See you, Laurent.

ii

"Astrid."

Suppose there's a single word, to sum up – deep, mellow, vibrant, hallow – that would have passed to describe what I felt when you called me by my name. I would have given the stars their rewards for that single night of March 2020, for they shone the brightest above us.

"What is it?" I asked you back, carefully concealing the giddiness that had been eating me up from the inside.

At that moment, we looked straight out of an indie film – the sunset palette gradually creeping into the sky, us carrying the bags jam-packed with books and papers, us in our dull school uniforms – everything was perfect, both blissful and gloomy.

We always met the night after school because we preferred walking to mounting on vehicles on our way home – so maybe we could offer companionship a little longer.

"Would we become the persons we want ourselves to be?" That was what you asked with an unexplainable tone and air.

I would say yes – because if I say no, that puts you and me in shackles.

"Of course, Laurent," I answered. Laurent – what a beautiful name for a man.

That night, you gave me a smile worth more than a hundred diamonds, glistening with a genuine roll of happiness, much more expensive than golds and silvers. You have always been shiny–with that tall height of yours that every guy in our school envied, your tanned skin that outstands any other shade, and the dimple in your left cheek that reveals itself when you speak and chuckle.

"You sound very sure..."

"I am sure," I firmly answered despite my shaky voice. "I am sure we can reach the finish line, Laurent."

You gave me a glance overflowing with hope, dreams, and flowers; all I could think of then were daisies and tulips.

"You're braver now, huh?"

I didn't answer you anymore that night because I liked how our feet were in synch, walking and swaying together. You were my childhood best friend, irreplaceable and matchless.

With you, I was braver.

With you, I was bolder – no matter how cruel the world was, there would always be a haven to which I could come home.

And I wouldn'tbe more sure to fail and trip because there would always be you. You'll never leaveme. Or so I thought?

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