61
Emma and I just had dinner at her place. Another week had passed—seven whole days—and I could hardly believe it. Time moved so quickly when you were in love. Every moment seemed to speed by like sunlight slipping through your fingers, impossible to hold, but warm all the same.
It was a quiet Friday night. No school tomorrow, no early morning alarms, no dragging backpacks or half-asleep yawns. Just the two of us, a couch, and the comfort of the home we’d made in each other’s company.
I flopped onto her couch and grabbed the remote to turn on the TV. The screen lit up, flooding the room with low noise and color. Emma was still in the kitchen, rinsing plates and putting leftovers away. We'd somehow fallen into a routine—one that felt easy and natural. I cooked; she cleaned. We didn’t plan it that way. It just happened, and neither of us ever questioned it.
The weekends were the highlight of my week. I could stay late at Emma’s without watching the clock or worrying about my curfew. There was something so comforting about the quiet space we shared on nights like this. The kind of comfort that made my chest ache with gratitude.
“Hey!” Emma’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I smiled as she plopped down beside me on the couch.
She leaned in slightly, watching me closely.
“I love it when you do that.” She said softly.
I glanced at her, confused for a second, until I realized what she meant. My fingers were absentmindedly brushing the small gold pendant hanging from the chain around my neck. The J glinted in the soft light.
Her birthday gift.
I smiled, fingers still resting over the necklace. “Well... I love the person who gave this to me.”
Emma leaned forward and wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug, pressing a kiss to my lips before pulling away. I caught the faintest blush dusting her cheeks.
She paused for a beat. “Should we talk about college?”
My smile faded a little. I reached for the remote and turned off the TV before shifting on the couch to face her. I crossed my legs in an Indian sit and tried to shake off the nerves tightening my chest.
“I guess.”
Emma’s face sobered. Her posture straightened and her brows creased slightly as she gently asked, “What courses are you planning to take?”
I hesitated. I’d been dreading this conversation—not because I didn’t trust her, but because saying it aloud would make it all feel too real.
“Hmmm... would you believe me if I told you I’ve always dreamed of being a doctor?”
Her reaction was immediate and completely predictable. Her eyes went wide, her mouth falling open.
“You’re kidding me?” She gasped.
I shook my head slowly.
“Oh my God, Jen!” She cried, grabbing my shoulders in excitement before throwing her arms around me. The hug was brief but full of emotion, and when she pulled away, her face was glowing.
“That is so great, Jen. Really, really great! Why didn’t you ever tell your parents?”
I lowered my gaze and shrugged.
“I don’t know. I guess... they’d be surprised. I mean, I’ve never even mentioned an interest in medicine before. Not once. I thought about choosing something like business management because it seemed... expected. Safe.”
Emma’s expression softened, her excitement mellowing into something more tender.
“That’s okay, babe. Seriously. I’m sure they’ll be proud of you. Think about it—your family would have a business owner, a certified accountant, and a future doctor. You’d be the cherry on top.” She smiled. “Come on. Let’s tell them!”
Before I could react, she was already halfway off the couch, reaching for my hand to pull me up with her.
“What? No—sit down, Em!” I tugged her back onto the couch, trying not to laugh.
“Why?” She asked, flopping beside me with a grin. “I’m excited. Aren’t you excited?”
I bit my lip to suppress a smile. “Em, I will tell them, okay?”
She finally settled into the cushion again, though her energy still buzzed in the space between us.
I took a breath and let it out slowly.
“If I go to college to study medicine, I’ll have to move, Em. I already have a few schools in mind.”
Emma’s smile dimmed a little, but her eyes never left mine. “And?”
I studied her expression. There was no panic there. No sadness. Just calm curiosity. I wasn’t sure if that was comforting or terrifying.
“Em... it means I’m going to leave you. I’ll be far from here. We won’t be able to see each other every day like this anymore. And do you even know how demanding medical school is? Between pre-med, med school, internships, and residency... it’s going to be another six to ten years of hell.”
Her eyes stayed on mine, steady and unflinching.
“So you don’t just want to be a doctor. You want to be a surgeon?”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah.”
Emma exhaled through her nose and then smiled again—calmly, genuinely. “That’s exceptional, Jen.”
I blinked at her, dumbfounded. “Why do you look so... okay with this?”
I buried my face in my hands, overwhelmed. When I peeked through my fingers again, her brows were furrowed in concern.
“Emma! Don’t you get it?” I said, voice rising. “I’d be moving away from you! That’s the one thing that’s been holding me back this whole time!”
I grabbed her hands and squeezed tightly, needing her to understand—really understand what this meant to me.
But Emma, being Emma, didn’t even flinch.
“Jen.” She said gently. “I get it. You don’t have to say it again. You’ll be moving away... and then we’ll settle in.”
“We?” I blinked at her. “Wait—did you say we?”
She rolled her eyes and gave me a small smirk. “What, did you think I was going to let you go without me?”
I stared at her, stunned.
“What do you mean?” My voice was barely above a whisper.
“Babe,” she said patiently, “I’m the Sales Director of one of the largest groups in the country. I can work from anywhere. We have offices all over—Washington, Texas, Colorado, New Jersey, New York...”
“I want to go to Columbia or NYU.” I blurted before she could even finish her sentence.
Emma’s smile widened. “Then it’s settled. We’ll move to New York.”
I blinked rapidly. “Wait... are you being serious?”
She nodded. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
This felt surreal. I had spent weeks—months—agonizing over the idea of leaving her behind. And now she was here, casually talking about moving with me like it was the easiest thing in the world.
I don't have to move away from Emma? Is she really moving with me to New York? That means I would be able to see her every day, we can live together. Wait, will my parents approve of that? Well, I'm 18, so I don't need their permission. But knowing Emma, I know she would ask their permission still, and if they say no, she would respect that.
“Let me guess.” Emma teased, “You’re thinking about whether we can live together in New York?”
I groaned. “How do you always know what I’m thinking?”
She laughed. “Because it’s written all over your face, babe.”
She reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
“We’ll talk to your parents. But first, you have to tell them what you actually want. They’re dying to know.”
I nodded slowly. “I’ll tell them tomorrow.”
To my surprise, Emma suddenly lunged toward me, her body toppling mine backward onto the couch. I let out a small yelp as I hit the cushions, her weight pressing comfortably against me.
“You’re going to be a doctor!” She whispered, her nose brushing mine.
Our faces were only inches apart.
“Not just a doctor.” She added, her voice giddy with pride. “A surgeon, for crying out loud!”
Even with such a small distance between us, I could still see the light in her eyes. She looked so proud. Like she believed in me more than I believed in myself.
And just like that, a shiver ran through me. The heat of her body, her breath brushing against my lips, those hazel eyes filled with love—it was all too much. Too beautiful.
How could I ever get used to this? To her?
Emma was already mine. But somehow, the feelings she gave me never dulled. They never faded or became routine. The butterflies still erupted in my stomach every time she touched me. I still got nervous when she looked at me like that. I still feared the idea of losing her, though I knew she’d always be mine. Even her jealousy, as frustrating as it could be, was a twisted kind of adorable—because I knew what came after: flying hands, laughter, kisses.
These were the things I would carry with me, always. Forever.
I reached up and cupped her face, just to admire her for a second longer.
And then I closed the distance, pressing my lips to hers.
Slow, certain, and full of the love I could never quite put into words.
Emma is the love of my life, and I cannot see myself loving anybody more than I love her.
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