Your eyes burn into mine, irises so beautiful they take my breath away. The most magnificent shade of blue I have ever seen. The most magnificent woman I have ever seen.
Not that I would ever forget. I've see you every night in my dreams, always angelic as the last time. Angelic in more ways than one.
You smile at me, taking my hand in yours. Our hands seem to fit together; it's like we're made to be. We begin to walk, side by side as we manoeuvre through the trees. I've been wanting to ask you something for a long time, and suddenly it just breaks out of me.
"After graduation, will you come live with me?" The question stumps you for a moment, and you pause, turning to face me and taking my other hand with yours. Your cheeks turn a rosy shade of pink, and your smile widens.
"Of course I will, that sounds amazing!"
My heart leaps with joy, all of the previous tension lifted. Your hands move to my head, gently cupping my cheeks as you lean up and press your lips against mine. My arms snake their way around your waist, sitting comfortably as we kiss in the fading light of the sun as it sets beyond the horizon.
You're too good for me. You're too good for anybody. Too good for this world.
Poetic words from a love struck teenager's mind. You had always said that I should be a poet.
Our lips part, yours lingering slightly longer as you pull on my bottom lip. Stuff like that just drives me crazy. You drive me crazy.
I press my forehead to yours, staring deeply into those incredible, cerulean blue eyes.
"I love you, Daphne. You've always been there for me, and I don't know how to repay the favour."
Words that I meant to be meaningful come out awkwardly. You giggle and kiss me again, pulling away quickly this time.
I know the look in your eyes. That 'He's so cute when he's trying to be romantic' look. I mean every word I say, though. I just feel strange saying it sometimes; almost afraid that you won't return the feelings. That never happens though.
"You don't need to repay me anything! You reward me by just being you!" you exclaim happily, and I feel myself go red. How you can have such an effect on me, I'll never know.
The light dims significantly around us, and I know that I should be getting you back home. Your mother would be angry if I didn't, and I already have a hard enough time trying to please her. She would prefer you to be with someone of a higher class: someone with status, and who could promise you a much better lifestyle than I could ever provide.
That's what puzzles me about you, Daphne. Out of all the guys you could have been with, you chose me. Simple minded, unassuming Fred, who hopes to become a police officer for the local force. Frederick Herman Jones, who lives in a small house with his large family, on the poorer side of town. The guy that doesn't deserve an angel like you.
You sense what I'm thinking, and you smile, "Let's get going."
Your house isn't far from here: it's just through these trees, across the road and a five minute walk. A route we have done hundreds of times.
I only wish that I had stayed a little longer. That was all it would've taken.
You skip ahead, humming some pop song that I haven't heard before. But if it makes you happy, it makes me happy.
I call out, asking you to slow down. You comply, muttering apologies as I catch up with you. I don't know why it matters, you're nearly an adult now, as am I. You can take care of yourself.
I weave my fingers through yours, and you lean your head on my shoulder as we walk. The road is visible now. Some part of me wishes that we could stay together a little longer.
I wish I had listened.
"Freddie?" you say my name, and my eyes snap to meet yours.
"Yeah?"
"I'll always be here for you. No matter what happens. I promise," you reassure me, and I smile.
"I'll always be here for you too, Daphne. I love you," this time, the words are clear as I intended. No awkwardness. You smile, those cerulean swirls dancing as you stare at me.
"I love you too, Fred."
We reach the sidewalk. Time to cross the road.
Time to cross the road.
You lean up quickly and kiss me, but it lasts for only a moment. If it had just lasted a little bit longer. But maybe you knew. Maybe you knew what was coming.
We step into the road: together. One, two, three, four steps. I counted.
Neither of us heard the engine. The screech of the tires. But I can hear it now.
A drunken driver, speeding through a residential area. What are the chances?
My head turns to the left, just in time to see the glare of the headlights and the hollow eyes of the driver. I hate him for what he's done to me. But what can I do about it? Nothing.
I don't think you even knew what happened. You didn't seem to notice the car. So naive, so innocent.
It hit us. Hit us both with a force that I've never felt before: it was out of this world. He must have been travelling over fifty miles per hour. Bastard.
We slammed against the tarmac. Bones broke. My life shattered before my eyes. I blacked out.
When I woke up, the first thing I saw was your figure sprawled across the road. Your once lively body was now a crumpled heap, limbs disfigured and unnatural looking. But the most harrowing thing was the blood. The large puddle of crimson liquid beside your skull, broken from the impact. You were so fragile.
The most surreal thing was that my fingers were still linked with yours, although now your previously warm and perfectly manicured fingers were now cold and bloody.
I was in pain from my injuries, but when I saw your lifeless body I felt anguish like I've never felt before, and have never felt since.
I felt like my whole life had fallen apart right in front of me. You were my whole life.
I remember when they told me that you had died. I don't know why it came as such a shock. I knew you were dead when I saw you. I guess some part of me had wanted to believe you were fine. You would bounce back, like you always had. It pained me even more when they told me that I'd been put into a coma for two months, and that the funeral had already taken place.
You were my angel. I guess you had to return to heaven sometime. But I didn't think it would be so soon.
Why did I survive? They told me that when someone is hit by a car travelling at that speed, they have less than a 1% chance of survival. If that's true, then why didn't I go with you? It's not fair. I wish that I could have died with you, or that you would have survived.
I felt numb. I couldn't accept that you were gone. My mother tried to help me understand, but being the religious person she is, she could only find certain ways to explain it.
"Sometimes people are too good for this world, so God asks them to come up to heaven and aid him."
That makes me feel better in a way. Gives it some sort of justice. I need to find some sort of justification for your life ending in such a violent, horrible way.
I love you, Daphne. You may have not have been able to keep your promise to me, but I'll keep mine.
Daphne... my angel.
My eyes snap open, and I sit up in the bed. I feel her shift beside me, mumbling slightly at the disturbance. I can't escape the past, not even in my dreams. You're always there, Daphne, like you said you would be.
"Freddie, are you alright?" she asks sleepily, sitting up beside me and gently caressing my back with her fingertips. Her touch sends shivers down my spine, and I nod slowly.
"Yeah. I just..." I pause, wondering if I should tell her the truth. She knows about what happened to you, Daphne, but not the full extent of the effect it's had on me.
"...were you dreaming about Daphne?" she asks, catching me off guard. I turn to see if she's angry but instead she seems calm, sympathetic even.
"...y-yes." I stutter, and she smiles sadly.
"I'm sorry about what happened, Fred," she says, her voice honest as she speaks. She's told me the same thing before, and I assume she couldn't think of anything else to say. Either way, I appreciate her words.
"I know."
A few minutes pass, each of us sitting in silence. Then, slowly, she lies back down in the bed, pulling me with her. She snuggles into my figure, resting her head on my torso and wrapping her arms around my waist. I return the favour, using my arms to secure her against me. Sometimes I hate myself for moving on, Daphne. I really hate myself.
"I love you, Freddie. Try and get some sleep," she whispers, and I manage a smile.
"I love you too, Anna."
Anna; my girlfriend. The only woman who would accept me for who I was, apart from you, of course. She listened as I told her all about you, and what happened. She's beautiful, and I love her with all of my heart.
But she'll never be you, Daphne. And I don't expect her to be.
That wouldn't be fair of me.
But life isn't fair.
...I should have convinced you to stay a while longer, all those years ago.
I'm...
I'm sorry Daphne. My angel. My one true love.
Why didn't you take me with you?
I'm not so sure about this, guys, but I thought I'd post it anyway. Please leave a review anyway, I'd really appreciate it :)