Dance With Me: An I Always Knew Story
2/16/2023
***Disclaimer: This story was inspired by a prompt provided by Reedsy.com. Prompt is provided below. Visit their site https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/ to learn more.***
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Prompt: You’re sitting at your desk eating candy hearts. You start to realize the notes on the hearts are trying to give you a message (A reimagining of the same prompt from a different perspective).
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May 26, 1980
The bright yellow school bus sputtered to a stop in front of her house. A moment later, she walked out the front door, calling over her shoulder to bid her parents farewell as she closed it behind her. He could see she was wearing one of her usual ensembles: acid wash overalls over a bright neon pink shirt and transparent jelly shoes. The sandals glittered in the sun as she walked down the steps of her house and toward the idling bus. Her hair was teased, in a high ponytail, with a scrunchie that matched her vibrant shirt. As always, she didn’t see him. Every day he would watch her walk to the bus before he sprinted down the sidewalk after her, bounding up the bus steps and ducking into a seat in the back by the window.
She moved in next door at the beginning of the summer, and he had been working up the courage to speak to her ever since. The school year was well underway now - summer was on the horizon - and all he knew was her name. But today that was going to change. He knew that sitting alone at the back of the bus wasn’t going to get him any closer to catching her eye. Taking a deep breath, he pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, resituating his backpack on his shoulder with a definitive shrug as he made his way toward the bus.
I’m finally going to say hello, he thought to himself, confident, as he cleared the first bus step. He was as ready as he would ever be, and he knew that after today everything could change, and the thought was exhilarating. That is, until he tripped up the second stair of the bus, falling onto his knee and then onto his chin, hitting the floor with a loud bang. He didn’t have to look up to know that all eyes were on him. Kids snickered and pointed as he scrambled up with an awkward haste and hurried to his usual back seat. He kept his head down, trying to hide the fact that his cheeks were the color of crimson. He didn’t dare look up to see if she saw. He couldn’t bear it if she was laughing at him too. Today isn’t the day afterall, he thought to himself as he sunk into his seat and sighed as he gazed out the window.
In his panic to get to the back of the bus, he failed to notice that she was sitting right in front of him. A few seconds after he sat down, a head peered over the seat, and when he realized who was peering down at him, his cheeks turned crimson again. It was really her.
“Hi,” she said politely, looking down at him as she waved a hand.
“Uh…” he stuttered, in utter disbelief that she was right there, talking to him. “Hi,” he croaked.
“Do you want to sit with me? You can have the window seat if you want,” she said.
The thought of her being kind out of pity for him after his embarrassing episode in front of the whole fifth grade made his cheeks burn more as he averted his eyes.
“It’s okay,” she reassured him. “Don’t worry about them. They’ll forget about it soon enough when the next poor kid slips and falls or does something embarrassing.” She smiled sweetly at him in an attempt to make light of the situation, all the while awaiting his answer.
So she did see me, he thought to himself, mortified. All feelings of adolescent terror aside, he was also relieved at the same time that he finally got his chance to talk to her after all. Even as a ten year old boy, he knew he was given a rare opportunity that he couldn’t afford to waste. With a shy nod, he slid out of his seat and stood. She rose and waited in the aisle as he took the window seat, and then she sank down next to him.
“Now we’re bus buddies,” she declared with a definitive nod. “You can sit next to me from now on.”
“Um, okay,” he said, surprised by her offer. He tried to smile, but he found himself blushing again as he tried to hold her gaze. Deciding it was best if he kept his eyes averted for the time being, he stared at his hands as she continued to talk to him.
She was sweet and friendly, and after some time it became easier for him to relax and to be himself. Once he mustered up the courage to actually talk and respond to her, they became fast friends. They sat together every day after that, and they even played together after school. They were inseparable. What was originally one of the worst days of his life turned out to be the best one he ever had, and that day quickly turned into the best year of his life.
—
1981
She moved away the summer before sixth grade, and would attend a new school the following fall. It was just across town, but it may have well been worlds away for a kid with no means to get there. The day she left, she stopped by his house to say goodbye. They didn’t make any kind of promises to each other; they were just kids, with no real understanding about the world and their places in it, unable to comprehend the reasons why adults just decide to pick up their lives and move away. All they knew for sure was that a chapter of their lives was closing and they had to go their separate ways.
