Sunsets and storms ✓

Chapter 22

MATTHEW

I've spend most of last night texting people to figure out a date to take Megan on. It's one thing to ask her to be my girlfriend, but I want this date to be perfect. I know she's only ever been on simple coffee dates and I mean, I like a coffee coffee date, but she deserves so much better for a first date. Luckily, her friends were more than happy to help me out and I set up a whole morning.

Now all that I need to do is wake her up. She looks so peaceful sleeping. She's the cutest. It hurts my heart to wake her up, but I hope she thinks it was worth it soon. I already packed everything for later in the car and I made breakfast for us. I just need her to make us some coffee. I've got everything set up already, but there's no way I can beat her barista skills.

I'm glad she wakes up easily and when I tell her I want to take her on a date this morning she smiles and tells me she needs at least 20 minutes to get ready. I promise to find some clothes for her to wear. She questions me for a second, but when I promise to stay out of her underwear drawer, she agrees. I'm not good with clothes, but since we're going on a hike, all I need to do is find some sports clothes. I grab a pair of running shorts and a top and leave it on the bed with her trainers.

Back in the kitchen I send a message to the guys telling them we'll be back around noon. I also leave a note for Adele. I know Megan always leaves one when she goes out and it's more than reasonable that I tell her about my plans of taking Megan out.

Half an hour later we're out the door. It's only six in the morning and with steaming cups of coffees we head to a town a bit more south. From there we're starting our hike. I arranged that Megan's friends will pick up the car there and bring it back to where we will end our hike, close to town.

The drive is pretty short and we fill the minutes with some easy chatting. I haven't been to a gym in a while and I'm getting nervous about the whole hiking idea. I'm going to look like a complete idiot if I'm out of breath on the first climb.

We hike along the caldera cliff. The view is amazing and we stop a few times to take some pictures. I quickly take a picture of Megan when she's facing the other way. I set is as my background right away. I never thought I would be the kind of person to have this kind of picture as a wallpaper, but I mean, she's my girlfriend. Who else would I want to look at all day?

Along the hike Megan tells me all about the volcanoes and their history. I took some geography back in high school, so I learnt some very basic things, but nowhere near the information Megan is telling me. Seeing her all excited when she tells me everything about volcanoes, earthquakes and plate tectonics makes me feel happier than I ever thought possible. I'm glad I've seen some National Geographic, so I can actually ask her questions about it.

We talk about geography for most of the hike. That roughly means some four hours. I feel like I studies earth sciences for a whole year with all the information Megan threw my way. I'm not complaining, I enjoy hearing her talk about her passions like this. I've only ever seen her like this when she has a camera in her hands.

We end the hike at the bay where we went on our first walk. It's almost eleven when we reach the place I agreed to meet Cate and Niko. I asked them to get some of Megan's favourite food from the bistro. They took everything I had ready in the car and brought it to the cliffs. The cliff has an amazing view over the caldera and the bay with the town behind us. It doesn't matter which way you look, the view is always amazing.

"How did you do all of this?"

"Niko and Cate may have helped out a bit. Or a whole lot."

"I cannot believe you went through all of this trouble to take me on a date."

"I would go to Pluto and back for you, Megan. You don't even realise how amazing and special you are. All of this, this is just what I could come up with in 12 hours. You deserve so much more. And I promise you, I will take you out many more times. And I will keep reminding you of how amazing you are until I annoy the hell out of you."

"Stop, you're going to make me cry."

"I'll be here for as long as you want me to be."

"Don't make promises you may not be able to keep. People end up leaving, things end. That's how life is."

My heart breaks. In millions, billions of pieces. I'm sad that she truly believes people will walk out of her life. I'm angry that people have treated her in such a way that she actually started to believe it.

I pull her body to mine, holding her close and pressing a kiss to her forehead. I look her in the eyes and make the promise. I know I can keep it, there's no way I would ever be able to not have her in my life. In the short period we've spend together, she came to mean so much to me. I've never felt anything close to this for anyone other than Megan. She has my whole heart, and she can keep it for as long as she wants. 

AN - I may have been crying writing that last scene