The portrait of Angel stared back at Blair from the sketchbook, her eyes as full of life as he remembered. Drawing her had been painful, but in a strange way, it also felt like reconnecting with her. The pencil strokes were a way to remember her not in sadness, but in the beauty of who she had been bright, full of energy, and always with a smile that could light up the room.
For the first time in weeks, Blair felt a small sense of peace. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. He kept drawing, filling the pages of his sketchbook with memories of Angel her sitting on the swings at the park, her laughing with the wind in her hair, her leaning against the soccer goal after practice. The more he drew, the more the weight on his chest began to ease. It didn’t go away completely, but it felt lighter, more bearable.
One evening, after finishing another sketch of Angel, Blair took a deep breath and stared at the wall of his room. He had spent so much time isolated, trying to push everyone away, but now it was clear that healing wasn’t something he could do alone. He needed to let people in, to share what he was feeling instead of bottling it up inside.
The next morning, he decided to do something he hadn’t done in months. He texted Nick.
Blair: *You free today? I think I need to talk.*
Nick replied almost instantly.
Nick:*Yeah, man. Anytime. Where do you want to meet?*
Blair suggested the park near their school, the same park where he and Angel used to spend their afternoons. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to go back, but he knew it was time to stop avoiding the places that reminded him of her. After all, those places weren’t just filled with grief they were also filled with memories of happiness, laughter, and love.
When Blair arrived at the park, he found Nick waiting on one of the benches, looking concerned but trying not to show it. As Blair approached, Nick stood up and gave him a small smile.
“Good to see you out here, man,” Nick said, clapping him on the shoulder. “How’ve you been?”
Blair shrugged, sitting down on the bench. “Not great,” he admitted. “But… better, I guess. I’ve been drawing again.”
Nick raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Yeah? That’s awesome, Blair. I know that used to be your thing.”
Blair nodded. “It’s been hard, but it’s helping. I’ve been drawing Angel a lot.”
There was a moment of silence between them. The mention of Angel still felt heavy, but it wasn’t the same crushing weight it had been before. Nick shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say.
“I miss her, too,” Nick finally said, his voice quiet. “I didn’t know her as well as you did, but… she was amazing.”
Blair nodded, his gaze focused on the trees in front of them. “Yeah. She was.”
They sat in silence for a while, the sounds of the park filling the air kids laughing, the rustling of leaves in the breeze, the distant hum of cars passing by. It was a strange kind of comfort, being in a place so full of life while talking about someone who was gone. But maybe that was the point life kept moving, even when you didn’t feel ready for it to.
“I’ve been thinking,” Blair said after a while, his voice low. “About what comes next. About how to keep going without her.”
Nick nodded, listening.
“I thought I’d never be able to move forward,” Blair continued. “But I don’t want to forget her. I don’t want to just… get over it. I think I need to figure out how to carry her with me. In everything I do.”
Nick leaned back, his eyes thoughtful. “You’ll never forget her. But carrying her with you that’s powerful, man. She meant a lot to you, and I think she’d be proud of how you’re trying to honor her.”
Blair glanced at Nick, feeling a surge of gratitude. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t feel so alone in his grief. Nick wasn’t just giving him platitudes he was there, genuinely trying to understand, and that made all the difference.
“I think I’m ready to talk to Mrs. Harper again,” Blair said after a moment. “She’s been checking in, and I know she’s hurting just as much as I am. Maybe we can help each other.”
Nick smiled softly. “That sounds like a good idea. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”
Later that day, Blair went to visit Mrs. Harper. He had texted her earlier, asking if they could meet, and she had responded right away, saying she’d love to see him. The walk to her house felt heavy, but there was a strange sense of anticipation mixed with the sorrow. He knew it would be hard, but he also knew it was the right thing to do.
When Mrs. Harper opened the door, her eyes lit up with warmth, even though there was a deep sadness behind them. “Blair,” she said softly, pulling him into a gentle hug. “It’s so good to see you.”
Blair hugged her back, feeling the familiar weight of grief between them, but also something else something like comfort, like understanding.
They sat down in the living room, and for a while, neither of them said much. Mrs. Harper offered him tea, which he accepted, and they sat in silence, sipping from their mugs, the unspoken memories of Angel filling the room.
Finally, Mrs. Harper broke the silence. “I’m glad you reached out,” she said, her voice soft but steady. “I’ve been thinking about you a lot.”
“I’ve been thinking about you too,” Blair replied. “I wanted to thank you for what you said at the cliffs that day. It helped. More than I realized.”
Mrs. Harper smiled sadly. “I’m just glad you’re finding your way, Blair. I know it’s not easy.”
“It’s not,” Blair agreed. “But I’m trying. I’ve been drawing again. I’ve been drawing her.”
Mrs. Harper’s eyes softened. “Angel loved your art. I’m sure she’d be happy to know you’re still creating.”
They talked for a long time after that about Angel, about their shared grief, about how to keep going without her. It wasn’t a conversation filled with easy answers, but it was real, and it helped. For the first time, Blair felt like he was beginning to heal, piece by piece.
As he left Mrs. Harper’s house that evening, Angel realized that while the pain of losing would never fully go away, he didn’t have to carry it alone. He had people who cared about him, people who understood. And that made the road ahead a little less daunting.
Angel would always be with him, in every sketch, in every memory, in every step forward. And as long as he carried her in his heart, he knew he could keep moving forward, no matter how hard it seemed.
He looked up at the sky, the sun setting in soft shades of pink and gold, and smiled.
To be Continued...
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Eclipse By Love
Любовные романы"Eclipsed by Love" follows the emotional journey of Blair, a teenager whose world is forever changed after the tragic loss of his best friend and first love, Angel. Set against the backdrop of their shared passions soccer, art, and friendship the st...
