The next day, Monday night, Catherine was at the Naval Academy dorm when she got a call from Steve.
"Hey Cath, I haven't even boarded and I'm missing you already, I don't know what those six months will be like without you".
"I miss you too, sailor. We've had wonderful days together and now we can't see each other for a long time."
"We've had wonderful days and even more wonderful nights", Steve said to Catherine, leaving her with the face flushed.
Catherine just smiled.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" Steve asked.
"Not on that subject. The dorm is full", Catherine answered in a low voice.
"Okay, I understand", he said, laughing.
"Have a nice trip, Steve. Wherever you are, don't forget me", Catherine said. She was thrilled.
"No. You have the power to make me forget the world when we're together, but the world will never get me to forget you. Until next time, Cath!".
"Until next time, Steve!" Catherine said, ending the call.
"Are you in love, Catherine?" A roommate asked.
"Yes, I'm completely in love", Catherine answered , and smiled.
"Is he in love, too?"
"I don't know, he doesn't talk much about his feelings, but I think he likes being with me", Catherine replied.
Catherine lay down and slept thinking about him.
Steve packed his bags to leave, then he also fell asleep thinking about her.
The next day, Catherine continued her routine at the Naval Academy, and Steve left the country on his long mission. Steve met Freddie and soon they became friends.
One day, Steve smiled after talking on the phone to Catherine.
"Wait a moment, I see you smile like a fool, and the cause of it is a girl! I thought right?" Freddie asked.
"Yes, the prettiest girl, the smarter, the nicer, and she has the most beautiful smile in the universe", Steve said, smiling.
"Wow! I felt even envy of you", Freddie said smiling.
Five months later ...
Catherine called Steve, hoping he could speak at that moment.
"Hey, Cath!"
"Hey, Steve!"
"It's good to hear your voice," Steve told her.
"It's good to hear your voice, too. I have some news to tell you", Catherine said. She was a little excited and a bit nervous at the same time.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I'm going to make my first parachute jump next week and I'm very, very nervous, and very scared", Catherine told Steve.
"Don't be afraid, but be careful. If you're wise, just enjoy the flight, and you'll like it", Steve said.
"Fine, but I'm still scared", Catherine said, smiling.
Seven days later Catherine arrived with the other students to jump, but she would be the last.
"Excuse me, instructor, why am I the last one? I'm very nervous and being the last will not help me at all".
"I've already decided that, Rollins. You're the last one and it's not going to change".
Catherine stepped back and sat on a bench, her back to the other students. "If I don't see, maybe my fear and my anxiety diminish", she thought.
Three hours later, the instructor went to see Catherine, and she stood up to talk to him.
"Rollins, I have an urgent problem to solve and another instructor will jump with you. Good luck".
"Thank you", she said not very pleased.
Catherine sat again for a few minutes, waiting for the new instructor.
"Rollins? Are you ready?"
Catherine turned to look at him with a huge smile.
"Steve?"
Catherine got up and hugged him.
"Do you trust me to jump with you?" he asked.
"I trust, I entrust my life to you", Catherine replied.
"That's great", he said.
Steve looked around and saw many students. "We can't kiss here, can we?" he said with a smile.
"No, we can't", she said, admiring his smile that she had lost for months.