A Twist in Expections

I walked along the beach, holding my long term boyfriend Sam's hand. I looked out into the ocean, remembering everything from the past four years.
I remembered when I first met him in freshman year. I was seated next to him in science one day when the teacher was switching up the seating charts. I didn't expect anything to come out of it, but soon the teacher announced to us to read together with the person next to us, and we were doing more than just reading together. We started talking about our lives and things we agreed on, and soon we would eat lunch together every day. He clicked well with my friends and I clicked well with his friends. I remember he used to come over every Friday night and we would watch a movie together. We weren't even a couple yet, but I fell asleep in his arms on my chair one night. He carried me upstairs, put me in my bed, and then walked all the way to his home, not wanting to bother my parents to bring him home.
I remembered in sophomore year when he asked me to the Winter Ball. I spent half the day getting ready, wondering what he would think of me and daydreaming about the night. I had on an elegant short pink dress and silver high heels, my usually frizzy hair curled to perfection. He showed up at my door and hugged me, then whispered in my ear that I looked beautiful. I remember when that one slow song came on and he took my hand, led me to the floor, and wrapped his hands around my waist, swaying me from side to side. He bent down to my ear and whispered,
"Jackie, will you be my girlfriend?"
As if I wasn't smiling enough, my smile got wider as I nodded yes over the music. I buried my face into his chest and continued dancing the rest of the song. That night, before I got picked up, he kissed me goodnight. It was my first real kiss, not one of those cheesy lip pecks. His lips molded into my perfectly and I had to pull away because I couldn't contain my smile.
I remembered that summer when he brought me on our first date with his dads boat. We aimlessly rode around, stealing kisses inbetween the times. We sat in the lounge, sipping lemonade and discussing what junior year would be like.
I remembered that day in October of junior year when we got in our first fight. I didn't even remember what it was about, it was so small and significant. I told him I never wanted to see him again and to leave me alone and ran down the road, only to find him following me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and as much as I wanted to push him away, I couldn't.
He bent down and whispered in my ear,
'I'll never leave you alone.'
I remembered junior prom and senior prom, how it was almost exactly like winter ball. How after senior prom, we rented a hotel room and made love for the first time. I giggled remembering that.
I remembered at graduation, how I included in my speech that I couldn't have made it through high school without him, how I looked up at his face to see him smiling widely.
And now we were here, walking along the beach a day before he went off to college. I looked back at him and he looked down at me.
"What were you thinking about, Jacklyn?" he asked me. I bit my lip, holding back a smile.
"I was remembering everything we went through in high school." He smiled at my response, wrapping his hand around my waist as we sat down on the grass.
"I'm gonna miss you, Sam." I whined, laying my head in his lap. I held my breath, waiting for his reply. I was hoping he didn't bring me here to break up with me so he would be single for college. I don't know what I would do with myself...
"I'm gonna miss you too, Jay." He mumbled into my hair. He had so many nicknames for me.
He moved a bit, and I took that as a cue for me to sit up.
"I brought you here to talk to you about something." He started, his eyes content on the sand. I gulped.
"Okay." I managed to keep a steady voice.
"But, you're going to have to let me finish until you say anything okay?" He looked into my eyes and I nodded.
"You know i'm going off to college and such, and we won't be able to see each other much." He started again.
"Yeah." I mumbled.
"So, I think it would be better if..." I held my breath, blinking to keep back the tears I knew were going to come. I noticed he stopped talking and looked over at him to see him pulling something out of his pocket.
"If you wore this promise ring. I love you, Jackie, and I never want to loose you." He smiled, stating proudly. I gasped, opening the box lightly to look at the diamond ring.
"Put it on." He looked up at me with a grin and I nodded, taking it gingerly and slipping it on my finger.
"It's beautiful. Just like you." He mumbled, suddenly pressing his lips against mine. I giggled, pushing him away lightly so I could talk.
"I thought you were going to break up with me." I confessed, kicking the sand.
"Yeah, I may have lead on that thought...sorry about that. I just didn't want to make it so obvious what I was going to do. I wanted it to be a surprise." He smiled again.
"Well, it certainly was a surprise. You're full of surprises." I leaned my head against his chest.
"I love you so much, Jackie." He kissed my head.
"I love you too, Sam."