we fell in love in october

We lay on the hood of your car in the middle of a field in who knows where, hands shoved into our pockets.

I'm not sure how we ended up here, how things are moving so fast. One moment we were sitting in a coffee shop, talking about going to the farmers market together this weekend and the next we drove around all day together and ended up here.

My heart is about ready to explode at this point, honestly.

Our breaths come out as puffs of white in an otherwise clear night, and up above the stars are all available for our eyes and our eyes alone.

When there's no light pollution, the world is so much different. Better, even. The clouds know this too, taking the night off so everyone can see this view.

"The stars make me feel insignificant," you whisper. I glance over at you, catch the cosmos reflected in your rich brown eyes. It doesn't make sense to me that you could feel so small when your presence is so large.

"Really? Cause when they all shine in your eyes, I think it makes you seem like the most important person in the universe." I reply. I don't know where I got so bold from all of a sudden, but I don't think I mind.

There's more laughter on your end, more chuckles that make your shoulders shake.

By association, by laying on the hood of this car next to you, I think I wind up shaking a little bit too.

When you look over at me the next time, the atmosphere feels entirely different. There's a shift, like something is not the same. I almost can't breathe in the suddenly dense air but I force my lungs to exhale, to keep me in this moment. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Your hand rises to my cheek, just sitting there gently on my face. "You're really pretty."

"You too." I choke out, and I can feel my face going tomato red. I am absolutely mortified by how awkward my words are but you continue to smile, and I try to ignore the storm in my brain.

When you lean over and kiss me on the cheek, I forget how to breathe. I nearly choke on air. I am so lame around you it makes me want to cry.

"Okay. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah." I laugh, a genuine laugh. It's more out of happiness than anything, a pure bubbling up feeling inside of me. I always feel that way when I'm around you. "I don't think I can feel my hands anymore."

That's a lie. I can feel my hands, my feet, and my heart. You kissed me on the cheek and that set me all on fire inside.

"Well that's not good!" You shoot back, sliding off the hood of the car.

Turning around, you extend your hand to me to help me down too. Gratefully, I accept it and let you pull me back down to earth. Still I manage to lose my balance a little, but you keep me up (as is the whole point of offering out your hands).

"Do you want to stop and get a hot chocolate or something? I know this little diner place that should still be open."

With one final glance up at the stars, we're on our way.