responsibilities.

My senior year will fly by like rapid fire, and I don't even know what I want to be when I grow up. The problem is I am a grown up now, still with an unplanned life.

Cristian is coming to town again for a while. Junior prom is being held at my school, an open invitation I hope he decides to take Presley to. Lacy of course will always and forever be with Noah. Cristian is going to stay with Lucas if things stick to plan. If they don't, he will sleep in my house because that's where Presley will be, and I'll be with Lucas because I miss him more than ever now. Our recent conversation about almost breaking up scares me. He did make it clear that he was not going anywhere, but his health is what is concerning me now, physical and mental.

I lay awake at night picturing scenarios of my future. He and I have a child, she remains nameless. I watch the days go by with my dead husband and daughter that's just like him in a female body. He's gone and she picks up his traits, and I pick up the cigarette too in the same mindset that he had while using that lighter.

Just the thought of loosing someone you love is terrifying, you always wish that you could die first. But it hurts thinking that he could be gone at any moment now. His health is at risk.

Love is a serious drug in itself, it scares me how much I need him to stay.

He almost left, he claims he didn't mean to, but what if he did?

———
*Lacy*

It's Friday, which marks five years of my first and only relationship I've ever been in.

Most would argue at twelve years old you don't know what love is, and I'm not sure if I did. Surely I could not describe that pit feeling in my stomach that twisted when I thought of Noah. In middle school, we were just kids who really liked being around each other. Now, we still are. We just know a little better. I still count that first day of sixth grade the beginning for us, which makes it five years since he asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend at the end of the year.

He is taking me out tonight, to a restaurant down by the water.

When I see him, he's wearing grey pants and a black shirt. It is not extremely dressy but surely is not casual. It's perhaps perfect, everything about him.
His hair is perfect, his smile, his eyes.

I walk towards him in my pink pretty dress, and the sunset looks beautiful tonight.

The closer we get to each other the faster we start walking until I fall into his arms.

He's perfect.

When we get seated at the restaurant, it isn't cold or hot, just comfortable. It's the perfect weather.

"You look beautiful tonight," he says, his eyes have such a spark inside.

"You look handsome." The tight black shirt always kill's me.

The waitress comes and takes our drinks and our orders almost right away, and with that it leaves the two of us alone again.

Noah clears his throat, and he looks nervous.

"Lacy, I know we've been dating for a long time. I love you so much, I love you more than anything in the world. And as the time goes by, all I can think about is how my future is going to play out. It's impossible to picture it without you being by my side. I've been with you since middle school and I don't think I'd be able to live a normal life and function properly without you. You are the most beautiful amazing girl i've ever met and I know I'll never find someone that measures up to you. I know we are still insanely young, but I want to promise you something. I want you to be my wife one day, I want to be the father of your children, and spend the rest of my life with you. It may be too soon to actually have a wedding but," my life flashes before my eyes as I see him get up out his chair just to get again on one knee," Lacy, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" was the quickest response I have ever spoken. And with that, I have been promoted.

Before I even process anything his lips are on mine. My fiancé is kissing me for the first time being someone new to me. We won't get married anytime soon, but I'm okay with that.