“Well I guess this is it,” she said to him as they sat on the steps of his front porch.
“I guess so,” he said, at a loss as he stared at his shoes, searching for the words to say to her before she left. But he had no idea what to say. He was just a sad kid who knew he wasn’t going to have his friend around anymore. And he didn’t know how to process that yet.
“It’s been really fun being your friend,” she said after a long moment, looking at him as she smiled a sad smile.
“Yeah, it’s been fun being your friend too,” he replied, finally meeting her gaze.
And that was the last thing he said to her. She leaned in hastily, giving him an awkward peck on the lips before she jumped up and bounded down the steps, across the grass back to her house. As she scaled the steps of her porch and reached for the doorknob, she stole a shy glance at him, where he sat stunned, blushing deeply. She blushed back as she smiled at him again, and then she slipped inside and shut the door behind her. That was the last time he saw her before she moved away.
—
1986
That was six years ago. With distance and time, their friendship gradually faded away, becoming a distant memory, as most childhood friendships often do. But she was always in the back of his mind. They both grew up, and suddenly he wasn’t that scrawny kid that he was before, all legs, oversized glasses and braces. He wasn’t shy and scared anymore. After what felt like a lifetime, everyone finally forgot about the incident on the bus and he actually started to make new friends. But he never had another friend like her. Oftentimes he found himself wondering if she ever thought of him still. He was convinced that he may have even loved her once. She was his first kiss, and that’s something he knew he would never forget, even if he never saw her again. He would always wonder what would have been if she had stayed.
When he found out that she would be returning to his school that fall and would graduate there with all of her former classmates, he couldn’t believe it. He was surprised when he got on the bus one morning and saw her sitting in the familiar seat that they used to sit in together as childhood friends. He had heard the rumors, but he wasn’t sure he believed them until now. It’s actually her, he thought to himself excitedly as he made his way to the back, trying to hide his emotions as he walked by her. Just as he had drastically grown and changed after all these years, she was no longer the young girl in acid wash overalls and jelly shoes. She had grown into a stunning young woman. He wondered if she would remember him after all this time, and if he should have said hello as he passed. But something stopped him. It was the fear of years long past and the harsh reality that they were strangers to each other now, all grown up and not children anymore. Although he told himself it was silly to continue to entertain the idea of her all those years, the moment he saw her on the bus again that day was all it took to cause all of his old feelings to come rushing back.
—
1988
The next couple years would pass by in a blur of secret admiration for her. Every time he would convince himself that the time was right to make a move, he would find some way to convince himself that he was being foolish. He would stare at the back of her head in class, admire her from afar at lunch, and as always he would watch her walk to the bus before he sprinted after her and made his way to his familiar old seat in the back. She was so close and yet she seemed so far away. He convinced himself that she would never be the least bit interested in him even if he did talk to her. The overwhelming doubt consumed him to the point where he finally decided that he shouldn’t try at all, resolving to forget her altogether. But something always kept him from forgetting about her completely. He had no idea why, seeing as she probably didn’t even remember his name. And yet, every time he saw her, his heart skipped a beat and he longed to be by her side. In the back of his mind was the ticking time clock that was graduation, a constant reminder of how little time he had left to say anything. But before commencement ceremonies and bittersweet goodbyes, there was the Cupid’s Masquerade Ball, next Friday at 7PM. Knowing this could be his last chance, he decided that he would finally make his move at the dance.
—
He stood across the gym, admiring her from afar as he mustered up the courage to make his way over. She was standing by the bleachers with her friends, sipping punch and throwing her head back as she laughed. Breathtaking as ever, she was wearing a form fitting pink satin dress with a big bow sewed onto the waist. He could see her teased hair and white lipstick from where he was standing, and her bright pink eye shadow was visible underneath her white sequin masquerade mask that glittered under the disco lights. The gym was full of masked couples with arms around shoulders and waists, leaned into one another as the DJ began playing a slow song and everyone began to sway in unison. As the opening notes of “Eternal Flame” began to play, she noticed him watching her. Deciding that this was as brave as he was going to be, he started to slowly make his way across the dance floor. His palms were sweaty and his breath shaky as he locked eyes with her and tried to muster up the confidence to make it through the sea of dancers to where she stood. As he got closer, he saw her expression; it was as if she was trying to remember something she had forgotten, but couldn’t really place it. After what felt like a lifetime, he was standing in front of her.
