As I'm driving I quietly ask Grace something
"So where would you like to go this fine evening?"
"To our place!"
I smile and keep driving to our special place just behind a ran down grocery store and the old library, where the only thing you could find recent is a year 2000 encyclopedia.
We slowly approach the condemned grocery store and park behind it. Before getting out of the car I look over at Grace and watch her eyes instantly lock onto the potential in front of us. Just as she always does, Grace opens her mouth and looks determined "You know, when we finish our senior year this year, we should totally buy this place and fix it up." I chuckle to myself and think only Grace would say this, she finds interest with anything remotely close to potential.
I squeeze her hand gently and look at her and play around
"With what money Grace? We will be in College lucky enough to afford ramen noodles." She looks at me with a blank expression then grins "You know we could always start some sort of shop or something to get us some extra cash." I nod my head no and say "You are one heck of a girl Grace."
She flashes her smile at me and I return a smile back. We get out of the car breathing in the fresh air. The crisp air of the place we love the most. We can be who we want here, only casting judgment upon ourselves. I grab Grace's hand without speaking, words mean nothing here. We silently walk through a small deserted path, to an area we made alive again. It seems like we have been walking for miles, until we finally reached it. Our little wooden fort, it looked similar to a house except for a typical slanted roof. The walls were see through, due to the fact it is made with wooden logs and nails. I mean we aren't architects so what did we expect?
Grace breaks the silence and says "You know what we need, we need to make a second floor." I look at her wondering if she was joking or if she was just being her usual self. "Are you being serious Grace? We have plenty of room in it so far."
She looks at me then at our hide away.
"Well I mean I guess your right."
I walk towards our structure and open the "door", it consisted of a rotten tree that had fallen down. Grace walked in behind me and I smiled. Sometimes Grace doesn't see how beautiful she is, even when she is not trying I thought. I reached for the wooden logs we kept in a small cardboard box and put it in the little fire pit we had. Grace then took a piece of newspaper from the same box and crumpled it up and put it under the logs. Next I grabbed the grill lighter wedged between two pieces of wood and lit the newspaper. I watched as the room fled with light and smiled at Grace. She opened her mouth and said "Is something wrong Caleb?" I shook my head and just looked at the fire. I saw out of the corner of my as she shrugged her shoulders and gave me a weird look.
I then went towards the only piece of furniture we owned in this place. The hammock that was semi-close to the fire. I carefully laid down in it stretching out. It only had room for one person but that didn't stop Grace from laying on me and snuggling into my chest. I smiled as I gently stroked her hair.
Grace was so beautiful from her long blonde hair to her piercing blue eyes. Grace was about 5'2 while I was 6'1 with brown hair and dull blue eyes. Her beauty outweighed my looks by far. Here we are two lost souls coming together to make each other happy, yet Grace and I weren't officially together. She wasn't very popular, she was average, not by looks but because she didn't talk to people. I on the other hand was well known, everyone knew my name.
Grace and I have never been official, no one even knew we talked to each other. See we decided to not be the typical boyfriend and girlfriend type. Our connection is so strong we do not need to put labels on our love, our love is ours, broadcasted to the world or not. Grace Taylor is mine, and I am hers. No labels, no judgement, and no people weighing in on our lives together. As I continued getting lost in my thoughts I looked over at Grace and noticed she had fallen fast asleep. I closed my eyes softly and laid my head on top of hers and mumbled "I love you." Then dozed off peacefully.
