Shawn looked up at me. He did a double-take, and soon enough his cheeks were reddening and a smirk spread across his face.
"What?" I asked him, worrying that I put my shirt on inside out or something else to embarrass myself. He shook his head.
"Pl...
Shawn had gone above and beyond to make sure that my birthday would be special, and he was more than successful at that. After enjoying our breakfast, we took a stroll through the park by our house. Seeing the way the trees and flowers were just beginning to bloom made me more than grateful that my birthday was in the springtime.
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We walked through the park, admiring the vast expanse of nature while we talked about everything and nothing all at once. I wrapped both of my arms around one of his, resting my head on his bicep as we walked.
"Does it ever weird you out to think about how different things were just a year ago? Not even a year ago...like even just 6 months ago? Both of our lives were just completely different," I mumbled against his arm.
"It does weird me out sometimes," he sighed. "Honestly, as much as it hurt at the time I'm so fucking grateful that Carly ended up cheating on me. This might sound terrible, but it terrifies me to think about how close I was to marrying her. It's easy to think you're in love with someone when in reality you're kind of just...coexisting." He looked down at me and took a deep breath. "If I'm being completely honest, now that I know what love with you is like...I don't think I was ever in love before you," he said shyly. I immediately became overwhelmed with the love I have for him. I let go of his arm just long enough to wrap my arms around his neck - standing up on my tippy-toes so I could reach up and kiss him.
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He smiled down at me as I pulled away from the kiss, his adorable dimples on full display.
"For the record, I feel the exact same way. I'm so in love with you," I whispered sweetly as I smiled back at him. We continued walking and talking, my arms returning to their previous position so I was back to what Shawn lovingly referred to as 'koala mode'.
"Do you believe in fate?" I asked curiously. He thought for a moment before responding.
"I do," he said with a quiet confidence. "I think that all of the shit life puts you through has a purpose, even if it's not the way we would've liked to find that purpose. I think that you and I are pretty damn good examples of that," he stated as he looked down at me. "Both of us have experienced different kinds of pain and heartbreak, but in the end it led us to feel the most love and joy and peace and comfort either of us have ever felt." I squeezed his arm as I attempted to hold back a few tears that were brimming in my eyes.
