Champagne Problems

When We Knew

"Oh my Lord! How much longer?" I heaved, bending over to drink in heavy breaths of air.

"We're almost done, Mal." Theo repeated for probably the hundredth time, playfully slapping my ass as he walked past and down the hikes path. I pulled up the nylon of my leggings and quickly caught up to walk alongside him. We were in Morocco on our first abroad trip together after dating for three years. Sightseeing, visiting zoos, eating at restaurants and we were ending our trip on a big hike overlooking the beautiful mountains and waterfalls of Morocco.

"This is awful, why did we do this?" I breathed out, grabbing his water bottle out of his hands as I already drained mines ages ago.

"Because it's a great way to end our holiday here."

"For you, Mr I play football with my mates" I replied between gulps of his water.

"This is good for you!" Theo turned to me, grinning, "It'll stretch out that small, supple body of yours."

"I don't need stretching." I huffed, pushing his now empty water bottle back into his hands.

"Yeah, yeah." He replied, as he rested his arm on my shoulders. We trudged forward before he brought his hand to my jaw to tilt my head up. "We've made it."

Before us was a scene I would've thought was a painting. Lush Valleys span in front of us for miles. A sea of sage and emerald and chartreuse. It was magnificent.

"Beautiful isn't it." He exclaimed, walking over to the ledge and leaned against the stone fences.

"Yeah it is."

And we stood there for a while, admiring the view, shoulder to shoulder. Theo arms snaked around my waist, bringing me closer into his chest. Standing with each other's company as we watch the sunset in comfortable silence. Watching as the honey drizzled sky turned into a dark navy blanket with sparkly specs of stars.

Theo pulls out his phone, "Let's dance." He said as he pulled me away from the ledge and in the middle of clearing. He played a random song and took my hand, bringing me close to slow dance with him.

We were just swaying there at first. Gazing up at each other's eyes and smiling like we were on our first date again. 

"I probably look really gross right now." I said, breaking our silence first.

"You never looked more beautiful than you do now."

And I found myself bashfully looking away, my cheeks heating.

"You look so beautiful when you're blushing." And I only blushed even more.

Green eyes and freckles and your smile.

"Remember on your eighteenth birthday when I took you out to a pub for the first time?" Theo asked out of the blue.

"Yeah, and I got so positively shitfaced that you needed to carry me home because we were both drunk and couldn't drive home."

"Yeah, you are such a lightweight," He chuckled, brushing my bangs out of my eyes and to the side, his eyes searching mine as he continued, "but you said something that was so you I had to write down in my notes app."

I tilted my head, my brown hair flopping to the side as I tried to figure out what I said that was so memorable.

"You were hanging off my arms. Poking my jaw, telling the women walking past us to stop staring at me - though I was sure they were staring at us because I was carrying you while you were inanely giggling."

He laughed at the memory but I stayed watching him. In awe of how his face glows as he retells the memory.

"But you said something. Something so silly but sweet that I couldn't help but note it down so I put you down on a bench on the side of the road, went through your purse and grabbed one of those pens you keep for emergencies and I wrote it on my hand."

"What did I say?"

"You make my heart smile."

"What?" I laughed, having no recollection of saying that from that night. Though to be fair, I don't remember much from that night.

"Yes. Honest to God you said that. And then you kissed me. And you never initiated anything that intimate because you're shy like that." I rolled my eyes, "But I remember that so well. I repeated that to myself the whole way home as you kept giggling in my arms and joking around as if you didn't just say anything that cute."

I didn't say anything after that. Neither did he. We just continued to sway along to the song playing from his phone. Looking at each other while we goofily smile at each other.

All I know since yesterday, everything has changed.

And then we were both crying.

Because at that moment, we knew.

This is it. This is sacred.