Never Too Late

Resound Beyond the Stars

I was in Jake's garden, right beside the lot he bought. He always had weird plans of putting up a garden for Samantha's arrival. For the two years Alex had been gone, I've always seen Jake as my motivation. His perseverance and patience for Samantha had driven to be more understanding to Alex's situation, so I didn't care how long it was taking.

I was just sitting down at Jake's beautiful sunflower garden. Everything was surrounded with sunflowers and grass. It was spring, and the place looked beautiful. I just sat there, admiring the chilling sunset, when I heard a car stop by. I stood up to check out what it was. The grass and sunflowers were a bit tall, so it wasn't 100% clear, but I saw a guy rush out of a cab. He threw money inside the cab and rushed out to run.

He looked kinda' familiar, and he ran to the garden without a trace of doubt, like he was guided to me. I made my way through the tall grass to see the guy even when I already knew. I could already tell. How could I forget? How could I not recognize right away that he had the face that drove me crazy for years... the smile that washed out the cynical feelings I had in me?

He panted, and as soon as he saw me, he smiled and rushed over to me. I didn't know how to react because my heart stopped once again. My body felt warm, and I felt goosebumps all over me. It was him. He stopped right in front of me with a look of tire in his face. He looked kinda' exhausted. His hair was messy. It was the first time I actually saw him wearing a brown leather jacket. He was trying to catch his breath when he stopped.

"Hey." I said. "You're here."

"Hey." He took a deep breath with an expression of relief in his face. I smiled and got myself to calm my heart beat. I could hear the reprise again. I could go crazy thinking about it, like the looping verses of a love song.

"It's good to see you, Alex." I continued to smile.

"You too."

"Your hand's bleeding." I said as soon as I saw his right hand that had a cut. I grabbed his hand and took a look at the cut. It seemed fine. It probably just needed a little rubbing alcohol. "What happened?"

"No, it's okay." He gently pulled his hand off probably because he didn't want me to worry about such a small thing. "It's just a cut. I got hit by a guy riding a bike while I was running. It wasn't pretty."

"Oh God. Why were you running?"

"Well." He was still panting, but he smiled like he was excited. "I was in a hurry. I ran to our loft, but Laura, looking good without the baby bump, told me you went to Jake's. I hope Jake didn't steal you or anything."

"Come on, Alex." I laughed. "I think there's more chance of me falling for Jake than him to me, and that chance is so impossible. He's so crazy about Sam."

"I was kidding." He chuckled. "I know Jake from High School. I know he wouldn't do something like that."

"I know, right?"

"But in all seriousness." He cleared his throat. It was all adorable how he looked rugged. "I ran here because I couldn't wait to see you. I just knew I had to be here now. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"I wanted it to be a surprise too. And I'm glad you're here."

"Does that mean?" He blinked his eyes as he stopped. "You've got an answer to my text?"

"Yes." I nodded with a smile. He referred to that text he rode that cab to the airport. "The answer is yes."

Alex smiled with all the relief in his face. The look of exhaust in his face was gone. He stopped to look down for a moment while he was smiling, like he was thinking that his hard work finally paid off. He shook his head, and I started to giggle as I saw his eyes get teary.

"Liyah, there didn't come a day that I didn't think of you." He said as he wiped his tears off. "When I go to bed and I'm super tired, I just think of you, and I laugh like crazy. I missed you so much."

"I missed you so much too, Alex."

"I love you, and I don't want to let you go again. I don't want to spend another day without you again." Alex reached for his pocket with his bleeding hand, and he brought out a small black box. When I saw it, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I knew what it was, and I knew where it was going. He held my hand with his left hand as he started to kneel. He looked up to me like I was a part of the stars. "Liyah Lovewoth..."

"Oh my God!" I reacted in surprise, and I started to cry in happiness. "What are you doing?"

"I'm a mess... physically, mentally, and emotionally." Alex continued as he opened it, and I saw a beautiful ring. I didn't even care about the ring because his eyes sparkled brighter than the moon. "But I love you, and whenever I'm with you, I find clarity. I dream about you. I think about you. I smile because of you. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Liyah Loveworth, and I hope these feelings resound beyond the stars. If you love me, please... will you marry me?"

"Yes! Yes!" I shouted in tears. Alex started to cry, but I kept talking as I held his hands. I could feel his blood on my palm. "I love you too, Alexander Johnson! I dreamt of you every night! Every time you texted me, I can't help but smile like an idiot! It was always you! I knew from the moment you walked to me after church. You smiled at me like you wanted to show me what it was to be loved! I was indeed enchanted to meet you! I know it's a Taylor Swift reference, but I didn't think the feeling could be as real as this!"

We started laughing as Alex burst in energy. He carried me, lifted my feet off the grass, and he span around with me, laughing and crying at the same time. It was a wonderful feeling, the best feeling I ever had. I felt the sky shoot down a thousand shooting stars, but I didn't need a wish because I had Alex.

Alex was my dream... but he isn't my dream anymore because, right now, he's my reality.