Moment Worth A Million Memories

 

 

            He knew she would kill him if he didn’t stay for the summer. He usually spent the summer at his parents’ cottage with his family. This summer he had made an exception. Since he was going away to college in the fall, he decided that they should take full advantage of what time they had left together.

            They weren’t dating, but they might as well have been. After her sixteenth birthday party many of her friends were under the misconception that they were together. It was the way they acted around each other. They weren’t afraid to flirt.

            “You know what I want?” She whispered in his ear.

            He looked over at her. The sunlight was glistening in her hair, making it even more radiant. He rolled over on the blanket, closer to her, and rubbed her stomach.

            “What do you want?”

            “I want this moment to last forever. I don’t want you to go.”

            “We have all summer. I have to go to college.”

            “But so far away?”

            “Yes.”

            She sighed, pressing her face into his chest.

            “I’m going to miss you so much. I’m going to miss you so much that I miss you already.”

            He laughed, “You’re silly.”

            “I try.”

            “Mmmm Hmmm.” He yawned.

            “Tired?”

            “Very.”

            She giggled, “Should we go inside?”

            “Here is fine.” He rolled onto his back and stretched. She sat up and threw an animal cracker at him. It bounced off his nose and landed on the blanket beside his head. He laughed.

            “All you do is sleep. Want an apple slice?”

            “Sure.” He watched her lean over him and pick up a cinnamon-coated, baked apple slice. He reached up and put his hand on her side.

            “Now what’s the magic word?” She smirked, waving the apple slice in front of his face.

            “Feed me or I’ll tickle you to tears.”

            “Hmmm… No.”

            “Ok.” He sat up and grabbed her wrists.

            “No! I’m ticklish!” She shrieked, but he wasn’t listening. He ate the apple slice out of her hand before pinning her down. “Don’t tickle me! No!” He didn’t listen, however; he began to tickle. “Na-oh! Stop! I mean it!”

            He stopped at smiled. “I have to ask you something.”

            “What’s that?”

            “Well,” he reached into his back pocket, “I was going to wait until after Christmas, but now is as good of a time as ever.” He nearly dropped the box as he opened it. “Will you marry me?”