Letters To My Soldier

Letter Seventeen

June 2018

Maybe it was too soon? Were we rushing into something we didn't fully comprehend? What happens now?

I tried to rack my brain, going through all of the heroine books and movies I knew to pick up on what they would do in this situation.

What exactly happens after your first kiss with the guy you've fallen head-over-freaking-feet in love with? Do you become boyfriend and girlfriend?

Heath lives in Afghanistan for the time being.

You go on a date?

I think that's what was happening right now, but what about later on? What would happen after our two weeks were up?

Would my parents approve of the possible long distance relationship? Was I ready for that?

I knew for a fact that Dean would not fully support this. He's dropped hints here and there ever since he agreed to let Heath stay with us for his vacation.

"It's great that your friend is staying with us, Priscilla, but remember to stay focused. You have practice schedules at Baylor over the summer too."

He would always say something similar to that, emphasizing the friend part, even using our ages as another reason for us not to get too involved.

"He's what...twenty-three years old? That's five years older than you Priscilla. He's much more...mature than you. If he appears to be any kind of fishy, he's outta here."

Age was insignificant to me at this point. To me, we were both legal adults. I'm in love with him, I know him. It would have been fine with me, I wouldn't like it, per se, but I would deal with it if he didn't reciprocate my feelings.

As I stood here now, chopping up vegetables for our tossed salad, I knew that he felt something for me. I just didn't know where we stood or how any kind of relationship between us would work out. Before our kiss, I held hope that we would be more than friends; I just didn't think all of this through. Doubts were slowly starting to cloud my mind.

"Don't look back here for a moment!" Heath said suddenly.

"Heath, whenever someone says that, they always do look back," I roll my eyes.

"You didn't."

I mumble under my breath and mutter, "Okay, Mr. Iron Chef, what are you up to back there?"

"Adding the secret ingredient," Heath whispers as if someone is watching us or-God forbid-watching him add the 'secret ingredient'.

I snort but adhere to his request.

I hum quietly to myself as I finish chopping the peppers and add it into the bowl.

"Done yet?" I ask.

Heath grunts in reply and I turn around to see him place his creation into the oven.

"It looks really good," I say as Heath saunters up to me, clad in his dark jeans with little holes on the knees and a Yankees shirt hanging loose on his shoulder. He offered for us to dress up, as if we were on a fancy dinner date or something, but I preferred Fancy Heath to Comfy-Sexy Heath any day. It was easy to just sit back and relax with him around-I felt the most comfortable than I ever had with anybody when it was just me and him without having to overdo anything.

I lean against the counter as he wraps his arms around me, holding my hips firmly in his hands.

"Mhmm," he nods, resting his cheek on top of my head.

I wind my arms around his waist to rest the palms of my hands on his strong back, feeling the tense muscles there.

I feel him yawn sleepily and ask, "Still jetlagged?"