Reader, please keep in mind that I wrote this over six months ago. Thanks!

November has almost always been a pretty good month for me, and this year it was no different.

What can I say about November. There’s Thanksgiving, my sister’s birthday is this month, and I get a well deserved break from school. This year I got to start my break a week early.

I don’t know what it is about November, but it’s always a great month. Somehow, the stars always line up for me, and good things happen.

My favorite part about November was getting to see Boy Pablo live at The Van Buren. He’s one of my favorites.

COVID put a stop to concerts last year, so when I saw that he was coming to Phoenix I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to watch him perform.

Not that COVID was stoping me from going to concerts, I just don’t really go to them that often. There’s too many people.

I bought two tickets without even thinking about it.

I already knew who I wanted to go with. I had gone with her to the Daniel Caesar concert two years ago and I loved every second of it.

I picked up my phone and sent her a text. I asked and she said yes. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if she had said no. I probably just wouldn’t have gone.

Seeing that three letter word pop-up on my phone made my day, my night, my year. This girl is the moon and the stars to me. She’s so close and far away. It’s like I’m running an Apollo mission each time we’re out; luckily, not one has failed.

She’s been my school crush since we sat next to each other in class back in 2019; since we awkwardly went to the art museum together; since we went to dinner to my favorite ramen spot; since I dropped her off at the airport that one September. She’s my favorite stranger.

Going to this concert was good for me. It was a break from reality. It was a burst of color in my monotone life.

All I had known for the past two months was differential equations and Java. Those two things can make anyone go crazy.

It had been almost a year since we’d last been together. There wasn’t a reason for that, it just turned out that way.

That Thursday came and I was ready. I had planned my outfit a week before. I steamed my shirt and my pants and cleaned my shoes and washed my car. Everything had to be perfect.

On my way to her I stopped at the store for M&Ms and SmartWater; two of her favorite things. She loved it.

I hadn’t seen her in months, but it’s never new with her. We bookmark our story and pick up from where we leave off of every time.

Her and I are coauthors of a romantic tragedy that I hope never ends.

The drives are some of my favorite parts of our nights out. She talks and I listen, I hear her voice get louder, and louder with excitement, and then she laughs, and I laugh, and it starts again, all while the music plays, and all while I drive us towards infinity.

At red lights I like to stop and stare, because it feels impossible that she’s really there.

We got to the venue. It’s a cozy, cute little spot, it has a bar, and the all lights, and all the decor harmonize to create a perfect moody ambience.

Once we were inside, we looked at the bar and smiled at each other. We got in line for drinks. She had a vodka soda with lime and I had a vodka mule. I paid for her drink.

Sofia Valdés opened for Boy Pablo. After every song Sofia said her name. I thought it was cute. She said her manager had told her to do that. She’s a new artist and wanted people to remember her name. I get that. I want to be remembered too.

Her set ended and we noticed we had finished our drinks already. She went back for more. This time she said it was on her. I felt like a king.

It’s never boring with her. I don’t see her as much as I’d like to, so I make every second count. The day before, she had asked me about my birth sign, and I didn’t know what to tell her besides the fact that I was an Aries.

“You don’t give off those vibes”, she said.

While we waited for Pablo, I brought it up again. She had never asked about it before and I wanted her to tell me more about it.

According to her, and the app on her phone, we were, suspiciously, highly compatible. We talked and laughed about it, and I asked why she didn’t think my sign was what it was.

She said, “All Aries are crazy!”, then she laugh and I laughed too. I’m not crazy.

One by one the band members walked out onto the stage. It was finally time for the main event.

The music started. I held her and she held me. The first song Pablo played was “i hope she loves me back”.

I could only hope.

I remember the first time we were there. I was more awkward, more unsure of where to hold her, how to hold her, what was okay, what wasn’t okay, the first time’s always the hardest. It was easier now.

I moved and rocked with her like a palm tree in the wind.

She’d grab my hand and lock it with hers. Then she’d bring it up to her chest and squeeze it there.

The room was purple and blue and there were people all over, but I was alone with her. She’s the only person I wanted to be there with.

With every song, we got closer. Just like we had done two years ago. I held her and she held me. I wished I could stop time right there. With me grabbing her waist and feeling her curves and her holding my hand and looking at me.

Her dark brown eyes twinkled and danced through the night.

Pablo played his last song and it was time to go. It was an unforgettable show.

I didn’t want the night to end, but I knew that was impossible.

I drove her back home and we got to her place and I looked at her and she looked at me and I smiled and she smiled too; there was some hesitation, but we both knew what was next. I leaned in and she did too and she closed her eyes and I closed mine too and we kissed goodbye.

It was bittersweet.

I’m 2 for 2 at concerts at the Van Buren.