Wrong Person, Write Love.

Prose 034: Alumni Homecoming

Nobody told me that you'd be here tonight.

Just when I was enjoying the my favorite song I requested my friend to sing live, I saw you for the first time since that day we graduated and bid our last farewell to each other. You looked strangely familiar; your smile reminded me of how you asked for my name that first day of class when we became seatmates. You've become taller and your hair style changed, but the way you look very cool in everything you wear is still the same.

I was caught off guard. For so long I've tried to accept the fact that I may not see you ever again because you've gone somewhere far away, somewhere you can reach your dreams and be with the girl you love. I wanted to take a step back when your gaze met mine because that's the same look you give me everytime you'd walked towards me to bug me about the title and the plot of the book I am reading. But I've got no book tonight; I was just standing there in the middle of the crowd with nothing to shift my attention to.

And then it happened-- you smiled at me and instantly, I felt like I was back six years ago. The same place, the same faces, and the same feelings. It felt like home; a place I thought I have long forgotten because I have done many things in my life already.

Just five minutes ago, I felt everything was perfect. I have become a well-known writer, a respected teacher, and a satisfied adult already. I have crossed out almost everything I wrote on my bucket list back when I was 16, and I've always thought I have nothing to ask for anymore.

I thought--I really thought I was happy.

But as you stood there in front of me, talking to me and smiling as if those six years that had gone were just nothing-- it made me want to curse myself for those nights when I wished to see you again even just for a moment because I really, really miss you.

There's nothing else I could do but talk to you and smile back, hoping that you wouldn't see that I've been avoiding to look into your eyes.

I just can't look at them, because even if it was just a glimpse a while ago, your eyes reminded me of the single dream that I've always thought of as so attainable; that simplest dream I never knew could be this far-fetched now.

I let go of your hand because I wanted to reach out for my dreams-- realizing too late that you were one of them too.

I guess Nicholas Sparks was right.

"Dreams are always crushing when they don't come true. But it's the simple dreams that are often the most painful because they seem so personal, so reasonable, so attainable. You're always close enough to touch, but never quite close enough to hold and it's enough to break your heart."

You've always been my dream, darling.

And you've always been enough to break my heart.

- Aries Writes, "Alumni Homecoming."