Several months later, as we got to know each other slowly but surely, he knew he wanted to ask me to be his girlfriend. After a friend’s wedding, he took me to Malibu. He had pretty pink roses waiting in the car along with some snacks for a plan to set up a picnic on the beach. We sat by the waves, just talking, until the tide suddenly rushed in and we ended up laughing, quickly gathering our things, slightly soaked.

At the top of the hill, he handed me a letter, along with the butterfly necklace and matching earrings. I read it as the wind settled around us. “So I have to ask… will you be my girlfriend?” That night, he said "I love you" for the first time, and I said it right back. We both already knew how we felt, but saying “I love you” out loud for the first time still felt different.

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