Our Tree
Maybe, just maybe… she thought. She cursed at the wind blowing her raven colored hair. She watched the light cherry blossoms float by, delicate and fragile, like her. Consumed in her own grief, she sighed deeply, breathing the misty April air. She always loved the month, for she loved the season and most of all, the blossoms. She gazed back over the rolling verdant hills to see the kids laughing and dancing and flying kites with the blossoms fluttering by like butterflies. Oh, how she yearned to be one of them again. She sighed again, this time more inwardly. Life was so simple back then, she thought to herself. She lay down on the cool grass, under her favorite sakura tree, staring up at the twisting branches leaking sunlight, reminiscing the times when she and him would lie like this for hours. If only, she thought, if only I didn't lose him. She hated to admit it, but she missed him, very much. Closing her eyes, she remembered a pleasant memory from their childhood days.
It was around this time of year for the spring festival, a celebration of the change of the seasons as a time to tuck away winter and welcome the spring. She remembered all the wonderful, vibrant colors of the town, and how the light reflected upon the lanterns and fountains. The air wasn't too warm or too cold for that perfect spring day, the smells of festival food and fresh air mixed together. Filled with energy and excitement of the festival, she ran through town playing tag with him as they reached the shaved ice cart where they both got a cup of cherry ice. The two children, tired after their game of tag, sat down on under their sakura tree, a rare and somewhat quiet place in the midst of festival activities. She finished her ice turning to the boy as the also had finished his. The boy's face askew, he said to her, "Grace, you have some ice on your cheek! Haha!" and he started to laugh at her, making Grace bit nettled.
"Stop it Colton! Ugh!" she cried. And tried to rub it off only to notice he pointed to the wrong cheek, making him laugh even harder at her gullibility. Disgruntled and upset, Grace started to tear up a bit at her friend's near bullying. Immediately, Colton noticed a slight change in her. He retorted, "Haha, don't worry Grace, I got it for you," and proceeded to hold her neck and kiss the ice on her cheek. Retaliating back, Grace blushed at his actions, and rubbed the spot after on her cheek.
Colton smiled afterwards, and remarked, "That's better. See? It's gone now." She could still remember his grin after he stole that kiss.
After that event, Grace never felt the same towards him. She couldn't help but twitch a small smile on her bottom lip, recalling how wonderful the night was, as it was the best spring festival she had ever had.
Fluttering her eyes open, she scowled at herself for thinking of such, and hastily got up, dusting herself off from the crushed blossoms under her. She stood for a moment pondering the crushed petals and stigma of one flower. She released the blossom from her hand and let the wind carry it to the halcyon lake, resting on top of the tranquil water under the hills.
She crossed the bridge, looking back at the tree, their tree, she thought. She wandered back home from her sojourn at the tree through town and to her home, a very nostalgic walk. She walked through the front door, removing her shoes before setting foot on the wood floor, when she felt a pair of eyes burning on her. She looked up.
"Grace… I…" the boy sitting at the table in front of her started apologetically. Upon seeing him, she darted out of the room like an arrow and raced up the stairs when he called after her.
"Grace! Wait!" he shouted, following her, this time more meaningfully. But she was already in her room, before he could even stop her, locking the door behind her.
Tsk, she thought, who does he think he is, coming into my house talking to me? You've seriously got to be kidding. She flopped on to her bed, causing it to undulate underneath her. She sighed loudly and closed her chocolate brown eyes, refusing to let tears seep out. He left me, she reminded herself. He left me without a goodbye and never called. Three years I waited for you, with only a small ounce of hope, but that all faded, like watercolors in the sunset. Those words repeated in her head like a ritual before going to sleep. And she did, as she drifted off into deep sleep.
"Will you promise to call me?" the girl inquired.
"Yes of course I will," the boy replied nonchalantly.
"Every day?" the girl persisted, this time stealing a look at him.
