Chapter 4: "Come Away, Come Away"
June 15, 2003
The parking lot was hot under
the summer sun—June, Val decided, was no picnic when there hadn't been any rain
for three days, there was a heat wave going around the county, and the local
swimming pool was being pumped. She had had it easy, because Tyler's country
club had a swimming pool and he invited her over whenever she wanted, but
still… Speaking of Tyler, he had wanted to meet her here—but where was he?
Val sat down on a bench situated
in a garden in a park at the edge of the parking lot and looked around,
waiting. They would be celebrating their two year and two month anniversary
next week. They hadn't been able to celebrate their two year or two year and
one month anniversaries properly since Tyler had gone on a student exchange for
six weeks, but now it was June and they could actually celebrate. Both thought
it was a nice achievement, considering that two years was half of their high
school life and they had no intention of ending their relationship. Val had
chosen University of Illinois over UCLA, since Tyler wanted to major in
computer science and technology at UI… even if UI didn't have a strong medical
program at all. Val still hadn't decided completely—she could go to Michigan
and still be close to him.
Maybe I should talk to him
about that today, she said to herself. I mean, I'm already delayed in
giving them my answer.
"Hey."
She hadn't even noticed him come
up behind her, and she jumped, but didn't turn—Val knew his voice.
"You startled me," she said
unnecessarily as he sat down next to her.
"Sorry I'm late," apologized
Tyler, "there was a jam up by Ninth."
"It's okay," responded Val,
kissing him and leaning into his chest. "You weren't too late."
"Good." He let his arm fall
around her shoulder as he breathed in the flowers and sunshine. "It's so
gorgeous out."
Val's eyes sparked merrily and
she laughed. Tyler immediately looked at her and tensed slightly.
"What'd I do?"
"Nothing." Val stopped giggling,
with apparent difficulty. "You just sounded… strange."
"And that's an excuse to laugh
at me?" By this time Tyler's eyes were laughing as well. "Some girlfriend you
are!"
"Oh, come on," Val said, "you
know you love me."
"Yeah. I do." Tyler kissed her,
and once their lips had parted they stayed like that for a moment, letting
thoughts take over silently.
"What did you want to tell me?"
Val inquired, shattering the quiet.
"You first." Tyler could sense
she had something to say, and that it was important. Val took a deep breath.
"Well, I'm sending in letters to
my colleges tomorrow and I want to make sure I get a chance to talk to you
first."
"Where are you going?" Tyler
questioned, knowing he couldn't take it for a given she was going to UI. "Have
you decided?"
"That's the issue," Val replied.
"I haven't decided between UI or Michigan or UCLA."
"UCLA is far away," commented
Tyler. "But it does have a great medical department."
"Yes." Val didn't know if she
could discuss this without some reaction from either herself, Tyler, or both of
them. It was a sensitive subject—in different colleges and states, they might
grow further apart than they thought they could. "But you are going to UI.
Michigan is close to UI, and UI is even closer to you."
Tyler sighed and leaned more
into the back of the bench. A piece of wood, but it was absorbing his emotions
like a sponge.
"Look, Val, you know UI doesn't
have a good medical department. Maybe—you shouldn't go there."
The hurt in her eyes was
obvious—he hadn't chosen his words well.
"You don't want me to go to UI
with you?" she asked softly, her voice a whisper etched with pain and
disbelief.
"No! I want you to go! But…
maybe it's not what you want."
"How do you know exactly what I
want?" Val asked. Tyler winced. She hadn't chosen her words carefully, either.
"No, Val—look, all I'm saying
is, we're in high school. Next year, college. We're growing up, and we can't
help it. I don't want to force you to make decisions that you have to make. I
don't want to be a burden, and… I want you to be your own person. So… maybe we
have to think a little. About what we really, really want."
Val
inhaled sharply.
"Is
this goodbye?" she asked, eyes questioning.
"No!"
Tyler was insistent—how was he supposed to lose Val over something that hadn't
even been meant that way?
"Thanks
for ending it now—it's better than later, when I actually might have died of
heartbreak." Val's throat forced out the words. No, she didn't want to have it
now than later! She wanted to enjoy it while she could.
"But,
Val, I don't want to—"
"Guess
that it's too late, huh?" The words were bitter, and her look of hurt made it
all the more painful. Tyler tried to figure out what was in her eyes, and what
she wanted. "Look, Tyler, I don't want to be a burden either. So goodbye." She
stood from the bench… and Tyler could to nothing but watch as she took steps
away from him and away from all he was trying to tell her, away as she broke
his heart and as he broke hers.
Away.
Why
do I have to cry?
Why
did I fall in love with you;
Why
do I have to die?
Fly
away, fly away
But
why are you flying?
Come
away, come away
But
how did I hurt you?
Walk
away, walk away,
Do
you obey my every call?
When
I left, did you fall?
Did
you fall?
And so
five long years had passed. Val had cried that night, and Tyler's face had also
been stained with tears. Five long years… Val went to UCLA, Tyler went to UI
and moved to San Francisco to start Connell Cellular. Val was top of her class
and was an assistant doctor-in-training at the local hospital.
And
until a psychology major by the name of Melissa Daniels interrupted, neither of
them were completely happy…
Are your wings gone?
Did you fly in the night?
Some say I'm wrong—
Are they really that right?
Should I start my life—
Only to die?
I want to ask so many questions—
And I want to know why
Fly
away, fly away
But
why are you flying?
Come
away, come away
But
how did I hurt you?
Walk
away, walk away,
Do
you obey my every call?
When
I left, did you fall?
Did
you fall?
Hmm, maybe I should have titled it 'Did You Fall?' instead,
but hey, the song was spontaneous combustion of my mind. No, it doesn't rhyme,
but I was visiting my school for next year today and they were discussing
poetry—so I started thinking about free verse and voila, a song. Oh well. Hope
you enjoyed reading!
~Ivy Leaves
PS – Thanks everyone who reviewed For The Gold for telling
me age didn't matter. I'm honored you think I'm a good writer, and Darkchilde,
about third person omnipresent—I have no idea where I learned that. Maybe the
free poetry book I got after going to state for my poetry in a writing contest.
(Okay, that was a shameless fishing for compliments.) For a while I just called
it 'third person with lots of characters,' so it's not THAT great that I know
it. Bye!
