Baltimore, MD

 I admire how Baltimore stands tall, bathed in the glow of the night sky. Beneath its towering skyscrapers, secrets linger in the shadows, hidden from the soft light of the moon. On the surface, the city feels serene, its unique charm radiating a warmth, a sense of familiarity, as if it has quietly welcomed us through these four years of our journey here. It is the Charm City, yes, but one where the cries of its forgotten communities' echo in silence, unanswered. Oh, how the college kids rejoice in the bubbles of their campuses unaffected by the problems surrounding them.  

I am one of them. Or so I used to be.  

This city has claimed my heart over the course of these four years, and yet, I still take it for granted. As I show my officer around, the city reveals itself to him too, the cobblestone streets, the weathered brick buildings, the narrow roads that make you grip the steering wheel in anticipation, the water that meets at Fells Point. He sees a city full of potential. I see a city with a story. If we can piece it together, maybe, just maybe, we’ll create something that truly belongs to this place. 

As I show him the city, it reminds me of all it has to offer, the rich history that has shaped Baltimore into what it is today, with all its complexities. The good and the bad. We move from dancing hand in hand in the rain on the cobblestone streets to passing by vacant homes that line the outskirts of this vibrant town. It’s a city of beauty and neglect, of joy and decay, where both coexist in the same breath.  

We drift through the bars that are barely holding on, clinging to the college crowd that pours in and out. The walls, chipped and worn, seem like they've seen a thousand nights like this, filled with the buzz of voices and clinking bottles. We sit at the bar, surrounded by faces, some familiar, most not, and the music blasts, drowning everything else out. Our beers are a steady presence, numbing the edges of our thoughts. 

I catch his gaze, he's already looking at me, like he's known me forever, like there’s a connection between us that doesn’t need words. His smile is contagious. He spins me around, making me laugh, getting me to drop every bit of pretense, to dance without caring. In this moment, there’s no weight, no outside world, just him and me, lost in something that feels too perfect to question. 

But then, a thought lingers in the back of my mind, quiet at first, but growing: what if I lose this? What if I lose him? It’s not just that he’s here in Baltimore with me, it’s that he loves this city because I love it. And somehow, that feels like everything.  

Eventually, we find ourselves at Cross Bar, sitting down, talking about the future. We imagine a world built just for the two of us: a sprawling, modern country home with a nautical touch, a life of exploration and success, side by side. And suddenly, I crave the gentle pull of country music, the kind that tugs at the softer parts of me. Two kids, perched on top of an empty college bar, chatting endlessly about the unknown. 

What does the future hold for a naval academy officer, locked into five years of military service, and an aspiring news reporter determined to change the world? Here we are, talking about things too big for us to fully grasp, in a German bar tucked away in Federal Hill, wondering what our lives might become. Will we be another plaque on the wall at McGarvey’s, just another fleeting memory? Or will we be an epic love story, one that never had the chance to fully unfold.