You smiled happily at the sight of a familiar face walking towards you. Sunglasses and a beanie concealed his identity from the hundreds of others who also congregated at the festival, but to you he was unmistakable. The two of you had only been dating for a short time, but had been close friends for months before.

He approached you quickly, waving and greeting you with the brightest of smiles. Together you walked happily, stopping occasionally to appreciate intricate works of art or to appreciate the melodies of a seated guitarist. Colors and sounds flooded the streets, enveloping you in a river of excitement. Your boyfriend reached forward to a stand selling costume glasses. He tried on a ridiculously gigantic pair, the echoes of his and your laughter blending with the noisy ambience. Flicking the pom-pom on the beanie you were wearing, he smiled radiantly and continued to walk with you.

Your eyes were alit like that of a child. Happily, you ran forward through the throngs of the crowd, reaching forward to touch shiny metal carvings set upon wooden stands and vibrant scarves fluttering in the wind. In your enthusiasm, you became lost in the swarm of people, suddenly aware that you could no longer see your boyfriend. Your head whipped back and forth as you began to search for him frantically. Being alone while surrounded by strangers always made you irrationally uncomfortable, and panic started to settle in your widened eyes.

Suddenly, you felt someone’s warm fingers interlock with yours, and you looked up to the see the face of your cheerful boyfriend.

“I think I need to keep better track of you!” he said, lightly teasing you for your inattentiveness. You apologized, sighing in relief that he had found you. Shaking his head, he chuckled softly.

“It’s okay,” he continued to hold onto your hand, walking you forward through the people once again. “You look cute, by the way,” he added as an afterthought. As you continued your day at the festival, your hand remained wrapped tightly in his, the physical barrier between you abolished.