After a long pause, he opened his mouth to finally speak to the most beautiful girl he had ever seen for the first time in years. It might as well have been the first time, because just like the first time he laid eyes on her, he was at a loss for words.
“Uh, h-, hi,” he managed to say, so nervous he could barely get the word out. Taking a moment to compose himself, he stumbled on. “I’m not sure if you remember me, but you and I grew up in the same neighborhood, right next door to each other, actually. We were friends back in middle school, fifth grade, the year before you moved away. I was the scrawny kid. You know, big glasses and braces? The one who completely humiliated himself on the school bus eight years ago in front of everyone –?” He realized he was rambling.
Get to the point, his mind screamed as he mentally kicked himself for chattering aimlessly. “Anyway, um, that’s not the point…” He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his dark hair. This was the moment.
“Look, I’ve been working up the courage to talk to you for years, ever since you came back. And I know this may be one of the last chances I get to finally do it, and I would regret it if I didn’t ask you to dance at least, before we all go our separate ways after graduation…So anyway, um…would you…would you dance with me?”
She looked at him in quiet fascination as he spoke, but she didn’t seem taken aback by this desperate declaration as he tripped over the most important words he would ever say in his life. She smiled a timid but warm smile, a smile with the potential to break a million hearts. In that moment he desperately hoped he would be fortunate enough for her to break his.
Standing before each other all these years later, it was clear that they both had changed a great deal. She was a beautiful young woman now, far from the young child she had been. He was a handsome young man now, all nerves and hormones, not much different than how he used to be as a young boy. But he had matured to be sure, and he just happened to be head over heels in love. To his surprise and relief, recognition spread across her face as she replied, “I can’t believe it’s really you,” she smiled as she let out a surprised laugh. “You’ve really grown up.” She studied him a moment longer, seemingly lost in pleasant old memories, before she added, “I would love to dance with you.” After a moment more of sheer disbelief that this was finally happening, he held out a wavering hand, offering a dance. And she took it. As they swayed together, they talked and they laughed and they got to know each other once again.
“Do you remember the time you ran your bike into the bushes after you coasted down the big hill on Stanton Street?” she asked him, snorting as she recalled a memory from their year of friendship a lifetime ago.
“How could I forget?,” he smiled down at her as they swayed to the music. “You chickened out at the last minute and I had to go down the hill alone. I was going so fast that I couldn’t stop. Mrs. Davis’s rose bushes saved my life that day. And where were you?” He added with mock betrayal.
“Hey!” She looked up at him with exaggerated shock. “I ran down the hill as fast as I could to make sure you were alright after that.” She pretended to be hurt by the accusation of being called a cowardly bird and not coming to his rescue. “If I remember correctly, I was the one who pulled you out of the bushes, doctored you up with Band-Aids and helped put your bike chain back on.” She gave him a matter of fact look as she smiled up at him.
“Yeah I know,” he laughed as he said, “I just couldn’t waste the opportunity to give you a hard time.” He smiled and sighed before he said, “Man those were the days. I remember spending every day after school together that year, and we always had a blast. I couldn’t believe it when you said you were leaving after that. I didn’t know what to say, I just felt like a piece of me was going to be missing when you were gone. I mean you were my best friend back then. And then I went from having the best friend in the world to nothing for years. But you were always in the back of my mind, and I wondered if we would have stayed friends if you never moved away. Or if we ever would have been more….” He trailed off as he held her gaze, growing more serious before he said, “And I just can’t believe you’re here now.”
At this, she blushed and averted her eyes as she swayed back and forth, her hands resting on his shoulders.
After a long pause, eyes still looking down, she said quietly, “Do you remember the day that I left?”
He knew exactly what she meant. The day that she kissed him and disappeared from his life, seemingly forever.
“Yes…I do,” he said. It was his turn to blush.
“That was pretty silly,” she laughed nervously, trying to play it off as no big deal, the single memory that had been on repeat in his mind and in his heart ever since that day. It was in that moment as a boy that he knew she was an amazing girl, and that he would never be able to forget about her. But he just let her walk away without so much as a word. And standing here before her now, he knew he couldn’t ask the impossible of her. He knew it could be too late to ask her to love him back.
