Meteors

"Are you sure you wanted to bring me, of all people?"

"Of course I'm sure! I don't get to do a whole lot of things like this with you, anyway. Besides, I thought you'd appreciate it the most."

"So where exactly are you taking me?"

"That's the surprise."

That's the thing with you - everything's a surprise. My only choice is to go along with you. I mean, I wouldn't exactly turn down the opportunity to spend time alone with you, but that's not the point. I just feel like you would enjoy this time a lot more if it were spent with someone else. You put so much effort into just getting me to crack a smirk - maybe it would be easier for you if you spent your days with someone who actually smiles on a regular basis? I'm probably overthinking this again. Right now I need to focus on following you up this large hill. But for what reason? It's not like you're going to tell me.

"We're here!" you exclaim cheerfully as we reach the top. "Did climbing tire you out? Here." I gasp as you pick me up and carry me over to the spot you had mentally designated as ours. It seems embarrassingly easy for you.

"Sit here."

You put me down, and look at me with the same soft, shining eyes as always. I could look at them forever, but I have to make myself look away so I don't seem odd. Why did I agree to this?

"It's really nice out here, you know?" Your soft voice is so soothing to me. I could listen to you talk all day, but I would never tell you that out loud.

"I guess that's true." I don't really know what to say. I usually don't have many positive things to say, so why do I feel obligated to say something now?

"I'm really glad I got to do this with you." This surprises me. I never expected you to actually enjoy spending time with me. I know you're always perky when you're around me, and you kind of did pick me to bring here, but still... It's a little shocking. I guess I just didn't expect anyone, much less you, to genuinely enjoy being around me. I guess I appreciate that.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Here, I got this for you." You look at me with that grin, the one I've come to know so well, and hold out your hand. In your palm is a small rock. You seem inexplicably enthusiastic about it, but I'm not going to argue with you.

"Oh... Thank you." I at least manage to get out my thanks as I take the rock and gaze at it, hoping to find out what it is you find so fascinating about it. What makes this particular clump of sediment so special? Either way, you likely gave it to me with good reason. I put it in my pocket, where it will safely reside wherever I go. Not that you'd know that, of course.

"You never did tell me why you brought me here." I look at the ground, hoping I don't look idiotic.

"Simple! I wanted to watch the meteor shower with you. I've been wanting to do something like this with you for a while now, and I thought this was a perfect opportunity."

Wait a minute... Did I hear that right? You wanted to do something with me?

As I try to think of a response, I'm surprised by you suddenly wrapping your arms around me and pulling me close to you. You don't normally do this. You don't ever do this. I'm not going to complain, but I will be shocked. I've never been held like this before.

I can feel myself sinking backward into your warmth, but I try to keep upright, unsure if you're okay with me just laying on you like that. You respond by hugging me tighter and pulling me closer, immediately removing all doubt. I gaze up at the stars, wondering which one I'll name after you.

"Look, it's starting!" You point to the sky, and sure enough, a meteor streaks across it, as if chasing something. I can't help but crack a small smile at your excitement.

In this moment, I want nothing more in this world but to stop time and stay here with you, just like this. If I could just have that, I would never ask for anything again. All I want is to gaze at the stars, watching meteors flow across the sky. I want to lay like this with you. I want you.

I could never say that to your face, of course.

I look up at the sky again, where the meteors are like the universe's raindrops. I never thought I'd see a phenomenon like it, much less to this degree. I look up at you from my rather unusual point of view and see a you I never thought I'd get the chance to see. I see you staring intently up at the night sky with those soft eyes, a smile pasted onto your face. But this time, it's different. It's the exact same smile I usually see, but this time... I feel like I'm the actual reason behind it. I feel like I have some significance to that smile. I feel like I made you genuinely happy. I don't know what its value is to you, but to me, that is worth more than a thousand meteors in the sky.