Our Story Part 6
Our First “I Love You”
Have you ever watched a romantic movie and the movie hits its epic moment. The moment when the leading man and leading lady realize that they are in love. They realize that they just wasted the first 45 minutes of the movie getting to this moment. You know the moment in the rain. After a dramatic scene. They are standing really close in each others personal space. Lips about an inch apart. And they look into each others eyes. The delicious leading man whispers “I love you” and then have a super passionate kiss that makes you think “ahhhhh Landon please take notes”. And you think, finally! We all knew you were in love except you! Y’all know what I’m talking about! But. Yeah. Thats NOT how our first “I love you” happened.
Our first I love you was better than that!!! Yes! I dare say better than that! Let me paint the picture. So my senior year of high school I used to spend my weekends working. I would work from open until close. So I really wouldn’t get to see Landon. But that doesn’t mean that we didn’t talk! Thirteen years ago we didn’t really have cellphones. I mean I did but it had like five minutes on the plan for emergencies. Anyway, that didn’t stop Landon from calling me. My boss was pretty cool and was cool with personal calls as long as I hung up as soon as a customer came in.
Landon called me that day at work. It was about 2 hours before my shift ended. He was at work too and he was on a 15 minute break. I honestly don’t remember what we were talking about, because when you talk that much on the phone you end up talking about random stuff that is irrelevant. But he knew the system. If I hung up it meant that a customer walked in. No warning or goodbye. Just a click on the other end. So of course a customer came in. But I don’t know why, I didn’t just click like I normally did. I said “I gotta go, I love you, bye”.
My heart had never raced so fast in my life. Well, maybe as fast as when I saw Jurassic Park for the first time. I hung up. Looked over at my coworker with the biggest eyes and shock look on my face ever. She thought it was cute. But she didn’t realize that it was the first time I had ever said ” I love you” . AND. I was the first one to say it. You know out of all things, as I was getting ready for work, the last thing that I thought would happen was that I would say I love you to Landon. Or be the first one to say it!!! It surprised me. Kind of like it surprises the leading ladies in the movies. Its like I knew I loved him but I guess I didn’t realized that I LOOOOVED him! It just rolled off the tip of my tongue as calmly as you would ask someone where do they want to eat lunch.
Landon immediately called the store back. I picked up and when I heard his voice on the other end. My heart dropped. I really think I was having an outer body experience. True, we had been friends for a couple of years now but we had only been officially boyfriend and girlfriend for less than a month. What if I freaked him out? Was it too soon? Not just for him, but for me too? Is he going to think I’m crazy? Clingy? All of this was going through my mind when I answered the phone. The first thing that he says is “What did you say before you hung up?” I thought. AGHHHH. REALLY! You’re going to make me say it AGAIN?
I slowly repeated “I think I said I love you…I don’t even know why that came out it just came out and I was totally not expecting it and are you freaking out? Don’t worry I’m not trying to get married tomorrow. I don’t know where that came from…” I just kept repeating over and over I don’t know why that came out! I didn’t know I was going to say that. Landon just cut me off and said ” Stephanie. Stop. Its okay! I’m happy you said it! It feels good to find a word that perfectly describes how I feel about you. I love you too.” All of a sudden I could breath again! Everything in that moment was rainbows and unicorns. The only thing that could have topped it was actually being in front of each other when we said it and then having that epic kiss. But I will forever remember exactly how I felt when I first said I love you. It’s actually pretty insane how I’ve been smiling the entire time I’ve been writing this blog. Good Lord, our story really is my favorite story ever.
To be continued…
Just joining us? Catch up on Our Story
Part 3: In the middle of the storm
Part 6: Our First “I Love YOU”
Part 9: Long Distance Hardships
