Tearing Paper

Going Back

Back then, I thought my scars would

at some point evanish

I had this great hope

as my happiness would grow

they would fade away

“Everything’s fixed?”

He wished she knew how much looking at the blankness on her face tore him apart. Dianne forced a smile as she gathered her hair into a loose ponytail. “I guess. It’s time to leave, isn’t it?”

Nate looked at the tiny hut they had called home for a few weeks now—would it be their last time here? He knew Namiri Island was just a few miles off the town, but being there as a complete stranger with just one girl by his side made it all feel like a dream.

Now, they were going back to reality.

Would he even see her again after their job there was done?

“I really hope they like my article. I will totally mention your name,” Nate said as he hopped on the boat. It was quite big, although far from luxurious—there were just few of them, some people who also came from the town to visit this tiny island. He helped Dianne take her seat and a few seconds later, the boat’s engine roared to life and they sailed further away from the caramel soft sands.

“I really feel bad about this—leaving… I mean, my job here is done, but yours isn’t,” Nate tried his best to state his words without reminding Dianne of Devon again. Dianne sighed. “It doesn’t matter now. He…”

“He must be in the town,” Nate suddenly said. “Where else would he be? I can easily imagine him—looking for you out there…”

“Do you really think so? After all this years—he’s still looking for me?”

“A girl like you isn’t easy to give up on,” without thinking, Nate spoke with sincerity.

Dianne stared at him long enough before smiling.

“Thank you.”

And as they went closer and closer towards the land, they both drifted their sights to the clear seas, wondering about the same thing.

Wondering if they would walk their separate ways once they reached town, living on as if their getaway never happened—walking into each other in the same little café as strangers again.