Kissing You

*Homework: Did he kiss you, or did you kiss him?

I wish I could say that when Ralexwin and I first kissed it was like fireworks lighting up a summers night. That in that moment I knew he was the one. I'd like to say that he said something dreadfully romantic and I swooned and smiled. I'd like to say those things but I can't.

Nope. After Ralexwin kissed me he said, "You made that to easy."

Ah, romance.

Ralexwin and I met the first day I moved into my first apartment. He was dating my roommate (not anything serious). In fact the first night I lived there I got the distinct privilege of third wheeling with him and her on a date.

But one of the first thoughts that ran through my mind when I met him was I wonder if he's the man I'll marry and if the truth be told I was never threatened by her and him. It only lasted about two weeks anyway.

Ralexwin and I became immediate friends and soon enough we were taking classes together. I hung out with him nearly every day. We went to lunch together. We stayed up late watching stupid movies with the sole purpose of knowing how they ended. We went running together, we studied together. We teased each other mercilessly and talked about people we were attracted to. And we had everyone of my roommates making bets on how long it would be before we got married.

It was, however, not to be for a while.

We knew each other about three months before we held hands. We knew each other about 4 months before we kissed.

It happened on on the grassy slope just to the side of the track where we ran. We had been talking and holding hands, making excuses to touch each other (why do young people always resort to hitting?). That's when he leaned in for the kiss. Just a peck.

And then he said those fateful words. "You made that to easy."

Half an hour later we had decided we shouldn't see each other anymore.

Two weeks later he knocked on my apartment door. I stood there staring at him for a moment, heart pounding, before I let him in.

We were friends again but it would be another month or more before we re-kissed.

Our relationship went like that. The romance was always rocky, the friendship unbreakable. We were the best of friends and that kept us coming back to one another.

We fought about commitment. We fought about philosophy. We fought about him moving eight hours away, about him trying to break up with me all the time.

Ralexwin saw the absolute worst parts of me in that time and still stuck around.

Once a few months ago when I was having a particularly hard time of it he lovingly said to me, "Honey, remember when I tried to break up with you so you threw my car keys into the desert? I knew you were a little nuts back then and I still married you... I think I can handle it now."

Ah, love.

Ralexwin's roommates once told my roommates, 'He was all about the not committing. There were so many girls he talked about and then there was only Cannwin.'

His mother said, 'The day I met you I knew you were the one he'd marry.'

His sister's said, 'We were so shocked! We thought you guys were just friends... he never talked about you in any way that sounded romantic.'

But our friendship was what got us through our confused emotions. We were drawn to each other, drawn to the comfort of having someone to talk openly to. Even now, ten years later, our greatest strength lies in our unfailing friendship.

Do I love him?

I adore him.

I wait for him to come home everyday as if it's been an eternity since I saw him.

He truly is my best friend. He was my best friend before we ever kissed, otherwise he would have never had the nerve to tell me the truth on that warm St. George night.

"You made that to easy."

I did and so whenever I think of our first kiss I think of the next time we kissed.

It was a dark night as well, we were outside in the scrub brush playing 'hide and seek,' he was seeking and if he found me before thirty seconds then I had to kiss him. After thirty seconds he had to kiss me.

I hid well.

Smiling and laughing he wrapped his arms around me and softly kissed me.

Ten years later he still smiles when he kisses me.

Comments

Travelin'Oma said…
I LOVE the way you wrote this. It gave me chills. What a great story. Thanks for sharing it.
Evelyn said…
I think I got more romantic sparks from this one post than I got from reading four atrocious Stephanie Meyer novels.
Cari Hislop said…
Ahhh....that was lovely!!!!

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