Ten years down the road, she heard he was in town. She went to see him and sat down at the farthest table in the darkest corner. She watched him play that familiar song and she lip-synched the words. The streaming, single light glowed on him and made him more beautiful than she could ever remember or imagine.
The dimmed room filled with smoke and a musty smell made her realize this is what it had come to. Then he looked right in her eyes and he didn't even recognize her. He looked right through her. He glanced on and looked onto others without the slightest flinch, and that's what it had come to. The sharp pain in her stomach was the effect of her rejection. Why had she screwed up so bad? She knew they hadn't had the perfect ending or even an ending at all. But he still sang on, and she sat silent.
At the end of the song he gently and slowly shut his eyes, stood up from the stool, took a bow, and disappeared behind the deep red curtain. She got up from her spot and walked out the steel door on the side of the small crowded pub. Her memories came rushing back of all the feelings, emotions, words, and kisses. She leaned against the brick wall and looked up into the shielded stars. She couldn't see them, but she knew they were there. Perfectly shining down on her; they were watching over her. His face freshly imprinted in her mind now replaced the fuzzy old familiar face on the photograph of him and her. It was perfect. They were meant to be. She grasped the photo tight and vowed to never let go. She felt her breathing and imagined her life all over again. She was so sorry.
The chilling breeze picked up and so did her teenage tears stinging in the back of her eyes. Then at a random moment in time, the door to her right whipped open and he walked out. He walked to the curb of the street supposedly waiting for a taxi in the seemingly abandoned street. Maybe it was his getaway. He still didn't notice her leaning against the blood red bricks with his back to her. She was surprised he couldn't hear her heart beating as loud as the distant thunder's rumble. She had no idea what to do. Say a word? Keep a perfect memory? She wasn't sure.
She took three quiet steps forward while studying his perfect shape. She used to touch that neck. She stopped at the curb and looked down the street supposedly for a taxi, on an abandoned street. She held out the photograph in front of her face still not sure whether or not he even realized she was there. She was the only other person there. The street light shined perfectly down on the photograph showing their glowing smiles and prosperous love. Nothing else mattered right then. She could turn around and walk away right at that moment and feel satisfied forever.
Then the front doors to the club opened and a swarm of people came out. They were all laughing and cheering. They rushed towards him and gathered around. They were praising him, telling him what a great job he did and how famous he would become someday. They asked for his autograph even. She blended in and started walking the opposite direction. Why? She didn't know either. It just felt like the right thing to do.
Half a block down, she turned to take a last look at the love of her life. She saw his recognizable face and then he looked up and looked straight into her eyes. Stunned, she quickly turned and kept walking. The butterflies in her stomach she hadn't felt for the longest time returned. She had forgotten how he could make her feel.
A few hard steps against the concrete; a couple splashes in curbside puddles and then she felt the warmth of his hand on her shoulder. She turned around and looked into those eyes. All of a sudden no one else was around and it was just them. They stood there like that not touching, not moving, and just staring for an eternity. The rushing blue corrupted her image and made her fall for him all over again. She had never let it go, but she knew they had both moved on. They could both keep their past, and move forth with their future. They were perfect. She gave him a smile and she lightly brushed his cheek with her right hand. He closed his eyes soaking in her touch; remembering her. He opened his eyes and she handed him the picture. He looked, smiled, and she smiled back. She would never stop smiling for the rest of her life. That was when she knew, she was satisfied. An awkward pause and then she turned and continued walking down the block. When she reached the end she turned to get that one last glimpse. He was still standing there staring back at her, missing her too. A last smile and a quick blow of a kiss and she walked on into the night.
It was their goodbye. They finally had their ending and they would always have their past. Always have their memories and she knew whenever she looked at the stars from then on they would remind her of that; remind her of true love.