“I’m sorry I did that by the way,” she said, finally meeting his gaze as she added, “I guess I just wanted you to know that I was going to miss you when I moved away…I was feeling something I never felt before but had no idea what it was. The kiss just sort of happened without me thinking. Maybe I thought it would solve our problems, or make things more clear. At least that’s how it always works in the movies, right?” she chuckled softly. “But nothing changed and before I knew it I was saying goodbye to my best friend and running away. Over the years I thought about you all the time.”
He smiled a tender smile, listening intently as she spoke. He had hoped for those words, hoped for all the years they had been apart. There was no way he would ever be able to describe what that day meant to him, even now. But he would try while he had the chance.
“Don’t be sorry,” he said to her, pulling her closer. “I may have been just a kid too, but I knew that day that you were something special, and that you always would be to me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you how I felt before. It’s the least I could have done, but I was so scared and I just didn’t want you to go. I never forgot our friendship, and I never forgot about the kiss. When you came back here last year I couldn’t believe it. I figured there was no way you would remember me after all this time. But here we are.” He couldn’t contain his joy as he beamed down at her. His heart skipped a beat as he said, “I…I also wanted to tell you something…something I needed to say the moment I saw you again but couldn’t figure out how until now…” He trailed off, desperately hoping in that moment that he could have more than this dance with her tonight, to be able to finally call her his after years of knowing she was the one. He had one chance to get these words right.
“What do you want to tell me?” she furrowed her eyebrows slightly as she looked up at him in confusion, the ghost of a smile on her lips.
Now or never, he told himself as he heard the ticking time clock in the back of his mind. He knew that this was his chance to tell her how he felt all these years, and how certain he was that he felt the same now as he did all those years ago.
“Alright, I’m going to put myself all the way out there and say this.” He took a deep breath, exhaled, and said, “I don’t know why, but I just have a feeling that somehow you’re a part of my story. It might sound dumb or crazy, but that’s how I’ve felt since day one, back when we were just kids. I was just too scared to tell you that, even when it was clear how you felt for me. I can’t get that time back, but being here with you tonight just makes me feel even more strongly about what I felt for you back then. I think we were meant to cross paths again, so that I could have a second chance to tell you how I feel. So I’m here to ask you to be with me…And if you’ll have me, I’ll be here for you as long as you like.”
To his relief, she smiled warmly up at him, seemingly unfazed by his confession and of his admiration for her. His heart was soaring, and what she said next he would never forget.
“I’ve felt the same way since we were little,” she began, beaming as she said, “What you said isn’t crazy at all. I never forgot about you either, and even though I didn’t know what exactly the feeling was back then, I know what it is now. Something told me to hold onto you, and I really do think that I loved you, and when I kissed you that day I hoped that we’d see each other again someday. I don’t blame you for not having the words to say when we were kids. We’re here now, and I know that whatever I felt back then I’m more certain of it now. I’m glad we crossed paths again too. I’m happy that I got another chance to see you. Thanks for asking me to dance. And..in case you’re wondering..” she paused as she smiled up at him with adoring eyes and a lopsided smile. “The answer is yes. Of course I want to be with you. And I’ll be here for you as long as you like too.”
Before he could say anything in response, she pulled his face down to hers and gently kissed his lips. As he leaned in and wrapped his arms around her, he couldn’t believe that he got his best friend back, who just so happened to be the girl of his dreams.
It was the greatest night of his life. From then on he knew he never wanted to let go. She was everything he always knew she was. He fell in love all over again that night, underneath a kaleidoscope of colors spinning off the disco ball as “Eternal Flame” played in the background. They danced the night away, until no one else was left and the lights came on. He drove her home, where they spent hours talking in his car outside her house, falling deeper in love and never wanting the night to end.
—
The summer after high school graduation, they spent every single day together, just like they did when they were kids. They would pass the time lounging by the pool, listening to music in her room or watching their favorite TV shows, going on dates around their hometown and sitting in his car in front of her house, talking about the future and stargazing through the sunroof. Each night they stayed up talking into the early hours of the morning, and they would make plans to see each other the next day. She was everything he ever wanted, and she felt the same about him, too. Leaving each other was going to be hard, they knew. But they also knew they had to be strong when the time finally came to say goodbye.
