withcove

[withcove]

you felt the wind before you saw the hill again soft and grass heavy, the way it always was near the ocean. cove had been quiet the whole walk there, his hand in yours, his thumb brushing the side of your wrist every so often.

you hadn't been up here in a long time.

he stopped just short of the crest and let go of your hand gently. "close your eyes for a second?"

you looked at him—his cheeks were a little pink, his eyes warm but skittish, still, you nodded and closed them.

you heard the rustle of a blanket, the soft thud of a backpack being set down. a second later, his voice, quieter now, closer: "okay. open."

he'd laid everything out: the blanket, two bottles of lemonade, a container of cut fruit, a couple of your favorite snacks. it wasn’t anything fancy. but it was careful. familiar. yours and his.

cove stood off to the side a little, rubbing the back of his neck, his mouth twitching like he wanted to smile but couldn’t quite let it happen yet.

"i.. wanted to bring us back to the beginning," he said, eyes flicking to yours. "this is where we met. you.. you do remember, right?"

you nodded, throat tight. the hill was a little smaller now, or maybe you were just a little taller. but the view was still the same—the ocean stretching out beyond the houses, sun hanging low and golden in the sky, the flowers..

"you were sitting right over there," he said, pointing gently to the spot beside you. "and i didn’t know what to say. i was so nervous."

you looked at him and laughed softly. "you were grumpy."

he groaned, laughing too, rubbing at his face. "i know. god. i was such a mess."

"you were cute," you said.

he looked at you, startled for a second—and then his glowing smile finally came. the same kind he only saved for you.

he sat down beside you on the blanket, close enough that your shoulders touched. "i just.. i’ve been thinking about it lately. how different everything could’ve been if my dad hadn't given you the twenty dollars- or if you had just taken it and went back home.. i.. or if you hadn’t been here that day. i'm so lucky."

you leaned into him, letting your head rest on his shoulder. he turned slightly, pressed a kiss to your hair. then, so soft you almost missed it:

"thanks for staying."