The afternoon was windy but warm. The sun was beating down on the two of them, the wind blowing through their hair. “Jordan, I don’t want you to go. Just stay here, please!” Stephanie was crying and giving Jordan the biggest hug she had ever given. She closes her eyes, took a long deep breath through her nose and tries to remember the feel of his hug, the sun shining down on her back and the smell of the grass that had just been cut. She tried soaking up that very moment.
“Please Stephanie, you know I don’t want to go but I have to, my parents are waiting for me. I promise ill be back.” A tear ran down his face. He felt his heart breaking and the pain of seeing her so upset was killing him. He wanted to stay as strong as he could so it wouldn’t hurt her more then it needed to.
Jordan’s parents, waiting for him in the car, started beeping the horn. “Hurry, Jordan! We’re going to miss our plane!” His Mother yelled hanging out the passenger side window. He gave her a kiss and ran to the car. She stood in the road crying, watching him leave, and reminiscing on all the times they had. She waited a few minutes to make sure he didn’t come back. The walk for her was very hard, considering it was 3 miles. With all that time she had she was going to be thinking about him. She started walking and looks up at the clouds. It reminded her of the first day she had met him and she started drifting back.
Early June, Stephanie and her girlfriends, Sarah, Emily, and Amy, were all headed to the beach for a quick dip and to lie out in the sun. They were all in Emily Jeep going down a dirt road, dancing, singing, and just having a good time. When they arrived at the beach there were only a few people. “Look at that! What a good day to come to the beach!” Amy says laughing. The girls lied out a blanket and turn a little bomb box on.
Stephanie noticed that there were four boys and she knew all but one. The boys actually went to school with her and her friends, Dave, Brian, and Sam. The boys start walking up to them. “Hey ladies,” Dave said as he sat down next to Sarah. He looked a like Joey from Dawson’s creek but a little short which was good for Sarah because she’s somewhat short herself. Everyone thought they would make a perfect couple.
“What are you doing today?” Emily said looking at Brian, who she has secretly had a crush on since freshman year. Brian was tall and skinny, very white but a sweetheart all the same. He never really liked Emily that way but had been really good friends with her since they were little kids.
“Just decided to hangout and go swimming. We’re all going up to Sam’s camp later if you guys want to go with us. It’s our little way of celebrating being done with high school!” Brian yelled throwing his hands up in the air.
“That would be fun.” Stephanie had a big grin on her face. “Who’s your friend? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“I’m Jordan. I came up for the summer from New Jersey.”
“Well, I’m Stephanie and these are my friends Sarah, Emily and Amy.” She pointed around to all of them. “Sarah is leaving pretty soon, in a few weeks actually, to go to New York.”
“Why are you going there” Jordan asked as he turned towards Sarah.
“I’m going to college up there. I getting an apartment so I’m leaving sooner then I thought.”
“What do you want to be?” Jordan stared as if he was really interested.
“I’m going to be a dental hygienist. It’s only a few years of college and id start off making between twenty-eight and thirty dollars an hour.”
“That sounds good. What about the rest of you, what are you doing after summer?”
Emily stood up. She had long blonde hair, a prefect face with high cheek bones and a figure like Jessica Alba. “I’m going to be a model.” She pretended to be striking poses for a camera. “I already got into a modeling school.” She said in a kind of bragging way.
“Wow, that’s good. I bet you’ll do awesome!” Jordan said with a kind of smirk. It made her feel better, not that she wasn’t conceded enough.
Amy laughed and pulled Emily back down on the blanket. “Stop showing off. While Emily’s going to be a model ill be going to Florida to be a chef. I’m going to college for a few years and learn all I need to know. Then I’d like to open a restaurant.”
“Good, I guess you can cook for me sometime then.” He giggled a little bit and looked at Stephanie. “What are your big plans?”
“I’m going to be staying right here in Maine. I really love it here and don’t want to leave. Go to college up here and be a teacher. Not as big of a plan as everyone else but I’m a simple girl. What about you Jordan, what are you doing with your life?”
Jordan looked down. He seemed to be somewhat ashamed. “I never really got my act together at the end of school so I’m going to be taking a year off. Lets all go for a swim.” It was like he wanted to get off the subject. He hated the thought that for a year he wouldn’t be able to work towards anything.
A few hours go by of them swimming and splashing around. Stephanie remembered Jordan splashing her, being flirty and how cute he was. Everyone left to go get lunch but those two. They laid there on the blanket looking up at the clouds and playing a game of what the clouds looked like. “So, what brings you to Maine? There’s not much up here but woods and ocean.” Stephanie said.
“My parents and I come up here every summer. They are friends with Dave’s parents, so I hangout with him a lot.”
“Dave is a fun kid to hangout with. Were pretty good friends. What kind of stuff do you like to do?”
Jordan began to laugh. “I am friends with Dave so pretty much the same as him. I love going fishing, hunting, camping, messing around on the four-wheeler’s. I find it’s easier to do in Maine though. I was actually thinking about moving up here since I have a year off. Maybe even go to college up here for something.”
Stephanie thought about how he had said he might want to go to college in Maine and how as soon as she talks to him she’s going to mention it. She already missed him. It was going to be weird not having someone to hangout with everyday, she felt like she had just lost her best friend and the one person she loved most in the world.
After the girls left the beach they went to Amy’s house to get ready to go out to Sam’s camp. The camp was down in the woods about twenty minutes away from town. What usually happened at camp is big fires outside; maybe take a mid-night swim and just hanging out. Inside the camp there is a couch, a kitchen and a bedroom with five beds in it. The past few years they had gone there at least once a week in the summer. It was tradition now and it was going to be different when they all left for college. The girls were all doing their hair and Amy stated that this summer they were all going to have to go to camp more often and make it one of the best summers every since they were all going to be gone.
The girls finally make it down to camp and join the boys around the fire. There were a few other girls there that they went to school with but weren’t really friends with them. Jordan went and sat down next to Stephanie and asked if she wanted him to make her a marshmallow. She smiled and accepted.
They all sat there for a while then one of the other girls, Samantha, was complaining that Jordan wasn’t talking to her and how much she didn’t like Stephanie. Sam looked at her like he was irritated. He was good friends with Stephanie and thought Jordan was a good guy for her. “Get over it! Stephanie and Jordan can talk. It’s none of your business who they talk to or what happens between them.” Samantha just sat with a shocked face as if she couldn’t believe he was sticking up for them.
