OXYGEN

50 - The Beginning

I don't believe there are any words to express how crossing out your own expiration date feels like. When one becomes hopeless, such as I was, it is as if life is no longer worth living. The world used to be blurred by my unhappiness, and I was unable to see the great possibilities that were waiting beyond the darkness. But once you make it through the hardest days, it does get easier to inhale and exhale. Despite being tangled in grey, there will always be something or someone who can help you feel okay.

"All right, June," I heard Forrest park the car, "open your eyes in three . . . two . . . one."

I followed his instruction and as my gaze landed on a familiar place, I laughed. "A café?" I mocked what I once said. "You took us to a café?"

Forrest grinned, causing warmth to spread through my chest. He looked much more energized than the previous night. And he looked absolutely breathtaking in his current attire: a white button-up, tucked into black pants, along with a caramel-hued leather belt and matching shoes. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, emphasizing his broad shoulders and strong arms. Arms that felt more like home than my house ever did.

In front of us was Vienna, but surprisingly, there was only one other vehicle in the parking lot and it probably belonged to Perry. I expected the place to be busy, especially since it was a Saturday night.

Forrest and I got out of his Corolla, and he honestly could not keep his eyes off me. "God, June, I can't get over how beautiful you look," he murmured, "and I wish I had a better word than beautiful because it seriously does not do you justice."

"Oh, whatever. You're too much." I shot him a genuine smile, though. I was wearing the grey dress I bought last Sunday, and I couldn't deny how amazing it was. I even fixed my hair into a loose side braid and applied a bit more make-up than usual. I couldn't recall the last time I actually felt this pretty. "But thanks."

"You're welcome, honey." I was tempted to roll my eyes at his term of endearment – I really had no idea why he liked calling me that. Forrest then raised his brows, asking, "And hey, do you mind closing your eyes again?"

I eyed him with suspicion. "What did you do?" I already knew something was waiting for me inside; I just wasn't sure what.

"Why do you always have to question me?" he huffed, putting his hands on his hips.

"Fine, fine," I went along with his request, "There." I blindly raised my arms. "Are you happy?"

"Well, I'm on a date with a girl that looks like a dream. Of course I'm happy."

Had they not been closed, I would have rolled my eyes for sure. Every time Forrest said something like that, a dumb smile showed up on my lips. "Can you just bring me inside already?"

I felt his hand land on my back, but before we started walking, he gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "I like your perfume," he admitted.

"I like your everything." I let the words slip, unable to resist being cheesy too.

"Aw, someone's being cute," he teased and finally opened the door. Since when am I not? The sarcastic remark shot through my mind, but I decided to keep it to myself. He led me inside carefully, and immediately, the thick scent of coffee drifted to me. It was rather quiet until I picked up the low, enchanting sound of piano playing. "All right, June, open your eyes."

The first thing I noticed were the candles – tea lights placed within small mason jars. Scattered around the café, they glowed through the dim, tranquil ambiance. Next were the flower petals, the rich shade of red wine – they trailed from where we were standing to a table right in front of the coffee bar. The table, unlike the others, was covered with a black cloth and two menus. In the center, there was a larger mason jar, containing water and flower petals; floating on top was a candle. The whole sight was astounding.

In the corner of my eye, I noticed the chalkboard and today, it said:

"You are made of light, and you are here to illuminate." – Canos

Standing next to it was Perry, beaming. "June!" He rushed over to me, giving me a hug. "Welcome back!"

"Perry," I gave him an earnest look, "This is so, so beautiful. Thank you so much."

He waved me off. "Oh please, I'm not the one you should be thanking. Forrest spent an hour setting everything up." I turned to the green-eyed boy and showed him my gratitude by bringing my lips to his. He smiled against me, which made me smile too. After a few seconds, I heard Perry clear his throat. "Okay, you lovebirds, as sickly heartwarming as this is, can you save it for later?"

I pulled away, my face growing hot, and apologized. Forrest merely laughed and took me to our table. Being the chivalrous guy he was, he even pushed my chair open for me.

"Honestly, Forrest," I hoped he knew how I much I appreciated everything, "this is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me."

Modest, he replied, "I just wanted to make this night special." The candle added a gentle glow to his features, and his eyes seemed to burn into mine. What he made me feel was incredibly indescribable. "You deserve this."

We spent the next few minutes going through the menu, and naturally, Forrest ended up ordering a black coffee while I asked for a hot chocolate. In addition, he ordered a corned-beef sandwich while I was having a tuna wrap. As we waited for the food, Forrest asked, "Can I just say that you are the most extraordinary thing that has ever happened to me?"

"The feeling is mutual." I leaned forward, sighing. "I literally would not be where I am right now if it weren't for you."

His voice dropped. "It still scares me that the world almost lost you," he confessed and I knew he meant it. "Oh wait, that reminds me . . ." He reached into his pocket and pulled out –

"No way," I exclaimed, my eyes slightly widening. "I told you not to get me that!"

Forrest threw me a relaxed smile, holding up the necklace I saw in La Confianza. "Whatever, June," he stood up and went behind me, "Don't you know by now that I do what I want?"

With steady hands, he placed the necklace on me, and I examined the pendant. My story isn't over yet. It was wonderfully accurate. I let out a breath, profoundly grateful.

Perry eventually came over with our drinks. I stole a sip of my hot chocolate, remembering the first time I stepped into this place. It felt like it happened years ago – how did we get so far so fast?

"June, I have a question for you," Forrest declared after drinking a bit of his coffee, "Do you know how to dance?"

I raised a brow. "Not at all."

He smiled. "Same here, but I guess that's just too bad for us. How about we give it a shot, anyway?"

After much reluctance, I nodded and stood up with him. We went to a clear space with petals beneath us. Nervously, I placed my arms around his neck while he put his around my waist. We began to gently sway along to the soft music, and I tried my best to not step on his feet. The way he looked at me – like I was the most precious thing in the universe – made me feel extremely exposed. I couldn't quite handle his sincere gaze so I decided to place the side of my face against his shoulder. I closed my eyes, breathing him in.

He, I realized, was like oxygen. My oxygen.

As our bodies moved together, I felt myself completely slipping into the moment. Everything and everyone else dissolved, no longer existing. It was just me and him, two human beings who simply and purely fit together – even with all our jagged edges. There was absolutely nowhere else I would have rather been, and I knew I was falling deeper and deeper than I could have ever imagined, but I was not afraid. Instead, I was ready – ready to love him stronger and live life longer. If there was anything I learned from this captivating green-eyed boy, it was that endings could be synonymous to beginnings. And this was just the beginning.

"Thank you," I whispered, finally appreciating the way my heart was beating, "for everything."