#WhyI'veStayed

You ask me why I’ve stayed. It’s because of the first day we met. How the words were stuck, shy in my throat. Because of how he got down on one knee outside the movie theater, breath present in the cold air, pulling out a hollowed heart necklace and asked: “will you be my girlfriend?” Because of the playlists we made each other on youtube, his filled with EDM and old, slow Korean love songs his mom used to sing at the karaoke. Because of how he gave me the password to his iTunes and lets me download whatever song I want. Because of how we used to always stop at kum & go and get reese’s cups and Dr. Pepper every night. Because of how he’s trusted me with the death of his best friend, the nightmares coming back once a year, and how he can’t help but drink the pain away. How he never let me ignore him during an argument, driving over to talk it out, no matter what time of day it was. Because, even though he stayed here for me, he reassures that I didn’t ruin his dreams of living in Pennsylvania. How we used to spend every weekend going out; The Botanical garden, Krispy Kreme, movies, Mall of America, downtown Zombie Burger, a concert here and there. Because of how he always orders for me at Korean restaurants, even though I can do it for myself, always ordering the same thing: bulgogi. Because of the plans we have to see a list of big cities, Minneapolis, Seattle, Orlando, Los Angeles. Because I’m his first true relationship, how I got to watch him grow as a person and to trust in people more. Because of how much his parents love me and talk about me, even though we’ve never met. Because of the pet names he lets me call him; Papa Smurf, bean, butt face. Because of how he asked me to my own prom, candles, a poster on one hundred reasons why he loves me, the rose gold Pandora princess ring I had been wanting for years, and my best friend to film it all. Because of how, despite being too old, he bought a fake ID to get into my prom, not having ever been to his own before. Because of the arguments we’ve had that have almost driven us apart, only to bring us closer to each other. Because he let me plan our Disney wedding, telling me he was all for it as long as I was happy. Because of how forgetful he is. Because of how he’s okay being dragged to the concerts of the bands I love, even though he only knows the songs I make him listen to. Because, even though neither of us know what will happen when he moves, he’ll still be special to me.


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wrote this for my creative writing class and quite liked it.