Chapter 6
Sitting perched against the pillows on her bed, the soft lamplight in the room touches on the worn -- now stained -- cover of his diary.
Wistfully smiling to herself as memories skitter across her mind, she murmur,
"What a wonderfully disastrous day."
Disastrous because she almost managed to burn his place down as well as ruin his diary.
And wonderful because she had never been more in love in her life.
It had been so perfect, the way Seifer carried her out his front door straight out side for a walk on the beach.
For hours just the both of them slowly trailed footprints in the sand hand and hand until the sun sank deep into the oceans depths.
Then later that evening the two of them sat in front of the cozy fire in his living room while sharing desert…
It was just so wonderful she hated to see the evening end.
Now while her fingers run through written pages of his deepest thoughts, she can't help wondering what other written words from his heart are there to find in these pages.
Hesitantly she open the diary, his words as always touching her soul as she begin to read....
"...Lately she's the one that's constantly on my mind. She's already a part of everything I do.
Its thoughts of her that bring me to conquer the day without hesitation.
Its almost as if we're connected through heart and mind sharing reminiscent thoughts of 'us' when the day begins until the day ends somehow knowing she can sense the emotions that stir within me when I whisper her name good night.
I'm beginning to understand what it is like to find that one special person in my life.
It's her who gives me hope and a smile on my face.
It's her who I met in an unusual place.
It's her who I just met yet know so well.
It's her who I have so much to tell.
It's her who I can talk to for hours and still have a hard time saying goodbye.
It's her who gives me the strength to climb mountains and fly.
It's her who I know is heaven sent.
It's her I could never give up for lent.
It's her who knows what I want to say before we say it.
It's her who knows how I feel before I feel it.
It's her who can make a bad day great.
It's her who I can't wait to meet for a date.
It's her who appreciates me for who I am and what I can be.
It's her who can make a lame man walk and a blind man see.
It's her who understands me more than ever before.
It's her who is everything I imagined and more.
It's her who made it all seem worth waiting for.
It's her who captured me with the first glance from her eyes.
It's her who has the look of the deepest bluest skies.
It's her who I wish was here wrapped in a blanket, so I cuddle.
It's her who if I put my arms around would not rebuttal.
It's her who I know would love to share some Ben and Jerry's ice cream.
It's her who knows my heart's desire and the life dream.
It's her who makes me feel like a knight.
It's her who I think of in the middle of the night.
It's her who knows what flabbergasted means.
It's her who seems like I could have only met her in my dreams.
The greatest thing about her is she's the woman of my dreams."
Seifer
"And you'll always be the man of my dreams." she whisper from the depths of her heart as she begin to turn the pages…
"...I was driving from the studio to her apartment so that we could go to this reception for local artists and then have diner together.
At first I thought it was great that the two of us would get dressed up to go out on the town. Cocktails, dinner, and dancing. Perfect schedule of events.
Then something came over me as I drove by the park.
Spotting two teenagers swinging, holding hands and staring at each other, I started to remissness what it must have been like to be a teenager in love.
There were no real worries but the person you had a crush on.
Remembering what it was like to get butterflies when you tried to talk but the only thing that would come out of your mouth was "hi" if anything came out at all.
Feeling like you could take on the world because you had that special someone by your side no matter where you were, what you were doing…
I grabbed the car phone and dialed her number.
I couldn't help smiling when I asked her to change into jeans and shirt. When she asked why, I told her that my heart insisted we do something else.
As soon as I got off the phone I took off my tie and unbuttoned my shirt as I began to think about where we would go instead of the reception and dinner.
Then like a message sent from heaven above as I was stopped at a signal a bus passed by with an advertisement for the boardwalk.
It had been years since I'd been there but I could still remember the music from the merry-go round and the smell of pretzels and hot dogs.
I knew that this would be a much more enjoyable evening.
I greeted her as always with a kiss that lasted a little longer than usual filled with excitement.
We got to the boardwalk just as the sun set so the night was still very young.
There we wondered the place holding hands like two school kids on a date.
The feeling was great.
I would much rather be here with her at the boardwalk then at the reception. We didn't have to worry about remembering what this person's name was or how they were related to the Vice President.
We didn't have to worry about using the right utensil or dabbing our face after every bite of food.
Instead we had ice cream before our dinner and the question of which fork to use never came up cause we ate with our hands. Hot dogs, pretzels, and popcorn was our three-course meal.
The evening was a smash as we walked around from ride to ride playing games between each. I intended to win her a teddy bear but little did I know that I'd go home with a furry little creature.
The rest of the evening was just as well. We shared cotton candy, splashed each other on the log ride, held hands on the roller coaster, and got lost in the fun house together.
The highlight of the night was taking her down to the beach to see it after dark.
We walked in the sand with our shoes off holding hands finger interlocked with each other's.
After walking for awhile we stopped to lay on the sand and watch the stars. As we lay next to each other we pointed out our favorite constellations.
It was then the question came to mind. Could there possible be two other people somewhere else on earth as happy as the two of us were that evening?"
Seifer
She remembered that wonderful evening not long ago. The excitement, the spontaneity, the hilarity of his expression when she actually won him a stuffed puppy when she struck all ten of those milk bottles down in the pyramid toss…
It was unforgettable.
Placing his diary under her pillow she close her eyes forgetting about everything accept the two of them…the only two people in the world as she drift on dreams…
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"This must belong to a very special person to go to all this trouble for."
"More than you imagine" she want to reply.
The almost too innocent stare the restorer gives her behind the counter says it all though, he understood just how special.
