First Love
We sit in the bed of tulips. It’s peaceful, almost heavenly. Lining the edges of the garden is a row of trees swaying back and forth. I take a moment to look at her face and the beauty of her curls run down the side of her cheeks. She is wearing her hair behind her ears again. She’s done this once before, but it was when she was with her friend.
I raise my hand to point at the tulip swaying on its own. It’s lonely among thousands of tulips in the entire field. She casually looks at the tulip before looking back at me. Her smile cracks open a beautiful display of teeth which she conceals with a rub of her nose. I can tell she’s fascinated by the idea.
“You just can’t stop, can you?”
“I see it everywhere. Why? Is it my fault?”
“Just stop.”
She smiles again before looking to the side. She hides her face so she can smile properly, but I take the moment to grab her chin and turn her gaze back to me.
“I mean it.”
Just those three words send a flush through her eyes. I don’t know how it happens, but she takes hold of my cheek and places a kiss on the other one. Her gaze turns to mine and she takes hold of my hand.
“I believe you.”
Just after that, she reveals a box and takes out a ring with a shiny stone. She places it on my finger. I take the other one and slide it over hers. She beams with a smile and holds out her hand to examine the ring.
“It looks nice,” I say.
“It looks perfect.”
Now the trees cast a shadow onto the field, a comforting event that makes it look like an audience or a choir of angels is with us.
Her arm rests in my hand and her head lies on my chest. We sit there for an eternity until the sunlight turns to a crisp orange. The color of tulips start to change, too.
“I should get back before my husband comes back.”
I look into her eyes, so certain I would see her again.
“You should go then, but make sure you get everything ready. Tomorrow we leave.”
