The darkness of the theatre caresses us and shields us from the rest of the world. The uncomfortable plastic armrest between us, though once somewhat awkward, melts away with the small crowd of people scattered throughout the large room. The beating of my heart starts to overtake the movie’s loud and magical music as the space between our lips lessens ever so slowly. Eyes closed, nerves peaking, we finally share our first kiss.

On a warm summer evening such as that on July 18th, I normally would have been reading, playing board or card games, or even talking to friends on the phone for a couple hours. However, this time I was constantly worrying about what to wear and how to do my hair, foolish things that I would usually not put on my list of top priorities. Instead of leading my everyday summer life, I would be going out to dinner and a movie with my crush, Mark.
For a few years we had known each other’s faces but not the person behind that face. In Advanced Geometry the previous school year, we had worked together in class almost every day and gotten to know each other more and more. Other classmates may have drifted apart during the summer, but we stayed in touch and began to go out more. Soon enough, I began to see him as more than a friend. My close friends, based on their own observations, believed he felt the same way, but neither of us had told the other about our feelings. This date, I wanted things to change. I wanted us to be a true couple. Because of my desire for my dreams to become reality, this night had to be perfect. Of course, by striving for perfection, I was bolting around the house trying desperately to get myself ready in time.

I did not have a clue as to what to wear that night, so I had asked my sister, Karen, for advice. I have never had a great interest in fashion, but Karen always had a niche for it. Her sleek blonde hair never had a strand out of place, and her fun, sophisticated style was never out-dated. There was never a time when she could not walk straight into a fashion show as a model with her long, slender torso and undeniably extensive legs. I felt confident that she could help me look as close to perfect as humanly possible, but our styles are complete opposites. Looking like myself was very important to me, so I could not help but feel that I was trying to find a vegetable that a little child would eat. It seemed almost impossible to find an outfit that Karen and I approved, but we eventually did. My hair and makeup were much easier to do. I straightened my hair and did some very simple makeup with a slightly bright color. After convincing myself that I looked my best, I was still very nervous. What if I embarrassed myself at dinner? What if the silence in the movie theatre became really awkward? My best friend, Cassie, had always been there for me and was already experienced in these matters, so I talked to her on the phone earlier that day. She gave me advice that I could not refuse; I know that without her help I would not have been nearly as prepared. After ten minutes that seemed to drag on for an eternity, I heard a knock at the door. It was then that I knew I had to attempt to forget my fears and pray that things turned out alright.

I answered the door and found myself looking into the smiling face that would never cease to make my heart skip a beat. Mark, a young man who was slightly short for his age, was about to take me out on a date. His tan skin seemed to glow in the bright summer sun. An irresistible smile greeted me as I said my goodbyes to my family and walked out to his car with him by my side. His voice, smooth and enticing, kept the conversation moving as he drove the short distance to Buffalo Wild Wings in Austintown. Upon arriving at the restaurant, he held open doors for me like the chivalrous gentleman that he is. We were seated immediately, and our orders were taken. The dim lights would have created a more romantically intimidating atmosphere had it not been for the sounds of large televisions blasting the latest sports games and loud cheers of men out for a drink. Thankfully, we could hold a conversation easily without it feeling awkward. I really liked being able to talk to someone so easily. That has always been very important to me, and as an added bonus, I was able to forget most of my fears when we talked. Everything just felt so natural! Through the rest of dinner, I somehow managed to not humiliate myself by making a mess or spilling water. I was deeply relieved that half of my date had gone so smoothly. I only had to make sure that the movie went well.

As we exited the restaurant, I was feeling as happy as ever. The sun had already set, and the twinkling stars in the sky matched the glimmer I saw in Mark’s soft brown eyes. Though I was not chilly, he put his arm around me as we walked to his car to drive to the movie theatre. I felt surprised and protected as his strong arm held me tightly to his side in the shimmering moonlight.
We are both huge fans of Harry Potter, and the sixth movie had just opened. It was the perfect movie for us to see together. After parking the car and getting our tickets, we walked into the dark theatre. Yet after having a confidence-boosting dinner, the surrounding atmosphere was not intimidating at all but oddly welcoming. We chose our seats and talked some more as we waited patiently for the movie to start. When the last of the lights dimmed, I found my nerves beginning to act up again. I had heard that going to movies did not make the best dates because the silence could become very awkward. I really did not want this to happen. However, almost immediately after I began to feel nervous, I found a reassuring arm around me again. It was a little odd to be held like that only because the armrest between us was not built to move out of the way. Besides an unexpected block of plastic separating us, it was one of the most amazing things. Happily, the silence between us was not awkward in the slightest but rather calming. I was able to ignore all of my worries, for the moment at least.

The movie continued, and everything seemed to become more and more natural. The darkness was not only welcoming but comforting like a best friend. I felt a warmth radiating off of Mark’s skin as he held and caressed me. Everything was exciting and relaxing and completely different. It felt as though we had been dating for a few months instead of not even being a couple yet. I glanced away from the giant screen in the front of the theatre to look into his handsome face and saw his smiling eyes looking at mine. My heart jumped. At that moment I knew he was about to kiss me. My pulse quickened, and I felt my nervous fears returning. What if I messed it up somehow? What if there was no connection there? I had no time to dwell over these thoughts though. It probably lasted a few seconds, but in those unbearably long moments when the gap between us was closing, the world seemed to stop for a moment. Everything around us seemed to disappear so that we were the only people left on Earth. Finally, we kissed. It was like my fears had exploded around us into beautiful fireworks. His kiss was gentle and sweet and full of emotion. The chemistry between us was perfect. I had never felt anything like it in my life. The kiss was short, but it felt as though it would last a lifetime in my memory.

After the movie had ended we realized that we were already late coming home. The movie had run past one in the morning! We called our parents to let them know that the movie ran late and that we were about to be on our way home. Upon reaching the car, we discussed what we thought we should do. With very little thought needed, we decided to become an official couple. The feelings we had were just too strong to be ignored.

Today, I fondly look back on this night. It has already been seven months since then, but it seems like it could have only been yesterday. Everything sits clearly in my memory, and I can picture his face throughout the night of events. The feelings are fresh in my heart like they have just been put there. The first kiss sets a tone for that relationship. Our first kiss was not a disappointment, and neither is our relationship. If anything, it is stronger than ever. We have shared many more kisses since that night, but this first kiss will always be a strong, dear memory of mine.