Forever & Always?

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Part Two

      He set me in his car and ran to the driver's side.

"You know what, here." He reached in the back and threw a black piece of cloth at me as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Put it on."

"Daniel! I will not be blindfolded!"

"Bet," he said, insistent.

"UGH," I exaggerated. We drove for about five minutes. It was Houghton, we could not go more than 20 minutes without hitting Hancock. I could tell by the movement of the car that we were on a dirt road. He jumped out of the car and came around to my side. He picked me up like a baby and walked with me.

"Can I please take this off now?" I asked, touching the blindfold with both my hands.

"No," he bit one of my hands, unable to use any of his because he was carrying me.

"Ow, my goodness!" I screeched. We walked for about fifteen minutes. I could feel his breaths getting heavy.

"God, Marie you're so fat!" I could hear the smile on his face.

"Maybe if you put me down and took this blindfold off of me, I could walk on my own!"

"I'm just kidding," he said as if he were talking to a baby.

"You're so skinny. You are so skinny!" He said in a child tone, squeazing my hips.

"Stop it!" He made loud kissing noises, leaving many little pecks on my cheek. He stopped walking. I slowly put my hand to my face and removed my blindfold. He was the first thing my eyes saw. I was not focused on where we were. I just stared at him. I put his face in my hands and leaned in slowly. I kissed him. He kissed me back. He stood there, holding me, exchanging kisses with me for about two minutes. I leaned back. He set me down gently. I looked around. I gasped. We stood in the exact same place I stood with him nine months earlier. We stood on the mountain I had gotten to know him on. The first place I ever went with him. He remembered. I embraced the sight, the memories. Nine months ago I was standing there with someone I had just met. He held my hand for the first time that day. We just kissed there. We were two different people now. Nine months ago, I could imagine Daniel becoming my boy friend for a little while. However, I never would have imagined this boy becoming my first love. I never would have imagined that my senior year would involve Daniel as much as it did, cancer, depression, anger, sadness, but so much joy. So much love. This mountain was my starting point. Little did I know it would also be the finish line. Little did I know that one adventure would change my life so catastrophicallly.

I turned around to face the love of my life. I threw myself into his arms.

"Holy shit," he whispered.

"Holy shit, Marie. I love you. I am so insanly in love with you."

"I am so unfathomably in love with you."

He leaned over farther than he ever has and squeazed me harder than he ever has.

"God , I'm crazy about you," he whispered.

"Daniel," I said so softly, I could barely hear myself.

"Marie," he said, even softer.