Let The Walls Break Down

Alex & I have been together for about a month now, and I couldn’t be happier. I was thinking about all of this as he & I lay on the couch together one afternoon. He leaned over & kissed me sweetly, then ran his fingers through my hair. I smiled & lay my head on his chest, taking in his heartbeat, soaking up the moment. He rubbed small circles on my back, lulling me to sleep within minutes.
Our parents had gone out for some lame old-people music festival, & Alex said that he had planned a date for us tonight. We had been on one other actual date, but it wasn’t necessarily romantic & we didn’t act like a couple. Tonight though, it was a surprise that Lex had planned all by himself & I was nervous as hell. He left my house around four o’clock and left me to get ready.

I showered and spent an unnecessary amount of time picking out an outfit. He had given me no indication of what we were doing tonight, so I wasn’t sure whether to dress fancy or not. I settled on my regular choice of bottoms- skinny jeans, with a black button down. I spiked my hair up and rolled my sleeves up three quarters of the way, trying to look casual yet presentable. Alex pulled up in his old Mustang just before 7 o’clock hit. I climbed into the passenger seat & he placed a blindfold over my eyes immediately. My lips still found his before we pulled away & began our journey.

Alex turned up the radio & sang along like always, occasionally holding my hand over the center console. He didn’t speak a word to me, but the absence of conversation was comfortable. My anticipation was growing as the drive grew longer, but I stayed silent. It was a little reminiscent of the day Alex & I had first met, & it made me a little nostalgic. My thoughts were dispelled though, as the car rolled to a stop. Alex got out and opened my door for me, taking my hand and then placing his hands on my shoulders. He directed me in front of him, steering me and finally halting me. “Are you ready ?” He whispered in my ear. I nodded, and the blindfold slipped off.

When my eyes adjusted, I couldn’t believe it. I looked out over the familiar land, remembering the first time we had been to this mountain. It was the forest clearing where we had gone the first day I had walked into that music shop. Everything was different now; Alex & I were a couple. The sun was starting to set off in the distance, casting a golden glow over the entire land below the cliff. The sky was painted in shades of pale lavender, pink & yellow, the entire wooded area looking like watercolor. A small gasp escaped my lips, & I turned around to look for Alex, but he was nowhere in sight. After a minute, I spotted him across the clearing, sitting on a large boulder, gazing out over the area just like I had been doing. A ray of sunlight was shining on him, lighting up his golden hair & casting a glow around him so that he looked like an angel. I made my way over to him, & he scooted over to make room for me. I pulled him into my side, kissing the top of my head, “Babe, this is…amazing.” He looked up at me with his famous half-grin, pecking me on the lips. “Stay here, that’s not all of it.” I gaped after him as he jogged over to the car, producing an old-fashioned picnic blanket and a cooler.

He motioned me over & opened a bottle of wine he had brought, pouring some into two glasses. I sipped mine, but he downed his glass within thirty seconds. I set my glass aside & climbed onto his lap, looking into his liquid caramel eyes. My lips met his, and he requested access to my mouth immediately, & it was granted right away. He tasted like the wine he had just downed, & I preferred to get the taste this way rather than out of my own glass. His hands gripped my waist, and my legs tightened around him in their straddle position. Alex groaned, pushing his hips into mine. The sharp points of the bones there pressed into my own hips, & I grinded back. Lex removed his lips & instead attached them to my neck, sucking on the hollow part above my collarbone. I threw my head back, allowing him more access. His hands slid down & grabbed my ass, pressing me harder into him. I ran my own hands up under his shirt, scratching his back lightly. “Jack,” he moaned into my skin. I shivered when he bit down lightly, leaving love marks all up & down my skin.

My shirt was tugged off within minutes, but that was as far as I would go in that direction, I was too nervous. Alex sensed my hesitation and instead trailed back up to my lips, and then kissed my jawline. He moved to behind my ear “I love you.”

Those words made my stomach flood with butterflies, & I pulled away, breathing “I love you too.” I hadn’t said it back because I felt obligated or because the moment was right, I’d said it because it was true. Maybe I don’t know a lot of things, but I do know that I love Alex.