Fresh Start
Ryanne experienced months of seclusion as he grew accustomed to living alone and spending late hours taking on new tasks at work. He enjoyed the distractions from the quiet, empty walls of his flat. Although time had eased the sharp pangs, solitude had brought back memories of the lost, poignant and poignant.
Coworkers insisted that Ryanne attend a downtown festival on a Saturday as they thought the change of scenery would cheer him up. Stumbling among people in the midst of bright music and funfair rides, he grinned nicely but felt distant, longing for Laika's contagious giggle by his side.
Observing pairs openly embracing just exacerbated feelings of loneliness as they clung tenaciously despite rational realization that their relationship had reached its inevitable conclusion.
Ryanne disappeared down a quiet seaside walk as darkness set, hiding behind the sparkling sky and crashing waves. Pulling his jacket closer against the chill of fall, he prayed thoughtfully to far-off stars and currents that carried the wreckage of their broken aspirations away from sight. While his heart was still partially in Laika's tender hands, he found peace there acknowledging that living in the past served no useful purpose longer.
As new habits established familiar underpinnings, days became increasingly blurry. Ryanne softly addressed his professional difficulties, diverting his attention from the void that he threatened to fill if given the chance. Colleagues saw increases in the proactive leadership giving fulfilment that was absent on a personal level, as well as an assured manner.
Evenings spent working on research projects that absorbed the intellect but ignored the soul's need for warmth, company, and the sharing of ideas conveyed earlier. He was aware that distractions couldn't fill the gap indefinitely, yet he still thought it was sensible to put off sadness until one was ready.
Friends talked Ryanne into attending a campfire gathering by the river on a windy Saturday. He arrived late and stood back to watch the active interaction, wondering if socializing was still worthwhile. That's then he noticed a familiar figure dancing over the flickering flames: Laika stood grinning among the new faces, her thin body exquisitely haloed by swirling flames that brought lively conversation to life. The soft elegance that radiated from her face, still evoking happy memories, made his heart skip a beat.
Physical distance notwithstanding, she had an enduring need to be by her city's meandering canals, where meaningful stories had taken root. Maybe one day, chance may present itself to give a complete explanation and provide closure, provided that destiny allows for empathetic grins to appear beneath sparkling lights, silently witnessing their young love's transient but priceless moments.
When Laika noticed Ryanne peering longingly out of the shadows, she responded with a little wave and sympathetic, gently wrinkled eyes. He retreated silently into the night, determined that their merging journey ended happily and that there would be no bitterness where only beauty remained. He returned a barely noticeable grin, acknowledging the bittersweet fragility distinguishing the distinct roads taken.
Though necessity won out and each season brought gifts within certain bounds, perhaps one morning light would beam upon fresh hopes. For the time being, it was enough to recall the affect that permeated the ebbs and flows between souls while they navigated life's enigmatic dance individually beneath kind stars that preserved what was once precious.
