Thousand Paper Cuts

Thirty-two : unbridgable distance

Mark :

The love they shared could be seen in their eyes. What are the chances that you meet someone like that again in your life? Not everybody finds true love and he realized he did not want to lose her still. He did not want to lose her ever.
And in a way, he never really did lose her. She was everywhere and nowhere.

When he woke up that morning (he had barely slept, of course), he found something in the drawer.
It was a letter, from Lucas.
His heart dropped.

..........

25th March, 1996
Mark,
I'm sitting here in our favourite place in the deep woods, writing to you. These may be the last few days of my life, as the poet wrote :" from all I've seen of life / take me far, far away". Believe me, I've had the time of my life with you. Remember how the sky never stopped being pretty over here in the woods? And how long we used to stare at it? God, I could have done that forever.
But my days are numbered here (everyone's are), and you have to understand and perceive that I can no longer suffer from realm of human consciousness. Hurt tends to drown out everything, and the farther I tried to reach the shore, the more I was being tossed against the endless rocks.
I'll forever be grateful for the happiness you've given me. And it wasn't the kind of happiness like a butterfly, but rather the one like a shadow. I hope you're reading this, and have already forgiven me for this unforgivable thing I'll be doing soon.

-Lucas

.........

Skye :

Running away from him felt like running away from something you can't quite escape. But just like every beginning has an end, she thought maybe letting go is the part of journey too.

The wedding (she still couldn't believe it) would be just after a week in this small ancient church in central New York. Mia couldn't stop being over-excited for the event.
They both were sitting in Skye's room, getting ready for a pre-wedding party that'd be at some nearest night club few minutes later.
"Oh my God, Skye, can you believe it?"
"Believe what?", she asked, while finding something to wear. She always had to 'find' something to wear because mostly all she had were just oversized sweaters and cardigans.
Mia inhaled deeply, and with a goofy grin on her face she said,
"That my dumb best friend is finally getting married! I'm so happy for you! God, you've grown up. It feels like yesterday when we used to eat eachother's lunch."
She realized what Mia was doing : she was trying to ease everything, like an easy getaway, trying to tell her that everything would be fine, and that what had passed had passed.
She knew this because just like Mia, she was trying to do the same thing. She wanted to reach the point where she'd master the act of forgetting. To forget that her first and real love she had for him couldn't ever be replaced.

"You know", Mia smiled while applying a dab of perfume, "I want you to look hell sexy on your wedding day. It's an important day after all. Because just like death, wedding comes once in life."
It wasn't quite true. Wedding can come again and again if it's a wrong one.
Anyway, she shrugged and replied,
"I'll just wear a nice decent dress."
"Have you bought the dress?" Mia asked out of curiosity.
"No, but I'll manage."
She thought about the word "manage", and the way her whole life had been spent managing things, like Trees for Christmas, paying off the bills, and trying to fit in without having her heart's desires overcoming her.
Mia moved around the bed, stood near her and replied,
"You don't have to."
"What do you mean?"
They sat together on the bed and Mia spoke,
"I had just sold Blue Citrus yesterday. I'll keep half of the money, and with the rest I'll buy you the best wedding dress ever!"
Skye's jaw dropped.
"Whatt?! You sold Blue Citrus? Do you.....do you even know how many memories we had with it?"
"Shh", Mia whispered, "It's no big deal. It was just a car with a weird name. Plus, mother's gonna buy me another one this year. But right now, everything's about you."
"But, Mia....."
"No Skye", she said, "I'm happy for you and I'm doing the best I can."
Skye had tears in her eyes. She didn't deserve any of that. Slowly, she spoke,
"You already have done everything by being here with me. Friendship itself is the greatest reward."
Mia smiled,
"Oh my poetic soul", and gave her a warm hug.