Part 19: When Summer Ends and School Begins

Why does your shape attract my eye?
Is it the chemistry of our young bodies prodding us in such hot pursuit of a lie?
We chase a quickly fading phantom treasure, baby!
If that is so, then one day it shall go,
disappearing as a layer of week-old melting snow.
This human heart is never clear;
It's half filled up with wonder, and the other half with fear.

-Discover America

...

Noah had made such a good impression on the record label he worked for in Portland that they invited him back the following summer. Although I was excited for him, it was another 4 months that I would have to spend away from him.

But this summer, as I was about to find out, was different.

I was at my parents' house every other Sunday during the summer to sing at their church with the worship team, but I spent the rest of the summer at my apartment where I lived. As I approached their house one Monday night, my cell phone rang. I answered without checking the blinking screen to see who was calling, figuring that it was probably my parents wondering how far away I was.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey. How are you?" It was Noah.

"Hey! Good! What are you doing? Where are you?"

"Actually, I was just about to ask you the same thing. Are you at your parents' house?"

"I'm headed there as we speak. Why?"

"Because I'm flying in from Portland tomorrow to see my parents, and I was wondering, since our parents live so close to one another, if I could see you. Can I take you to a movie tomorrow night?"

My cheeks were cramping because I was smiling so hard and wide. "Hmm," I teased, "I'll have to pencil you in..."

We agreed to meet at a movie theatre in a city that was exactly half-way between each of our own.

...

Tuesday night came quickly and my excitement was boiling hot inside me. I made sure to look nice; I wore slim-legged khaki pants, white leather stilettos, and a brown chiffon blouse with white polka dots. My heart raced as I made the twenty-minute drive to the theatre, and every once in a while couldn't help but let out a small, nervous laugh. I parked my car in the lot behind the train station and began walking to the town's square. It was a warm night, and had just started to get dark. The lights in all the shops were lit, along with strings of tiny lights along the trees. As I approached the movie theatre, I saw Noah sitting on the brick planter box bench, and he stood up to greet me. We walked around the quaint shopping center together and made small talk before our movie started.

When nine o'clock finally approached, we slowly made our way back to the theatre. Noah had bought our tickets beforehand without my knowing. He pulled open the building door for me and politely gestured for me to enter.

"Would you like any snacks?" He asked. "Coffee?"

"Oh, no, I ate dinner just before I got here. Thank you, though."

He bought himself a cup of coffee in a small styrofoam cup and we made our way to the back row of the theatre.

For some reason, I can't remember anything about the movie. I don't even remember the lights dimming. When I look back, all I can remember about being in that room is feeling as light as a feather and a strange golden hue all around us. Noah and I lightly touched our hands, tracing the lines in each other's palms with our fingers. He played with my hair and touched his hand to the side of my face as I leaned on his shoulder. I remember how he closed his eyes and breathed deeply as I nuzzled my nose in the curve of his neck. I can see these images clearly in my mind, as sharp as the day it happened. I relive this moment every time I close my eyes.

When the movie finished, we were the last ones to leave. We held hands and slowly scuffled along the brick walkway to the parking lot. We stood outside the door of my car, and it was obvious that neither of us wanted to leave. But it was late, and it eventually happened. We hugged, smiling and laughing softly as we talked. I got into my car and started the engine, allowing it to warm up a little before I started to drive. Noah pulled his car in front of mine and beckoned me to follow him to the freeway.

He called my cell phone as we drove in opposite directions and we talked the entire way home.

...

I threw down my purse on the bed in my room, which my parents had kept in tact since I had left for college (which includes the pink heart-adorned wallpaper that I picked out when I was five). My dad's computer was sitting on my desk asleep, and I decided to wake it to check my email. I was still too excited to sleep, anyway.

"Vous avez le courrier," his computer spoke to me after I had signed in.

As I navigated to my inbox to see what sort of weight-loss pills and diet plans were being offered, I noticed that one of the emails came from someone in my address book; it was from Noah, himself.

Jehoadan, it read, I had an amazing time with you tonight. You are one of the most incredible people I have ever known. Thank you. Noah.

My heart felt bright and warm.

Even after Noah returned to Portland for his internship, we continued to email one another daily during the whole duration of the summer. The majority of the emails were gushy flirtations of the "You're amazing," "No, you're amazing" nature. I thought, This is it. He's the one. I felt unbreakable.

Little did I know, it would all be over by the time summer ended and school began.