Dreams

I looked at the bright red stuffed animal in my face. "What is this exactly?"

Conrad's head full of curly brown hair poked out from the side and he smiled, "Do you know what today is?"

"You mean besides the third day of July and a Tuesday?" I ask skeptically.

"You so stupid," he mutters, rolling his eyes.

"And you're grammar never ceases to amaze me," I counter.

"Today," Conrad continues, "is our one month anniversary. How could you forget?"

I tip my head to the side and push him out of the way so the customer behind him can get rung up. "I forgot because our one month anniversary is a week and a half from today, Con."

"Silly, Sara, today is exactly one month since the day we met!" Conrad tosses me the giant stuffed animal toward me and I catch it just before it crashes to the floor. The older lady in front of the counter doesn't look the least bit pleased that I'm letting my boyfriend distract me at work, so I give her a blank look back and hand the bag to her.

I take another look at the giant bear and lean over the counter, hugging Conrad. "Thank you," I whisper, kissing his cheek lightly.

"That's all I get?" Conrad exclaims, a smile playing at the tips of his lips as he leans further toward me on the counter. "Just a kiss on the cheek?"

I wink, "I'm at work, I'm not going to openly make out with my boyfriend."

Conrad sighs and brings my face toward his anyway, lips meeting mine lightly. Even though I know there's probably someone waiting behind him to be rung up, I don't pull away, resting my hand on his stubbly jaw.

There's an awkward cough and we pull away, finding Conrad's hand entangled in my hair. I blush scarlet read and smack his arm, "And that's why I didn't want to kiss you at work, Con."

"Oh, c'mon, you know it was worth it," he says, scooting to the side so the person behind him could move forward.

I roll my eyes and tap in my password on the cash register's computer. "Sorry to keep you waiting, did you find everything you needed?"

"Unfortunately." A voice says, and with my eyebrows knitting together, I turn toward the customer.

When I see who it is, I'm stunned to the core...again. "Oh, hey, Tyler."

"Hey, Sara." He hands me the t-shirt he had in his hands and I can't help but think he just bought a shirt in here the other week. "How's it going?"

I glance at Conrad awkwardly standing there, watching the exchange between my ex and I. "It's going...great."

Conrad winks at me and a blush creeps up onto my cheeks. Tyler notices and glances quickly back at Con, stretching out his hand. "Tyler, nice to meet you."

I can tell Conrad wants to inform Tyler this isn't technically the first time they've met, but he doesn't. "I'm Conrad, Sara's boyfriend."

Tyler merely nods and turns back to me just as I say, "$16.87, please."

He takes out his wallet, hands me a twenty and there's this look in face that I know he wants to say something else. Sighing, I mutter, "What is it, Tyler?"

"I guess I was just hoping that...that you had considered getting back together, you know, after the last time we talked."

I roll my eyes and hand him his change and the American Eagle back, "First of all, I was already with Conrad then, and secondly, you broke my heart and I lost all respect, all trust in you, Tyler. We could never go back to what we were."

He shrugs, his shoulders hunching forward, "Think what you want, Sara. I know you've forgiven for it."

I glare, "You don't know the first thing about me, Tyler."

He takes a step toward me, and so does Conrad - almost protectively. Tyler's eyes dance about my face, studying the laugh lines that had begun to stay permanently on my face because of Conrad and then the dark circles under my eyes because I can't sleep, my parent's separation finally sinking in every second.

"I know you well enough that this kid here is no where near your type, and that once summer comes to an end and you head off to Dartmouth, you plan on leaving him here without a second thought. I also know --."

"Tyler," I hiss, resisting the urge to slap him, "Conrad is just my type because after you stomped all over my heart, I needed someone who actually had a brain and a heart, unlike you. And when this summer ends, I will leave, yeah, but if I could take him with me, I definitely would. If I could stay here to be with Conrad without sacrificing my education I would. So don't act like you know the first thing about me because you don't. Now get out of my store."

Tyler's jaw clenches shut and he backs away from the counter, eyes never leaving mine. Finally, the crowd outside American Eagle swallows him up whole and I sigh, resting my head on the counter. Someone's arms wrap around my waist and I jump slightly, before seeing Conrad put his head down next time mine.

"You're not supposed to be behind the counter," I groan, my head throbbing, "Only employees are allowed."

"But I'm an employees boyfriend doesn't that count?"

I smile slightly, "Not when I'm dating said employee's boyfriend."

"Oh, getting sassy now are we?" Conrad's breath wafts over my face and I kiss his nose lightly before standing straight up again and stretching my back. "Only a little, I promise."

"Hey so, I have something that'll put you in a better mood," Conrad whispers, holding me to his chest, making me notice even more how I love the way he's so warm and comfortable, how good he always smells.

"What's that?"

"Well...the teddy bear's for a different anniversary."

I turn around and wrap my arms around my boyfriend's neck, "What anniversary would this be?"

He leans down, lips caressing my ear before he says, "For the first time I tell you that I love you with my entire heart."

I bring his head toward mine and attach our lips, letting myself get lost under his tingling touch. "I love you, too," I whisper, smiling so big because I know I mean it 100%.

And that Conrad does, too.