They were both starting college in the fall. When the day inevitably came for them to leave for school, they found themselves sitting on that familiar stoop outside of his house. Except this time, they were not saying goodbye for good. She rested her head on his shoulder, her hand intertwined with his as she held back tears. He laid his head on hers, squeezing her hand as he assured her that nothing would change and that distance couldn’t keep them apart. After a long passionate kiss and a long hug, she sprinted to her car, driving away quickly before she changed her mind. He stood on the sidewalk, staring down the road long after she disappeared out of sight. He was already lost without her. She promised to call him when she made it to Massachusetts, and he promised to call her when he made it to California a week later.
—
1991
“Hey babe, how are you?”
“I miss you too…so much. I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“Of course we’re still on for the 14th. I can’t wait to finally see you again.”
“You better be safe driving home. I need you and I love you so much. I’ll see you in two weeks.”
The next three years came and went, and despite the distance and the challenges of being apart, his love for her only continued to grow. They talked on the phone every single day, did their best to see each other on holidays, and above all they promised to come back to their hometown on the day that they got together every single year that they were away.
It was a week before their yearly meeting, and he had a big surprise planned. He wanted to sweep her completely off her feet, so he told no one about his intentions to propose. Packing up his belongings, he began his cross-country journey home, to her. He had a ring and a letter in the glove compartment, a box with Valentine’s Day gifts in the passenger seat. With the windows down and “Eternal Flame” playing on the radio, he drove day and night, looking forward to seeing the look on her face when he asked her.
He was only a few miles out of town when the rain started to come down in torrents, making it impossible for him to see the road. He knew he had to push through, to get to her as soon as possible. His whole life was waiting for him past that city limit sign, and he couldn’t keep her waiting any longer. Just for a moment, he eased his grip on the steering wheel, lost in thought about the love of his life and the future they were going to have together. He glanced down at the glove compartment, his eyes off the road only for a second or two, but it was just enough time to drift into the other lane. A moment later he lost control and everything went black.
—
When he came to, his truck was battered beyond recognition, mutilated by a tree. Somehow he managed to climb out of the truck, and all he could think to do was walk to town. He had to get to her, some way, somehow. As the rain continued to violently pour down, he did not feel the cold or his rain soaked clothes. All he could think about was getting home. As he passed the city limit sign, a wave of relief washed over him. Just a few more blocks and he would be there. With a newfound determination, he broke into a run. He didn’t stop until he reached her house. As he made his way up the driveway, he looked up to her bedroom window that overlooked the street below.
What he saw stopped him dead in his tracks. Her mother was there, holding her as she cried. Without a moment’s hesitation, he quickly made his way to the front door, bounding up the front steps and looking through the glass. He saw his parents. What are they doing here? He wondered to himself, finding the whole situation bizarre. They were sitting at the kitchen table, his mother with her hands over her face as she sobbed into his father’s shoulder. His father, holding back tears, stroked his mother’s hair. His stomach was a knot of confusion and worry as he walked into the house.
“Mom? Dad? It’s me.”
He slowly approached the table and tried to place his hand on his mother’s shoulder. And he froze. He couldn’t believe his eyes as his hand went through his mother’s arm. As he stood there, frozen in shock and looking through his translucent hand, it was then that he was forced to consider the reality of the situation, a reality he was not ready to accept. In his mind, he retraced his steps back to before everything went black. He was driving down the two lane highway. The rain made it difficult to see. A passing car began to drift into his lane. Or, rather, he drifted into the passing car’s lane. In his attempt to swerve back onto his side of the road, he over-corrected and spun completely out of control. He ran off the road and –
And then he woke up. At least he thought he woke up. Remembering how horrific the aftermath of the crash had looked, he had to reconsider the reality that maybe this was more than a terrible and twisted dream. In disbelief, he shook his head and slowly backed away, refusing to accept the truth. In that moment he remembered her crying at her window, her mother holding her as she wept.
“No, no, no, no,” he said frantically as he sprinted up the stairs, taking two at a time up to her room. Her door was open. As he rounded the corner, he called out her name. She continued to cry as if she didn’t hear him, as if he wasn’t there at all. That’s when he knew. All the promises he made and all the dreams they had were all gone. He had let her down right before he was about to give her the entire world.
