It was my last summer - our last summer - before it was all going to changed.
The last summer of being kids, before we had to finally face the real world.
The last summer that we could just be us - just be Ari and Dante and not have to worry about classes at collage or our dorms or buying food for ourselves.
"Dante" I said.
"Yeah?"
"Go get a tape measure and some chalk"
"Are we going to throw our shoes?" He asked, a bright, hopeful smile lighting up his beautiful face.
"Yeah, we are Dante." I said, smiling myself. How could I not?
Without another word he goes and gets the tape measure and chalk.
we walked out to the street, took our shoes off and threw them.
And in that moment, it's like we're the old us again, just discovering each other, everything new and exiting.
In that moment, I fell in love with him all over again.
"I love you Dante." I said, turning to him.
In that moment, I felt like nothing in the world could ever measure up to the way I was feeling right then, like no one has ever felt like this and no one ever will.
In that moment I was sure I could never feel this way about anyone else, and that I would never have to.
I felt like nothing could ever bring us apart. He wasn't only my boyfriend, my lover.
He was my best friend.
And nothing could ever change that.
I wanted to tell him, tell him everything, express how strongly I feel for him, tell him I would never let him go.
But I didn't. All I said was "I love you Dante" again.
And then he smiled that smile again, like I was the most important thing in the world.
The smile that made me feel like the most important thing in the world.
"I love you too Ari" He said, going back to throwing his shoes, like it wasn't a big deal.
Maybe it wasn't.
I don't know.
So I went back to throwing my shoes.