Snapshots of Love

Goodnight

Goodnight, my someone,

Goodnight, my love,

Sleep tight, my someone,

Sleep tight, my love,

Our star is shining its brightest light

For goodnight, my love, goodnight.

I hummed as I walked along the pathway to the showers in the quickly descending night. The moon was getting brighter with every step I took, and I could hear the sounds of nocturnals awaking and dinurals preparing for sleep. I could imagine mothers kissing their children goodnight and friends whispering their final secrets of the day, as parents called, "lights out" in half whispering-half speaking tones.
I could feel something in my chest, similar to the emptiness I had felt before summer camp, but different enough that I realized...
I was peaceful. It had been ages since I'd felt so restful.

"Are you still all twitterpated, Nat? Come on, before all the showers are taken!" My best friend, Elisa, kindly jerked my from my reverie.

I blushed and replied, "Maybe, but it feels good to be twitterpated, and I plan on holding on to it for as long as I possibly can."

We laughed and hurried to snag a shower before the nightly rush hour created a giant line and used up all the warm water.

***

Sweet dreams be yours, dear,

If dreams there be

Sweet dreams to carry you close to me.

I wish they may and I wish they might

Now goodnight, my someone, goodnight

Fifteen minutes later, the same song was running through my mind, shadowing the peace I had felt earlier with a tinge of loneliness.

"Nat, you are brushing your teeth like you sing. It's like you think I'm gonna judge you for showing off with your fantastic tooth brushing skills," Elisa says around her toothbrush, giving my reflection in the mirror a sassy look.

I laughed and spit into the sink. "Sorry, Lise, I'm a little preoccupied right now."

Elisa turned to face me and gestured with her toothbrush, splashing toothpaste on the mirror. "Out with it. What is so preoccupying you can't even clean your teeth properly? Does it have to do with... him?"

I sighed, embarrassed. "Well, kinda. It sounds dumb--"

Elisa cut me off, murmuring, "since when has that scared me off?"

I took a deep breath. "There's this song stuck in my head, and it just..."

I rolled my eyes at Elisa's expectant expression.

"Fine. It's something like:

True love can be whispered from heart to heart

When lover are parted, they say

But I depend on a wish and a star

As long as my heart doesn't know who you are."

My face was brilliantly red as I finished singing and Elisa quietly clapped for my impromptu performance.

"That was beautiful! And I get what you mean. Being your best friend is nice, but sometimes I want someone... more."

Now Elisa was blushing too.

"I'm glad we're friends" I said softly. There was a moment where we just looked at each other.

"Are we having a moment?" Elisa's comment broke the newly formed ice and we laughed, before packing up our toiletries and heading for our tent.

As we walked along the path, our shoes left wet footprints on the pavement, shining slightly in the dim lights above us. Beyond the trees ahead, all was dark, but we could see the white building where the boys slept; the doorway was plainly lit.

"Hey, Nat," a voice called. I turned to see my younger brother, Tommie, waving at me.

"I'll be right back," I said to Elisa before walking over to Tommie. "What do you need?"

"I finished the book you let me borrow. It's in the bunks," answered Tommie. "Just a minute and I can get it for you."

"'Kay," I said. I was about to return to Elisa when I simultaneously noticed three things.

One, Elisa had disappeared; two, a group of guys had just exited the showers; and three, they were headed right for me.

For a moment, I panicked. Then I forced myself to stay calm.

It's talking to the opposite gender not the Spanish inquisition.

I pretended not to see the boys and carried my toiletry bag over to a bench and sat there, casually humming to calm my nerves.

Sweet dreams be yours dear,

If dreams there be

Sweet dreams to carry you close to me.

"Hey, Natalie." The voice was low and soft.

I looked up into the glittering blue eyes of the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen. I had followed him with my eyes since yesterday morning. He was gorgeous, sang the most beautiful tenor I'd ever heard, and he was smiling at me.

"You really should go to bed," he said teasingly.

"I'm working on it," I replied, trying to hide the nervous tremble in my voice. "I'm waiting for m-my brother Tommie t-to get my, um, a book he borrowed. From me."

Relax! Don't be such a spaz. And for goodness' sake, stop stuttering!

"Oh," he said, and turned to go back to his friends who were waiting, quietly talking about something that required them to turn and glance at us repeatedly.

"Hey, if it's my bedtime, shouldn't it be yours too?"

He looked back at me with the slightest grin on his perfect lips. Then those perfect lips parted and uttered the most perfect words I had ever heard.

"Fair enough." His smile grew. "Goodnight, Natalie."

With that, he spun back toward his friends. They began talking more animatedly and one pounded him on the back while the other offered him a fist bump.

"Goodnight," I whisper-called after him as adrenaline rushed through my veins.

I stared at my lap as they moved away from me.

I felt Elisa sit down next to me.

"Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on," I hissed, staring at the door to the bunks out of the corner of my eyes as it opened, swallowed the three boys, and then shut.

I fell forward into my hands and squealed.

My heart was no longer beating. No, it was flying.

" That was so..." Elisa trailed off, unsure how to finish.

"Perfect," I sighed.

We stood together, her with a supporting hand on my arm, me positively vibrating with excitement.

We whispered and giggled our way through the dark trees back to our tent. Once there, I collapsed face-down into my pillow and squealed some more.

As I relived the sound of my name in his mouth and his sweet demeanor, the last few lines of the song floated through my head.

I wish they may and I wish they might

Now goodnight, my someone goodnight.

I fell asleep, a gentle smile on my face and jubilation in my heart, as I opened my arms to the sweetest dreams I'd ever have.

Goodnight,

Goodnight.

*** full song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC33O52pGUg