After few weeks Stephanie and Jordan realized that they were really starting to like each other. Stephanie was girly but had a fun, wild, personality and was beautiful in his eyes. Jordan was a hick, loved being outside just like she did and to her, he was the most gorgeous thing she had seen. They seemed perfect together. They stated hanging out everyday. Some nights he’d take for out to dinner or to a movie. He would do anything in the world for Stephanie. One thing wasn’t right yet though. He wanted to ask her to be his girlfriend so bad but wanted it to be perfect!
When Jordan finally worked out a plan for asking Stephanie out, he started getting to work and getting ready. He went and got reservations at the nicest restaurant in town, asked his dad if he could use his corvette for a night, it was for a special occasion so he could.
The next day Stephanie and Jordan went to the beach and went swimming. They had a little picnic on the beach that Stephanie brought along. After a few hours he told her to go home, put on the nicest cloths, and said that he had a surprise for her and would pick her up around 7:30. She got so excited. She just wanted to know what it was. Was he taking her somewhere nice, was he taking her dancing? She couldn’t stop thinking. She hopped in the shower. Her little sister knocked on the door. “Stephanie! I need to use the bathroom.”
Stephanie stopped singing the song she was singing. “Diana, Ill be out in a few minutes but I need it back as soon as you’re done. I have a date with Jordan and I have to get ready!” Her sister huffed and walked away. Stephanie heard her scuffing her feet the whole way down the hallway to her bedroom. When she got out she went to Diana’s room. “What do you need to do? Are you going some where?” She wondered why her little sister needed the bathroom this late at night.
“I’m going to the late movies with my friends and this is the first time mom and dad has ever said it was ok for me to go.” She said it with a kind of irritated voice like it was Stephanie’s fault their parents wouldn’t let her for before. Stephanie walked back towards her bedroom as her sister fallowed her but turned to go in the bathroom.
Stephanie went though her closet and found a little red dress her mother had bought her a few years ago. She never had anything to wear it to so decided this was the perfect time. She slipped it on and put a black half sweater over it. As soon as her sister got out of the bathroom she went and curled her hair and put her makeup on. As she was putting her blush on her sister knocked again. “Sissy, can I come in please?” Stephanie opened the door. “Can you do my makeup for me?
Stephanie looked at the time. It was only 7 and had half hour left. “Ok but lets do it quick I have to put some jewelry on as well.” She started putting eyeliner on her sister.
Diana looked up at her. “Wow sis, you look so good. I hope I’m as pretty as you are.” Stephanie laughed a little, knowing that her sister was going to be beautiful when she got older.
The door bell rang. Stephanie’s mom opened the door. “Hey Jordan come on in.” Jordan walking in and stood by the stairs. His eyes started to glow as Stephanie walked down. Her hair was curled and her red dress looked absolutely amazing on her. She got to the bottom of the stairs and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He was wearing a blue button up shirt and black pants. Stephanie had never seen him dressed this way. She thought he looked very handsome. Even though he was usually in shorts and a tee shirt he was still cute.
Jordan walked her out side. Once she saw the corvette she knew he was taking her somewhere nice. They walked up to the car and Jordan held the door for her. They started to drive off and Stephanie sat there staring at him, admiring him. She couldn’t think of one guy she knew who would ever do something like this for her. They arrive at the restaurant. It was very nice. Everyone there was dressed up and the food was amazing. She had never been there before because her parents didn’t have that kind of money.
Half way through their meals, Jordan started asking questions. “So what do you think?”
Stephanie had a confused look on her face. “Think about what?”
Jordan smiled; glad she didn’t think it was just about the food but didn’t want to give anything away yet. He wants to surprise her when he asked. “What do you think about everything?”
“I think everything is good, I think everything is perfect just like this!” She smiled and hoped she said the right thing.
“Well what do you think about us hanging out everyday and being as close as we have gotten?” Jordan smiled a little and got a little red asking.
“I think it’s awesome we hangout as much as we do. I love being with you. You’re an awesome person and I’m very glad we have gotten as close as we have. What do you think?” Stephanie started to get worried. At first she was happy thought maybe it was a good thing but then started thinking maybe he’s gotten sick of her or something.
“I am the happiest I have ever been and that is why I asked you to come here tonight.” Stephanie felt relief. Jordan looked her in the eyes. “Stephanie, will you be my girlfriend?”
Stephanie felt joy all over. “I would love that.”
They finished up there food and talking about plans for the next day. What they were going to do and what not. Then he took her home.
He pulled into her drive way and got out of the car to open the door for Stephanie. They walk up to her door. He gave her a kiss goodnight and left.
Stephanie finally arrived home from the long hard walk and sat in her bedroom looking at pictures of a weekend that they went camping. There were pictures of then fishing and sitting by the fire. Stephanie couldn’t help but smile. Jordan and her always went fishing and camping. It was one of their favorite things to do. She thought about the pictures and the night they were taken. She remembered the smell of the fire burning and sitting on Jordan’s lap giggling. She sat for a few more minutes thinking about how she missed his touch, the sound of his voice, they way he smelled, and his cute smile when she did something dorky.
Diana came running into Stephanie’s room. “Stephanie! Where were you? I was looking all over for you! Did Jordan leave already?”
Stephanie rolled over on her bed and put her face in her pillow. “Yes,” she mumbled.
Diana jumped on the bed with Stephanie. “It’s ok! He’s going to come back for you sometime. He told me so.” She was trying to get Stephanie in a good mood and she hated seeing her so upset. “Anyways, you know I love you! I know I’m not much help because I’m younger and don’t know as much but I’m here if you need someone to talk to.”
“Thanks.” Stephanie wasn’t in the best of moods and just wanted to be left alone. She had a hard day and was exhausted. She laid on her bed thinking about Jordan and drifted off to sleep.
In the morning Stephanie woke up and went down the kitchen to see if anyone had cooked breakfast. She didn’t see any food out or anyone in the kitchen. There was a note on the counter though. It was from her mom. “Stephanie, I’m taking Diana shopping. If you want to come just call us and we will met you somewhere. Love, mom.”

