High on love

Josh and Johanna were hungry and sitting at a table at Pizza Hut waiting for the waiter to bring the pizza they ordered. She glanced at him and suddenly there was a shift in the way she looked at his body: suddenly everything became amplified and she was hyperaware of his arms, hands, legs, face, and smell. He longingly stared in her eyes directly into her soul. She kept her gaze until she turned red and had to look away or felt she would otherwise explode.

"How did you sleep last night?" she asked him to break the silence. "Pretty well, how about you?" She smiled and replied: "Not too bad myself either. I've had some pretty nice dreams." "What did you dream about?" he raised his right eyebrow and grinned. She looked at him with a dirty smile and mysteriously said: "All sorts of things."

The waiter arrived and brought the two pizzas they ordered. "Two Pizza Roma," he said and they eagerly dug into the food. Johanna sipped from her lemonade a couple of times and in less than thirty minutes they finished eating. "So what's the plan today?"

"We could maybe spend the first part of the day in the park my dad recommended me, then later go to the movies and I'll need to do some shopping later."

As they walked hand in hand in the park, she could not stop looking at him and smile when she thought he would not see that. "See that tree over there? I like it! Let's go sit under it on the bench and admire the view." she suggested and he followed her.

He held her hand and looked directly into her soul. "I am really glad. We could get over what happened and finally made love. I was afraid you might yell at me or no longer want to have anything to do with me after our first failed attempt." Johanna shrugged her eyebrows. "Why would you say that? It was just a moment, not a life sentence. " Oh, Johanna, I was afraid I would not measure up to the expectations of the sexual experience and the woman I would be with would out. But you were cool and supportive and patient. Thank you!" "You're welcome. We all have good and bad days. It is important to be there for each other both in the rainy, but also on the good days. No relationship is perfect. Besides, I've waited for so long to meet you, that a little bit more waiting did not feel that bothersome."

She gazed silently in the distance, held his hand, and enjoyed his presence and the peace the surroundings offered. And just when she did not expect anything else to happen, before she realized it he took her by the hand and walked with her to the lake.

"The view is amazing," she said. Her mouth was dry, her heart was thumping loudly. Indeed it is." he looked her in the eye for a while and was not able to say anything. "I-I-I- I need to tell you something!" he mumbled. "What is it?" she nervously asked as her heart raced even worse than before. "I love you," the words flew out of his mouth. The time stood still and even though she did not flinch a bit from where she was standing she felt as if she was flying. "I love you too," she whispered feeling her heart almost beating up into her throat, and moved closer to him and hugged him tightly. Then they kissed and for a second her brain sank into an eternal bliss state that was unexplainable through words. There was no past, nor future. Just the present moment, enjoyed and lived to the highest potential possible.

******

"How about this purse? Is it ladylike and functional enough? What do you think?"

Johanna coughed and sneezed, then covered up her nose. "Do you happen to have a handkerchief?"

"Yeah, just one sec," he threw in her direction a handkerchief from a pack he found in his pocket. "It's a beautiful bag. However, it does not provide enough space. I suppose your mom is a practical woman so let's keep looking."

Johanna searched through a shelf full of bags. "Too big, too small, no pockets, no zipper… "Yeah, that's why I hate shopping!" Josh commented. "Wait a minute, this one is perfect!" she grabbed a mid-sized black purse with multiple pockets and zippers. "Yeah, it's not bad! I think I just found mom's birthday present!" he grabbed the bag and paid the money for it.

One or two hours later as they were walking through the city and passed by the kindergarten, Johanna grabbed his arm. "Hey, wait a second. Do you remember this place?" He laughed. "A little bit. I am pretty sure I don't fit in anymore at the table where I used to sit. "I just want to check something," she winked and went into the yard of the kindergarten. He followed her. "Um, I don't understand. What exactly do you want to look for?" Johanna took a shovel and started digging in the farthest part of the yard. "Can you please explain to me what's happening here?" "Yeah, one sec please," she said as she was digging and digging and digging. The shovel hit against a hard item and a loud thump could be heard. She took a box out and smiled. Her hand quickly unpacked the box and a ring appeared. "See? Do you remember this ring?" "Oh, my god. I can't believe it is still here!"

She put the ring on her finger and teased him: "You used to tell me you want to marry me later and offered me this ring. You told me you would bury it in here and when we are old enough to come back to this place and honor your promise to marry me!" Josh sighed: "Since I was a kid I did not have a paycheck and did not afford to buy you an expensive ring like you deserved so I just basically gave you the ring I got from a chocolate egg surprise. I guess it's better than nothing!" Johanna looked at it: it was pink and had a little red heart instead of a diamond. "It's perfect! It was from you. I'll keep it. "He kissed her and continued their walk reminiscing about easier times.

