On the run

Twenty

I sighed. Laying my head back a little deeper into Alex's chest. Magic. That's the only way I could explain this holiday. Like he'd actually reached up into the stars whilst we were on that plane Friday and pulled down as much stardust as he could and was just carrying it around with him. Then again, I was almost entirely convinced that Alex was made of stardust. The entire universe had created him just for me. Millenniums ago, when the big bang created every atom in existence, it hand selected billions and billions to create him and said this is specifically for Penelope Cooper. I was sure.

We'd slept most of Saturday. Just lazed around the villa. Soaking in the sun and catching up on sleep I'd lost over the past few years. Somehow napping at home didn't have the same effect as laying on a day bed whilst your boyfriend giggles at some early 2000's sitcom beside you. That giggle was one of the best things I'd ever heard. Each time he did it, I would smile, grip onto whatever part of him I could.

"What you thinking Poppy?" I closed my eyes, his breath falling over the side of my face and putting me into a trance.

"Just how great this trip has been." I filled my lungs with another deep intake of the salty sea air, opening my eyes on the horizon again as I kept my voice quiet, terrified of breaking the peace. "It's so beautiful out here."

"Now you know how I feel whenever I see you."

"Oh, so we're going extra cheesy huh?"

"Mhm." Alex kissed the top of my head quickly before turning so his cheek was laid on me, his head almost at 90 degrees, watching the sea with me. "We'll come back." My fingers traced on his forearm, going over the weekday by day. Trying to burn every second of it into my memory so I'd never forget. I'd never had someone make plans for a future with me. This wasn't the first time Alex was telling me about what he wanted us to do together. We'd talked about my future with the business, how he didn't want to lose me but we couldn't keep this relationship a secret forever and when it comes out, I might not be able to stay. We'd made a plan we were both comfortable with for both situations, it is going well and badly. Either way, I'd still be managing everything for him. Just one eventuality I don't get paid. Which was fine. I could manage it. I had a huge stash of savings now and if that was the case, I would be moving in with him anyway. He'd told me about how he wanted me to come with him to stay with his family for Christmas. That I didn't have the excuse I couldn't because he knew I'd be alone. That was 5 months in the future. Then he told me about where he wanted to take me next summer, and the summer after that and the one after that. He told me he planned on us taking at least 4 breaks like this a year, minimum. That he'd love for us to get away once a month as well.

I sniffed, settling back into his arms a little more as a single tear slipped down my cheek. Nothing about my relationship with Alex was anywhere close to something I'd had before. It's like I'd been told what love was, I thought I'd experienced it. But this was so much stronger than what I thought it was.

"Pop- baby, why are you crying?" He chuckled, pulling me up onto his lap, turning me until he could see my face. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." I smiled, letting him dry my face but the tears were falling slowly and I couldn't stop them right now. I didn't want to.

"Poppy, you're crying. Something's wrong." I blubbed a chuckle at him, sniffing and laying a gentle kiss on him.

"No. I promise." I kissed him again. "Nothing's wrong Lex."

"Then why are you crying?"

"I'm just really happy right now. Like, there's happy, then ecstatic and I'm up in space." I pulled myself into his neck. "You make me happy."

"You make me happy too Pops. I'm not crying over it though."

"Then I don't make you as happy as you make me."