Echoes Of The Unseen

EOTU -OCHO

Reverie sat on the edge of her bed, the soft fabric of her pink pajamas draping loosely over her frame, offering a sense of comfort. The rain continued its quiet tap against the window, a gentle reminder of the night that had just passed. She reached up and absently ran her fingers through her now-dry hair, her mind still replaying the image of Aries and Vivienne on the stage.

Prom king and queen.

That used to be us.

Reverie's chest tightened as the memories came flooding back. A few years ago, she and Aries had stood on that very stage, hand in hand, crowned as prom royalty. The cheers, the applause, the dazzling lights -it had all felt like a dream back then. She remembered how his fingers intertwined with hers, how his eyes had shone with pride as they looked at each other, as if they were the only two people in the world. They had been happy. Or at least, she had been.

Her gaze dropped to the corner of the room, where the dress from tonight's prom lay neatly folded on the chair. It shimmered faintly under the soft light of her lamp. Her heart twisted at the sight. That dress... She hadn't worn it in years. Aries had bought it for her, back when they were together. The memory of him presenting it to her flashed vividly in her mind -his excited smile as he held it up, insisting it was the perfect color for her.

And it had been. She'd felt beautiful, like the world was theirs for the taking. She wore it again tonight, maybe foolishly thinking that those old memories could bring back something that was long gone.

But now, Aries was up on that stage again, and this time, he wasn't standing next to her. He was standing beside Vivienne Rosalinda -his ex, the one girl she had never been able to shake from his past. They were back together now, as if time had never passed between them. The way they smiled at each other, the way Aries had looked at Vivienne, it was the same way he used to look at Reverie.

Reverie pressed her palms into her knees, trying to stop the flood of emotions that threatened to spill over. She had told herself it didn't matter anymore, that she had moved on. But seeing him like that, with someone else, had made her realize how much of her heart was still tangled up in him.

She sighed, leaning back against her pillows, staring up at the ceiling. Her chest felt heavy, like a weight she couldn't lift. She wasn't angry with Aries, not really. He was allowed to move on, just like she should. But it didn't make it hurt any less.

I shouldn't have worn that dress.

She closed her eyes, the image of Aries and Vivienne still lingering in the darkness behind her eyelids. There was nothing left to hold on to, she realized. Nothing but memories.

And memories couldn't keep her warm at night.

- 27MARCH2004