Hey, you little reader, glad to see you coming back in the year 1962, I hope you're enjoying the story so far 😘

'I need your love

I need your time

When everything's wrong

You make it right

I feel so high

I come alive

I need to be free with you tonight.'

However, when I reopened my eyes and glanced around, I realized that yes, he was really planning to kill me...

What a sweet death it would have been though, being hit by awe, the bang of my heart knocking my breath as I stared, unmoving at the sight before us.

"Do you like it?" Spencer saved me out of my daze, reminding me to breathe, even if only a shallow inhale, as I turned to him.

"Like?! I love it! It's..." No words could even describe the idyllic place in front of us.

The crystalline blue, the colors everywhere, the play of shadows and lights... it was better than in all those postcards or magazines because we also had the sound of the birds chirping around, crickets, even a few croaks, and the peaceful lapping of water. The delicate scent of wildflowers was filling my nose, and my skin was already tickling to feel everything.

But before, I answered Spencer, giving up finding the appropriate word for all of this and expressing it in my own way: cupping his cheeks and crashing my lips on his.

It took him two seconds to translate, yet he quickly replied with the same passion, and his mouth melting on mine made this place even more special, or maybe it was this place making this kiss even more precious?

Anyway, a surge of giddiness was spreading through my veins as the loud beats of my heart added to nature's melody around, and I was engulfed in a mix of spice and blooming aroma. His hands were warming the tingles on the skin along my arms and shoulders, and my lips stretched into an excited grin before we even broke the kiss.

"I love it," I repeated, rushing to get out of the car and glance everywhere as he followed close behind. "How did you find this place?"

"It was the place my dad took my mom on their first real date."

And here went my breath before I could even catch it...

"I understand why she married him!" I smiled, taking in the special shine in our surroundings and the glimmering emotions of his tenebrous eyes as I walked back to him, lifting on my tiptoes and wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Now, I have one more question... Can we go swimming?" My head nodded to the natural pool of clear water, and especially the waterfall that had caught my eye the second we had arrived, the hot weather making it even more tempting.

"Of course, that's why I told you to bring your swimsuit." He poked my nose, leaning his forehead on mine. "I knew you were going to go for a swim anyway, so I thought it would be better if you didn't ruin your dress and made your mom mad. I wouldn't want to get you grounded today."

"What?! I would've never done this." I pulled away to swat him, although he didn't budge more than an eyebrow, rising to make my innocent look fall too fast with a playful roll of my eyes. "Okay, you know me too well.

"Really too well," I added softly when he handed me my bag, and I threw an umpteenth glance around to this place, which was perfect for this date, for today, for us, and even to get changed into my swimsuit as I disappeared behind a dense bush.

Not that I feared Spencer would peek. He was a respectful gentleman, and like one, when I walked back in my baby blue one-piece swimsuit, he was seated with his back to me, wearing his own bathing trunks and sipping on his milkshake.

He had even set a blanket on the grass with everything for our snack, and he only looked up when I stood in front of him, his gaze lingering on every inch of my newly exposed skin until it reached my eyes.

"The last one in the water doesn't get chocolate!" I announced just when the straw was falling from his parted plump lips, and I dashed to the pool, my skin definitely at the right burning temperature to plunge into the water.

"It's not fair!" His shout followed me as closely as the goosebumps on my skin at the contact of the cold water, while thankfully, his tall figure was farther when I glanced over my shoulder.

It wouldn't last long though, seeing his long strides, and I took it as my cue to run, or more exactly swim, away.

"I was not ready..."

The water muted the rest of his grumble when I sneaked under the waterfall, and for a moment, there was only me and my wide eyes, looking everywhere as I realized it wasn't my best idea.

I was stuck, and like I had imagined, Spencer appeared on one side, his victorious smile making me shrink against the rock wall behind me, since there wasn't much space in this little nook.

In one swift motion, he leaped forward, his hands easily reaching for me and winning.

