Forever minutes pass by the time we reach the side of the building. The scene of the Cinnabar Bay hotel resembles that day like a perfect picture- a clear, full moon, starry sky, misty rain drizzles. Alex has my back pressed against the cool, hard brick and his arms are beside my body, caging me to the wall. Even if I wanted to escape it would be impossible.

"Cara..."

His whispering voice sends shivers down my spine and compels me to look into his eyes.

"Caralice- can I still call you Cara?"

He has been calling me Cara all night; only once did he say 'Lisa'. And now that he mentions it I want to take back my words. I want to be his Cara again.

I nod to him.

"Cara, Cara, Cara, Cara, Cara, " he breathes my name into my ear over and over and my body seems to melt. I know I have to say what's on my mind before he makes that dissolve as well.

"Weeks before we went on that trip, I planned it all out- how I was going to confess to you. And so whenever I talked to you I would get so anxious I'd begin cold sweating. I remember once you noticed something was up because there were sweat drops on my face, and I thought somehow you had guessed what was on my mind, but you actually just thought I had a fever. You even forced me to walk down to the nurse because you were so worried.

Alex's face paints a smile on his lips, reminiscing.

"Then on our flight, I sat next to you, and even though you had a perfectly comfortable pillow you chose to lean on my shoulder the whole way.

I let out a small laugh with tears in my eyes.

"For four years I had felt happier with you than I ever had with anyone else. We would make each other laugh and combine our ideas into these crazy short films and photoshoots. I told you things no one else knew, to this day no one else knows and you shared some of your biggest secrets with me. The way you looked at me while you listened with that twinkle in your eyes, hearing every word I said, you made me feel alive. And so even though we were just friends, and you were so popular, and I never thought I was beautiful, I felt special around you. I thought maybe you felt special around me too.

Alex listens, his glistening gaze never leaving my face.

"So I asked you outside, and you came even though it was raining. I told you how much I liked you. My legs were trembling and my words kept getting mixed up because I was so scared, but you didn't laugh at me or kick me away. You took my face gently in your hands, and you kissed me for the first time in my life.

I pause, letting the tears stream down.

"Alex, I fell in love with you that day. And that day you cut me off and never spoke to me again. Why?"

His hazel eyes are shaking, threatening to spill like mine are.

"Cara, I had fallen for you long before then."

I scoff. "When?"

"It was in the fall of our Junior year, months before that trip. We were working on the Autumn Sky project, remember? I asked you to be my model and on that day I had so much trouble keeping my hands steady to take the photos. The way your skin glowed in the sun, how your eyes were sparkling, and whenever you danced your dress would twirl and you'd let out the most mesmerizing laugh I ever heard. I had always adored you, but at that moment I loved you."

Is it true? Did he love me? Before I even loved him?

"Then why did you treat me like you despised me?"

"Because I was a coward!" His words sting the air. "When my lips touched yours, that was the best moment of my life. But I realized how much I loved you and it scared me. We were graduating in weeks. I didn't want to let myself fall so deep and entangle into you when we'd have to break ourselves and say goodbye so soon."

Alex's eyes and mine are running at the same pace.

"But look at us now. All the way across the country from little West Haven Connecticut to Los Angeles, California. Cara," he cradles my face in his hands, "this isn't just a coincidence. I believe this is the universe giving us another chance to do things right. And this time, I promise I will never run away from you. I love you so much and we're both here so please," his eyes are closing, pleading" will you give us one more try?"

Alex's curls are sticking to his forehead, my hair is wet on my shoulders. Even amidst the rain the smell of ocean water flavors the air.

The pain I've lived with for so long is being overfilled with joy. There's no hesitation in my response. "Yes."

In a swift move, his lips take mine passionately in what I will always remember as this sweet corner in Santa Monica.