home (halsey)

27

Ashley

When I awoke, my eyes focused themselves on the goddess before me.

The sunlight that peeked through the curtains was bright and glowing behind her, making her look even more ethereal than she already was. Her curly hair was laid askew, the strands messily falling over her face.

"Am I in heaven?" I joked, my voice sounding deep and raspy.

Maya smiled, pushing her curls over her shoulder. Her body attacked mine, her arms instinctively flying around my neck as she kissed my jawline.

"You're finally up. Did you sleep well?" She asked sweetly, running her fingertips over the freckles on my cheeks.

"Of course. My body is aching like hell, though," I pouted, earning a laugh from Maya. "Why'd you wake up so early?"

She shrugged, adjusting the straps of her bra.

"I couldn't sleep for some reason. I started looking at places we could go and things we could do today," She explained, showing me the pamphlet she was browsing through.

I flipped a few pages, skimming over the long paragraphs and focusing my attention on the pictures instead.

"Did you decide on anything?"

Maya nodded, smiling shyly. She pointed to the picture of Pont des Arts, the iconic bridge over the Seine River.

I happily obliged, rushing to put my clothes on. We got dressed in a matter of five minutes, grabbing our belongings before heading out the door.

After a quick stop for breakfast and a short walk from our hotel, we stood excitedly on the bridge where couples of all ages surrounded us.

"So this is what you do," The man with the heavy French accent began to explain. "Take your lock and write what you please on it. Attach it to the railing, then throw the key into the river."

Everyone grabbed their locks, writing their names on them. Maya and I stood at the far end of the bridge, the lock sitting safely in my hand.

These locks were symbols of love for not only us, but for many of the couples standing before us today. It was a sign of commitment and affection, really. Over hundreds of locks were hanging freely from the gate that overlooked the river, the names of each couple standing out on them.

"Let me write it. Your writing is sloppy," I teased, kissing Maya's cheek. She pouted and handed me the marker.

Maya + Ashley
Forever

With steady hands, I opened the lock with the key before placing it on the top of the gate. Maya snapped it, closing the lock and staring in admiration as our it hung closely by the others.

"Ready?" She asked, a nervous smile appearing on her face. I nodded my head, wrapping my arm around her waist protectively. On the count of three, she tossed the key into the river. It landed with a small plop, a splash arising as it floated across the running current.

"This is a sign of our commitment. You better stay with me until we're wrinkly old women in wheelchairs," I scolded, pulling her in for a hug. Our foreheads leaned against each other as we exchanged loving stares.