Age 17

You and I drive up together this year in the car your parents just helped you buy for your birthday.

You drive with your left hand on the wheel and your right on the console, your fingers intertwined with mine.

We pass the time singing along with the radio and go through a bag of twizzlers.

We take the long way, driving by the water so you can stop and take pictures.

Esme calls and tells us to hurry up because Emmet is already there and were wasting time with him.

He's not staying the whole week because of his practice schedule for football.

You tell her to relax because the drive up day doesn't count anyway.

I smile and close my eyes thinking about how wonderful the past year has been with you.

I remember my favorite day out of all of them...

The first snow fall of the year was December 2nd.

We were in your living room, sitting on the floor studying for midterms and eating chinese food.

I remember you turning to me with this shit eating grin on your face.

"Come with me" you smiled and grabbed my hand, hoisted me up and led me out your front door.

"Edward what are you-" but I stopped when I saw it was snowing.

Then it was me dragging you out of the house and out into the middle of street to stand in the falling snow.

I dropped your hand, lifted my arms and turned my face up to the sky with my eyes closed.

I spun around in circles catching snow on my face.

You laughed "I love you"

"I love you too" I said.

That was when I opened my eyes to meet yours.

We realized at the same time that it was the first time we'd ever said that to each other.

But after hearing it for the first time I decided I wanted to hear it all the time.

Our widened eyes went back to normal as you engulfed me in your arms and kissed me under the falling snow.

It would have lasted longer if it wasn't for the car that came up behind us and beeped their horn so we would get out of the way.

I opened my eyes and blinked away the day-dream just as you said goodbye to your mom and hung up.

"I love you" I tell you because it feels amazing every time I say it

and I want to hear you say it back

So you do