Highwaters.

"Happy two year anniversary babe." Lauren said giving me a hug and a sweet kiss on the lips. I smiled and said it back, continuing to hug her. We broke apart and she handed me an American Eagle gift card that read $100. "I know it's nothing extreme, but I figured you could get some new jeans" she said with her voice trailing off at the end. I did a small laugh and handed her my gift which was a sterling silver heart necklace with a smaller golden heart in the corner from James Avery. "Oh gosh Patrick, this must've been pricey!" "Well I don't think $100 is any cheaper!" We both laughed but it wasn't a genuine laugh, it was an awkward laugh. "Lauren," I start to say while putting the necklace "Patrick, I know. I know you're sick of this. I know you're sick of hiding this and you want to tell people about us but you can't. You just can't." She said quietly. "Lauren," I start to say again. "I really like you, trust me, I do. But we've been doing this for two years....two years. I don't know if I can keep meeting you in janitor closets after your volleyball games, or having to wear all black and a ski mask when I come over to your house at night. I just can't." I looked right into her green feline like eyes when I said this. "Can we just, can we just pleasure this moment right now? It's been two years, lets just lay down?" I nod my head in agreement and we lay down in the half dead grass that surrounds the old elementary school downtown. Lauren picks these spots very carefully. She picks them where she knows anybody from school won't come.

She puts her head in the crook my neck and I put my arm around her making her adjust her position. Her long blonde hair is all over the place with peices on my chest and other peices on my arm, but that's okay because it's really soft and I like the way it feels. We start talking about college and how she knows everything will work out for us because we've been together since sophomore year and we have been a strong couple. "Yeah a strong secret couple" I say barley loud enough for her to hear. She pauses for a moment letting the words sink in but she continues on like I said nothing. I roll my eyes and then immediatly close them. She keeps talking and while I'm fantisizing about how great life would be if people knew we were dating but then I hear silence. I open my eyes and look Lauren who has fallen asleep. I lay my head back down and continue dreaming.