19) Country Nights

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“It's good we remembered to go to the store when we did,”She remarked, adding a cup of salt to the outside bag. Ice cream was strangely easy, but the quantity was a challenge. Plus, her and her mom are chocolate, Teresa and Sonya are vanilla, her dad is strawberry, Sonya and I are caramel, Harriet’s cookies and cream, and she’s mint chocolate chip. So yeah. The different flavors certainly don't make it any more beginner friendly.

“It is. Hopefully, we get to go again sometime.”

“Really? You liked that long drive?”She grinned, gently nudging my side.

“Yeah. Specific parts of it,”I teased, staring over at her to see her lips twitch into a small smile. “We could recreate that sometime,”I whispered, leaning down to whisper in her ear. As I pulled away, standing straight, she looked up at me, stopping her movements for a moment.

“I don't think we need to. Your camera has enough memories.”

“Why don't we talk about your sketchbook then?”

“We should actually. I put a lot of detail in that.”

“Oh, believe me. I could tell.”

With her eyes lighting up, she stood on her tiptoes. Leaning down again, I brushed my lips against hers, smiling against her mouth. Returning the simple but adoring action, she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. Gently holding her waist, I picked her up, putting her on the only free spot of the counter, as I kissed her deeper, cupping her cheeks. Holding the back of my head, she kissed me as though I was her lifeline, as though I was the difference between bleakness and happiness, as though my touch was warm as sunshine. Like I was the excitement of something she had waited centuries for, like I was ancient art that had to be preserved, like I was molded to be by her side. And I am. I’m hers. Forever.

Slowly pulling away, I kissed her temple before finely keeping my gaze on her, a lovestricken grin in my face. Trying to hide her smile, she focused on the ground, her head rested on my chest. Wrapping my arms around her, I tightly hugged her, melting into the world that had never seemed so small but so worth being in before.

“I love you,”I promised, nuzzling my face in the crook of her neck. Running her hands through my hair, she mumbled the words back. Both things that made me happier than I can even begin to explain.

“I love you too. I waited for you, Aris,”She smiled, looking up at me.

“I waited for you too. I always, always, always needed you.”

“I’ve needed you too. I’m always gonna need you.”

“And I’m always going to be here. For real this time.”

“Promise?”She checked, holding out her pinkie.

“Promise,”I answered without hesitation, hooking mine around hers. I didn't bother to let go though, holding them together. To be fair, she didn't seem to be in any rush either. What's there to rush? If anything, time needs to freeze, trapping us in this moment. In all our moments.

“You're very capable of either lighting up or ruining my life. You have a lot of power over me,”She warned.

“I’m going to elevate it,”I assured her.

“I’m sure you will. Just figured you should know.”

“I do. But,”I said quietly, grabbing both her hands, “I’ll use it wisely. Okay?”

“Yeah. Okay,”She nodded, a small smile on her lips. A small, beautiful, greatly missed smile.

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