Had the man been too inquiring with that stare it would have made Quistis feel quite a bit more uncomfortable, but thankfully he doesn't say anything else about the diary.
Taking the diary, Quistis thank the man behind the counter, turn to leave, and then an old weathered sheet of handwritten musical notes gain her attention.
Drawn to it more out of curiosity, she walk over to an old wooden music stand where an open portfolio lays to look with more speculation.
Though the written notes look intriguing, it's not a normal written orchestration recognized for any instrument she's aware of that lays against a crushed black velvet inner portfolio.
Though minutely thread bear because of its age, her hand reaches out to skim across velvet noting its still excellent condition, then out to its outer edge where heavy stitching combines where warmed tooled leather begins and velvet ends.
Slowly she turn one side to view its front. Tooled warm leather that hadn't suffered a crack in age, pressed with a design that was more European...
"I've never seen anything like this."
"It's a couple of centuries old. The original owner was a famous Spaniard guitarist but the inheritor didn't much think it worth keeping. The one sheet in there is an original composition. I agreed to sell it. Are you interested?"
Two hundred years old? she can imagine the price -- but she instantly know it doesn't matter, it makes the perfect belated birthday gift.
It's only minutes later while walking to her apartment that she remember she and Selphie were supposed to get together for a 'girls night in' -- just a video and catching up. Checking her watch as she open the door, she figure there's a good hour before she arrives.
It gives her enough time to check through the diary to make sure everything was well restored to its original state, then get comfortable.
Trailing everything along with her, Quistis sink into a seat in the living room and pull out the diary. Running her fingers over the pages.
her conscience tells her…" don't even think about contemplating another peek",
but her heart already aches for the words that hold a special place in her heart, just as its owner does.
Slowly she unfold the pages and begin to read…
"...The last couple of days have been difficult. I've tried to remind myself she has a career of her own and that she must do what's best for her, but I just wish this show could've been closer, not all the way across country.
I remember when she began talking about the show and how mixed her emotions were.
Happy because she'd been waiting all her life for a chance like this, but sad cause she'd have to be gone for a time.
My first instinct was set on packing everything to go with her, but reality hit hard when I realized I had studio work to finish before I could do anything else.
Of course we made the best of the time we had that next week but still nothing prepared me for saying goodbye.
We were at the airport terminal hand in hand waiting for the final boarding call.
For the past hour she'd been trying to convince me that maybe she had made the wrong choice and that she should stay.
Well I don't know how I did it, but somehow I gained the strength to remind her what a once in a life time opportunity this was for her as I slowly walked her to the boarding gate.
We stopped just in front of the flight attendant and I held her in my arms. I assured her that time would fly and that I'd be there in a month to visit her while gently wiping away the uncertain tears I saw.
When I gave her one last kiss before she departed it took everything in the world to let her go but I refused to hold her back from living her dreams.
So I stood there at the window with my hand pressed against the glass and whispered another goodbye to the plane that carried her off to the runway, then took flight.
Since then I hadn't been able to concentrate on any work that I should've been getting done.
The guys knew that I had to get some thinking time in before I could continue, so I decided to go to the place where I always go in order to get away from the world.
It had been a while since I've been there, yet it was as beautiful as it always is.
As soon as I got to the cabin I took a long walk. Hours must have past because the next thing I knew it was getting dark and I began to feel as if I was in unfamiliar territory.
I thought the surrounding beauty of nature and its peacefulness would help, but no matter what I did I still couldn't get her out of my mind.
Doubts about what the next couple of months would bring us and if our hearts could survive this separation flooded into emotions.
I knew I had to be strong, believe and pray with all my soul that things would work out in due time, but at that very moment the wave of longing to feel her touch, to hear her sweet voice were too overwhelming.
From out of no where a flash of lighting and the powerful sound of thunder lit and filled the air.
And as I started back for the cabin rain fell to gently beat its own path against my head and roll down my face like tears the storm released in honor of my pain.
Then I felt it. The connection. That special bond that sometimes at the oddest moments just lets me know how very close to heart we both are even though we're not here in the same place.
Like the times at night just before drifting asleep feeling the emotion between us and almost hearing her whisper good night, I could feel her close, and knew our thoughts and our hearts were one and the same wherever she was.
When I finally got back to the cabin I started a fire then sat down and put all my feelings in writing.
My Memories of You
As the sun sets and the day leaves, I am reminded of your departure.
While the wind blows through the trees, I am reminded of your gentle voice.
As the bird sings and flies from limb to limb, I am reminded of the joy and happiness you brought me.
While the steam flows down its given path, I am reminded of life and how it could be with you.
As the thunder rolls and the cloud take their tolls, I am reminded of the heartache when you left.
While the rain drops start to fall, I am reminded of the tears that fell for you.
As the sky clears so do the tears, and I am reminded of how you brought me cheer.
While the fire burns and brings me warmth, I am reminded of when you held my hand.
Memories come and go but these will be written in the book of my life forever."
Seifer
"Close your eyes."
The soft whisper near her ear physically startles her out of her chair; as her vision glimpses a bowl of popcorn to the left. Too late to curb her reaction, instant disaster follows.
Popcorn flies like confetti as the wrapped package of her recent purchase along with the diary falls to the floor.
And there Seifer is behind the chair.
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Author's notes:
Okay, im gonna leave you hangin' there for a while :) by the way thanks again for the reviews!
Oh my God!! …one of my favorite authors actually reviewed my work!!! (fainted) x_x