Totally unsure of what to expect from her boyfriend, Angela hesitantly reached for the doorknob and twisted it open, feeling the cool metal under her fingers. As the door slowly opened, Angela became more and more surprised by what she saw inside the apartment. The room was dark, illuminated only by a few flickering candles, placed in different parts of the room.
Shawn was nowhere to be seen, although he could have easily been hiding outside the candles' field of lumination. Angela shook her head in joyous disbelief. This kind of thing doesn't happen to real people, she thought. Surprises like this are usually reserved for TV, movies, and dreams.
Still trying to soak in the beauty of the atmosphere, Angela took slow, soft steps to the candle nearest to her. Accompanying it was a neatly folded note, written on delicate ivory paper. Angela recognized Shawn's deliberately neat penmanship and recited the words aloud.
"The force of love is magnified with every moment I think of you." Angela had read that quote once before, and, incidentally, thought of Shawn. The following sentence was an addition of his own. "I only hope that this night is enough to..."
The first note left off there, inviting Angela to proceed to the next candle, located on the headboard of the neatly-made bed. Another equally amazing note awaited her there, continuing in the first note's fashion of mixing famous quotes and personal thoughts.
"...make up for the way I acted last night. `The heart is forever inexperienced,'" the note read, quoting philosopher Henry David Thoreau. "If you can find it in your heart to forgive me..."
Angela hurried to the third candle, shining brightly atop the kitchen counter, only to discover another note.
"...the time ahead of us can be the greatest of our lives." The quotation that followed, taken from the work of Italian writer Umberto Eco, appropriately expressed Shawn's sorrow in a way that Angela understood perfectly. "`We know things better through love than knowledge.' I do know that I love you, so..."
Holding back tears of pure happiness, Angela looked ahead to the fourth and final candle, located closer to the door, on the sturdy oak coffee table. Angela opened the note, anxious to find out what kind of creative surprise Shawn had in store for the rest of the night.
"...allow me to show you how much. Climb the stairs to the top of the building, and I'll be waiting."
Angela was absolutely breathless. Shawn knew exactly what it took to make her feel like the most loved person in the world, but the final quote he used, from author Christina Crawford, topped them all.
"In that secret space of time, I will kiss the inside of your smile. Not with my mouth, but through my heart, as we share a journey to the stars."
"Journey to the stars...," Angela's voice echoed, thinking of how beautifully the stars twinkled in the sky that night. Her smile reflected genuine happiness, and her heart felt as though it might burst, beating wildly with anticipation.
Angela collected the notes in the palm of her hand, careful not to smudge the elegant black letters. Placing them in her jacket pocket, she raced out the door and up three flights of stairs to the building's roof.
On any other night, the musty, flat roof would have been just another eyesore to the high-rise residents of the city, but tonight, it was nothing less than heaven, in Angela's eyes anyway.
The harsh concrete surface was softened by a mound of thick blankets and pillows, visible only by the light of the moon and an array of glowing candles. Soft, instrumental music filled the air, as Angela spotted Shawn's small stereo tucked into the corner, plugged into a utility outlet.
Unaware that his guest had received her warm invitation to come and join him, Shawn stood with his back to Angela, appreciating the contrast between the busy streets below and the tranquil sky above. He felt invincible at that moment, beaming with the confidence that nothing or no one could destroy the beautiful, perfect evening that lie ahead.
His thoughts were interrupted by a gentle tap on the shoulder, but his feelings grew even stronger upon seeing the vision of beauty that stood before him.
"Well, what brings you up here, Gorgeous?" he asked teasingly, softly tracing the outline of Angela's cheekbone with his index finger.
Angela played along willingly. "Well, you see, someone left me these awfully romantic notes." She reached into her pocket to expose the folded pieces of paper.
Shawn flashed her a sexy smile and took her hand in his. Silently, he lead her over to the cushiony heap of bedding where they lie down together. The two rested comfortably, holding hands, gazing into each other's eyes. Shawn had spent many an evening on that roof, searching the stars for answers, but he knew that being there with Angela would make it all the more amazing.
Ever since he was young, Shawn had dreamed of spending an evening in the arms of someone he loved, just discussing life and admiring the brilliance of natural wonders. Although the New York rooftop was no secluded forest or mountain hideaway, it was as close as Shawn could possibly bring Angela to the stars, and it was perfect.
As much as he wanted to talk to her about beauty and dreams and life, as much as he wanted to hold her close and kiss her, Shawn knew that he had to first address his behavior from the previous night. Angela deserved an apology, and Shawn only hoped he could deliver a suitable one.
"I want you to know how sorry I am for the way I acted last night. I had no right to get angry with you. It was supposed to be your night, and frankly, you deserved much better," Shawn said, speaking directly from his heart.
Angela smiled and touched his face, softly stroking his bottom lip with her thumb. He kissed her finger lightly before continuing with his explanation. "I trust you, 100 percent. I guess I just got a little upset, for selfish reasons. I mean, I haven't seen you in a year; I'm not ready to share your attention with anyone else." Shawn ended the sentence with a lighthearted smile.
"Honey, I'm not angry with you. If anything, I was just confused, but I understand now. I'm sorry for making you feel bad," she pouted, realizing how easily her actions could have been misinterpreted. "I've got to admit, if some bubbly, flirtatious woman had been trying to put the moves on you, I would have been just as upset."
"Really?" he asked, jokingly. "Cause, you know, next time we could go to this lovely little bar where all the waitresses..."
Angela punched him playfully, taking his humor for exactly what it was.
Once his laughter had died down, Shawn returned to his air of seriousness. "So we're okay?"
Angela looked into his eyes, beaming with happiness. "Yeah. We're better than okay -- we're great."
Shawn pulled her closer to him and sealed the reconciliation with a passionate, electrifying kiss. While the city below them buzzed with excitement, only Shawn and Angela existed in each other's worlds.
Upon pullling apart, the young couple lay silently close to one another, looking infinitely upward into the depths of the starry night. Everything was just as Shawn had imagined it, so many times.
"You know," Angela began, laying one hand on his heart as she spoke, "I've always dreamed of spending a night like this. Just me, you, the moon and stars."
A look of pleasant intrigue fell across Shawn's face. He began to think about what Cory had said to him. This month would provide ample time find out if Angela was as ready for a life commitment as he believed he was.
No more irrational jealousy, Shawn decided. No more making Angela prove her affections. He knew that there was enough love holding them together to rid his heart of all insecurities and give him the strength to ask her that all-important question.
From here on out, I am dedicated to this woman and every aspect of our relationship. When we both know 100 percent that we can't live our lives without each other, the time will be right.
After years of chaos and torment, he was finally living out his ideal life. If they never moved from their position on that city rooftop, Shawn would still die a happy man. He released a contented sigh and studied the stars above. They were beautiful -- brilliant, unique, eternal -- just like his relationship with Angela.