I Loved You Before I Met You

55

   When Lauren walks in the door I meet her as she is closing it. "Hey beautiful" I say and kiss her sweet lips then take her purse and laptop bag. "You sit down and relax a bit. I'm going to put your stuff in the bedroom then I will be right back." I know we still have to talk about the whole college thing and I really need to tell her about Ms. Smith too. First I want her to relax especially after what happened with Mike. I know that stressed her out. After putting her stuff in the bedroom I go back to the living room and see her stretched out on the couch with her feet propped up.

I go to the kitchen and pour us both a glass of red wine. I walk back to the living room to the couch and hand Lauren a wine glass then lift her feet and sit down placing her feet in my lap. "Are you trying to butter me up Kyler?" I laugh a little "no, I just want you to relax babe, you had a stressful day." She looks at me then slightly shrugs her shoulders. "I do have something to tell you. I wouldn't consider it bad news but it might make you mad."

Lauren just looks at me for a second. "What Kyler? Just spit it out and get it over with." I sit my wine glass down on the side table and start rubbing Laurens feet. "So... umm... Ms. Smith kind of hit on me today I think." Lauren looks at me "you think. What does that even mean?" I continue rubbing her feet as I try to explain. "Exactly what I said and I didn't do anything before you ask. I was just getting our lunch from the teachers lounge and she blocked my way out and said I could eat lunch with her. Maybe she was just being polite but she was acting a little weird today during class too. I just wanted you to know." Lauren takes her feet out of my lap and sits up. "Why didn't you tell me at lunch then Kyler? Why wait until now?"

"I didn't say anything because I wanted us to enjoy our lunch together which obviously didn't happen anyway. Also because we were at school. I didn't think it was a good idea to talk about it there. If you're thinking I didn't tell you because something happened then you are wrong. I only want you Lauren and you should know that by now. I hope she got the message that I am not interested in her. Just don't say anything to her because I don't want it to become a big deal. I just wanted you to know" Lauren just looks at me.

"Ok" is all Lauren says after a few seconds and downs the rest of her wine. She goes to the kitchen and fixes her another glass. Walking back into the living room and sitting down she says "you know, we should have thought this relationship through before starting anything. Well, I should have but I didn't."

I start to talk but Lauren holds her hand up. "Here you are about to graduate high school and you have a younger and prettier teacher basically throwing herself at you not to mention all the girls at school that want you. I hear the talk in the hallways about you. You will be going off to college and will have a lot of girls there throwing themselves at you. There's a lot for you to experience in college and relationships you could have or just sleep around if you want to."

"Are you kidding me Lauren? You are the most beautiful woman and I don't care about any other woman or those girls. I don't want any of that. There's no one else I want to be with. It's you Lauren, it's all you..." Lauren cuts me off "I'm guessing those two letters today were acceptance letters?" I just nod my head. "So you have four schools to choose between. College should be your main focus not me. Kyler you need to follow your heart and choose the best college for you no matter where that's at."

I take Laurens hands in mine "I promise I will follow my heart for college. But I hope you know that you... you are my heart Lauren. Any choice I make for college will revolve around you. That doesn't mean I will not make the best choice for me but you do play a part in my decision."

Lauren starts to shake her head no but I continue talking. "Lauren I could never leave you, not even if my life depended on it." She smiles at my words as a tear runs down her cheek. "I mean it Lauren. I love you, so very much and would do anything for you... except leave you. That would break my heart to be away from you. You make me feel so much that it's hard to explain it. The amount of love I feel surrounding us when we are together I want to feel forever." Another tear runs down her cheek and I quickly wipe her tears away before anymore can escape.

Lauren cups my face in her hands and softly kisses my lips whispering "I do to" as she pulls away.  "I know you have a decision to make concerning which college you will go to. I... I can't believe I'm saying this but I have an idea that could possibly help you make the best decision for yourself." I squeeze her hands and smile at her "what is your idea? It better not be us breaking up until I finish college. That would be a big hell no." Lauren laces our fingers together "I... I will go where you go. If you chose a college that's not here then... I will move with you."

I frown slightly "not that I wouldn't love that but what about your job? You love what you do." Lauren caresses my cheek "yes, I do love my job but I can easily look for a principal or teaching position at another school." I can't help the big smile on my face just thinking about Lauren willing to do that for me. She must really love me if she is willing to move for me. "You would really do that... for me?"

Lauren adjusts herself on the couch so her back is against the armrest and pulls me into her so I am laying against her with my back to her front. She wraps her arms around me "I would do that for you but it would be more of doing it for us. The amount of love I feel and have for you is indescribable. It's not like anything I have ever felt before. I know it may be wrong but you can't help who you fall in love with."