Stephanie picked up the phone and called her mom. They decided to meet at the mall and shop for a little bit. She needed to get out of the house for a little bit so she went and got ready.

On the way to the mall she looked on her hand and saw then ring Jordan gave her. It was silver with a ruby and two diamonds. She started thinking about how special that ring was to her and wondered if Jordan was really going to come back like her sister had said. She thought what if Jordan goes home and hangs out with an old girlfriend or just a friend and decided he doesn’t love me anymore. It made her sad to think about but kept the tears from coming out.

She stepped out of her car and walked toward the mall. She could smell the fast food restaurant around and gas from the cars driving by. It was hot outside and when she walked through the doors of the mall the cool air hit her. Diana and her mom were waiting for Stephanie by the doors. They began walking through the mall to go to a store to help Diana pick out a dress to wear to a dance. Stephanie noticed couples walking by and started to miss walking around holding Jordan’s hand and missed his hugs. They got to the store and Diana tried on a few dresses. Stephanie found a beautiful light green dress that tied on the back and up around her neck. Diana tried it on and it looked perfect on her. It went really well with her green eyes and her brown hair.

When they got home it was about two in the afternoon. Stephanie had some lunch and watched a lifetime movie with her mother. As they were sitting on the couch eating popcorn, Stephanie heard the phone ring and she ran to it. “Hello?” she said as she answered the phone.

“Hey Stephanie,” Jordan was on the phone. Stephanie could feel her heart beat getting faster. This was the first time she had gotten to talk to him since he had left.

“What are you doing? I miss you so much!” She sat on bar stool in her kitchen. Sitting in the warm sun and talking to him made her day.

