This is Love

A Story by Allison

A story I whipped up for a contest. Enjoy :)

Through the fury of the downpour, I could see Aiden making his way as quickly and carefully as he could to my house. I tried to convince him not to come, not to take a single step out into the storm, but he proudly denied me. There were a million things out there that could hurt him, take him away from me, and I was only determined not to lose a single part of him at any expense.

As soon as he reached the sidewalk in front of my house, I opened the door and rushed him inside. His clothes were soaked and sticking to his body, and his hair was slicked back, dripping ice cold water drops onto his neck. He looked down at himself, seeing the aftermath of his adventure, then looked at me with his beautiful, guilty smile.

"I'm sorry babe, I just couldn't stand being away from you any longer."

The combination of that smile and his sweet, honey-like voice made me melt like chocolate on a hot summer day, causing me to sigh and hug him, despite his sodden body.

"It's okay," I whisper, "Let's just go upstairs now. You can change up there."

Aiden nodded in agreement and we hustled upstairs. He was eager to change, I could see it, though he was trying to hide it from me. That was Aiden, always so humble, so caring. As we entered my room, he approached my dresser and pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of his sweats, the same outfit he kept over at my house in case of times like these.

He quickly changed right there as I lie down on my bed and make myself comfortable under the floral duvet, happy to be in the second most safe place I knew. The first was in Aiden's arms, and I could only hope that would never change.

After Aiden had pulled on his dry clothes, he slid under the duvet, wrapped himself around me, and sighed. I could feel the relief wash over him, and almost guiltily I could feel it affect me too. I knew he could've gotten sick or hurt on his way over here, but now that he was here, I was almost glad he risked that. The feeling I've adopted when he holds me had seemingly disappeared forever since the last time I saw him, but now I felt it's familiarity once again; I never want to let go.

I hadn't noticed I closed my eyes until Aiden almost forced them open when kissed me with his soft lips. A wave of dizziness came over me, along with a sensation that is perfectly described as being 'swept off your feet.' The kiss wasn't strong, nor pushy or lustful, just soft and passionate and perfect, like himself, and when he pulled away, a moan of happiness and longing escaped my throat. Aiden smiled.

"Happy?" He asked, his voice just above a whisper.

"Very. I've missed you beyond words can say, Aiden."

"I know, Zoey, I know. But we're here, now, and that's what matters, right?"

I smile. "Right."

We must have layed there in that position for nearly an hour, though to me it felt like mere moments had passed. It seemed time was always our enemy. Slow when we were apart, and fast when we were together.

Then Aiden shifted, so he was laying on his back, and looked at the ceiling like it was the star-spangled midnight sky.

"Let's run away," he said, letting the words float into the air like a balloon.

"We can't, Aiden. We have nowhere to go."

"Let's go up. Up into the stars. That way I can look everywhere and see the sparkle I've only discovered in your eyes. That way we'll always be together, and we can drift along in space and go everywhere, anywhere you want. No more worrying about life and school and everything else. No more loneliness or pain. Just me, you, and anywhere we want to go."

I close my eyes and imagine everything he's saying, and it all seems so alluring, so perfect that I feel myself longing for it to just happen right then and there.

"We can dance, Zoey. We can dance to the song that the stars sing. A song so beautiful that it'll just sweep us away, and we'll just be happy, and together."

I don't know how to respond, because his words have simply blown me away. All I do is get closer to him, close enough that I rest my head on his chest and drown in his longing that pumps through his heart. I want to take it all away, the longing. Make his dreams come true, make him happy. But sometimes, it seems I just can't do that.

"Zoey?"

"Yes?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"Of course you can."

He leaned up on one arm, me mimicking his moves, and placed a a finger underneath my chin and persuaded my eyes to meet his.

"I love you."

Then he kissed my hand and put it on his chest. I could feel the soft thump of his heart as those words swam through his and my veins alike.

"I love you too.."

And he kissed me, with that same soft and passionate taste on his lips, leading me into a sweet, tender euphoria.