Restart My Heart

"Hey, you came," Stephen ran over, surprised I was there sitting on the hood of his car.

I raised my eyebrows "Why wouldn't I be? We agreed to meetup right? Or did I get the wrong day? If it is then that's embarrassing." I started getting up

"No, no," he ushered me to sit back down and sat on the hood beside me. His brown eyes twinkled "It's just you didn't show up for P.E and you never answered my texts."

I instinctively touched my pocket where my phone was lodged. "Yeah, I sorta fell asleep," it wasn't a lie.

Stephen chuckled. My heart sank.

"That's not fair. I had to sweat in P.E while you slept and we both stayed up late," it was true. His forehead had beads of sweat and his chocolate brown curls slightly damp. He ran a hand threw his hair "I must smell bad."

I finally managed a smile "No. You smell good."

"How?" he laughed again and despite myself, I giggled along. It was contagious

"You always just do. I love your smell," I must have sounded creepy but I was too tired to care. And I refused to hide my feelings, or say something to cover my true feelings up, like Alex. I am not hot-and-cold like him

"Thanks," he gave me a toothy smile. It felt so good to be honest; so fulfilling.

"Now what's this secret meeting thing you aren't telling me about? I'm dying to know,"

He raised his index to his lips, "Not yet. You'll see once we're there."

Stephen started walking to the door of the car and I followed

I stopped in my footsteps. "Wait, how do I know you aren't bringing me into a dark alley and killing me silently there?"

Stephen winked "Just have to believe me."

And I felt that I could

_____

"Now this is the part where we get out of the car."

I looked around at where Stephen had shifted the car to park. We were at the side of a gravel road. All around us was just greenery and more gravel road. The thrill of this 'secret meeting' sent shivers of excitement up my spine. As cliche as this was, I was enjoying it more than expected.

I turned back at his chocolate brown eyes sparkling with excitement as well. His hair was dry by now, too.

"Isn't this the part where you put a blindfold me?"

"Then you wouldn't be able to find this place" and he got out the car. I followed quickly after him, loving his bluntness.

For a while, one I caught up to him, we walked swiftly down a narrow path. On both sides were tall walls, at least 6 foot, of bushes. I wasn't scared though. I was in a place I knew nothing of but I wasn't frightened. Stephen was beside me and I felt so safe and secure. I knew he would never hurt me.

Just walking beside him in this path, it felt like we were the only people in the world. I felt isolated from everyone and all my problems; 2012, global warming, the blackmailer and even Alex. Being near him was like being invincible. We could conquer the world together.

Suddenly, Stephen stopped at a clearing. A sweet scent filled the air around me; roses.

The farther we walked, the bushes around us gradually changed; the leaves larger, the bushes less full, tiny buds of red. And finally, we were at the climax. rows and rows of rose bushes blocked my entire view. They were delicate, each one in bloom, and sparkling, like Stephen's eyes. Even the air was thicker, denser and rich with fertile soil; like pollution couldn't touch this sacred place.

And then I saw a lone oak tree, strong and sturdy, in the midst of the wonderful flowers. And an acoustic guitar leaning so naturally against it's trunk, like it grew out of the ground like the roses.

"So?" I heard Stephen ask. I couldn't look at him; too mesmerized at this place like it came right out of a fairy tale.

I couldn't say anything back, I was breathless. And any word I could think of could not describe it to its full potential so I just nodded and I knew Stephen understood.

I turned to him "How did you find this place?"

"I didn't," he admitted sheepishly. His entire face was a beam; Stephen fit right into the magical picture-book scenery. A white prince leading me into his secret spot of an escape.

"Come," he took my hand and urged me toward the oak tree. We sat, our backs against the trunk.

"I love it," I said awestruck still looking around.

"Me too,"

Finally I turned to him, "Why are you showing me this place?"

Stephen shrugged "I just had to share this with someone and you were the first person I thought of."

"So nobody else knows about this place?" I asked.

He nodded

"This kind of makes me this our secret place," I giggled childishly but I felt so special to Stephen at that moment. He chose me of all people to give special treatment. I allowed myself to indulge the idea that I might mean more than a friend to him.

"It is," he caught my hand, looking directly into my eyes "You can't tell anyone."

I laughed again at the entire idea; so childish and it made me feel light as air. "I piiiinky promise."

He smiled and it made me smile.

"So why did you skip class?" he rested his head against the tree and let go of my hand.

I felt a sudden emptiness "I fell asleep."

"You were with someone,"

"Yeah, Alex." I scoffed at his name. "He's not important."

Stephen turned to me, studying me, like he could see I was hiding something. HE opened his mouth but closed it just as quickly and turned away again.

He said finally but more to himself, "Everyone has secrets."

"Including you,"

"Including us,"

Was this our first fight about? Not being honest with another? I looked at the curls at the side of his head, willing him with my mind to look at me.

I sighed, giving up. If Stephen wasn't going to tell me about his girlfriend, I understood but I wasn't about to open up to him about Alex yet, either. Not Triangle either. "What's the guitar for?"

He picked up in one swift motion "I was going to play you something."

"Go for it,"

Stephen looked down at it in his hand, hesitating "You can't laugh."

"Won't dare."

And he began to strum and play.

She was brought into this world
Out of a beautiful mistake
When her mom was just a girl
And her daddy didnt stay
She was working at age 9
At the flower shop in town
Working hard just to survive
Cause life was throwing her around

In the rose garden
Where the rain is falling
And the thorns are sharpened
Rose garden, yeah
Rose garden

She was young but not naïve
Always wise beyond her years
Hoping that no one would see
Every time she dried her tears

In the rose garden
Where the rain is falling
And the thorns are sharpened
Rose garden

Dont let those petals fall
Dont let them fall on you
Dont let those petals fall
Dont let them fall on you
Yeah, yeah, yeah

In the rose garden
Where the rain is falling
And the thorns are sharpened
In the rose garden, yeah
Rose

When he stopped, my ears rung from the silence. It was so beautiful

"Rose garden. I get it,"

He nodded sheepishly

"It was beautiful, really beautiful. Just like this place,"

And that's when I realized why he brought me here. I know Stephen didn't have a real reason to bring me here but I learned something anyways.

That I shouldn't let my problems get to me. If I let them control how I feel, then I would miss the small beautiful things around me; like this garden. I'm sure many people have passed by this place without noticing it's beauty because they were too scared if they got lost in this labyrinth of bushes.

"You're really cute when you're deep in thought," Stephen's smile was so close. His lips curved slightly and just inches from mine

And then we kissed.