[h2]A teenage romance is often magical. The certainty of living an epic love fades over the decades, but the memory of that magic stays tucked away, ready to be revisited if one chooses. The excitement of every meeting, the aching when apart—it can hurt at that age. In that mix of youth and heart, reason often disappears, and decisions become rudderless impulses. To sum it up, let’s go back to the beginning: a teenage love is often magical. And magic, sometimes, attracts more magic.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]Trying to recall a moment that exemplifies this magic, a memory of a seaside trip to Cornwall comes to mind. My relationship with my girlfriend at the time wasn’t devoid of magic, but something truly sublime happened during those days—something I’ll never be able to surpass. My memories of that trip feel like scenes from a romantic film of the 1970s: breathtaking landscapes, a small cottage, displays of affection, and no discernible plot. Neither of us had yet reached twenty, but for those few days, we lived like a retired couple. There was even a dog at the house that followed us everywhere, a German shepherd if my memory serves me right. We spent our time between the bed and the beach.[/h2] [h2]I know, I know—I’ve yet to mention anything you might call magical. That part’s coming; I was just setting the scene.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]One afternoon, we took the car to a remote beach to spend the day. We parked behind a sand dune and went for a long walk along the shore. Strangely enough, the beach was deserted—ours alone, with only the dog for company. After about an hour of walking, we decided to turn back, as the horizon had vanished into a foggy blur, a sure sign of approaching rain. We hurried back to the car, now accompanied by a gentle drizzle and a thickening mist. Reaching the car, I reached for the keys only to find my pockets empty (never trust the pockets of swimming trunks). We’d lost the keys—on a deserted beach—and this was long before mobile phones were invented.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]“Stay in the car,” I told her, trying to sound confident, “and I’ll retrace our steps to look for the keys. The dog will stay with you to keep you safe. I’ll find them.” I said this with a tone of absolute certainty, though I had no idea what I was doing.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]Barely a few steps into my search, I realised how utterly pointless it was. The mist had grown so dense that I could barely see where I was walking. Everything was blurry in every direction; it was as if I were stumbling around in darkness. There was no chance I’d find the keys, but I kept walking, not knowing what else to do.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]She appeared at some point during my ridiculous pilgrimage. She was walking towards me. I was drenched and bewildered; she looked radiant, as if she were made of light. She was young, beautiful, dressed in a loose linen shirt and a scarf that fluttered gently on either side of her, like wings to my eyes.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]Normally, whenever I saw a girl I found attractive, my breath would quicken, my heart would race. But this was something else entirely. My whole body seemed to vibrate in the presence of this vision, and I felt utterly, hopelessly in love.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]Dazzled by her beauty and presence, after what felt like an eternity of silence, I finally opened my mouth.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]“Hi,” I said.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]“Hi,” she replied.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]“By any chance, you haven’t found a set of car keys on the beach, have you? They’re for a Volkswagen,” I asked, clumsily, almost apologetically.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]She gave me a smile I’ve never been able to forget and extended her hand—with the keys. As I mumbled a “thank you,” she smiled again, and with a graceful turn, she disappeared from my life.[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]I rushed back to the car, to my girlfriend, the dog, and reality. When I told my girlfriend how I’d recovered the keys—leaving out the part about the girl’s beauty and the strange vibration running through my body—she laughed sincerely and asked,[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]“So, why didn’t you kiss her?”[/h2] [h2] [/h2] [h2]I never knew how to answer that question. To this day, whenever I misplace my keys, I close my eyes and transport myself back to that fog-shrouded beach. In my heart, I find myself once again meeting the girl who, in just a few seconds, taught me what magic is and what it means to fall in love at first sight.[/h2]
