Once again a random idea that I just went with. Hope you like it, it's basically supposed to show the ending of Natara and Oscar's relationship.
Break ups. One of life's many heartaches. Whether it be the breakup of a relationship, a marriage or a friendship; break ups are always hard. It's signifies the end of something familiar, something meaningful. And it takes away the one thing in your life you once believed was untouchable.
The first stage in a break up is admitting that there's a problem. Maybe your other half cheated or your best friend betrayed you in way you never thought possible. The first stage can be a tough struggle, you can live in denial for so long just to hold on to the normality you're so comfortable with. But in the end you reach the point where you refused to live in the dark with your fears of change and somehow find the strength to let go and step into the light.
Natara paced back and forth, her heart and head both racing at a speed that she couldn't even keep up with. She knew Oscar was sat beyond the wall that faced her and yet she couldn't bring herself to step through the door. She could hear him. Every breath. Every heartbeat. It seemed to echo throughout the room, making her more nervous than she could stomach.
Inhaling deeply and letting it out, she felt her heart calm for all of a second. Placing her hand on the door handle, she took once last breath before opening the door. The smile on his face caused her guilt to weigh all the more on her chest and her breaths felt strained. Noticing the grim look on her face, Oscar's smile fell. He knew what she was about to say and if he was honest, he'd rehearsed this conversation a million times in his head. It's just that a small part of him had actually believed that he'd never have to hear the words out loud.
Natara sat by his side and glanced into his eyes. Her guilt and sadness both drowning the light in her eyes. She took a trembling breath before she spoke, breaking the eye contact in the hopes of making the inevitable words easier to say. It didn't.
"Oscar, we need to talk."
She had expected heartbreak, she had expected tears. She had even expected anger to some extent, but what she didn't expect were the two single words that were uttered from Oscar's mouth as he took hold of her hand.
"I know."
The second stage of a break up is just as hard as the first; Separating the belongings. It doesn't matter what it is. In the end it's something you and someone you loved once shared. Something that once meant a lot to you both. It brings back memories from the happier times, when everything made sense. But what was once a reminder of happy, fun and heart-warming times, becomes a reminder of the not-meant-to-be, the lost and the 'what ifs'.
Separating the belongings brings you into the reality that it's really happening. It's really over. And it causes the hard to heart to ache all over again.
Natara lifted the last box and headed towards the door. The cardboard split and let the contents fall to the floor. Glancing at the mess she let out a deep sigh of defeat as she grabbed other box and kneeled down to collect her belongings. Looking through the unorganized mess, a small smile found her. It was a picture. A simple picture that made her smile.
The weekend in Napa hadn't exactly gone to plan. But the one moment the two of them had actually found peace was in the mid-afternoon as they walked through the valley while the sun set the sky a warm red. And later into the night sitting by the lake watching the moon as it danced along the water's crystal surface. But it wasn't just a memory, it was their relationship. Not perfect… but real.
"I remember that night too. Feels like so long ago, doesn't it?"
Her smile vanished when she heard the sadness in his voice. Glancing towards the doorway, he stood silently watching her as she looked over the picture of them smiling in each other's arms by the lake. She slowly rose to her feet and stepped towards him.
"Here, you keep it."
"No, it's okay. You have it, I'd rather it be with you."
She flashed him a ghost of a smile as she turned back to her belongings that littered the floor. Placing each piece back into the box, each piece causing another break in her heart.
The third stage of the break up can be shattering, draining and sometimes causes its own kind of heartbreak. Grieving the end of the relationship. There comes a point when reality hits and it hurts so badly that you feel numb. Having to accept that the person in your life that once meant so much to you is gone is the hardest thing to move on from. You cry and you hurt. You believe that there's no way out. That there's not light at the end it.
Every tear mirrors every break in your heart and you lose faith in your own judgement. You question your choices and your feelings. And you feel like no matter how much the relationship hurt you in whatever way it did, there is no one that could in any way compare to the that person you miss more than anything.
She sat in his arms as he gently rocked her back and forth. Her tear-stained cheeks began to run sore as more tears threaten to fall. As her head lay on his shoulder, he softly stroked her hair as he whispered words of comfort into her ear. It hurt and he knew it hurt. He'd felt the same hurt once, the circumstances were different but the hurt was just as real.
Pulling back she wiped her eyes and looked to his for comfort. She found it in his smile instead. Smiling in return she sat forward as she pulled him into another hug. He didn't refuse or question it, he simply held her for as long as she needed it. When the haze from her tears had cleared she squeezed him tighter as she uttered her words into the silence that surrounded them.
"Thank you."
She felt him smile again as he gently squeezed back.
"I'll always be here for you Nat. Always."
The fourth and final stage of a break up is by far the hardest but eventually we all get there in the end somehow. Moving on. It is at this point we see the light; we see that life goes on. That we're strong enough to get through the hurt and heartbreak. Closing the final chapter of the past relationship is not easy but once you're ready, you continue into a new chapter. One that finds you happiness and teaches you things you never knew before.
You feel content and whole again. Ready for a new start. Ready to write that new chapter. To turn the page and see how this continues to shape your story. To learn from the past and look to the future. And the new people you welcome into your life.
Natara glanced to the early morning sun. The air was thin and crisp as a cold breeze danced with the wind. She shivered pulling her scarf closer to her neck before stepping out onto the sidewalk. The months had melted away, season to season until her heart had healed. The smile present on her face was proof of that. She looked to her watch and her pace sped up slightly.
Stepping out from the coffee shop, the warmth from her coffee radiated her hands as she took in the aromas. She continued down the street her smiling growing wider with every step she took. Only to fall when she looked up to the brown eyes looking back at her.
"Hey Natara."
"Oscar…Hi"
He stood silent for second before a small smile found him as he pulled her into a friendly hug, which she happily returned.
"How have you been?"
"I'm good. You?"
"Yeah I'm doing okay. Listen we should catch up soon."
"Absolutely, I'll call you."
Oscar nodded and smiled once more before turning to leave.
"Oscar…"
"Yes?"
Natara took a step forward and locked eyes with Oscar.
"You're okay?"
Oscar saw the light he had once loved finally back in her eyes and smiled genuinely.
"Yeah... I really am."
Natara returned his smiled as she leaned forward, placing a single kiss on his cheek.
"Take care of yourself Oscar."
"You too Natara."
The two parted ways, happy and content. As the heartbreak and the sadness had finally let them go free. Natara's smile grew when she crossed the street and was greeted by a sweet kiss on the forehead.
"Hey ready to go?"
She looked into those deep blue eyes that held so much love and let out a breath that took with it the last of the weight that gripped her heart and gently took Mal's hand as she held on tightly to her new chapter.
"Yeah."
Or the people in your life you just couldn't really see until now.