He knew me too well, and in barely a few seconds, my laugh was echoing against the rocks as I battled in every direction, splashing more water than the quiet waterfall.

Actually, we were probably disturbing all the living beings around with our laughs. But it made it even better, this place keeping the lightness of this instant away from the rest of the world.

It was just us, Spencer and Dorothy forever...

And I would have loved for this moment to last forever, if I hadn't been losing my breath under his attacks of tickles, compelling me to do something before dying of laughter. Thus, my legs wrapped around his waist to stop him.

It worked; he froze all his movements. However, I hadn't expected to end up this close, every part of our warm skins brushing, with less than a millimeter of flowing water separating them.

Our laughs instantly ceased, turning into our wide foolish smiles, and our heavy pants became the only sound around, our small shelter making them louder and louder, as they were bouncing from the rocks to the wall of water, and heightened by the intensity of our emotions.

I was hypnotized by the darker shades engulfing his irises, so smoothly, like chocolate melting over caramel in those delicious sweets, and every time I saw it, my lips were undeniably attracted to his as if to taste this sweetness.

Milk chocolate, indeed, when I leaned in, and the flavor of his milkshake invaded my lips under the caresses of his mouth. There was no rush in our movements, yet something hotter than toffee was running through my veins, and I melted closer into his arms.

Not even the water could stand between us as my hands reached through his wet strands, and he traced my lips with the tip of his tongue, asking for permission like always.

And as always, I gladly welcomed him, our tongues finding each other as we were getting lost.

Our only points of reference were the whizzes of air we sucked through our noses growing more urgent, and they faded into gasps when my teeth bit lightly in his bottom lip, and he tugged me closer in return.

With the crash of our hips, I suddenly became hyper-aware of every inch of our almost-naked bodies touching, especially below our waists as my legs tightened around him, and his hips rocked against mine.

A new spark ignited in my veins, making the caramel boil as our lips resumed their movements. Well, it wasn't 'new' because the zing of fire had been there since our first kiss, and every time, it was spreading stronger, leading me closer to locate the place deep inside where it was racing and find out in what it was gathering.

What was new, though, was something in our kiss, our bodies following freely the swirls of our lips. It held a new fervor because the water was magnifying every sensation, because there was a different intimacy in this natural shelter, and because there was no other sound than our erratic heartbeats and the breathless sounds escaping our lips to guide us.

It felt like nothing could stop us, and I wanted more, more of this spark, which was becoming clearer with every friction of our hips, more of Spencer, more of us.

My hands slid along his chest, brushing every line and deep I had already traced a million times with my eyes, and I was quickly reaching down, my nimble fingers finding a new interest as they toyed with the two strings of his swimsuit.

Yet they were stopped before they could sneak under the stretchy fabric, Spencer's large hand wrapping around mine as he broke the kiss and my daze.

My eyes shot wide open like waking up from a nightmare—no, a hazy dream—while his were still closed.

Each one of his muscles was tensed in a way that looked almost painful as he fought to control himself, and the faint shaky sigh he let out resonated against the last stretched string of my own self-control, traveling until that place deep inside my core.

"We should go eat." He lifted my hand to his lips, kissing the thin ring on my finger, and as his gaze found mine, the dark colors were still as soft as a teddy, melting me more.

I could barely nod, not trusting my voice, and I leaned into him as he unwrapped my legs from around his waist.

As contradictory as it was, only when we walked out of the fresh water and back into the hot air, did my mind and sight clear.

I took in what had happened with our red swollen lips and messed curls, and what could have happened too, especially when my gaze caught the huge detail where my curious fingers were heading.

Still, even though the blood was boiling up my cheeks, it required an enormous effort to avert my eyes down to the ring he had kissed on my finger.

Our promise rings.

We had bought these rings when we had been going to our bible study, long before we had started dating. Yet, promising ourselves to wait until marriage, maybe we had already promised each other more at just 13.

We never broke our promises, and I was thankful for Spencer always staying respectful and reminding me of my words when I could sometimes be impulsive, following my instincts more than my reason.

