In-Between The Lines

Chapter 8

Today was a good day, I could feel it. He hadn't yelled at me, he hadn't cried like there was no tomorrow, and he hadn't stared into a void I couldn't see, not saying anything. And I didn't care how long it lasted. I just wanted to remember this day.

I opened my eyes groggily and looked around. My room was dark with shadows, and I yawned as I sat up. I had fallen asleep with my phone in my hands, and it was now buzzing rapidly. Gabriel Calling Flashed across my screen, and I smiled.

"Why hello there, my queen. I hope I didn't wake you up." He spoke through the phone, and I could here the smile in his voice.

"Why, you did my King, but it is of no importance, " I said, making my voice as cheesy as possible. I played back down against my mattress, and fell into my pillow.

"Well, if you could clear your schedule, Your Highness, I would like to take you to a place full of mystery and wonder. A, royal vacation of sorts. Would you accompany me?"

"Of course, Your Highness," I said still laughing as he hung up.

I jumped out of my bed, and threw on my clothes. Staring out the window, the mist outside shimmered and I closed my eyes. It was days like this that I lived for.

When I heard the doorbell, I practically ran into Gabriel at the door. The sun was shining through his fringed brown hair, and his bright blue eyes shone. I faltered.

"What's wrong?" I asked. He was staring at me silently with his mouth slightly open.

"Nothing at all," he said. "Its just especially at times like this, I remember what it feels like to be in love. When I look at you, it's like everything that was ever missing from my life is given back to me."

I looked at my feet, my face red. He held out his arm, and I took it, smiling. Still holding my arm, he brought me to his car, and started driving on a desolate dirt road. I smiled as he told me jokes that were so bad, they could cheer anyone up. It was only after I had just finished laughing about the newest one that he stopped the car.

"Alright. Now close your eyes and give me your hands. "

I did, and he slowly guided me towards a place I didn't know.

"Where are we?" I asked, even though I knew I would find out soon.

"Find out for yourself, " Said Gabriel and he took away his hands.

I opened my eyes and was immediately hit with a blast of sunlight. We were in a small clearing no sign of houses or buildings. I was standing in a field full of bright green grass, which was slightly wet with dew drops. Flowers sprinkled the place, and I could hear a stream bubbling away. I was taken aback, and when I looked at Gabriel, he was pulling two tree stump stools and a basket out of the trunk of his car. He smiled at me.

"I know it's a bit cheesy, my lady, but I thought it would be nice just to have an old fashioned picnic away from everyone. " He held out his hand.

I laughed. "There's nothing wrong with old fashioned, mylord. " and I took it.

He set down the stools and opened the basket. Inside was a pack of Graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate, and a pitcher of lemonade.

"All homemade," he said with a grin.

"I hope you don't mind smores. "

I grinned back. We both talked and ate until the sky started to become tinged with orange and pink.

I lay in the grass, with my head resting on Gabriel's stomach. Fireflies glowed around us, and the sun was almost completely below the horizon. He held my hand, and stroked my long blonde hair as he talked in hushed tones.

"Well, the painter has outdone himself today, " he said as he looked up into the bright colored sky.

"What do you mean?" I asked closing my eyes. He looked down at me.

"Just look at the sky. Don't you know that every time an artist passes away, God lets him paint the night sky as a final wish? " He gently pulled my chin up, and I gazed at the sky. There were so many wisps and streaks, all blending together to create a masterpiece. I smiled.

"Someday, I'll be there, painting the sky. " I said, closing my eyes again.

Gabriel sat up and pulled me into his lap. He took my other hand and pulled me closer to him.

"I'll be right there with you," he whispered in my ear, and he held me close to him. All through the night, he held me, as if he was afraid I would fall off the Earth if he let me go.

****

I sat up straight in bed, and looked around. I was in my dark bedroom, nowhere near a picturesque field. I was in my bed, having just woke up from a dream of a memory from far too long ago. It wasn't long before the tears were raining down my face. I had actually believed that I was there, and not alone in a dark house. I stood up and yanked the curtain away from the window. The sky was dark, but the clouds swirled with black, grey, blue, and purple. I looked at it for a long time, and it was then I was reminded that he had painted his sky long before mine.

****

         Isn't it terrible how even if a person dedicates their life loving a person, they might not ever get anything back? Isn't it inhumane how one person can love a person forever, and the other will never love them? Isn't it awful how two people can be in love that they believe will never die, can have everything they ever wanted, and suddenly be ripped apart and separated forever? It's times like these when I ask myself, "How can our world be so cruel?" But then I realize: we made the choice to let ourselves love. And every choice comes with a price, even if some prices are bigger than others.