Forever and Always

Forever and Always - [1]

A/N:

Before you go all Taylor Swift, this is not based on her song.

This short story is inspired by / based on a song, Forever and Always by Parachute . (video at with lyrics the side <: Read the lyrics if you want a summary of the story, but spoilers alert!) It was such a heart-wrenching song, and I cried when I first heard it.

It's really dull, the first part, but bear with it. This sugar-coated chapter is not why I wrote this story, it's just a required part to develop the story. I promise you the end will be good.

For those of you who know the song, I hope I did a good story rendition of it! Comments are forever and always, greatly appreciated. :D

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She sat near the window, staring outside with hopeful eyes, her fingers tapping against the windowsill in an irregular rhythm. At a single glance, she would appear to be daydreaming, but if you looked closer, her eyes were pools of worry and tension that reflected exactly what she felt at that moment, and many moments before that. The waiting itself was a torture, but she continued, staring into nothing, letting the time pass. The hours got later, the lost time marked by a huge grandfather clock dominating the corner of the dining room. Tick, tick, tick... The seconds moved along at a leisurely pace, as if waiting for her to catch up with reality.

He was supposed to be here. She was sure he would have called. He wasn't usually this late, and if he were, he would have called in advance to inform her if something cropped up. She was tired of waiting, but she persisted on a little longer, her faith still strong. He couldn't have forgotten. He will come! She told herself, but there was still no one in the empty driveway.

A flash of green, and a man wearing a neon green shirt appeared walking past the driveway. Her hopes went up then plunged down, like a roller coaster ride, when she realised that the man wasn't him, but one of the people he often hung out with.

"Have you seen Will?" She shouted across, her voice unconfident and shaky, but loud enough for the green shirted man to pause in his steps and look at her. He scrutinized her messy hair, tied up in a hurry, her dark-ringed eyes, her worried expression, and finally, recognition dawned upon him. Wasn't that Will's girlfriend?

"Sorry, no." He shook his head as he replied in an equally loud volume, giving an apologetic wave as he strolled off. Disappointment radiated from her, the orange tabby that was sitting on the kitchen counter sauntered off with a flick of his tail - who knows why, cats were like that.

Why, is something wrong? She thought to the cat, who glanced lazily back at her, and looked back at the window, still waiting. An irritating buzz echoed, the telephone was ringing, but it was music to her ears, it must be him.

She ran across the room, almost tripping over the cat, and grabbed the receiver.

"Hello?" She said, slightly breathless.

A female voice answered. "Is this Victoria?"

She could sense the urgency of her voice. Her sixth sense was tingling... with dread.

"...Yes." She replied with some hesitation. Why, is something wrong?, she almost wanted to ask in a fake cheery voice.

"...Something's... happened... I... You should come over right now..." The voice of Will's mother broke down into muffled sobs as her hand covered the mouthpiece of the receiver. She felt detached from reality, as her mind went back to December.

She remembered it clearly as it were yesterday. He brought her to the park, their favourite place,to celebrate their anniversary. They had been dating for five years, and every year, he would amaze her with a special gift or surprise. That year, he blindfolded her, holding her hand, and led her to "The Greatest Anniversary Present Ever".

It was winter, and it was cold. When they finally reached, she was dying to tear the blindfold off her eyes. What could it be? She wondered. He took the blindfold away from her face gently.

He had brought her to a quiet place in the park, a small unknown little corner where an even smaller pond lay. It was not cold enough for the water to freeze, but the dim sunlight made the pond appear like a shining circular piece of black glass. A willow tree bent over the quiet pond, branches drooping, most of its leaves gone, some of the orange gold ones littering the pond, the only colour on that glassy black . Under that tree was a checkered picnic mat with a dainty straw basket perched on top.

"Oh!" She gasped. "A picnic in the middle of winter!" How original and crazy of him. Who would have a picnic right in the middle of such cold weather?

Luckily, he was smart enough to bring some blankets, so the both of them huddled together and sipped on steaming hot chocolate with marshmallow bits, which he had kept in a thermos flask.

"This is a totally new experience for me." She commented, smiling at him, with his chocolate stained mouth.

"The same goes for me." He replied, wiping the stains off with a smirk. "Are you enjoying your present?"

"Yes." She said honestly, drinking the last of the chocolate.

"Oh, but wait. You haven't experienced the greatest part yet!" He exclaimed. "Come over here."

He got up, helping her up too, and led her to the back of the willow tree. She was curious, surprised by his actions again. What could it be this time?

He brushed away the snow covering the bark, and she could see carvings etched into the wood. Letters were appearing.

I.....♥.....U.....

W...i...l...l.....U.....M...a...r...r...y.....M...e...?

She didn't know what to do, whether to laugh or cry. Tears fell from her eyes, and he wiped them away carefully with one gloved hand.

"I want you forever, forever and always, through the good and the bad and the ugly. We'll grow old together, forever and always... Vicky... I love you. Will you marry me?" He got down on one knee and gazed at her, swiping a bunch of wildflowers which he presented with a flourish.

She was too shocked and happy to reply, so she stood there speechless while he kissed her hand, but they both knew the answer.

(To be continued...)