I started to lose track of time, lose track of days, of months. Evangeline and I tried to go to my place in the woods as often as possible, leaving the greatest memories of my life behind. I lay in bed and think about some with a smile on my face, my heart still pounding. Evangeline leaped onto my back, and I pulled her around to face me. We kissed standing up, which was always a bad idea. I lost my footing and fell backwards into the river. It was deeper than I realized. We kissed under water for a moment, then came up gasping for air. The river was very slow moving, so we hardly went anywhere. The sun was shining brightly and the water was warm. I took off my shirt and threw it up the bank. I laughed at Evangeline's child like awestruck gaze on me. With a mock-annoyed and determined look on her face, she threw her shirt onto the bank too, revealing a pretty pink bra, and it was her turn to laugh at my expression.

I loved her, and I loved my life here.

I pulled up to Evangeline's house late Sunday night. Harold told me not to work today, so I hadn't seen Evangeline. I had a surprise for her. As I turned off my car several yards away from her driveway, I thought about yesterday. Yesterday had been yet another beautiful dream.

We had been unpacking things from my room. She questioned where every item I had was from and the story behind it. Sometimes I was at a loss for words. I couldn't tell her where some things were from or how I'd gotten them. They were just pieces of junk. Then, she found a framed picture of me and Alisa. My arm was around her awkwardly, my hair was in my face and jet black. Alisa stood by my side with a smirk on her face. I looked at her now and wondered what I'd ever seen in her. It was prom, and I was just coming out of my goth faze. I had never dated a girl before, and Alisa was my first. Even back then, I thought to myself, if this is love, I don't want it.

“Who is that?” Evangeline said, with a hint of jealousy in her voice. I grinned at her pinched face expression.

“That's my ex, Alisa. That was taken at prom last year.”

She furrowed her brow, and studied the picture. “She doesn't look like a very nice person.”

I laughed. “That's because she wasn't.”

“Why did you date her, then?”

“She's the first one that wanted to.”

Evangeline looked at the picture again, with a thoughtful expression. “What's wrong with people?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, pulling a few fragile things out of the box I was unpacking.

“Why would anyone not want to date you?” She looked up at me as if she really expected an answer.

I smiled and looked down. “I'm a pretty awkward person most of the time. Not to mention, when I was there, I was going through my goth stage.”

“Did you like that?”

“Being goth?

“Yes.”

“I did, actually. It was sort of natural, since I never really fit in anywhere before, then I found that, and there were a bunch of people like me that I could relate to.”

“Why do they dress like that though? With the chains and the black and everything.”

“To be 'individual'” I used finger quotes. “But when everyone is an individual, nobody is. I finally realized I just need to be my own person, without also making a fool out of myself.”

After a few minutes, Evangeline sighed.

“I think goth is attractive,” She said quietly.

I laughed, and pulled the frame out of her hand. I pulled the picture out of the frame and tore it in two. “You can have my half if you'd like.” I held the half of me out to her, and crumpling the other half into a ball, I threw it over my shoulder.

“Thank you,” Evangeline said with a slight blush, studying the old me again. I smiled at her and kissed her mouth. The rest of the evening was spent in romantics instead of unpacking, leaving Mom very annoyed.

I grabbed my guitar and the bouquet of flowers I'd bought her. I walked quietly up to her window and threw pebbles, thinking to myself how lame this really was. She opened her curtain and smiled brightly down at me. She gestured down to the front door, and I nodded. We met on the porch. I set down my guitar and handed her the flowers. She smiled at wrapped herself around me, her legs on my hips. We laughed quietly, and I carried her to my truck. I drove to a lake that was five miles from my house, and we stood on the bank. The moon was full, hanging over the the water and reflecting into it. I sat down and Evangeline curled into me. We sat that way for a while, just staring out into the water and the trees beyond.

“You brought your guitar.” Evangeline stated.

“Yes, I did. I wrote you something.”

“Are you going to sing for me?” She smiled excitedly.

I chuckled. “No, I have a poem for you, though. And I wrote you an instrumental song.”

She got out of my arms and sat facing me. “Will you play for me then?”

I played her a slow melody I'd written thinking about the days we'd spent together. It was calm and happy, sounding like a thousand other love songs that had been written.

I finished, and Evangeline sighed happily, making her way back into my arms. “That was beautiful. Thank you.”

“Do you want to hear the poem too?”

“Yes.”

I pulled it out of my pocket and held it out in front of both of us. I read it aloud.

“You are my sunshine

You are my forever.

Nothing can touch us as long as we're together.

You're smile gives a thousand angels wings

Your eyes light my life as easy as a bird sings

The days spent with you I will cherish always

I hope never to lose you

You bring hope to my darkest days.

I would walk through fire for my angel

Would cross any danger

Your kiss is my command

I love you, my angel

And when graduation comes around

Be mine, sweet love?

For I will never find

Someone quite as divine

As this sweet love of mine”

Evangeline was quiet, and I couldn't see her face. My heart caught in my throat again. “I know it's horrifically cheesy. But I need you, Evangeline. I love you. I will never find anyone as perfect as you. We're meant for—”

Evangeline knocked me into the sand, a finger on my lips. She had a bright smile on her face. “I love you,” She said simply. “Yes. Yes, yes, yes!”

We laughed and kissed and lost our breath. I held her close to me until the sun began to come up.

“I need to get home before my dad wakes up.” Evangeline said, but she didn't move from my chest. She stretched though, kissing up my jaw.

“Do you have to?” I sighed into her hair.

“Mmmm...” I couldn't see her face, but I knew she was smiling.

We stood, and I carried her to the car.