"Yes, every day." he chuckled, not even looking her way, but up at the night sky and the stars above.
"Awe, Colton, you're not even paying attention! How do I know you're going to call?" she complained. After a short pause, letting a breeze roll by, the boy looked at her and sat up as she did. He gentle caressed her face in his hands and kissed the top of her forehead.
"I promise I will call every single day I'm gone until I come back," he said reassuringly. He looked in her brown eyes and brushed her hair off her face, revealing her flawless skin. She stared into his turquoise eyes, looking for answers, almost pleading him not to leave. He stole one last look at her face before getting up. "Wait for me, Grace. I promise I will be back before you know it," and with that said he disappeared into the night, leaving her waiting underneath the sakura tree.
Grace awoke from her slumber with the sound of wind rattling on her window. She gently rose from her bed and looked out the window. Cherry blossoms swayed on the branches in the wind, some gracefully falling to the ground like ballerinas. What a beautiful day, she thought. She got dressed quickly and headed down the stairs. Ugh, she thought, remembering the event that happened here last night, dampening her spring mood. But she couldn't help but smile recalling his face. His features had more developed into a man's, his hair slightly grown out and he was significantly taller, as opposed to their childhood days where his head would be at her shoulders despite him being older. Once she realized she was thinking about him, she immediately shook of the thoughts and ran out the front door. Grace decided to spend the day at the tree again, as she remembered this time to bring her sketchbook.
Her walk though town was nostalgic as usual as she past through all the shops and stores she used to play in, especially the noodle shop. She peeked in to see her long time friend Mari working the counter. Grace waved as she saw her friend catch her eye and smiled brightly. Continuing, Grace stopped at the bridge before continuing up the hill to the tree. She plumped herself down on a rock, and revealed her sketchbook and pencil she took with her. A tender breeze swept her hair off to the side, exposing her porcelain skin to the sunlight and her long black hair cascading down her back. Grace cursed under her breath as she had mis-shaded the tree in her drawing. Of all the things, Grace wanted to make that right, their tree. Finally finished, she held up her drawing for the light to see, smiling at her piece.
"I knew you'd be here," a voice started. Grace froze in her position. She heard footsteps coming closer behind her.
"You always had a talent for drawing, one thing that I missed most about you," the voice finished. Grace slowly turned around, already knowing that he stood behind her.
"Grace, please, I know you're mad at me for leaving you, but please, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I've missed you more than you'd ever know," he pleaded. All the sorrow she had felt all those years had now morphed into frustration and anger.
"Oh, you're sorry," she replied sarcastically, not even making eye contact.
"Yes, Grace, I'm so sorry, can't we go back to the way it used to be, you and me here under this tree, looking up at the sky the whole day without a worry in our heads?" he pleaded with her.
"Colton, you think a simple sorry can change everything? You think I will accept a sorry as an apology?" She turned to face him now, eyes brimming with anger and tears flowing freely now. "We can't ever go back to the way things were!" she shouted now.
"Everything's changed, you have changed and I have changed. I've spent all these years trying to forget about you and now you just decide to show back up in my life, in my house? Colton, do you have any idea how long I've waited on my doorstep for you? Every single day after you left, until I began to lose every ounce of willingness in my body, until all my hope ran out," she screamed.
"You never thought about me even once to send me a letter or a note," she choked out. "And it broke my heart," the last part in a whisper.
"I didn't think about you?" Colton raised his voice also, causing Grace to finch at his sudden change in tone. "I always thought about you, every single day. I would think about you for hours, remembering this tree and our memories with it," he slowed down. "Grace, I promise I won't hurt you again, not this time, please don't kick me out of your life as I have tried so hard to get back in," Colton sighed deeply.
"How can I trust you again? You just left and I cared about you, and I loved you!" Grace stopped abruptly as the words spilled from her mouth, shocked at her confession. Before she would react, her eyes widened in shock as Colton's lips pierced hers.