It Started With a Song [Shawn Mendes]

37

(Summer's POV)

There he was. I finally found him.

He was standing on a blanket, surrounded by rose petals and candles that illuminated his flawless features. My breath caught in my throat.

(Shawn's POV)

There she was. She finally found me.

She looked up from the ground and her beautiful green eyes found mine. I smiled and her eyes widened, taking in my surprise. My heart swelled in my chest. I couldn't believe that she was actually mine. I started walking down the hill to meet her, for she was still frozen in place. I took her hand and led her back up to the picnic I had laid out. It was like all the words had been blown of of her, so she spoke with her eyes, still full of surprise and wonder.

(Summer's POV)

I couldn't believe it. He had done all of this for me? I tried to say something, but all I could get out was a breathless:

"Why?"

"Because I'm your boyfriend and I realized that we had never actually been on a real date." He said with a grin.

"Well you didn't have to do this." I gestured around me.

"Yes I did.." he pulled me close to him. "...because I love you Summer. I love you so much and I wanted to do something special for you."

(Shawn's POV)

I did it. I told her how I felt. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off me, leaving me free to fly higher, and higher, and higher. She wrapped her arms around me and I held her. I could feel her heart beating against my chest. Then I felt something else. Her whole body was shaking. I pulled back and looked at her face to see tears streaming down.

"What's wrong?" I asked, worried that I had upset her.

"Nothing, it's just- It's silly- I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm crying-" She shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes, but she was still shaking.

"Here sit down." I sat down and gestured to the spot next to me on the blanket. I put my arm around her. "Please tell me what's wrong."

"No, nothing's wrong, I'm really really happy." She looked at me. "It's just..." She paused. "Do you know when I first started to like you?"

I shook my head slowly.

"It was in seventh grade, when I saw you perform at the school concert. Your voice was so beautiful and the song you sang-"

"One." I remembered. She smiled and nodded.

"That song meant so much to me at the time, it just felt like a sign. I watched you after that, trying to figure out who you were."

"And what did you see?" I asked quietly.

"I saw a boy that wasn't like the others. He was popular, but he was himself. He didn't let anyone take that away from him. He was kind and funny and he loved his little sister more than anyone. I saw how he closed his eyes and tilted his head back when he laughed, and how he wouldn't touch a tomato if his life depended on it." She paused and smiled to herself. "I wanted to meet you so badly, but, I mean, we weren't even in the same grade. Then you went to high school and I tried to forget you, but it was hopeless. Then I went to high school and it got worse. I saw you more and yet you still didn't notice me. And then, last summer we were in the same camp and I still didn't even think you knew my name. Do you know how much that hurts?" She stopped and took a deep breath.

My stomach rolled with guilt as I imagined her hurting all those years, all because she wanted to know me.

She continued, "Then you came up to me at the party and I didn't know what to do. I got butterflies when I was in the same room with you! And then you helped me later that night and I went home, humiliated. After all those years, you finally knew who I was, but that was how you'd remember me. And then the whole guitar lessons thing happened and we went to the diner and became friends. I was happy. But even that couldn't last long, because I had to go and ruin it by telling you how I felt." She stopped and looked at me, smiling weakly. "I've spent so long dreaming of this moment. I just- when you said you loved me- I just can't believe that this is real." She put her hand on mine and I looked at her beautiful tear-streaked face.

"Nothing has ever been more real," I said quietly. I put my hand on her face and kissed her. Warmth flowed through my entire body and I felt my heart relax like this is where I was meant to be. I was happy, happier than I had been in a long time and nobody could take that from me. This feeling was different, not like how it felt with Alexia or any other crushes I had. This was real. This was what it felt like to fall in love, to be in love. I never wanted to let her go, she was like a part of me now. She was all I needed.

(Summer's POV)

When Shawn kissed me, it felt like all the cracks and bruises he had left the past five years were healing, growing back stronger than ever. And I knew, I knew for sure that I was in love with him. Every single thing about him was perfect to me. I wanted to stay in that moment forever, holding onto him in the dark of the night. We were connected, two hearts beating for each other. He was everything I could ever want and I never wanted to let him go. He was all I needed.

Wow. I can't believe that this story is actually over. I've spent about a year working on this, planning, and writing, and editing. This story started on a random notes page on my phone, and now its published on Wattpad with more than 1,500 reads. I honestly can't believe it. And none of that would have happened without you guys, reading my story along with me.

I want to thank every single one of you reading this for supporting me. I don't really care if I get votes or comments, it just means so much to me that people are actually reading something I wrote.

Also a special thanks to _wtfshawn, readlover2404, mariana5128, Lamooch1, and AhlamYakhlaf8 for voting on my story, and to my friend Ella for creating the amazing new cover.

I promise you that my next story will be much better than this piece of trash, and that I will start it one soon as I can.

Thank you with all of my heart,

Rosie