And perhaps this is how you fall in love with me. Perhaps you will see me stepping off the plane, staring down at my mp3 player and lost in sounds within my own head, and you will feel that familiar pang of longing that you have felt all along. I don't expect you here, and you could turn and leave and I would never be the wiser, but maybe instead you step forward, into my path so that I have to stop and look up. I see you, and that little leap of my heart greets me once more, and I know in that moment that I am yours, but I cannot tell you this. I smile shyly and remove earphones from my ears while I picture myself securely wrapped in your arms.

You ask about my flight and I cannot help but smile-- I hate planes, but I love being here with you, seeing that look in your eyes, hesitant and peaceful, as though all the fear of which you've spoken has melted away a bit just being here with me. I tell you about the flight as we walk to baggage claim, about my late night. You can see how tired I am and there's visible concern in your eyes, perhaps because you feel that I never sleep enough or perhaps because you're unsure in this moment what I think of you and you want quite desperately for it to be good.

Maybe this is how our love begins, with your arm brushing mine as I reach for my luggage, your hand almost on mind while we get in the taxi. You sit next to me, and I want to cry because I am so amazed by you, but mostly I want to rest my head on your shoulder and wrap my hand around your waist, curl up into you and go to sleep. You wouldn't mind, and I know this, but instead we sit on different sides of the cab and you ramble like you do about your family and the weather. You feel self-conscious, but I love listening to you, every word bringing this sense of calm down upon me. I barely noticed the chill in the air before because I was so overcome by hands brushing and the shape your breath took when you sighed, but now I find that I am underdressed. I shiver a little and try to shrug it off, but out of the corner of my eye, I see you reach reflexively for me, before your brain stops you with concerns about the familiarity of this reply. This is where our love begins.