The time for him to leave was near; its imminence loomed over us like a storm cloud. We were lying face to face in comfortable silence, studying each other and savoring these last few minutes together. I ran my fingers over the stubble on his jaw and lower lip, wishing we could stay in this moment forever. As he gently brushed his hands through my hair, I closed my eyes and thought, How did this weekend pass so quickly?

I thought back to the first time we went out. I thought back to our first genuine conversation over that first meal, and how nervous I had been, yet how effortless it was. I thought back to the awe that overcame me at how natural it felt to be with him. Though time had passed since then and much had changed, the memory of that first date was still fresh in my mind. I could still feel my heart fluttering, my mind racing, and my cheeks flushing. I could still feel the pavement beneath my feet as I stepped out of the car after our good-bye, and the warm winter sun kiss my face as I watched his truck pull away.

And here we were, one year later, warm in each other's embrace, somewhere neither of us imagined we would ever be. Here we were, one year later, sharing a love neither of us expected we would find at this point in our lives. But somehow it happened, and it was wonderful. Though we spent most days of the year apart, it was moments like these that made all the waiting worth it. These moments of complete bliss we could only achieve with each other.

I opened my eyes slowly and met his. We both inhaled deeply and released sighs in unison. He pressed his lips to my forehead as I breathed him in one last time. “I love you,” he whispered tenderly in my ear. It was time for him to go. We rose quietly. Then, hand in hand, we walked back into reality.