Those same instincts that made my gaze trail all over his body as he was walking to our bags, not noticing me.

Spencer was handsome; this, everyone knew it. Even so, at this instant, there was a special glow on his wet and tanned smooth skin, highlighting his toned muscles, and I had to admit his part-time job wasn't only beneficial to get his new car.

I was so caught in chasing the droplets of water along his skin that I didn't realize he had walked back in front of me, his dark eyes sparkling at me, although he didn't say anything.

The air was too thick for talking, our breaths still uneven as he wrapped a towel around my shoulders, being careful to not get too close.

"Oh, no, it's okay. I'm not cold." I was actually burning, and I doubted it would stop the goosebumps pearling on my skin.

"Yes, I think it's more careful." He put back the fabric that I was already sliding off my shoulders, and I didn't fight because he was wiser than I was, and he still looked very 'tense', even when he wrapped a towel around his waist.

Thus, it was my turn to help, following my instincts as I kneeled on the blanket.

"I guess all the chocolates are for me, since you lost, right?"

"What?! You tricked me, it doesn't count!" He watched me grab the large brown packet of sweets with wide eyes before they turned into his famous puppy look, the one that wrinkled up his nose just slightly, and that I couldn't resist since the day where I had given him half of the marbles my grandpa had offered me.

But today, I avoided his adorable gaze, turning to my bag as my tricky, sneaky fingers rummaged inside until they victoriously pulled out a small gift box, the rectangle of blue wrapping paper catching his attention.

"Here, I have something else for you."

"For me? DD, you didn't have to!" He shook his head, his twinkling brown eyes still peeking eagerly at the box.

"I wanted to, Spen." My grin tickled with his nickname, which was perfectly fitting for this moment, as I put the box in his hand. "Happy two years, baby. I love you."

These sentences and the slow kiss I left on his cheek already lit up his gaze like the best gifts in the world, and of course, he returned them—the 'I love you' and the soft kiss, his lips lingering at the corner of my large smile before he leaned away.

"So... I open it?"

"Yes!" I almost shouted with a wide gesture of my hands, and I had to wring them to hold back from ripping the paper for him as he took his time—surely on purpose—to carefully open his gift.

However, it was worth it to see his reaction.

"A pen?!"

Those two words would have certainly sounded disappointed or ironic from anyone else opening a gift, but coming out of Spencer's awestruck smile, which was a mix of a foolish grin and a big O, the amazement was so pure.

"The seller told me it's the best pen in the market. It should feel like flowing while you write," I repeated the man's words with the same curve of my hand, peeking up from under my lashes at Spencer's eyes to really gauge if he liked his gift, and the light there left me no doubt as he glanced between me and the cylinder of shiny metal.

"And it's engraved?!"

"Yes, SC and DD," I laughed at his awe sounds.

"It's definitely better than chocolate!" He joined my laugh—figuratively and literally when his smile met mine for a passionate kiss, which left me more breathless than our make-out session in just a few seconds.

"That's the best gift. You know me too well," he whispered on my lips, while I lightly shrugged.

"That way you'll be able to write as much as you want..."

"Which makes me think I have a gift for my princess too."

His enigmatic smile was back, and with it, the tickles of curiosity in my insides. Not only curiosity in fact, when he added, swaying the pen in his hand,

"I didn't have this fab pen to write it, but I promise I'll write you even more letters with this."

He had all my attention with these words, my large, curious eyes following each of his movements as he put the pen back in its small box and searched for something else in his bag—an envelope.

I quickly recognized the corner of beige paper, as quickly as he raised his finger in front of it.

"But you can't open it until midnight."

"Midnight?" My interest was piqued, so much that it prickled my stomach.

Midnight was right between today and tomorrow. Spencer was always great with symbols, and even more with a pen, so it made me even more excited to read the inside of this envelope.

Yet he knew it too.

"You gotta promise." He pulled back the envelope as I reached out my hand, and it was one of those rare times where his gaze resembled his dad's intransigent sheriff look, leaving me no choice but to surrender.