He dropped to his knees as he watched her mother hold her while she cried. She knew now that he was not coming. The pain was too much to bear. He hung his head as he let out a cry of despair.
“I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry…” he sobbed into his hands, wishing that he could hold her and let her know he was still there. But he was dead, and there was nothing he could do, and there was nothing that could be undone. He knew it was time for him to go, but his feet wouldn’t move. He fought against the strong force that tried to pull him away from the life that he once knew, a life that he was just now getting ready to live to the fullest. At a loss for what to do, he stood there, watching the love of his life cry until she was hoarse. There was nothing he could offer her now. She would have to grieve and continue to live on without him, without the promise of forever.
He blindly wandered out of the house and back down the driveway. He stole a final glance at the window where she remained, mourning for a future she was never going to have with him now. He desperately wished to give her the life of her dreams one day, the one they always talked about. The big elegant wedding, the big house, the big family, everything that they knew they would have together or not at all. They couldn’t wait to share their lives with one another. He thought of all the times they had together, and he hoped that the memories would be enough for her to remember him now that he was gone.
Glancing up at the window again, he saw her wiping her eyes as she glanced up and out of her window. For a moment, it was as if she looked right at him. But he quickly saw that she was looking down the driveway, past him and out into the night, longing to see him pull up on the street below, to prove to her that this horrible tragedy wasn’t real. Knowing that this could never be, he made his peace and said goodbye, vanishing on the wind and into the night.
—
1992
A year later, he found himself at the scene of the tragedy once again. He made his way back to the familiar neighborhood, the familiar house. He didn’t know what it was, but something was leading him back to that place, to her. When he looked up at the window from the sidewalk and saw her sitting there, it felt like no time had passed. She was at her window just as she was that fateful night, searching in the darkness aimlessly. Only this time, she was alone. Somber and thoughtful instead of crippled by despair, she was reading an old crumpled note, smiling a sorrowful smile. Opening a box of candy, she emptied its contents onto the table in front of her. Conversation Hearts.
Seeing her now, he could feel the pull of her heart that must have brought him here. And seeing her there as she was before made all the feelings come rushing back, as if he had just stumbled upon her receiving the news that he was never coming home again, the old scars tearing open and bleeding anew as grief overwhelmed him once more. The scars would never heal for him as he remained stuck in an endless cycle of losing her and forcing her to go through the tragedy of losing him. He hoped that she was able to forgive him and to move on, or that she would at least be able to eventually, with time.
It was clear to him that she still loved him as deeply as before, and she still made the effort and took the time to come home to meet him in the only way she knew how, on their promised date. Watching her reminisce in her old childhood room made his heart break and soar simultaneously. At that moment he knew he owed it to her to return that same amount of love and devotion. He vowed to find a way to keep coming back to her, as long as he had it in his power, and as long as she still had love for him. In that moment he knew she always would.
“I promise,” he whispered as he disappeared into the darkness.
—
Valentine’s Day, 1995, Present Day
On the fourth year, he felt as if time was running out; he knew there was a chance that the day would come where he could no longer return to her. As the rain poured down the way it did on that tragic night so long ago, he retraced his steps from the scene of the accident once more, down the two-lane highway, feeling no chill from the wind or rain as he made his way home for the final time. As always, he ended up on the same old street, in front of the same old house. With a sense of urgency, he made his way up the sidewalk. This time, he would make his way through the house and up the stairs to her room.
The familiar sound of hard candy hitting the table fills his ears. Conversation Hearts. The same as every year before. He felt a pull to the table where the hearts lay scattered on her desk. As he approached, he could see a look of shock and amazement as she stared at the candy on the table. She seemed to be staring at one heart in particular, the one that fell right in front of her, face up. She lifted the little heart to her face to get a closer look at the chalky lettering. Turning the candy in her fingers, she read the message, her expression of shock turning into one of pleasant surprise.
RMBR
Remember.
Smiling as she held the candy between her fingertips, her mind was suddenly far away, and he found himself hoping that she was remembering him, still loving him in memory. But he knew that he couldn’t ask her to grieve over him forever. He was glad that she was able to move on, to live her life while she had the chance. He wouldn’t dream of taking her life away from her just because he was robbed of his. It warmed his heart to know, however, that she still had a place in her heart for him after all these years, and he believed that she always would. Knowing this, he knew he would be able to let go. He just wished he could make her see him, or at least hear him one last time before he said goodbye…so he could tell her that he was sorry and that he would always love her. As if the universe heard his final wish, he willed the candy hearts to spell out the words he needed so desperately to say.
