Walking up the street in the downpour, clothes sticking to me, holding tight onto his hand for safety and warmth, we continued our journey. It was like some exciting adventure. I ran into the streets and jumped into puddles. I had no care in the world for anything beyond this moment. He stared at me, his twinkling eyes full of amusement and satisfaction, and for the first time, I could look back fearlessly and truly smile again. I was a child again; the child I never was able to be when I was supposed to have been, that carefree, trusting child we all know all too well. I ran behind him and jumped on his back, and he carried me through the street, running the whole way as if we had a place to be. But the only place we wanted to be was right here, in the freezing cold, rain beating down on the hair that took me too long to fix, my make up smearing and running down my face. It was everything I ever had asked for, he allowed me to be beautiful and be all I can be. He grabbed my hand and spun me around, the passing cars and people blur slightly as I fell slowly against the neighboring house. As he me drew closer, I closed my eyes and tried to remember who I really was, because this moment felt too good to be real, something better fit for a scene in a corny movie about true love.

His hand lifted towards my face, brushing my cheek and moved the sopping wet piece of hair hiding my eyes and took my trembling face into his steady hands. My entire body fell limp. The trust I put in him was tremendous, and so unlike me. I screamed a childish scream and ran into the street, listening to his feet following my every move. It was like he knew exactly how I wanted him to be, what things to say and how to make me do something I thought I was too scared to ever try again: to love. While he moved with such confidence, I smiled shyly trying to show him that this was something new for me, something unexpected. But I never needed to, for he looked right into my green eyes and said, “I know, you don’t have to tell me”. It was that moment that I knew I was gone; I lost myself to a love that was pure and so toxic. I tried to hide my smile for I was unsure if I was ready to let him know the full extent of his power over my mind and body.
Luckily I spotted a large puddle of water on the ground. I pulled him towards the puddle and swiftly pulled my foot back into a kick and splashed his already drenched clothes. His face went from an expression of shock to one of mischief as he grabbed my hand and I attempted to escape. He strongly pulled me towards him into what I thought was a simple embrace, but I was surprised as he picked me up and attempted to throw me over his shoulder. I laughed and felt I was on top of the world, with his steady hand on my legs to keep me from falling, and it gave me the chance to take in my surroundings: an old couple holding hands while crossing the street. Two friends walking down our lane and looking at us with incredulity, envious of the picture perfect moment I was having. What better way of explaining how I felt right then and there.
I shook my head as if to wake me up from this dream, but all that successfully did was make my hair even messier then it was before. But that didn’t seem to matter. The leaves around me were dripping wet, the puddle growing wider and in this distant moment, no drop of rain would be able to rain on my parade. I vaguely felt him put my feet down on the ground. He put his face dangerously close to mine and whispered softly into my eardrum, “I want to show you something”. My hand encompassed in his, I followed him blindly into the middle of his street. To my surprise he stopped dead. I was confused, and the look on my face portrayed nothing different. I began to ask what we were doing. “What are—“, but he shut me up by putting one finger on my lips. He smiled and steadied me with both of his hands on my shoulders. His eyes smiled into mine and as if in slow motion, he moved closer to the ground. Everything blurred around me and I temporarily lost balance, catching myself just in time to focus my eyes on him, standing in the middle of the street, down on one knee with a question in his eyes.