A Kiss of Eternity

Sara

Ten years ago:

Mamma said, people become stars when they die.

She was one of them, too. And now, his mom is with mine. They're the beautiful stars in the sky. They're shining, bestowing light upon us.

"Do you have to go?" I asked Ved for the millionth time in the week.

It had been a week since his mother passed away. He was upset about it. I knew he was. He seemed unphased about everything but he couldn't hide from me. He was sad. I knew what it was like. I knew what he was going through. I wanted to be there for him. I wanted to hold him.

I wanted to tell him that everything was going to be fine. I wanted to tell him that eventually the pain will subside.

But it was a lie. Nothing would be fine, ever again. The pain will keep growing, get stronger. It will not subside. It will haunt our dreams in the nights. As I said, I knew it. I knew all of it.

Ved ruffled between his bags. He was packing to leave. He was leaving the country. And I had no idea when he would come back.

Dad had said that it was for his own good. That it would help him heal if he stayed away. But I didn't believe Dad. He was sending him away. Like he does everyone. He sent Mamma away. My uncle left me here and went to The USA because he asked him too. Reyansh, my cousin, went along with him. And now, Ved was leaving too. I had no one left with me.

"I'd not leave if I had another choice", Ved cupped my face in his big hands. He brushed him thumb over a tear that left my eye. I sobbed.

"I don't want you to go", I said to him looking in his big bizarre eyes. What was there in those eyes, that didn't allow me to look away? Something odd. Above the ordinary. They were exceptional. They were extraordinary. Blue lenses with green fleck and a hint of gold all bound inside dark rings around the irises.

"I will come back to you. You have my word", he brushed the small bangs on my forehead aside and planted a kiss there.

"Please don't go", I sobbed holding his forearm, "I have no friends here. You are the only one."

His shoulders stiffened. He looked deep into my eyes, "You know what, when I will come back to you, I will marry you and we will stay together. Forever."

"Is that a promise?", I asked innocently. I had no idea what the mere idea of marriage entailed. Neither of us had. Because neither of our parents were married. It was just a harmless, stupid question.

"It does sound like one, yes", he cupped my cheeks in his palms, smiling his ever-charming smile. 

I smiled too. His face lit up seeing me happy.

I took his face in my small hands and looked in his eyes. I tip-toed until my face was in level with his. God, he was so tall. So taller than me. My nosed touched his while I released a discreet sigh. His eyes snapped shut at the intimacy as he breathed uneven breaths. I closed my eyes as I softly pressed my lips on his and felt him suck in a breath. I could feel his heart beats pick up. An unwavering feeling shot down my own spine. Something I couldn't identify but it felt strangely familiar and extraordinary. Ved wrapped his arms around my back drawing me in for a hug.

I wrapped my arms around his neck withdrawing my lips from his and hugged him back, "I'm going to miss you. A lot", I whispered softly in his ears.

"I will try to return as soon as possible. And when I come back, I will never leave again. That's my promise, freckles", he buried his face in my curly, wavy hair as his hand stayed flat on my back. His breathing returning to normal.