The Bestfriends

25

As if the God knew what Julien was feeling, the rain came pouring along with his tears as he held the weak and beaten up Amber in his arms. His hands were trembling as he brushed her cheeks and wiped the blood covering her face – her sweet, beautiful face, now bruised and injured.

Julien sniffled loudly making the woman in his arms gather her consciousness.

Amber's eyelids were heavy and her eye sight was blurry – almost getting black and red. As she opened her eyes, the first thing he saw was his beloved's concerned face. The man was saying something and she knew, despite the loud ringing in her ears that made her partially deaf, she knew he was calling for her name.

"Amber."

Oh, how she loved when her beloved called her name. It was like music to her ears, like listening to her favorite classical music, like being enveloped in a warm hug and never letting go. It was like being pulled into a pool of honey because of how sweet the young lad said her name.

But tonight, she felt scared when Julien called for her name. She felt terrified that it might be the last time she'll hear him say his name.

But what use would it be being anxious? She knows she will survive. She knows she'll be okay. She knows she's strong enough to live.

For him. She thought. I will live for him.

So, although weak, she tried to raise her arm and felt the warmth of Julien's cheeks, trying to wipe the tears falling from his eyes.

Although weak, she tried to force a smile on her lips, trying to assure him she was okay and that there is nothing he should worry about.

Although weak, she tried to look strong, trying not to make Julien blame himself with what happened.

"I love you."

Although weak, she tried her best to make out the words she wanted to say, trying to make Julien stop from crying...

Because it made her weaker, it broke her seeing him cry, it made her worried, it made her feel guilty for doing something so reckless that would hurt his beloved.

He had loved him ever since they were kids. Third grade when they first met, and third grade when she started doing everything that she could to protect Julien, to not let anything terrible happen to him.

Julien was a victim of bullying when they were kids. Amber witnessed it all – how the others would throw his stuff away, how the mean ones from their class would draw and write horrible things at his desk, how the bigger kids would beat him up for not particular reason, how the class clowns would make fun of how Julien lived.

Because Julien came from a poor family, parents divorced with only his father trying to tend to him and doing the best he could to give his son the life he'd always wanted to give him.