Selena, my family and I went out to explore the festival, but Selena and I soon left them to explore on our own. There were countless tables and tents of crafts like jewelry and carvings, soap, and things like honey and jam, banjo players, singers, and people performing plays.

By the time we found our way to the main stage where there was a full band performing, it was dark.

"Wanna take a seat?" I asked, nodding to one of the only unoccupied benches left.

Selena smiled. "Sure."

I sat down beside her. We leaned back and began observing the people around us.

"You see those two? First weekend vacation together," Selena hypothesized while nodding at a couple who seemed to see no one but each other.

"Mm, and the guy over there likes chick flicks," I said, then added after some reflection, "And plays hockey."

She laughed softly and we continued to pass our stories about these strangers back and forth. Spending time with Selena was a simple kind of happiness that couldn't be more complicated to explain.

"There're your parents."

Selena pointed them out just as they kissed each other while bopping in a huge throng of people in front of the stage.

"What are they doing?" I asked, horrified.

"I think they're… having fun," Selena said, sounding bemused.

Indeed they did look happy, which made the situation all the weirder: the music was loud and rock-ish and upon closer inspection, both of my parents were holding cups with suspicious looking liquid sloshing around in them.

"Do you think they do this every year?"

This realization that they might always go crazy when their kids aren't around kind of hit me hard.

My mom let out a loud shriek of enjoyment.

Selena laughed. "Your mom is hilarious."

"Who are these people?"

"'Parent's Gone Wild.' I can see it now."

"You want to go for a walk?" I asked Selena out of the blue.

"Absolutely."

Without hesitation, we linked arms as we began walking. The stage was the only place that was still alive; the booths were shut up and there were no light. Still, there was a air of wonder and beauty about it.

"C'mon," I said. "I want to show you something."

Not far from here, I knew, there was a gazebo on the water that was always was decorated around Christmas time.

"Where we going?" Selena asked, following me willingly.

"You'll see."

The path was lined with bushes and flowers and a few trees here and there. We rounded a bend and the gazebo was in front of us. It was all decked out in full-on Christmas gear: sprigs of holly, boughs of fir, bells, lights, ribbons, everything.

Selena stepped forward and I noticed that this was a picture-perfect moment; a girl with long way hair tumbling down her back looking at a lit-up gazebo. She fit perfectly into the scene, but then again, she would fit perfectly into any scene in my opinion.

"It's like a perfect Christmas post-card," she said in awe as she went up the steps.

"In November?" I asked, following her.

"Well, it's never to early to start celebrating."

"You're right, but you still don't usually see something like this this early."

"Then I must be your good luck charm," Selena replied, turning around to give me a smile that made my heart skip a beat.

"Must be."

For a moment, we just looked each other in the eyes, but then Selena sighed.

"We should go back. Or else everyone will think we've been stranded in the cold, cold night."

I sighed, too, and said begrudgingly, "I guess so."

I reached the top of the steps first and paused to wait for Selena.

When she a few steps away, she happened to glance at the rafter above my head and stopped. Her sweet smile slid off her face and was replaced by a look similar to the awe that had taken control of her features when she had seen the gazebo. "Oh."

"What?" I asked, looking up. My eyes fell upon a certain classic Christmas plant right above my head.

"Mistletoe," Selena said with wonder.

My heart felt like it could jump out of my chest, but it also felt vaporized.

Selena took a step closer to me. Could this really be happening?

"Merry Christmas, Demi," she whispered inches from my face. She moved in closer and suddenly, we were kissing.

Her lips were soft as they moved with mine. It was as though they were fighting the cold December air- and winning.

We parted and I leaned my forehead on hers. I couldn't muster any words while looking into her eyes. There was still a floating feeling consuming me, as though it was all too good to be true to actually happen.

But it WAS happening. It was happening and it was real and I wanted it to happen again and again.

I reconnected our lips and found her hands in mine. I pulled her closer to me as we kissed.

"I love you."

The words just slipped out of my mouth before I could think, but they were true. I didn't want to scare Selena, but I couldn't hold them in much longer.

I may have been young and, quite honestly, barely known Selena long, but there was no question about what I was feeling. I knew that those words were true.

Those who say I was just confused have never felt the way I did in that moment and every moment with Selena. I may not have as much experience as people think is required to understand love, but sometimes you only need one person to show you. You just need her smile and her kindness and her phenomenal personality that was so strong it was almost palpable.

"I love you, too," Selena said breathlessly.

Those words were the most beautiful thing I had ever heard and a wave of sweet relief washed over me as all doubts faded into oblivion.

"Shall we?" I asked, offering her my arm as I often did.

"We shall."

Selena took my arm and pulled me close as we walked.

"Oh my gosh," Selena said, stopping in her tracks and tilting her face to the sky.

"What?" I said, scanning the air above us.

"Is it… drizzling?"

Just as she said that, something cold and wet landed on my nose.

"I think so."

Selena looked at me, swiped her finger on my nose and giggled.

When we got to the cabin we were staying in, all drizzling had stopped. All I had actually felt was that solitary drop; as though it was the universe's way of saying, 'See? It's raining. You're welcome.'

Selena and I crawled into our shared bed quietly after changing into our night clothes and as I wrapped an arm around her waist and brought our bodies close to each other, I knew nothing would ever feel more right again.