Even in the shade of the trees Amber's blue eyes glint, I can't help but stare. I feel safe when I look into her eyes, they hold an understanding and love towards me and who I am. More than just that her eyes show her strength, she's unafraid, this is one of the most beautiful things about her but also one of the scariest. I scan her face, her smile has crept into an expression of confusion, as she sees me staring at her.
"What?" She says smiling again, wider this time.
"Sorry," I shake my head. "I just can't get over how cute you are."
I read her expression, she shows me a half-hearted frown.
"Stop that." She hits me in the chest throwing me into a fit of chuckling.
"What?! It's true!" I yell in the middle of a laugh. I wrap my fingers around hers, then extend to kiss her knuckle. She snuggles up next to me with her head positioned on my chest, we sit resting on the base of the tree for a long couple of minutes. Finally the silence is broken by Amber.
"Jasper," Amber peeps up.
"Yep," I whisper, watching the clouds crawl across the skyline.
"I should go," She lifts her head off my chest to look in my eyes, her dark brown hair suspended over my face. "I need to get ready for work tonight," She says. Amber works as a waitress at an italian restaurant that her uncle owns.
"I'll drive you." I plant my arms at my sides and work to get up. Amber sighs as she does the same. We walk through the park where many of the trees have already given up their leaves in the beginning of autumn. Brown, Red, yellow, and orange leaves line the trail leading towards the parking lot. We promenade all the way to my red truck that we both gave the name Bernie.
It took two months to come up with the name, I'm unhappy with the model of my truck so we tried to come up with really ugly names. Well it started off alright with "Ralph" and then "Walter" but then we went with "Stanley", "George", "Elmer", and finally we came to land on the name "Bernie". I open the door for Amber like a good boyfriend should, then walk around to the drivers side. I put the key in the ignition and the radio comes on playing 'In the name of love' by Martin Garrix. I for one love the song, but Amber hates it. She groans.
"Overplayed!" She yells. I giggle and turn it up as we drive down the highway.
After ten minutes I pull up in front of Amber's house and shift in to park. I look at Amber, "Amber," I whisper as she turns her head to look at me.
"Jasper," she says, slightly mocking and slightly questioning.
I pause for a moment, searching for her hand to hold but it's in her coat pocket. I reach for it anyways, filling the pocket.
"I love you," I smile, "You mean more to me than anything, I don't care if people don't think what we have is real love because of our youth. This love that I have for you is the closest thing to real, and I'm prepared to build my life around it."
Amber bites her lip as her eyes water. I interlock fingers with hers, then after a squeeze I open my door. I walk around the truck to her side. When I open her door as per usual, I kneel on the ground beside the truck. Then I speak, "I know this is a lot to take in, and we haven't talked much about this but..."
I reach into my jacket to display a box containing a band of love.
"So think about it?" I didn't picture my proposal being this way, I've never heard a guy ask a girl to get back to him about the decision.
"Jasp!" Amber barely chokes out. "I don't have to think about it, it's a yes."
I punch the air in triumph and excitement. Amber lays her hand out before me as I slide the ring on her fourth finger. Holding her hand I guide her out of the truck until she's at the level to hold. I squeeze her before I bring my eyes up to hers. I heave a breath, and inhale her air. Then I kiss her, supporting her weight, I kiss her, passionately.
I'm frozen in this moment although it's only autumn. Our joy is held in the aftertaste of the kiss, and the moment drags on in our minds. Amber pulls me into a hug using my shoulder as a handkerchief.
"Thank you Jasp," Amber sniffles. "For all of today."
"Always" I smile from ear to ear. But the moment ends as Amber looks to her house motioning that she needs to leave. "Parting is such sweet sorrow," I quote Shakespeare.
