Nick paced up and down the living room.  His heart was racing and sweat was starting to run down his forehead.

    “Should I even do this?” he said aloud.  He tried to sit down, but he couldn’t get comfortable.  He looked out the window to see if Annie was pulling up in the driveway.  Nick ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath.

    “Carter, you’ve gotta do it,” he sighed.  He sat back down on the couch and laid his head back against the wall.

    “This needs to happen,” he sighed.  He closed his eyes and tried to focus his thoughts on something else for a while.  Nick had almost drifted off to sleep when Annie barreled in the front door.

    “Hey,” she said as she walked down the hallway.  Nick heard her throw her stuff down in her room and close the door.

    “Hey Ann, what are you doing today?” Nick asked as he stood up to talk to her.  Annie smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed Nick tightly.

    “I don’t know,” she said playfully,

    “What are YOU doing?” she smiled.  Nick smiled and squeezed her tight.

    “We need to talk Ann,” he said.  Annie could feel her heart sink.

    “About what?” she said somberly.  Nick noticed the sound in her voice and looked at her.

    “Baby,” he said, “don’t worry.  I just wanna talk to you about some stuff, that’s all,” he whispered.  He kissed the top of her head.  Annie looked at Nick strangely and sighed.

    “You wanna go to the beach for the afternoon babe?” Nick asked.  Annie nodded yes. “Okay, well, go get ready and I’ll make something for us to eat and all that good stuff,” he said as he smiled.  Annie went into her room to get ready and Nick went into the kitchen.
 

Annie and Nick lay together on their blanket and watched the waves crashing on the shore.  They had eaten lunch and just talked lazily for most of the afternoon.

    “So far, so good,” Annie thought.  Annie laid in Nick’s arms and felt contentment.  However, there was that nagging feeling about Nick saying they “needed to talk”.  Annie stared at the ocean and smelled the ocean air.  She was getting sleepy from laying in the sun most of the afternoon and could feel herself drift off to sleep.  As Annie was drifting off to sleep Nick’s thoughts were racing.

    “Man, I gotta say something soon,” he thought.  “Hey, Annie,” he whispered.  Annie didn’t stir.  He moved a little to look at her, and saw that she was sleeping.  He smiled.  All of the sudden he remembered he had some paper in his bag.  Nick grabbed his bag quietly so he wouldn’t wake her up.  He grabbed some of his drawing pencils and started to draw.  Nick stared at Annie and at how peaceful she was.  He stared at the lines her eyelids made in their crease.  Nick stared at her lips and noticed their shape and how they made a little heart shape and how they were quite full.  Nick loved watching Annie sleep.  It was one of his most favorite things to do.  If he couldn’t sleep, he’d watch her breath rise and fall and listen to her mumble in her sleep.  That always made him laugh.  He continued to draw her face and watched her sleep for about an hour.  Just as Nick was putting the finishing touches on his drawing Annie started to wake up.  He put the paper and pencils away quickly and kissed her sweetly.  She let out a little groan and smiled at him.

    “Hey Sleepy,” Nick whispered.

    “Hi,” Annie whispered.  Nick laid down next to Annie and pulled her into his arms.

    “Have any good dreams?” he asked.  Annie put her head on his chest.

    “Yeah, I was dreamin’ about this guy…way sexy…and he was soooo into me, but I don’t remember his name,” she said playfully.

    “Oh yeah?” Nick asked.

    “Yup, he sure was,” Annie laughed.  Nick held Annie close to him.

    “Well, at least he had good taste,” he said.  They laid there silent for a few minutes.  Annie began to shiver from the ocean air.

    “I’m cold,” she said as she put her hands up Nick’s shirt.

    “Hey there Whitten,” he said playfully.  Annie giggled and laid her hands on Nick’s stomach, and she came across his scar.  She lifted up his shirt and sat up on her elbow so he could see her face.  Annie ran her fingers across the long scar.

    “I’m responsible for this,” she said.  Nick looked at her and touched her face.

    “Baby,” Nick whispered as he took Annie’s hand and laid her hand on his chest.  "you aren’t responsible for that, you’re responsible for this,” he said as he laid her hand over his heart.  He rested his hand on top of hers and squeezed a little.  Annie could feel the tears ready to spill over and she let one escape down the side of her face.

    “Nick, I still feel guilty,” Annie whispered.  Nick rolled over to look Annie in the eyes and he kissed her forehead.

    “Annie, it’s in the past.  This is not your fault,” he whispered.

    “Everyday Nick, I think about it everyday,” Annie said.

    “Me too, but Annie, if I had it to do all over and you were in trouble, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.  What happened to me is not your fault and I wish you could see that,” he said.  Nick wrapped his arms around Annie and buried his head in the crook of her neck and she ran her fingers through his hair.

    “What did I do before I met you Carter,” Annie asked.  Nick raised his head and kissed Annie.  They continued kissing for a few moments and then suddenly Nick broke away.  He sat up and pulled Annie into a sitting position with him.

    “We need to talk,” he said.  Annie’s heart began racing.  Nick bit the inside of his cheek and looked around him.  The sun was setting.  He smiled and turned back to Annie.

    “Ann, I love you,” he said as he touched her cheek.

    “Well, I love you too, Carter,” Annie said.  She wasn’t sure of what was going on.

    “Ann, I know that we’ve only been together for a little while, but I’ve never met anyone like you.  You are the most amazing person and the only person I wanna be with,” Nick said as he swallowed hard.  Annie smiled and tried to say something but she was shushed by Nick.

    “Lemme finish,” he said.  She smiled and let him continue.  Nick took Annie’s hands in his.

    “I know we’re young, probably too young for me to be doing this, but I just cannot see my life without you.  Being without you for even a week was too hard, and knowing that you were out there and not with me, it killed me,” he choked out.  Annie let out a small sob and smiled.  Nick wiped her tears away and kissed her forehead.

    “Baby, I love you.  I wanna be with you forever.  We’ve been through a lot together and we're closer now than ever.  So, you know, I think that says something about us, ya know? I mean, things started off so strange between us, but look at how far we’ve come.  You are my best friend  Annie.  You are the only one who knows me inside and out,” Nick said.  His heart was racing and his palms began sweating.

    “Nick?” Annie whispered.  Nick dug in his pocket for something and pulled out a gray box.  He opened the lid and it showed a simple diamond ring.  It glittered in the setting sun.  Annie heart jumped.

    “Oh God,” she said.  Nick smiled and looked Annie deep in her eyes.

    “Annie, it would mean everything to me if you would marry me.  Will you marry me?” he asked hopefully.  He thought his heart might pop out of his chest.   Annie smiled and a few tears ran down her face.

    “Oh Nick,” she said.  She had her mouth open, but nothing would come out.  Nick could feel his stomach clenching.  He swallowed hard.   “Oh Nick,” Annie said again as she shook her head in disbelief.  She smiled and laughed and cried all at the same time.

    “I don’t know what to say,” she said.  Nick looked at her and laughed.

    “Ummm, how about yes?” Annie laughed.  She got on her knees and wrapped her arms around Nick’s neck.

    “Yes,” she whispered.  Annie cried tears of joy and laughed.  “Yes, Nick "l'll marry you!” she yelled to no one in particular.  Nick smiled and grabbed Annie and kissed her hard.  They embraced and held each other for a long time.

    “I’m going to make you so happy Annabelle Whitten,” Nick whispered.

    “You’d better,” Annie laughed.  They hugged each other and laid back down on the blanket and listened to the waves crash on the shore.  They held each other in their arms and they both felt a calm wash over them.