It was early in the month on a Monday morning. The sun had begun to shine. Alissa could hear the birds chirping. There was a cool breeze blowing. Alissa had just got off the bus and had begun looking for Corbin. Corbin was at his locker getting the books that he needed for his morning classes. They had been going out for three months now. Alissa was so excited and wondered if Corbin had gotten her a present. As Alissa approached Corbin’s locker she noticed that there was no sign that he had gotten her a gift. Corbin turned around and saw that Alissa looked disappointed. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest. When she walked her feet dragged across the floor.

“What’s wrong?” Asked Corbin in a concerning voice.
“You didn’t forget did you!?” Alissa was starting to become upset. Corbin searched his mind trying to figure out what Alissa was talking about. It wasn’t her birthday was it?
“What are you talking about?” questioned Corbin.
“Today is our three month anniversary! How could you forget this? I’ve been waiting for weeks for this day to come and you forgot!” Alissa was fuming now!
“I’m sorry there’s just so much on my mind lately, you know with SAT’s coming up and all.” Corbin had been really stressed out lately mostly because the SAT’s were coming up and his whole future is depending on the grade he gets. But, also because his friend, Colleen who had been friends with him since fourth grade, just told him that her Uncle Rick passed away. Corbin had come to know Rick very well because of Colleen. Rick was very funny and he was always there for Corbin even though he wasn’t family or anything. Alissa didn’t know Rick, and Corbin didn’t want to concern her by telling her about his death. After all Alissa was always a very emotional person and this would make her very sad.
“I didn’t tell you this because I didn’t want you to worry about it but I guess you deserve to know what has been bothering me so much.” Corbin wasn’t sure how Alissa would take this, but he felt bad for upsetting her when he could have been open and told her. Then he would not have had to try and hide it from her.
“What is it?” asked Alissa.
“You know Colleen right? Well her uncle Rick…”
“It’s okay, just tell me,” Alissa was dying to know and wished that he would just come out and say it.
“He passed away last Saturday,” Corbin’s eyes got really watery and his lips started to quiver, he hated that Alissa was mad at him and thinking about this was just too much.
“OMG, I had no clue, I am so sorry that I flipped out on you,” Alissa was trying not to cry she was so mean and he had so much on his mind. “Are you okay?”
“Ya, I’m fine. It’s just that there is so much stuff going on and then all this happened. It’s just too much. I am trying to be there for Colleen and still be strong but you know how it is.”
“No problem. I mean if I would have known sooner I never would have gotten so mad that you forget our anniversary.” Alissa felt horrible about this she wanted to help him but had no clue how. “Is there any way that I can help?”
“Thanks but I think this is just something I have to get through by myself.” Corbin really appreciated that she wanted to help but he wasn’t sure that she could. This was just something that he had to let run its course.
rriinnggg…
“Well there is the bell. I got to go but you know where I am if you need me.”
Alissa didn’t want to leave him after all this but she couldn’t miss class, there was a huge chapter test today.
“Thanks,” Corbin wanted to say more but he just couldn’t get anything else to come out.
As Alissa walked away Corbin thought about the conversation he had with her before she knew about colleen. He had to get her a gift, but what.

Corbin made his way to language arts as he thought about what to get Alissa. There were so many things he could get her, flowers, jewelry, even something as simple as a teddy bear, but he felt that he needed to get her something more special, something that was unique and would show how much he really loved her.

In language arts the class just happened to be reading a romance novel. In the novel the main character puts a blindfold over his girlfriend’s eyes and took her to the beach where he had laid out a blanket. There they had a candle lit dinner under the beautiful night sky gazing into each other’s eyes and at the stars.

The more he read the more he thought about how much Alissa would love that type of thing. Finally he decided that he was going to take Alissa to a candlelit dinner under the stars, along the shores of the beautiful ocean. It was the perfect anniversary present.

rriinnggg…

Before making his way to science Corbin slipped a note into the slit at the top of Alissa’s locker. He made sure that Alissa had not been there yet and that she would get the note. Then before she saw him he walked away and went to science.

When Alissa got to her locker she put her combination in and pulled up on the latch. When she opened the door she noticed that some thing had fallen on the ground. She leaned down and gripped it in her hand. She wasn’t sure who it was from, considering that Corbin had never done this before. Slowly but surely she opened the note.

Dear Alissa,


I know how upset you were that I forgot our anniversary, so tonight at 8:00 I will be taking you somewhere to make it up to you. The rest is a surprise.

Happy anniversary!!!



















Love,






Corbin
P.S.: I will pick you up at 7:30 sharp.
Alissa instantly got a smile on her face. He was going to make it up to her, he was taking her out for their anniversary.

As Alissa realized that the halls were empty she rushed to her class hoping that the teacher hadn’t realized that she was late. Alissa approached the door. Slowly, Alissa opened the door since she saw that the teacher had his back to her.

“Thank you for joining us Ms. McCarty,” Mr. Zeruth exclaimed as he turned around.

“How did he see me, he was facing the other direction?!” Alissa thought to herself.

Alissa walked back to her seat and sat down. Mr. Zeruth calmly sat down at his desk, pulled open the drawer, and pulled out a small slip of paper. He found a pen and wrote something on it. Then he stood up and he walked through the aisle to where Alissa sat. He placed the sheet of paper on her desk and continued teaching class.