Slowly coming to from her current reverie, she looked at the candies on her desk. With a furrowed brow, she began to rearrange the hearts, as if she was searching for another clue within the generic sayings. When she placed the hearts where she wanted them, she stared at the words for a long time, in disbelief at what she was seeing. Tears filled her eyes as disbelief was replaced with understanding, and he heard her read the words, whispering under her breath.
You were my story
That’s when she looked up and out the window, and he could swear that she looked right at him. In the reflection, he could see that he was suddenly in his tuxedo from the dance all those years ago. Looking at her in the mirrored view of the window pane, he willed her to see him, holding out his hand, offering her one last dance before he faded away. He knew she could feel him, but she shook her head through her tears of disbelief and looked out the window, trying to convince herself that nothing was there. Searching through the night, she seemed lost in thought, as if she was thinking of years-old memories that were all she had left to cling to. After a long moment, she rose from her desk and made her way to her CD tower in the corner. Shortly after, their song began to play, filling the room with that old familiar favorite that they danced to a lifetime ago. Smiling sadly, she made her way back to her desk, humming as she went, sinking into her chair once more.
That was the moment that she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She froze, unsure of how to react. As if she was seeking confirmation from her last suspicion that she wasn’t alone, she glanced up at the window once again. And she saw his reflection once more. This time, she slowly turned around instead of staring out the window or shaking her head in disbelief. Rising slowly from her chair, her eyes met his and fresh tears spilled down her cheeks as she said, “I knew it was you.”
He held out his hand, just as he did moments ago, and this time she took it. Spinning her around, his hand held high as she twirled underneath his outstretched arm, he knew he was home. He felt whole again for the first time in years. She leaned in close, putting her head on his chest as they swayed back and forth. They danced in silence for a long while, neither willing to let the moment end. He wished that he could dance with her forever. But in the back of his mind he knew that was impossible. As much as he hated the fates and the universe for taking him away from the love of his life, he knew the day would come when he would have to say goodbye. He stopped swaying, tilting her chin up with his fingertips so he could look her in the eyes.
“Don’t cry my love,” he whispered as he wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “I want you to honor my memory by living your life. You know I’ll always love you, and I will always want the world for you. I know you’ll always love me too, but I also know that you can’t waste a moment in this life. I’ve learned that it’s more precious than I ever thought possible, and I’ll never get the time back that I so desperately want to share with you. But I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry I left you, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for not being there. The words still ring true after all these years. You will always and forever be my story. I’ll be waiting for you, loving you always until we see each other again.” With a soft kiss, he squeezed her tight, and he willed himself to let go. She watched as he disappeared out of the doorway to her room, her expression filled with all of life’s happiness and sorrow all at once. They both knew that this was goodbye.
He stood there watching her, imagining that he was dancing with the love of his life one last time. He wished that he could hold her now, but his wild imaginings would have to be enough. He desperately wished he could bargain and trade with time and fate now, if only to buy this one moment with her, to tell her that he would be waiting for her on the other side. Knowing he couldn’t, he decided it was time to leave. He didn’t notice that she turned around and looked in his direction as he walked out of her room. With a look of uncertainty, it was as if she saw something that she didn’t believe was there, or rather couldn’t believe was there. She felt it in her bones that he was near, and she knew that he was on his way to another place. She smiled at the notion of being close to him again after all those lonely years, and was grateful to him for watching over her and protecting her always.
“Bye for now, my love,” she whispered as bittersweet tears welled up in her eyes.
As he left her house that night, he knew that there was not enough space, time or distance that could keep him away from the woman he had always loved. Even if he could not return again, he knew that wherever he was going, he would be there waiting to love her in the next life, to make up for all the years he missed in this one. Just like that, he vanished into the night forever. The last thing he saw from where he stood in the driveway was the look of pure love and surprise that passed over her face as she looked at the candies on the table in front of her. He left her with the words that wouldn’t mean anything to anyone else but her.
You are my story
THE END
Song Credit
The Bangles - Eternal Flame