Secret Valentine

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" I whispered, feeling for the branch below with my bare foot.

I heard a soft chuckle from below, "Trust me, Ally, you're gonna love it."

I sighed deeply, trying to steady myself against the tree as I climbed down. Kennedy had done this a million times, sneaking in and out of my house at night, but I had never snuck out before. As my foot came in contact with the last branch, I heard him whisper, "I'll catch you."

And he did just that. I turned and eased myself to the ground and into Kennedy's awaiting arms, the urge to kiss him lay over me as thick as the Arizona heat. He tugged on my hand gently, leading me from my front yard to the sidewalk and we ran quietly, giggling down the street.

We stopped at his silver car, a block away and he walked around, holding my door open for me. I laughed at his chivalrous gesture and kissed his cheek before climbing into the vehicle and buckling the seatbelt. His car smelled faintly of cologne and In-N-Out burger, and I breathed in the scent at an attempt to commit it to memory.

I knew he would be leaving soon. The Maine were going on tour in just 6 more days and I wanted to spend as much time with Kenny as I could before he was gone. He started the car and grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together as he drove. The wind whipped my hair around as I gazed out of the open window, the night air filling my lungs. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as I thought about how I wouldn't see him for another four months. It was hard, having to keep our relationship a secret from my parents after they forbade me from "having relations with that band boy," but even harder having to lay awake at night without him next to me. I felt him squeeze my hand briefly, as if to comfort me from my thoughts. I turned to look at him, my eyes drinking in the sight of his naturally-messy-but-still-adorable hair and the look of concentration that graced his features.

Even though it was only February, the heat made my hair stick to the back of my neck and my cotton shorts cling to my thighs. The further we drove, the further away we got from suburbia. I finally broke the comfortable silence, "Where could we possibly be going at five in the morning?" My voice sounded too loud against the soft hum of the engine and the clamor of the wind.

He shook his head and smiled, delicate wrinkles appearing along the corners of his mouth, "It's a surprise."

I sighed and continued watching the miles and miles of desert go by. Finally, the desert stopped moving from beneath us and Kennedy turned off the engine and climbed out of the car. I had just gotten my seatbelt undone when he opened my door from the outside, causing me to laugh again. He took my hand and led me to the trunk of his car, removing various items. As I watched as him spread a blanket out across the dirt, I just realized where we were. It was still dark out, seeing as the sun hadn't risen yet and the only thing I could see in any direction was miles of desert and cacti.

"Ally," he said my name softly, and I looked down to see him sitting on a dark green blanket next to a wicker picnic basket. I sat down next to him, "What's all this?" I asked, a smile evident on my face.

"Do you know what day it is today?" he asked, running a hand through his tousled bedhead. "The fourteenth?" I said, my eyebrows suddenly rising in realization, "oh..."

He smirked and pulled a bottle of red wine and two glasses out of the basket, pouring a small amount into each glass before giving one to me. He raised his glass and tapped it gently against mine, "Happy Valentine's day, baby."

I smiled and took a sip, the liquid suddenly spreading a warm feeling throughout my body from head to toe. I scooted closer to my boyfriend, resting my head against his shoulder and closing my eyes.

"Look," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair from my face. I opened my eyes to see the sun peering over the horizon, casting a ray of light across the barren desert in front of me. As we watched the sun rise brilliantly over the orange and pink sky, Kennedy took my face in his hands, his amiable brown eyes staring into mine.

"I love you, Ally," he said softly, the sun's rays casting golden highlights through his hair and flecks in his eyes. My heartbeat sped up as I whispered back, "I love you too, Kenny."

He lightly captured my lips between his, my heart threatening to burst out of my chest. He ran a hesitant hand through my hair, resting his other hand on my waist. I placed one hand on his cheek, the other on the back of his neck to pull us closer. I felt his tongue trace my lower lip before slipping into my mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers playing with the small hairs that ended there. He pulled me closer, his chest right against mine as he kissed me. He traced my teeth delicately, before letting his tongue stroke mine. Butterflies erupted in my stomach as we kissed and I felt every atom in my body try to fight the urge to stop him from pulling away.

"Happy Valentines day, Ally," he whispered, our noses touching. I grinned, capturing his lips in a kiss one more time before whispering, "I love you."

This was the best Valentine's Day ever.