“Thank god he didn’t make that big of a deal about it” Alissa picked up the piece of paper and read it.
Alissa,
I will see you in my room today for a lunch detention. But don’t be late again or I won’t be so nice.

Alissa felt like a huge brick was just lifted of her shoulders. The next time that Mr.Zeruth looked at her, she silently thanked him for being so nice and understanding. He nodded to show that he understood.

When class was over Alissa went to Corbin’s locker. He was talking to his friend when she walked up. As his friend left Alissa gave Corbin a hug.

“What was that for?” Not that he was complaining or anything.

“You know what,” said Alissa with a grin.

“So I take it that you got the note” Corbin had been wondering if she’d gotten it.

“Of course I got it, and I can’t wait!” Alissa couldn’t hide her excitement any longer; the truth was that Alissa was bursting with excitement.

“I was late for class and Mr. Zeruth gave me a lunch detention but, I will see you tonight,” Alissa turned on her heels and walked way.

riiiinnngggg…
The bell, it was time to eat lunch. Alissa went to the cafeteria and got her tray. Then she walked back to Mr. Zeruth’s room with her head down.

“I’m here.” Alissa searched the room for her teacher. “Hello? Mr. Zeruth? Are you in here?” Alissa sat her tray down on a nearby desk. She sat down and began to eat her lunch. Where is he? Alissa thought to herself.

Suddenly Mr.Zeruth walked into the room carrying his lunch. “Glad to see that you are eating your lunch and not wondering around the room, I had a phone call to take care of in the teachers lounge. Thanks for being so good while I was gone.” Mr. Zeruth said as he sat down at his desk to eat lunch.

The rest of the period was silent. The only sound Alissa could hear was the sound of the clock ticking and Mr. Zeruth shifting in his seat. When Alissa started hearing commotion in the halls she new the detention was over.

“Can I leave now?” Alissa had been waiting to leave the room since she’d gotten there.

“I guess so, but remember what I said about being late again,” Mr. Zeruth gathered up what was left of his lunch and he threw it in the trash. “Have a nice day,”
As Mr.Zeruth said this, Alissa walked out of the room.

The rest of the day was never-ending. Then when the final bell rang Alissa raced to her locker, got her books, and rushed out the door. She was so excited that she could hardly sit still.

When Corbin got off the bus he rushed inside, dropped his books on the ground and grabbed his mother’s car keys. He had some shopping to do. Corbin decided that he could get what he needed fastest at the Wal-Mart. As Corbin pulled into the parking lot he went through the list of things he needed in his head. Corbin drove into the nearest parking spot, turned his car off, got out of the car, and shut the door. Then he walked into the store and got a cart.

When Corbin finished getting the things that he needed, he left the store and headed to the beach to set up.

Meanwhile Alissa was getting ready. He was supposed to pick her up in 15 minutes.

“Everything is ready to go, I suppose that I should go pick up Alissa,” said Corbin, Sometimes he liked to talk to himself, it seemed to calm his nerves.

Alissa was putting the final touches on her make-up when she heard the doorbell ring.

Corbin’s hands were beginning to get clammy and his mouth was getting dry. He wasn’t exactly sure why he was so nervous; they had been going out for three months. He rang the doorbell one more time.

“Hey, I am ready now,” Alissa walked out the door and went down her steps to Corbin’s car.

“Okay you have to put this blindfold on or I am not taking you,” Corbin pulled out a blues handkerchief and tied it around Alissa’s eyes.

“Where are you taking me anyway?” Alissa wondered.


“I told you, you’ll see when we get there. If I tell you now it will ruin the whole surprise. But don’t worry, were almost there.” Corbin laughed as he nudged Alissa’s shoulder.

When they finally arrived Corbin untied the blindfold.

Alissa’s jaw dropped, he had lit candles and placed them on a picnic blanket. There was a basket with small finger sandwiches and other foods sitting on top of the blanket, in between the candles.

Corbin walked Alissa over to the blanket and sat down.

“Well what do you think? Do you like it or not?” Corbin was hoping that this was Alissa’s idea of romantic.

“Yes, I love it! But more importantly, I love you!” Alissa couldn’t hide her excitement. She never expected him to think of something this romantic.

Corbin handed Alissa a finger sandwich, “It may not be a great meal but it’s all that I could make,” Corbin didn’t really know how to cook that well, but he could handle to make a simple finger sandwich without messing something up.

“I love it but with all this stuff going on, ya didn’t’ have to do this,” Alissa did kind of feel bad about the whole thing with Colleen’s uncle and everything else he was going through.

After they finished eating Alissa gave Corbin his anniversary present. Alissa got him an autographed Penn-State jersey. Penn-State was his favorite team and Alissa just knew that he would love it.

“Wow, this is awesome! I love it! Thank you so much,” Corbin had always wanted an autographed Penn-State jersey.

So it turned out that it was the perfect night and Alissa and Corbin were still the perfect couple. From then on they told each other everything and if one of them had a problem, the other made sure that they didn’t make it worse. Turns out that they were perfect for each other and they continued to go out for a long time after that day.