"I promise to not open it before midnight." I sighed in front of his held-out hand, knowing as our index and middle fingers met and our thumbs crossed in our unique handshake that I wouldn't be able to break it.

And he did too, as he gave me the envelope, and I instantly put it away from my tickling hands, not without noticing the small bump at the bottom though.

But we never broke our promises.

Luckily, Spencer was good at distracting my attention, and between some chocolates, talks about anything and everything, a few, or more, challenges, and of course, more kisses, time passed quickly, too quickly.

Too quickly, he announced,

"We should start to head home."

"Already?!"

I may have been pulled out of my contemplation of the sky, slowly going from pure cerulean to a faint orangey glow, yet it felt like we had been here for barely a few seconds.

"We can't look at the stars?" I lifted my head from Spencer's chest, not moving the rest of my body from my position half-laid on him because it was too comfy.

"You know we have a long drive ahead, and I don't wanna bring you home past your curfew." He brushed my cheeks to smooth away my wince, even though the same one was forming on his features. "But we can come back another time to see the stars, I promise."

"We can?" Just like that, my smile was back, and his followed.

"Yes, I have a car now!"

"Tomorrow?"

"Well, um... about tomorrow." He sat up, making me straighten up too as he was avoiding cautiously my gaze. "Not tomorrow... but I wanted to ask you..."

The typical sign of his fingers running through the back of his hair raised my eyebrow and my attention.

"If you could help me train at the park for my big game of Friday?"

It was clear that he was struggling when he peered at me from under his brows for barely a second.

Still, decided to play along, fighting to hide my smile.

"Shouldn't you ask your teammates rather than me?"

His wide eyes shot up at me, while I kept my neutral expression the best I could, and I was the one taken aback when an easy grin stretched his lips.

"They're not as beautiful as you are."

I could only bow with a giggle, as he had turned the tables, my cheeks now bright red, and he even added,

"And neither as good!"

"True," I admitted, getting up and smoothing his large tee shirt that had replaced my dress. "Now, let's go! You wouldn't want me to get grounded for tomorrow."

You could say my excitement for tomorrow was really great to make me leave this magical place and the comfort of Spencer's tee shirt.

***

11.59 pm.

My fingers were tapping impatiently against the wood of my nightstand, when twiddling my thumbs wasn't enough anymore.

My excitement for 'tomorrow' had climbed up with each minute closer, and I hadn't even needed to set my alarm clock, as there was no way my eyes would close. I was too busy glaring at the hands ticking in front of me. Was it me or they seemed to move backward?

I sat up, automatically checking if my hair curlers and pins were still in place despite my incessant tossing and turning in the bed because my hair had to be perfect for tomorrow, and all the efforts I had put into my hairstyling for today had gone to waste between the water and the drive home with the roof down. Well, yesterday in fact, I realized, almost jumping up when I caught sight of the hand of the clock finally reaching the '12'.

We were the much-waited midnight and 'tomorrow'.

So I grabbed the envelope next to my alarm clock, tearing the seal open and smiling to myself for having waited patiently.

It made it even better as I unfolded the beige paper and started to read the carefully written words.

'Dear DD,

I know I'm not really original, but you know I'm better with written words. Besides, I think it's the perfect way to celebrate our 2 years anniversary.

2 years ago, you grabbed my face, kissed me, and ran away right after, leaving me breathless and paralyzed. You definitely won the race that day!'

I laughed lightly at the thought, though the victorious surge swelling my chest wasn't from a race.

'Though your sweet lips also inspired me some boldness, and that's how I wrote you my first love letter.'

My eyes instinctively trailed to the lock of my nightstand drawer, where I kept it preciously. I kept all his letters actually, the ones from before we had started dating and all the ones after too, yet this one was the most beautiful; it was the one that had gone from the letters between two best friends to love letters.

'You replied with another kiss, and even if I already knew it before, that's the moment you've taken my heart forever.

