"How do you regret one of the best nights of your entire life? You don't. You remember every word, every look. Even when it hurts, you still remember."

- Jenny Han

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Eighteen Years Ago

Anisha sat down at a table and waited for Andrew to come back with her ice cream.

She had really wanted ice cream. Strawberry was her favorite. And she loved sprinkles.

And she had wanted to sit outside.

Sit under the stars.

It was only a little past eight but she could already see bright stars in the night sky.

Tiny bright dots in the sky, smiling down at her. Reminding her of how happy she was.

Because she was. She was incredibly happy.

And the way she felt right now, she hadn't ever felt this way before. Never before, never with anyone else.

And she was scared. Because it had only been five months. They had only been together for five months.

She wasn't sure but she might be in love with him.

Andrew made her happy. So fucking happy.

And she smiled up at the bright sky.

Things couldn't be more perfect.

Everything was perfect.

"One strawberry ice cream."

She took the cup from Andrew's hands as he sat across from her.

"Where are the sprinkles?" She gave him a small glare as he rolled his eyes and reached over to poke her cheek, clearly teasing her and her obsession with strawberry ice cream with sprinkles.

"Who the hell puts sprinkles on strawberry ice cream? That's just weird." He gave her a dazzling smile. A sweet and sparkly smile.

She loved it when he smiled. She loved it when he smiled at her.

And all this happiness and warmth that he radiated filled her up with joy and love. Andrew Hayes made her feel like the luckiest girl in the entire world. He made her feel like the happiest girl in the entire world.

"I'm just kidding, they ran out of sprinkles. They had gummy bears though. But I didn't think you wanted that."

"What kind of ice cream shop runs out of sprinkles?" She stuffed a spoon of ice cream into her mouth, shrugging. And looked around at the colorful world around her.

The lights were flashing from the pier. And the waves were splashing against the sand. The breeze was cool. And the stars were bright.

It was perfect. It was all perfect.

And she looked back at Andrew.

But he was already staring at her.

And she smiled. Because he made her happy, so incredibly happy.

"Do you want to go to the pier?" Anisha awaited his response. Because she did. Because the night was perfect.

It was a perfect summer night. And she just wasn't ready for it to be over.

"Now? It closes in less than an hour." He raised an eyebrow and looked down at his watch. "And besides, don't you have to be home by ten? Your mom already hates me enough. It'll just be another reason."

"My mom thinks I'm spending the night at a friend's house." She smiled slyly, hinting at the fact that she was already planning to spend the night with him.

She hated lying to her mother. She knew it was wrong.

But just because her mother was spending the summer down in Santa Monica, Anisha found it annoying that at the age of twenty-one, her mother still told her exactly what to do.

Her mother wanted her to be home at an exact time. Her mother had the final say on the kind of clothes she went out in. Her mother had even gone as far as telling her to end things with Andrew, once and for all.

Lying was the only way she could be with Andrew. Her parents hated Andrew. They would never approve.

But she loved him.

And she really wanted to be with him. She really wanted it to work.

Because he made her feel loved.

When he looked at her, she felt the pretty. When he smiled at her, she felt loved. And always, whenever she was with him, she felt wanted.

As if he wanted all of her.

As though he loved all of her.

All of her. Every bit of her.

Including everything she was insecure about.

"I know but don't you want to go on the Ferris Wheel? They're supposed to be romantic." And Anisha was shining with happiness.

Everything was so perfect. So fucking perfect.

She looked back at Andrew, who was already smirking at her.

"Or we could just go back to my apartment and I could show you things that are far more romantic." His voice held a hint of playful and tease. And she couldn't help but smile.

He made her happy. He made her feel loved.

"Or I could just go back home, I'm sure my mother would love that." She rolled her eyes, getting up and tossing the paper cup in the trash.

"I'm just kidding Anisha. We can go on the Ferris Wheel." Andrew got up, following Anisha as she started walking towards the pier.

"I'm just kidding Andrew." She mimicked in an angry voice. And then blushed when he gave her a look, grinning and his eyes filled with delight, amused with her pathetic imitation of him.

"I don't want to go on the Ferris Wheel. I just want cotton candy." She smiled and stepped closer to him as he wrapped his arm around her, placing his hand on her waist and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

She shivered as a cool breeze swept by. The night was getting colder. And she wished she had brought along a jacket.

But still everything was perfect.

Because she was with him.

Andrew took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Here. It's kinda cold."

Anisha was different. She was perfect. She was perfect in every way possible.

He hadn't ever felt this way before.

Anisha made him feel a certain kind of way. And all he wanted was her.

What they had, it was different.

And now, he was surer than ever that he was, he was so very much in love with her.

Anisha made him happy. She made him so fucking happy.

And he wouldn't ever let her go.

He wasn't sure of anything yet. They were still young. And he was leaving for his Master's Degree in Business next fall. And a year after that, Anisha would be leaving for Medical School.

They were young. And life was still full of so many uncertainties.

He wasn't sure of anything.

He wasn't sure about anything but one thing. And that was, that right now, he was in love with her.

And besides, everything couldn't be more perfect.

He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek again, grabbing her hand and turning her around to face him.

Everything around her was perfect.

The night. It was beautiful.

She was beautiful. He loved everything about her.

They were perfect. Happy. Young. In love.

Together, they were perfect together.

And he knew it. He had known it for a while now.

He was in love with her.

He cupped her face in his hands, running a finger lightly over her bottom lip.

She bit her lip, shyly.

And everything froze.

She was the only thing he could see. She was all he wanted to see.

It was all perfect.

The water splashing, the lights flashing, the stars sparkling, the palm trees swaying.

Two hearts, young and in love.

He brushed away the hair that had been flying in every direction because of the wind. And he was looking at her.

And he loved the way she was looking at him.

With so much care and love.

Gently, he leaned in a little, his heart filling with euphoria and his eyes sparkling with joy as she was looking at him and only him. He smiled and finally said the three words he had wanted to say for a while now.

"I love you."

It was a slight whisper, only loud enough for her to hear.

And this time, he leaned in and kissed her, placing his lips on hers. Fully, slowly, passionately.

He loved her. He really did.

And it was perfect, everything was perfect.

The minute the kiss ended, he placed his forehead against hers as she looked down at the pavement and then looked back at him, smiling softly and wrapping her arms around his neck.

She was surer than ever. She wanted him. She needed him. She loved him.

"I love you too."

And she loved him, unequivocally, undoubtedly. She loved him so very much. And she always would.

So he kissed her again and again. Small, quick kisses. Again and again.

Small little promises of love and happiness. Small little promises of hope and care.

And so, under the California sky, a few blocks from Pacific Pier, with the bright yellow stars, and many tall palm trees, a nice ocean breeze, and two young hearts filled with promise and hope, Andrew Hayes fell in love with Anisha Singh.

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The small ice cream shop is important again in the next chapter. Anisha is either going to kiss Andrew again (one last act of love) or she'll order strawberry ice cream ;)