“Nothing, I miss you too. I can’t talk long but I wanted to call and tell you that I love you.” He sounded like he was in a rush.

“Well I don’t want to keep you but call me again if you can. I love you too.” Stephanie said with a sad voice but knew he had to go.

“Alright, bye.”

“Bye.” Stephanie hung up the phone and walked back into the living room with her mother.
It was about five o’clock and Diana came into the room with her light green dress on. “Which one of you wants to do my hair and makeup?”
Stephanie and her mother sat there for a minute. Finally Stephanie stood up. “Ill do it I guess.” They start walking towards the bathroom. “How do you want your hair done?” She played with her hair a little.
They got to the bathroom and Diana stood in front of the mirror. “I think if you just curl it and put a few pieces back would be fine.” Stephanie started parting her hair. She put one half up and one half down and started curling pieces. Once she was done she took some bobby pins and pinned a few pieces of hair on the top of her head. Diana faced her so she could start putting the make up on her. Diana had long eye lashes and when she put the mascara on it brought out her beautiful green eyes. She then put a little eye liner on the bottom of her eyes and put a light green eye shadow on top.
“Do you want me to bring you to the dance? I have nothing else to do and we should let mom relax.” Stephanie was in a good mood and didn’t mind helping her Mom and Diana out.
“That’s fine” Diana went to get her coat. They got in the car and pulled out of the drive way. It was a pretty quiet ride.
When they pulled into the school Stephanie gave her sister a hug. “Be good. I love you. Ill see you later.”
Diana was a little embarrassed even though no one was around. “Bye.” Stephanie drove off and went home. As soon as she got home she went to her bedroom and went straight to bed.
The next day Stephanie woke up and went down stairs for some breakfast. She walked by her mother, said good morning, got a bowl of cereal and sat on the couch. As she sat there watching some Saturday morning cartoons the door bell rang. She slowly got up and walked to the door still half asleep. There was a man from the flower shop holding a dozen roses. “Are you Miss Stephanie?” He asked.
Stephanie didn’t answer, just took the flowers and shut the door. She read the card, it said: Dear Stephanie, I miss you very much. I have a surprise for you. Hope you have a fantastic day. I’ll talk to you very soon. Love Jordan.
Her mind started to race as she walked back over to the couch. She sat there smelling the roses and watching TV. She couldn’t wait to see what his surprise was. A few hours went by and Stephanie decided to get ready for the day. She went and got in the shower. She straightened her hair, put her make up on, and listened to music. She called Dave up to see if he wanted to go fishing or something. Dave was really good friends with her and he was always there to make her feel better. He was also good friends with Jordan so whenever she needed someone to talk to about that he’d be there. Dave told her to meet him where they usually go fishing. It was a quiet lake with just a few camps on it.
When she got there, she got out of the car and walked to the water. She stood in the sun light for a few minutes just soaking it in. Dave pulled in with his truck. He got out and gave Stephanie a hug. He could tell that she was upset. Dave also knew about the little surprise that Jordan had planned for her but he didn’t mention a thing about it. They sat and talked for awhile and watched some ducks splash around in the water. “Stephanie you know Jordan loves you. Trust me, he talks about you all the time. You’re always on his mind and he’s always worrying about you. You and the most important thing in his life.” Dave said in the most serious voice which he didn’t do often. Stephanie smiled and gave him a hug.
The next day Stephanie stayed home all day and helped her mother with some cleaning. She cleaned her room, wiped the kitchen down, and even helped Diana with her room. When she was done cleaning the day went by slow for her as she sat there in her sweatpants and tee-shirt watching some movie on TV.
The door bell rang. Diana ran to see who it was hopping it was her friend who was going to come over to spend the night. As soon as she opened the door her eyes grew big and her mouth dropped. She was speechless, had no idea what to say. Stephanie, who was up in her room, heard the door bell but didn’t hear anything after, she wondered who it was and maybe it was for her. She began to walk down towards the door. “Hi Diana, is your sister home?” Jordan asked with a smile on his face.

Diana looked around. “Stephanie! It’s for you!” She yelled it kind of slow.

Stephanie thought to herself, knowing it was going to be for her and started running down the stairs. She got to the bottom and looked up to see Jordan, the love of her life standing before her in the doorway. “Jordan!” She ran up to him and gave him the biggest hug. “What are you doing here?”

Jordan’s heart was beating fast he was so excited. “I needed to come back to be with you. I wanted to surprise you. I’m here for good!” He gave her another hug and could feel that her heart was beating just as fast as his. She stayed in his arms for a minute hugging him. “It’s ok Stephanie. I’m going to get a place, work, and when the times right go to school.”

Stephanie looked up at him and smiled. She didn’t care about any of that. She was just glad he was back.