1.

It was a glorious, colorful autumn.

We’d just left the coffee shop. When we walked by, she had giggled and pulled me inside, saying, “C’mon, let’s be basic white girls and get some pumpkin spice!”

I don’t like coffee. I never had. But when she handed me my cup and looked into my eyes while I tried it, it was the best thing I’d ever tasted.

My hand still tingled where she grabbed it.

As we walked through the park with our drinks, a light drizzle began to fall. She pulled out an umbrella from her bag, I pulled up my hood and hunched my shoulders.

“Don’t be silly,” she giggled, pulling me under the umbrella with her. I couldn’t help but laugh too, her laugh is infectious.

As the sun started to shine again, she pulled me down to sit on a bench. She beamed down at me, and I could only gaze back adoringly.

“So Ava…” She began. I knew this tone of voice, it’s dangerous.

“Who do you like?” She whispered, and I looked away. I wanted to say, ‘you, you, a thousand times you. You’re the only one I can ever think about. You’re gorgeous and sweet and funny and…’

Instead, I shrugged my shoulders and looked down at my cup.

She looked at me with a cautious smile. “If I tell you mine, will you tell me yours?”

“Okay.” I said.

“The person I like… …is you.”

I drop my drink.

and I felt like I'm the most happiest and luckiest person ever on this earth and that's how our love story began

2.

*phone call *

Boy: Hey, hun!

Girl: Hey.

Boy: I missed you at school today. Why weren’t you there?

Girl: Yeah, I had to go to the doctor.

Boy: Oh really? Why?

Girl: Oh, nothing. Just some annual shots, that’s all.

Boy: Oh.

Girl: So what did you guys do in Math today?

Boy: You didn’t miss anything that great, just a lot of notes.

Girl: Okay, good.

Boy: Yeah.

Girl: Hey, I have a question to ask.

Boy: Okay, ask away.

Girl: How much do you love me?

Boy: You know I love you more than anything in this world.

Girl: Yeah.

Boy: Why did you ask?

Girl: *silence*

Boy: Is something wrong?

Girl: No. Nothing at all. Um. How much do you care about me?

Boy: I would give you the world in a heartbeat if I could.

3.

Butter

Sugar

Flour

A pinch of cinnamon

“It looks delicious baby”

I turned around to see my husband behind me

“What are you making today?”

I smiled and pointed to the recipe on the counter

“Cinnamon bread? You spoil me”

I smiled again, and he placed a kiss on my bare shoulder

“How much longer do you have on these?”

I glanced at the clock, doing the math in my head

I held up 10 fingers

“Alright, I suppose I can wait”

I cocked my head at him, raising an eyebrow

“No, no, I’ll wait till you’re done. Finish your bread.”

I shook my head at him fondly, pouring the batter into the tin

“Hey”

I looked back at him

“You’re pretty”

I rolled my eyes, sprinkling the crumb topping over the batter

As soon as I placed the tin in the oven, I felt his arms wrapping around me

actions are louder than sounds

4.

Her hair swayed in the breeze, tickling the back of her neck

She was lounging in the hammock, under the tall beach tree

I could only see her back from where I was standing, but by the curvature of her neck I guessed she was reading

It had been 175 days since I’d last seen my wife

And now I was frozen, unable to move

She looked so peaceful, so beautiful

So soft and distinctly different from the active war zone I’d just left

And she didn’t know I was home

-Layla-

I spent most of my evenings in the hammock, enjoying the late August sun

Today I was reading, but sometimes I’d knit, or draw, or just watch the birds

I was trying to take my mind off the fact that it was my second wedding anniversary today, and I had no wife to spend it with

But all of a sudden I head a sound behind me, and turned my head

“Jasmine!” I cried, all but falling out of the hammock

She gave me the biggest grin I’d ever seen as she ran to steady me

I threw my arms around her, burying my face in her neck

And I started to sob with relief

5.

They said that first kisses are special…

And they are for that certain special person

Yes… it is… but I lost it to someone…

To someone… who is not to “special” to me

I lost it to that certain bad boy…

To a boy named Jake… but he prefered to be called as Jax

He was an egotistic, conceited playboy slash bad boy

And if you’re asking on how I lost it?

His friend playfully pushed him to me…

And after a split second… our lips touched.

They said that when you have had experienced your first kiss

You’ll feel the butterflies fluttering, the sparks flashing. But I felt nothing… as if it wasn’t anything special….

6.

"On the Metro ride home one night, I made eye contact with a gorgeous young woman on the platform. I went back to my phone and didn't think much of it, but she came and sat next to me. Nervous, I didn't say anything. After several stops, she asked if the train was going to a certain stop. I gave her a quick, 'Yeah, the sign is over there,' trying to avoid being the creepy passenger that's more interested in the person than providing directions. She was persistent and kept asking questions. I gave her my business card before I got off the train and she pointed out that my cell phone number wasn't on it. We went out the next night and had a great conversation. We've been dating ever since.

7.

A few years ago, I flew to Rome for an archaeological dig and used my field kit as my second carry-on. Well, just my luck: after a 10-hour plane ride, I discovered the airline lost my luggage. After filing my report, I went to my hostel to have a shower and take a long nap. After check in, I asked the girl at the counter where to go to buy supplies and clothes etc, explaining to her my experience with my luggage. When I got back from my shopping trip I found out that my 'roommates' had used my allotted towels. Anyway, I went back to the front desk to ask about getting some more towels, and just as the clerk was telling me they didn't have any more clean towels, the cutest guy I have ever seen tapped my shoulder, telling me that he had some I could borrow. He was visiting from Ireland, and he always brought his own towels while traveling. Apparently, he heard my story earlier and felt really bad for me, and wished there was something he could do. So we went to his room together to get them, and along the way he invited me out for a drink to help improve my day. The best decision in my life was saying yes, because that, boys and girls, is how I met my husband."