"He wants to say I love you

But keeps it to goodnight

Because love will mean some falling

And she's afraid of heights"

The words that were written on the yellow paper, ripped off a legal pad made goosebumps rise on her skin, and she felt tears welling in her eyes. He knew her so well, and recognized her fears, waiting for several months until she was ready to hear the words that he wanted so much to say. And now he was standing in front of her, looking at her as she read the letter that he wrote when he was in the hospital and watching her features for a reaction. She closed her eyes, feeling her long and dark upper lashes connecting heavily with her lower lashes. It's been a couple of months since he wrote this letter and even though their relationship hasn't progressed much physically since then, the emotions that ran between them have definitely deepened. Sometimes she looked at him and could feel her skin tingling with excitement she could barely contain. His smallest smile could make her heart race, and the sound of his voice caressed her ears so pleasantly. His dark eyes were always so full of emotion when their gazes locked and the touch of his hand against hers filled her with strength and hope. Sometimes she wanted to wrap her arms around his and never let go, and to kiss his lips without needing to stop for air. When he wasn't in the same room with her, she kept him in her thoughts and carried him in her heart, and in the evenings before she fell asleep, she imagined how nice it would feel to share a bed with him.

A couple months earlier, she was standing a few steps away from the end of the cliff, staring into the horizon and knowing that if she took one or two steps closer to the edge, if she lost control, she would never be able to go back. It terrified her. She didn't even dare to look down and see what laid at the bottom of that cliff. Whether it was rocks or water or just an endless fall, she didn't want to know.

She opened her eyes and looked into his, the rich brown engulfing her in warmth and love. Love. She could say it now. Love. She loved him and suddenly, she was not afraid to admit it to herself.

"I love you too, Andy," she said, her voice shaky as the words rolled on her tongue, first tentatively, and then with an unstoppable emotion. "I love you." Andy opened his arms wide and she stepped into them, bringing one of her arms around his middle and the other around his neck. His embrace felt like home and she wanted to stay in it forever. "I love you so much." She didn't fear anymore. She was willing to take the plunge. She was no longer afraid of heights.

THE END

As always, I'll be happy to know what you thought about this story, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM.

P.S. The poem is not mine, but I couldn't trace it to the original author, so I don't know who to credit. If anybody knows, please contact me.