*****

"I feel so happy when I'm with you! I have no worries, I feel light and it's as if my worries disappeared or never existed in the first place!" "I also feel pretty happy, when I am with you!" Josh hugged her and took her face into his palms and gently kissed her. Butterflies flew inside her stomach, her heart was pumping loudly and her knees were weak. Everything had an intensified effect and nothing seemed out of reach. It was an indescribable euphoria. Euphoria can't be described, only felt.

Some people, used to say he wasn't the most handsome man out there, for instance, a friend of hers. But that did not matter for Johanna: to her, he was the most handsome man in the entire world. He had the most gorgeous blue eyes she ever had seen, soft lips she could not get enough of, handsome, masculine hands with long fingers which had just-right size of thickness, a smell, she could not get enough of, a unibrow she loved and the list could go on and on.

It was not just the physical part that impressed her. "I read another book regarding theories on how the earth appeared." She smiled and asked him: "How do you feel about these theories? Do you agree or rather not?"

"Some theories sound plausible, others just don't measure up. Lately, I've been writing again." "So happy for you." "Thanks, but these are just some short stories. I don't think I will publish them. Or maybe just on some blog for close people." Johanna smiled and replied: "I'd love to read what you write! I have a hunch it's good!" "He sighed and said: "Yeah, but whatever I pick up I start working on it, then abandon it a later point. That's not necessarily ok." Johanna sighed and shrugged her shoulders: "Well, at least you're trying. That's the important part. Do you know how many people don't even bother to try? It's scary… I think the worst thing is an unlived life. Without trying things and going for risks you may not end up failing, but you may regret a lot later!" He sighed: "Yeah, but people should appreciate whatever I create or do. I mean that's the point, right? To succeed?" She sighed and replied:" Edison had one thousand attempts to create the lightbulb. If he gave up the first few times, we would not have the lightbulb now, or probably at least it would not be invented by him. Persistence is important. Even if you fail several times, you later know what did not work and try again, but with a different approach."

Josh smiled and replied: "You're so positive!" "I'd rather say realistic," she smiled and winked back. She snuggled in his arms and enjoyed the warmth of his body and his heartbeats. How come when doing other things time passed by so slowly, but with him, days or hours felt like a second?

"Would you like to meet my grandma?" Josh's question popped out of the blue. "Yes, why not," Johanna answered and he kissed her passionately shortly after. An hour later they entered a flat. They climbed the stairs to the third floor and Josh rang the doorbell. Johanna pressed her lips and her mouth was as dry as Sahara's desert, but she smiled and kept her cool. "Oh, Johanna, dear! I've been waiting to meet the woman who stole his heart! He already told me so much about you!" "Grandma!" he tried to protest and his cheeks turned red. "So happy to meet you!" she greeted her and went into the living room along with Josh and her.

The living room was medium-sized. A cozy green couch, a red armchair, a big bookcase with many different colored, and themed books, and a picture of his grandfather were part of this room and each piece of it seemed to be part of a bigger story. The hall of her apartment smelled like roses, but when she entered this room lavender hit her smell. In a corner, on a table, Johanna could spot some plants. His grandmother loved plants and according to how well they were groomed, taking care of them relaxed her. She also loved cats! A striped cat jumped from under the sofa right in her lap. She stroked it and she purred loudly.

"How did you two meet?" she inquired. Johanna smiled and shrugged her shoulders: "We met in kindergarten! We were best friends." "Yeah, I defended her from some bullies who did not have anything better to do than to pick a fight with her! And ever since we've been friends!" "But then he moved and haven't spoken for a while and later started talking again."

"Thanks to the internet!" Josh said. "Oh, I am so happy for you two! I'll bring some cookies and tea." "Oh, grandma, that's not necessary..." "I insist!" she replied.

"I told her it's not necessary..." he angrily snapped in a low voice so she could not overhear their conversation. "If she wants to be nice, let her be!"

Soon she returned with a plate full of cookies and tea. As Johanna sipped tea, she asked her: "The man in the photograph is your husband?" "Was," Josh's grandma replied as Johanna's cheeks turned red and soon regretted asking. "Don't feel ashamed for asking. We could not be together from the beginning. My parents did not like him and wanted to arrange a marriage for me, because that's what they saw fit for me! They wanted me to marry a rich man, so I would not work a day in my life!" "What happened?" Johanna curiously asked and tasted another cookie that tasted like vanilla. "We fought against them, proved them wrong, and ran away in the world! I could never accept being with someone for the money! It's not fun. I may be practical, but love does have a price and at the same is priceless! Women need to find their way in life and know that they all have a purpose! Also, true love overcomes almost every obstacle! Nothing can keep two souls that are destined for each other apart!"

Suddenly Johanna's mood sunk. What if an ocean was big enough to keep two people, who loved each other from remembering each other, the love that connected them, and the common goals and vision for their future? She felt uncomfortable and wanted to run away, but no matter where she went there she was.