Dress, Loafers: Thrifted.
Beret, Tights: Target.
It's incredible how little, seemingly unimportant details can bring you back to a particular moment in life. You see the picture so vividly, almost like you're reliving the whole scenario. The smells, the tastes, the sounds, and the feelings. They come rushing back to you.
A friend playing Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls while studying.
A boy at NAVS wearing cologne.
I came in from the cold air that was February into the warm, welcoming house. My second home. His mother greeted me like always. Big welcoming smile, the way she said my name. His father's booming voice and boisterous laugh, always watching a movie in the family room. I slipped my wet boots off and flattened out my wrinkled dress, anxious about the surprise that awaited me. It was Valentine's Day. I was 16. He came up stairs and smiled that half smile that I always loved. He pulled me into a warm, loving embrace and I could smell the cologne he had always used since we started dating two years ago. That smell would stay with me forever.
"Come downstairs, close you eyes" he told me. He took my hand and led me down into the basement and before I shut my eyes, I saw carefully laid among the steps were rose petals. The red pieces of silk led the way down to the dimly lit basement. Excitement built in my heart and my hands nervously sweated with anticipation. We reached the bottom of the stairs and I opened my eyes to a table lit for two and home cooked dinner laid out. A bundle of a dozen roses perfectly displayed in a glass vase adorned the round table. I was speechless.
We ate dinner, a dinner he cooked for me (and trust me he was no cook) so it was a big deal. When we finished he told me he had one more surprise left for me, and he went over to his laptop and hit play. He took me in his arms and played Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls-- our song. We swayed and danced to the music in the basement, the lights dimmed and all of the sounds of the world quiet just for us in that moment. I let the tears slip down my cheeks as I looked into his face and said, "I love you."
And at that moment I did.
Sometimes it's the smell of his cologne and the chords of our old song that bring me back to a place I can hardly remember. That seems so distant. Like it didn't even happen to me, but to someone else. Things change, but memories are forever. And I'm thankful for that.
With much love, Lauren.
P.S. Feel free to enter my three year blog anniversary giveaway for a beautiful Fleet Collection necklace if you haven't already! x
