1. Smile
Eyes meet across the room. A glance is all that's needed to convey the message. The girl looks back down at her plate, trying to hide her hopeful face. The boy leans back in his chair, his arms crossed. A frown crosses his face as his companions turn to him to ask him a question.
She shakes her head slightly, disappointed. Chancing another look at the boy, she notices that his companions have turned away. His face is somber, melancholy. He notices the girl looking at him, and his face breaks into a tired but genuine smile.
She smiles back.
2. Cry
It's cold. All she can think about is how cold it is.
But the cold isn't external. It's inside.
She's alone again.
She closes her eyes and brings his image to mind. She's not sure what she thinks about him and his sudden friendship. She's not sure if she trusts him completely. She's not even sure if it's possible to trust him completely.
She is sure that she misses him. More than she's ever missed anything or anyone in her entire life.
A tear rolls down her cheek, and for the first time she doesn't bother to brush it away.
3. Forgiveness
She can't look at him. Not after what he did.
She still cares about him. Truly, she does. But she knows that he isn't safe.
The bruises on her wrists are painful reminders.
Not looking where she's going, she bumps into someone. She looks up and is confronted by his eyes.
She tries to step back, but his hands go to her wrists. This time is different, though. This time it doesn't hurt. She searches his eyes and sees pain in them. He is sorry. Words can't express it.
She smiles shakily. He is sorry, and so he is forgiven.
4. Pain
When he returns late, she doesn't ask where he's been. She doesn't ask, because he always tells her. When the time is right.
This time he returns with a bruise on his eye. He doesn't say a word as he comes to stand in front of her. She looks up and gasps, horrified. He tries not to smile at her reaction; it has been so long since anyone cared.
He doesn't flinch as she applies medicine to the injury. He doesn't laugh at the absurdity of her scolding him, worrying about him. He only wishes she had always been there.
5. Kiss
He returns to find her in tears, collapsed on the floor. Dropping everything in his arms, he runs over to her and falls to his knees next to her. He lifts her face up to see her eyes, questions on his face.
She points silently to a crumpled-up newspaper on the floor, her throat too tired from crying to form words. He glances at the headline; that's all he needs to know. He draws her close to him, tilting her chin up to look at him. He sees the emotions in her eyes. Wordlessly, their lips meet in a kiss.
6. Scream
Her day is happy. She stretches as she gets up from her chair, laughing at her cat's antics. Today is the day he comes home. Life will return to normal.
She steps out of the front door, her bathrobe little protection from the elements. She grabs the mail from the post box outside her door and returns inside.
She absently flips through the envelopes until the official seal catches her eye. Her heart stops beating as she opens it hurriedly and reads. We regret to inform you...
She drops the letter and an anguished scream tears from her open mouth.
7. Gone
The graveside burial is small. Only a few of their closest friends attend. She can't feel them holding her hands. She can't feel the ground beneath her feet. She can't feel the biting wind on her face.
All she can feel is the emptiness in her soul.
He's gone.
Slowly the attendees disperse. All except for her two closest friends. They stay to take her home. She wants nothing to do with them; she wants to stay with him.
But he's gone.
She watches as the coffin is slowly covered in dirt. She falls to the ground, sobbing.
He's gone.
8. Live
She watches as the golden-haired child sleeps in his bed. The emptiness in her heart is still there; nothing could ever replace him.
But his child is comfort. She loves him. He is hers. He is theirs.
She smiles and closes his bedroom door as quietly as possible. She doesn't want to wake him; his day was long enough.
Her smile fades slightly as she realizes that tomorrow he will be gone. He leaves for school in the morning. She will be alone again.
But he will come back soon. She smiles. She will live. For him, and for Him.