Goodnight.

She said goodnight.

The scarred girl gently embraced the Bright girl. She pulled away slightly, arms still loosely around the other, and gazed at her. She smiled sadly and said, "Goodnight."
The bright girls' eyes knitted together in confusion at the other girls word choice.
"Goodnight?" She asked, a curious tone in her voice.
The scarred girl nodded slightly.
"I've decided that I don't like goodbye anymore. Its too permanent." She responded, looking into brown irises. "And I know this isn't goodbye. I'll see you again... Somehow."
Again, the bright girls' eyebrows knitted together, for it was only Monday and they would see each other again tomorrow.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
The scarred girls' blue eyes darkened with sadness.
"I don't think I'll be coming back"
"What? Why not?"
The scarred girl paused, searching for words that wouldn't come. Finally she sighed, glancing away from the bright girl.
"I like to keep my issues close." She said, finally. She then let her hands drop from around the other girl as she turned to go.
The bright girl caught her wrist quickly.
"Wait!" She said.
The scarred girl stopped but didn't turn around
"What's wrong?" The bright girl asked "Is it your mom?"
She felt the other girl stiffen, as blue eyes flicked to meet her brown ones, so she continued.
"You've never told me upfront, but I know. I see how badly you dread going home. How you stiffen when you're touched in certain spots. How you flinch when something comes near you. How you speak of her with this... Fear. Like if you say the wrong thing you'll get hurt... How you force your smiles."
When the scarred girl turned to face her, the shame and sadness on her face was so deep, it left an ache inside the bright girl.
Gently, the scarred girl tugged her arm from the bright girls' arm.
Panicking, the bright girl grabbed her arm again and made the scarred girl turn to her. She saw the tears staining the scarred girls' face and froze slightly, before starting again.
"But when I can get a true smile from you. Its the brightest thing
And when someone makes you laugh, a real genuine laugh, your whole face fills with this joy and life I seldom see from you. When you hear music, your eyes light up, like your soul is glowing. And when you look at me with those blue eyes of yours..." The scarred girls eyes slid up from the floor to meet the bright girls'. "... You warm my heart up. So please. Promise me, you'll come back." She finished with a breath.

Moments passed.
The hall they stood in was empty now, silent, except for the soft patter of the rain on the windows.
The bright girls' hand fell from the scarred girls' arm in defeat. She thought that she had failed, that the other had heard nothing. She felt the crushing weight of her soon to be loss on her chest. Then, the scarred girl lifted her hand, her jacket sleeve sliding down, the scars on her arms reflecting the light from outside. She gently tilted the bright girls head up, pressing their lips together. The bright girls' breath caught, her eyes slipping shut as she kissed back.
After a moment, the scarred girl pulled away. She pressed her forehead against the other girls and whispered softly...
"I promise."