The clock on the table read 5:46 pm as soft beams of sunlight streamed through the open window into a small city apartment. The room was sparsely decorated, with only a few pictures on the wall and some books in a dusty corner. The bed was becoming tousled and messy as a young man moved to and fro in hasty preparation. He frequently checked the light outside, watching as the sun slowly sunk lower in the horizon. Pulling on a dark leather jacket over his simply white tee and worn jeans, he headed out the door and down the steps to the sidewalk below. He took short deep breaths as he walked down the block; the only sounds around him were the distant honks of cars on the street and the slapping of his shoes against the pavement.

The man rounded a corner and came to the door of a small and aged townhouse with a small iron fence around it. His feet stopped at the entrance and he stood there for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest and his breath slightly shaky. The man took another deep breath to calm himself before he moved towards the doors and knocked his fist gently against it. The seconds of anticipation were agonizingly long as sudden anxious thoughts popped up in his head. But suddenly, the door creaked open and the man started slightly. Out peeked a small heart-shaped face that lit up at the sight of him. The man let out a small shaky laugh of relief as he moved back a step and allowed the door to open further.

There stood a girl, young and slender with sun-kissed skin and golden brown hair that seemed to glow in the yellow-orange light of the evening sky. Time seemed to slow as the man stood and took in every detail of her profile. Her honey-colored eyes, framed by dark lashes, which squinted slightly when she smiled. Her lush red lips that were curved up in a gentle smile. Her light white sundress that hugged her waist. Her very presence made the man’s heart cry out and rejoice.

Time quickens once more as the girl shyly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and looked up at the man. He couldn’t help but smile, a smile that spelled a thousand sweet nothings he was unable put into words. Reaching out, he took hold of her hand and led her down the sidewalk, quickening his pace so that soon the two of them were running, hand in hand as their heartbeats matched the rhythm of their steps.

They ran until they reached a boardwalk, deserted and quiet except for the sounds of waves washing up against the beach shore. Their pace slowed to a stroll as they walked the length of the boardwalk, talking and laughing about everything and anything. An air of warmth and comfort encompassed them as they basked in each other’s company. With a mischievous smile, the girl pulled off her sandals and held them between her fingers loosely as she hopped up onto the wooden railing. Imitating a trapeze artist, she held her arms out on both sides and took small steps, one foot before the other as she teetered her way down the railing. She couldn’t help but laugh to herself at the fun of it and each time she neared falling, the man came up and grabbed her hand, steading her as they exchanged playful glances. Affectionate thoughts flew in and out of the man’s head as he continued to stare up at the girl as she walked. He felt words crawl up from inside him and sit on the tip of his tongue, waiting to be uttered. But the man hesitates, still afraid. Still unsure.

Her silhouette was framed by the shimmering light of the setting sun, making her seem like an angel that had descended on Earth. Her every movement was fluid and graceful, her every step like one in the man’s heart, leaving everlasting imprints as they went. When she reached the end of the railing she twirled on her heels and looked back at the man, her blissful and exultant expression washing over the man like a summer breeze. Small curls and waves of her hair danced in the air as she held out her arms to the man, welcoming him into her embrace and offering him all of her affection. His pulse quickening and his chest full to bursting with ecstasy and overwhelming passion, he took large steps toward the girl. He wrapped his arms around her waist and swung her off the railing and into his arms, holding her close so that he may take her in all at once. Every emotion flooded out of him and encircled the girl as his arms did. She smiled in his arms and held him closer, her head resting against his chest. The man pulled back slightly and ran his eyes over her face, taking in as much as he could. Finally, the words that had been blossoming, growing, soaring within him reached his lips and he no longer had any doubts. Any fear. Any anxiety. All surroundings melted away as the man brought his lips down towards hers, leaving mere inches between them. He whispered six words breathlessly and then closed the distance, ending his sentence with a kiss sweeter than any nectar and warmer than any hearth. Finally, he was sure. I am in love with you.