A soft breeze whispered through Faye’s hair as she exited the church. She loved her Sunday meetings with the Lord. They made her heart happy and they helped put her mind at ease. She spotted Esme in the distance, out for her morning car ride. Windows down and Avenged Sevenfold playing and crawling like worms into Faye’s ears. She waved down Esme as her car came to a stop. 

“Esme! How wonderful it is to see you!” Faye said with a bright smile, a grin so pure and happy that it made her friend smile as well. 

“It’s good to see you, too, Faye.” Esme unlocked the doors. “Want to go for a ride?” She asked with a toothy grin and a light chuckle.

“Sure!” Faye walked around to the passenger side, opening the door then the passenger side rear and putting the items she brought to church with her in the backseat. She laid down carefully, her veil, bible, and her now empty water bottle. She hopped into the front seat and gave Esme a quick hug. 

“Where to?” She inquired. Esme laughed and the car came to a roaring start. The two girls flew down the road as they erupted in laughter with the exciting drive. “Careful! You have precious cargo!” Faye teased. Esme smiled in response. A soft, sad smile, but definitely one that Faye noticed. 

“Yeah..I guess I do.” Esme chuckled.

Esme looked at Faye. I don’t think I’ve ever loved someone more than I’ve loved her. She’s amazing..I’m scared to tell her..

Faye looked at Esme and noticed her sad expression as she looked at the road. “What’s the matter, gorgeous?” Faye said in a sympathetic tone, her voice sweet like honey and soothing like soft rain pattering on your window on a quiet night. 

Esme smiled and her words spewed out of her mouth like word vomit. “I love you, Faye.” Her eyes widened in shock as she didn’t mean to say that. The car sped down the backroads as Esme tried to focus on the road and not the growing pit in her stomach. Faye laughed quietly. 

“I love you too, Esme” 

“Wait..what?” She said, voice wavering. Faye slid her thin fingers into Esme’s and clasped her hand tightly, bringing Esme’s hand to her lips and planting a soft kiss on the back of her olive skinned hand. 

“I said ‘I love you, too,’ Silly!” Faye looked at Esme, wind rolling through her hair and her face glowing. The sunday sun shone on both of their faces as the car stopped. This hillside view was beautiful, it shone almost as brightly as Faye did, in Esme’s opinion. Hills rolled as far as the eye could see, trees covered them on all sides except for the break in it allowing such a mystical sight. Faye smiled and opened her door, walking around and opening the door for Esme, who turned off the car and took the hand Faye so kindly offered her. Faye laughed and pulled Esme into the grass, slow dancing with her. Esme’s movements were boxy and uncoordinated, Faye moved gracefully like a flower in a rainshower. As the two girls locked eyes, Faye pressed her forehead against her friends. “Esme, I’ve felt this way about you for a long time, I was scared that you wouldn’t like me back. I was scared it would ruin our friendship. We’ve been friends for so long, I was just scared you’d want nothing to do with me if I told you. I mean…I didn’t even know if you swung that way…” Their fingers interlocked and their feet danced together, swaying in the afternoon sun. 

“Really? I loved you from the second we actually started to get to know each other. I hated having to sit back and watch your heart get broken, y’know..” 

A branch snapped close-by, drawing both of the girl’s attention. A rabbit appeared from between some bushes and trotted its way across the meadow, ignoring the girls. It disappeared into the forest again as quickly as it had come. 

Faye smiled. “You know what that means, right?” Esme shook her head, then waited for the explanation that came afterward when Faye asked that. “A rabbit means good luck, a new beginning, and it brings good tidings to lovers.” The statement made Esme chuckle, wrapping her arms around the other’s neck, pulling her closer. Faye loved gentle moments like this. “Esme? Can I ask you something?” She closed her eyes and brought her hand to Esme’s cheek, caressing it softly. 

“Always.” 

“Can we be more than just friends?” 

Esme paused, stunned by the question, and that she hadn’t been the one to ask it. Faye continued to sway, noticing the others' pause she opened her eyes. 

“Hm?”

“I- mean, well, Faye-” Esme shook her head. “Yes. I love you, yes!” smiles erupted from the two as Faye giggled. She pressed herself as close as she could and kissed Esme. Her lips were so soft, a kiss like that could calm any girl’s storm. 

The girls started swaying again, the mood lifting. “So, are we..dating?” Esme asked quietly. She was afraid that maybe this was just a cruel joke. 

“Yes, you’re all mine now, and I’m all yours. Forever. Tá mé i ngrá leat.”

Esme tilted her head. “What was the last part? I didn't hear.”

