fragments

'i love you'.

a boy and a girl were racing down a desolate street. it was late at night. they giggled as they ran, looking like school children, their eyes alight and feet pounding on the concrete. finally, they came to a stop in front of a street lamp. each of them was panting, their breath coming out in tuffs and floating into the cool night air. they were both laughing in between strangled breaths, suffocating in the best way possible. 

'i think we've successfully avoided the cops,' the boy managed to get out in between chuckles. 

'yeah, i think we're safe,' the girl giggled. 

she rested a hand against the boy's arm, leaning forward and panting. her dark hair obscured part of her face, and the boy thought she had never looked more honest or beautiful. 'no thanks to you,' he teased. 'if it hadn't been for me saving your ass, we'd be on our way to jail right now. miss 'one more drink. they'll go away'.' 

'oh, fuck off,' the girl replied, smirking up at him. 'i could handle myself if i wanted to.'

the boy only snorted derisively in reply. the girl looked up at him. the street lamps bounced off of his auburn hair, making it appear more red. his green eyes were crinkled as he smiled at her. the freckles on his cheeks shown like constellations on his skin. he was the brightest thing on the entire street.

'i love you,' she suddenly blurted out. it sounded paltry on her tongue, quiet and apprehensive. she knew what 'i love you' meant. it meant surrendering yourself completely to another. it meant giving them your heart and a knife on a golden platter. it meant the inevitability of the pain to come. she had promised herself she would never allow those words to pass her lips and now here they were, out in the open. a shiver ran down her spine as she said those words. 

the boy smiled. he smiled because he knew the power those words held. he knew 'i love you' from her wasn't an every day occurrence. he knew 'i love you' from her wasn't a wispy thing, something that the wind could capture in a flurry and lift away. he knew that once she said 'i love you' she meant it. he knew the fear that lay under those words, the clenching of her stomach muscles, the tightening of her spine. he knew that 'i love you' from her meant forever. and he knew damn well that he'd better not mess this up. 

he leaned in, his lips gently brushing hers, barely a kiss. his warm forehead pressed against hers and his fingers gently traced her cheek. 'i love you too,' he whispered. and it sounded like warm honey from his lips. it sounded simple and raw and true. there was no hesitation. the terrified girl's lips lifted up into a half smile, and her trembling fingers reached up to touch his cheek, pulling him into her. they stayed like that, neither one daring to open their eyes or move. even when the street lamp went out.