Heal my heart.

16

Alastair
What? What did she just say? I turn back. She's standing there crying, wiping her face. I hold her by her shoulders. "What did you say Gracie?"
"I still love you." Her eyes are cast downwards, tears hanging on her eyelashes.
"Look into my eyes and say that."
"I love you."
I envelope her into my arms. I feel like I'm holding life close to me again. After so many years, it's like I'm breathing. I hold her in tightly. I'm clinging on to my dear life right now.
We seperate. "Shh, don't cry now." I say softly as I wipe her tears away. "Smile." She sniffed. "Grace smile for me." I say.
Her lips curved up a bit. A thought hit my head. "Do you love him?" I ask.
"You think?" She asks her big eyes boring into mine.
"I want to hear it from you."
"No I don't. I've loved you as long as I can remember. There was no one else, and there will be no one else." My heart and ego both puffed with happiness.
"Let's dress your wound up." She says. She takes my hand and leads me towards the bathroom. There she turns the taps on in full force. She gently places my palm below the running water. Very lovingly, she runs her hand along my wound, cleansing it gently.
"Ow." I wince. She pulls her fingers away. "Are you okay?" She asks with concern etched across her face. I snigger. She laughs. Loudly. Carefree. Like the seventeen year old Gracie she was.

Gracie
These old tricks of his make me realize that some part of him is still here with me. Saying that I love him was no easy decision. It took every ounce of courage that I had in my body to accept it. It was like I was standing on a thin line, where there was the deep pit of heartbreak on one side and a pit of flowery love on one side. And I took the plunge, a big risk. Wait, he didn't say if he loved me back or not!
"Alastair." I look up as I finish tying the bandage on his hand.
"Hmm?" He's already looking at me.
"Do you love me?" I ask.
"Are you blind?" He asks.
I blink.
"Ever since I've known you, you're the only girl I've thought about. I've been trapped, in this magic of yours. You mean the world to me and more. You're my only family, friend and every other relation there is. You don't know how very special you are."
This. This is what I find with him. He doesn't make me feel beautiful, sweet, smart; none of that. He makes me feel important. Like the world is lucky to have me. And that's what I find with him that I can't find with anyone else. With him, I feel special.
I cleared my thoughts and tried to control my smile. I smile too hard when he's around. Like a clown.
His wound dressed and aided, I drifted towards the kitchen.
"I never thought this would happen." He says, leaning against the refrigerator.
"What?" I ask, taking out some vegetables to go along with the pasta.
"That I would get you back."
Where else would I have gone? People return to where they belong.
"Same here. I thought that you'd already moved on."
He grabs me by my waist and pulls me to him. I slide my arms around his neck. "This is what I craved for all these years."
I keep my head on his chest. I can hear his heartbeats and aside from his laughter, this is the best sound in the world.
"I hope you didn't find anyone else." I say.
He suddenly stands up straight. "Umm Grace, there is..."
"Shhh." I whisper closing my eyes. "Don't ruin the moment."
He relaxes but not completely. Does he want to say something? All that can wait though. I'm too much in need for him right now.

Alastair
I gently pick up her hair and place it on the pillow. Brown waves tumble across the bed. The bell just rang. I check the time. We slept for a good three hours. And mind you, we literally just slept together. Her head on my chest and my hands around her. I got up and opened the door.
Ivy.
She's standing there with her handbag and glasses perched on her head.
"Hey, you here?" I ask.
"Yeah. I went to Gracie's office and the receptionist told me she disappeared after asking about you. So I just assumed."
She came in and gave me a friendly hug. "How are you? It's been so long." I say as I usher her in. Good thing is that I and Gracie cleaned the room, so it is actually sparkling. She sits on the couch. I scratch my head.
"Actually Gracie is inside."
"What is she doing?"
"Sleeping."
Her eyes widen in horror. "Don't tell me-"
I jerk up. "No it's not what you're thinking. Calm down. Nothing happened."
She narrows her eyes at me. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I am!"
"It's just that I don't want you to hurt her again. She's already been through so much."
"I won't hurt her. The last seven years haven't been very easy on me too."
"You should have looked at her. You didn't just walk away from her, you walked over her. She was devastated, as if the world crashed down on her. She changed, you know? From cutely optimistic, she went to beautifully tragic. From love for life, she went to an affair with death. She was like a mere shadow of her former self."
"Do you mean to say that now I should stay away from her? Because that sure as heck is not going to happen."
"Not exactly. I won't interfere, but you break her heart and I'll break your head."
I looked at this girl wierdly who's in my house threatening me about doing something that I'll never do intentionally.
"I get it." Is all I say.
"Yeah. And don't use her."
"I'm not. We haven't even kissed ever since I met her.
"It's only been two weeks. Let's see. Also, she loves you madly. She hasn't dated anyone ever since you left."
"I assumed."
"Take care of her. I gotta go."
She left after that. What's up with girls and their friends? A stray thought fleets across my mind. Whatever happened to the best friendship of Gracie and Melissa?