“It means ‘I am in love with you’.” The two girls smiled. Faye interlocked her fingers with Esme’s once again and led her back to the car. Faye took her new lover’s phone from its holder and unmuted the car, leaning over and turning the volume up. She scrolled through some songs and then played one of her favorites. ‘Overgrown Garden’ by Beetlebug started flowing smoothly through the car. The soft, calm melodic song was so strangely fitting for the hushed, peaceful mood. 

“Baby, can I call you that?” 

Faye nodded. Hopping into the backseat and pushing the two front seats forward for some more room, the two girls sat together comfortably, watching the afternoon sun slowly disappear behind hills, creating a beautiful, dusty and colorful sky. The clouds illuminated with soft pinks and oranges. 

“I’m never going to leave you. I can’t stand seeing you hurt and I don’t think I’d ever be okay knowing I was the one who hurt you. You’re never going to have to suffer by yourself again, I promise.” Esme said quietly, pressing her forehead against her lovers’. Rain pattered against the car, creating a lovely ambiance. The two gazed at each other, starry eyed. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so sure about loving someone, Em.” 

“And I don’t think I’ve ever been happier that I told someone I loved them, Faye” 

Tears rolled down Faye’s cheek. Esme pushed back the soft brown curls and kissed her forehead gently. Crying silently, Faye tucked her head into Esme’s chest. Body trembling and voice wavering, she mumbled; “I love you, Em.” 

Pressing another kiss to her head, Esme knew that this, what the two girls shared now, was going to last forever. 

“I love you, too.”

Faye looked up at her girlfriend with puffy eyes, Esme gazed upon those hazel eyes with the most passionate, romantic look. She wiped the other’s tears and pressed one last kiss to her lips and caught a glimpse of the fading sky again. 

“Look.” She said, motioning to the front window of the car. Faye looked. The view was breathtaking. The sky was majestic and opal in color. Geese flew overhead, and Faye chuckled. Em turned her attention back to the girl, now noticing she wasn’t looking at the view anymore. “What is it, baby?” Esme asked softly.

“You look so beautiful in the sunset. You can see every color in your eyes and gosh…you just look so insanely beautiful.” She smiled, sitting up and hugging her lover tightly. “You are a blessing I never deserved.” Crickets hummed and cicadas buzzed. Moving to the front seat, Em turned the headlights back on and moved Faye’s seat back. 

“Come on, I have a place I want to show you.” 

Faye grinned and jumped into the front seat. Both girls fastened their seat belts as the car moved down the winding road. Faye yawned and took her shoes off, curling up into a comfortable ball and reaching out her hand to be held as she drifted off to sleep. Em held her hand, driving as soft music continued to play throughout the car ride. Faye slept softly. 

Em spoke softly, as to not wake Faye, but hoping that somehow she could let her know the things she was thinking without the embarrassment of her lover being awake to actually hear her.

“I know you’re asleep right now…but you are so amazing, Faye. You are so kind and you trust so easily. I always admire you, your smile is so heartwarming. I admire everything about you. Your hair, your lips.. I will always assure you that my love will never waver, and that no matter how weird you may be, I made a dedication to you. A lifelong love that wouldn’t be stopped beyond our graves. I know I sound so sappy right now…I just don’t know how else to tell you.” 

Faye squeezed Esme’s hand three times. Em looked over. 

“Oh! I didn’t um..know you were awake.” She said with a nervous chuckle.

One, two, three more times. 

“What does that mean?” 

“It means I love you.” Faye said softly, her voice gentle and sweet. 

Em squeezed her hand three times. 

“You always have the neatest ways to say ‘I love you’.” 

The car came to a stop and Em got out. She walked around and opened the door, offering Faye her hand. They showed up at a cul de sac, in a neighborhood that was still being built up. Cars pulling up to houses in the front parts of the neighborhood. Vacant houses becoming more common the father back the two girls had gone into the neighborhood. Faye grabbed her hand and allowed herself to be lifted out of the car. 

Immediately, Faye noticed a van parked in the cul de sac as well. 

“Um, babe? There’s someone else here.” 

Esme smiled and walked up to the van, opening the right side sliding door. 

“No, it’s ours. I know your parents aren’t going to be okay with the fact we’re together.” Faye tilted her head in confusion. 

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying I want to live together. I know you don’t have a car, and we surely can’t live out of mine.” Esme smiled. “What do you say?” 

Faye laughed and hugged Esme

“I say, let's check it out!” Faye stepped up into the van, looking around at the endless possibilities. “I think that we can make this work.”

Esme smiled, hugging Faye and looking around what’s going to be their new home. Faye sat down and pulled Esme with her. 

“I’m gonna love this. I mean, van life? How’d you know I wanted to travel and live in one?” She said with excitement. 

“You may have mentioned it one or two times,” Esme said with a light chuckle. She held Faye’s hand, squeezing it three times. “It’s us against the world. Always.” 

“Always.” Faye said. She was so excited to start her life with Esme, her best friend, and lover.