Since I've met you, you've made every day memorable and extraordinary. Even in the darkest days, you were there with me, your luminous eyes and your smile adding light everywhere and making appear a silver lining in every tear.'

My ribcage did the reverse motion, constricting as the dark side of the memories still remained like a shadow.

'You make the brightest days even brighter, more colorful, and not only thanks to your hair and your eyes.

And these two past years are the best memories of my life. You give love and life a true meaning, and I have so much more to tell you, but I keep it for next year, and all the ones after.'

I shook my head as Spencer knew how to make beautiful promises and create free butterflies in my stomach. 

'Now that it's midnight—because you've waited patiently for it—there's even more to celebrate.

You are now an adult! I'm so proud of you. You'll discover the world of adulthood with its freedom and responsibilities. Trust me, it's awesome!'

"Spencer, you're only three months older than me!" I laughed, picturing his 'wise' smile while writing this, probably at his desk.

'I wish you the most beautiful and unique memories that I hope to share with you.

And while you're waiting for your telescope to look at the stars, I hope my little gift will remind you to always keep your eyes to the stars and that I'll follow you to the moon.'

My fingers instantly reached for the bottom of the envelope, pulling out a fine golden chain, and my heart took off to the moon at the sight of the pendant hanging from it.

Leaning closer to my bedside lamp, I could take in the fine colors in a gradation between pearly and golden, and the small embedded gems that still shone in the dimness of the room to form the craters and shades of the round pendant. 

The moon, the planet of the growth cycles, but also of love... Spencer was definitely good with symbols, and my many talks about every component of the sky had made him choose the most realistic necklace. It wasn't a crescent moon, but a full one; it was unique and perfect.

"I love it!" I exclaimed, holding the necklace in the palm of my hand, which I brought over my soaring heart.

Each detail contained inside this envelope had made it fly higher, and I guessed it would be soon lost in another galaxy as I read Spencer's last few words.

'I fell in love with the girl you are, and I want to spend the rest of my life with the woman you are becoming.

I love you,

Spencer.

PS: I want to be the first to wish you, so you know where to look!'

I turned to my open window, finding a single lit candle on the next-door windowsill, and behind, the grin in which my heart was lost.

"Happy birthday, my princess!"

"Thank you!" I rushed closer to the window, keeping the necklace preciously in my hand as I leaned over. "I love it so much! I love you so much..."

"Now, make a wish and blow the candle." Spencer grabbed the small candle, and there, in this instant, as the flame reflected in the amber of his eyes, it was already a wish come true.

The 'tomorrow' I'd waited for was here, and it was already the best birthday of my life.

I had the most perfect boyfriend, whose eyes were shining at me despite my ridiculous attire of nightgown and hair curlers, and I had all these little butterflies he created inside my whole body. I also was successful at school with the top grades, and the end of the senior year was just around the corner with all its promises for the future.

I was ready to spring my wings and fly to the moon and the stars. So I closed my eyes and let out a soft blow of air. I wished to enjoy my adulthood and freedom.

When I reopened my eyes, the candle was blown off, and although I knew it wasn't my breath that had done it in the distance, it didn't matter because I was still dazzled by the light in Spencer's gaze.

Today was going to be the best day.

Soooo... Who else is already in love with Spencer? 😍 Isn't he perfect? 😏

I hope all my swifties caught the hint at the Mary's song 😉

And now, important question, how will Dorothy end up with a gun in her hand when she's just starting the best day of her life? 🤔👀🔫🤭🤫 Do you think her wish will come true?

We'll find out through the story, but in the meantime, don't forget to vote ⭐ and comment if you liked this chapter! Also, add the story to your library/reading lists, and follow me to get notifs when I update the next chapters (maybe they'll already answer some questions 😉)

Finally, I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love you're already showing me on this story 🥰🤩 You are my rays of sunshine when it's raining almost every day here (I was even freezing last night, while it's July and supposed to be Summer 😭🥶) Anyway, LOVE YOU, MY LITTLE RAYS OF SUNSHINE 😘💕🌞