Hope
The wind whipped her dark mahogany hair in her face as she ran through the long trees surrounding her. She dare not look up to see where the ancient trees reached in fear of tripping and scrapping her long slender legs. Her green eyes swept the forest around her and watched as a startled fox ran in the opposite direction from her, sprinting lithely underneath fallen trunks of past trees and under the emerald green ferns that scattered the forest floor.
Slowly inhaling the wet, musky scent of the forest she remembered the reason why she was running in the first place, to her, all life and meaning had left and now there was only numbness.
"Do you love me?" he questioned as they stretched out in the warm afternoon sun, they lay there enjoying each others company.
"Yes" she whispered, she felt if she spoke any louder the moment would be ruined. As she stared in his eyes, it reminded her of the deepest parts of the ocean, there was a depth to them that she couldn't resist as well as the emotions that showed so clearly in them. He was her open book. Her life. Gently clearing his throat he stared lovingly at her and she wasn't blind to the flash of pain that crossed his porcelain carved face, she also took note of how his strong jaw clenched and unclenched.
"You know how much I love you too, right?"
She again whispered her reply, slightly starting to become worried. "Yes"
"Then you should know how much it pains me to say this…I'm…" pain again crossed his features and it took him a moment to collect himself enough to speak.
"I have to leave this afternoon, my work has asked me to go to Italy for… a while." She could not speak as the pain slowly seeped through her calm façade, she new what he was going to ask her next and he already new what her answer would be but he could try at least.
"Would you come with me?" he was surprised how even his voice sounded as his insides twisted and turned.
"You know I can't, I have to look after my father. He's ill and I don't want to leave him in a home. It wouldn't feel right. I want so badly to come with you but…I-I. Can't." she replied in a whisper, as she finished her last word everything crumpled and all that was keeping her planted was the man in her arms, as soon as he left she feared for what would happen to her. She couldn't help but again look at the face of her love, her life and the pain she saw there took her breath out of her in a large whoosh.
She was suddenly brought back from her memories as she tripped over a dead, moss-covered tree trunk, in the process scraping her palms and elbows. The tears now leaking from her eyes she got up and continued running, the trees, again, rushing past her in a blur like her life was going to do from now on. Finally coming to a halt at her destination, her now empty eyes captured the beautiful waterfall and bubbling stream in front of her. This place held so many memories for her as she made her way to their spot behind the flowing waters; this was in fact the place where they had met. She was an adventurous 16 year old while he was an enthusiastic 17 year old photographer with a passion nobody could compare to. Even though that was several years ago ,she could still remember it like it was yesterday.
Now that she was here, all by herself the memories drifted back into her mind of their farewell.
The sun had long gone down and now all that was left was the dark and the cold, they stood barely a foot apart staring everywhere else but each other. Neither of them wanted to break the silence because they both feared for the moment they would have to say goodbye, it would be a terrible moment for both of them.
Taking in a deep breath, he reached his hand forward to stroke her soft pale cheek; he would always remember how beautiful she was under the pale moonlight, the light in her eyes flickering like a candle in the gentle summer breeze.
"I will miss you, so, so much and I will never forget you. I will return and when I do I will never leave your side again, I promise the time will fly by and you won't even realise I'm gone. Will you wait for me?"
She listened to his melodic voice as he asked her the one question she knew she could answer in the blink of an eye. There would never be anyone else for her, he was it, and she knew it all along that he was The One.
"Yes" she would never forget the smile that lit up his entire face; it was like the sun had risen despite the darkness that surrounded them. It would forever remain her smile.
"I love you"
"I love you too" he lent in and brushed her perfect pink lips and all too soon it was over, if he was going to be able to leave he had to do it now. Or never.
With one last hug that lasted forever he turned on his heal and left his future by the door of her apartment, in tears.
She was brought back from her memories by her deep soul-wracking sobs, she would miss him so much, but she made a promise to never forget about him and that she would wait for him to return and that is what she would do. Even if it was the last thing she ever did.
The smell of the fresh water and air filled her senses and helped her to calm a little bit as she stared at the crystal-like water falling in front of her. Suddenly there was a commotion and she was splashed with the ice cold water as a person made their way into her hiding place, it took her a few blinks and some rubbing to actually believe her eyes. There before her stood the love of her life and she couldn't understand how or why, his plane had surely left an hour ago so it wasn't possible for him to be standing in front of her now. Dripping wet.
"Wh-what…how…I mean. How?" she stared at him with a look of confusion and disbelief across her face and deep within her emerald-like eyes. Smiling, he gladly replied because he somehow knew what she was asking of him.
"I told them that I would either quit or that they could give me the same job just closer, somewhere I wouldn't have to move away to accomplish. So we…compromised, if you will and here I am. All I have to say is that I love you and I will spend the rest of my life proving it to you if you'll let me." She couldn't help the gasp that left her lips as he pulled out a small red velvet box and bent on one knee before her.
"Will you marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?" She never thought he was anymore beautiful than in this moment with the water from the waterfall dripping down from his ink black hair and into his gorgeous blue eyes. He showed her the ring and she let out another gasp, it was his grandmother's ring, the one he had secretly shown her when they were little and the same one that he got grounded over because of he did it without permission from his mother. It held a blue stone in the middle surrounded by smaller daintily placed diamonds; she couldn't help but notice that it was still the same colour as his eyes as it sparkled.
This time when she answered him it wasn't a barely-there-whisper but a shout full of all the love and joy she contained at that very moment.
"Yes" she shouted and jumped into his waiting arms as ear-splitting grins took over their faces; he spun her around continuously until he got too dizzy to stand and just collapsed in a heap on the damp wet floor. Quickly slipping the ring on her left hands finger, where it would remain forever, he placed his arms around her and held her to him, where she belonged and where she would stay forever.
"The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." He quoted as they both sighed happily. "I couldn't agree more."