June 7, 2010

Dear diary,
The days grow warmer and so does his touch. All I feel is too much to explain. I can’t find the words to express it; not to you, not to even him. It’s funny, as of late I feel like I have grown closer to him than to you. How this is possible I have yet to see. I pray nightly that I won’t wake up from this dreamland. He means so much to me…


It was the summer of 2008. I had just turned 16 in May and purchased my first car: a worn, but still beautiful, 1978 Camaro. My dad and I planned to restore it in the coming years, and the final project in turn it would become my graduation present. This summer, as always, my family and I were on vacation in a small beach town in Florida. I woke up early that morning and decided to try running along the smooth sandy beach while the weather was still somewhat cool. I am not much of a runner, but I do like to keep active. It does help having strong, long legs, though. Well, it does now. Back then when your body is still developing it doesn’t completely understand itself. It’s like giving a child a Ferrari. They can make it go, but the handling and technique is probably not perfect. Anyhow, all that to say that morning I decided to run down the coast at sunrise.
About a mile down the beach, as the sun was peeking over the trees, I saw a girl about my age slowly walking in the sand. The slight breeze in her long blond curls, the way her soft white dress fluttered like the waves, the way she shuffled her feet in the sand by the water…I was sure I was in love. As I approached, she looked up at me and smiled as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, the sun setting fire like the diamonds in her ears to her royal blue eyes. I was tantalized, drawn in like a bug to a light. She giggled and whispered hello, shuffling her feet. I just stared, speechless, reminding myself never to run again because I clearly died trying.
This angel laughed, her eyes, though I swear it impossible, sparkled even more as she spoke, her voice soft and sweet, “Oh boys…” she walked closer to me, picking up her dress a bit to keep it from being splashed by the few incoming waves. “Well, hi,” she said, extending a hand, with the other she brushed her curls to the side.
“H-H-Hello,” I finally managed to stutter after what seemed like ages. “Wow…” I jumped, not realizing that came out, though in a whisper, I swore she heard me.
“You have a name don’t you?” she said, as I shook her hand, my eyes never leaving hers.
“Uhhh…oh… I’m Caleb,” I said softly, slowly finding confidence in the fact that this angel appeared to like me.