Love Encounter

[aries]

When I was sixteen years old, I never thought I would find my true love, let alone that person would be my best friend’s brother. When I learned Alex was moving from Toronto to Vancouver, all I thought about was that we would be friends. I had met him a few months ago, and although there was a subtle spark in my heart at the time, I didn't take it to heart.

After all, I was only sixteen and had absolutely no interest in dating. I dated a few boys, but I always found dating to be more troublesome and stressful than I could handle. As my seventeenth birthday approaches, I'm enjoying my date-free time.

Alex's arrival was like a spring breeze, and he entered my life easily without any discomfort. He always walked me home when I left my best friend's house and was always there when I needed someone to talk to. In the morning, he would walk with me to school. When he turned around and left, I felt a little disappointed because I couldn't see him for the whole day.

Being with him feels so natural, as if we've known each other for a long time. I began to look forward to seeing him, a feeling so foreign to me. When I'm with him, I'm completely relaxed and don't have to worry about any pressure or pretend to be someone else. I can be myself, be it weird, unique, or vulnerable.

As summer turned into fall, I found my feelings for Alex growing. We didn't say it explicitly, but we established a deeper connection invisibly. As the temperatures become crisper and the leaves begin to change color, the colorful sight adds to my mixed emotions.
One day, I looked up at him and he gently held my hand. At that moment, I knew I fell in love with him. Panic suddenly surged into my heart - I was only sixteen years old, how could I possibly know what love was? I knew that I was not his ideal partner, so I decided to run away and told my friends that I couldn't see him again. I told her I was too young and confused to be in a relationship with him.
She looked at me, hugged me tightly and said, "You should tell Alex, not me."

I didn't know what to do, it was all too new and disturbing. But in the end, I agreed to let her convey my feelings for me. That night, Alex and I met and he just stayed with me quietly.
We didn't talk, he didn't accuse me, and he didn't say I was naive. He sat there quietly and I enjoyed his presence. Finally, he looked at me with those warm brown eyes, smiled and said, "Nothing else matters to me. Only you matter."
It was the look in his eyes that made me decide to stay. We quietly enjoyed each other's company until nightfall and I had to go home. After closing the door, I knew I didn't need to escape or panic. I found someone who understood me, no matter how weird or complicated I was. I learned that I can love without fear.

For the next few days, I saw Alex every day, day after day. He became my support, and the relationship between us also grew unknowingly. Time flew by like a blink of an eye, months and years passed before we finally got married when I was twenty-one.
Now, at the age of thirty-three, I can still see that quietness and affection in his brown eyes. I know that at the age of sixteen, I found my true love, and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with him every day.