Degrees Of Separation

One Endless Love

Falling to her knees in sadness, she places a single white flower onto his headstone in front of her. A cloud of frost escapes her dried up lips as she hugs herself to keep warm. Her breathing quickens in a heartbeat and she feels an inner coldness capture her again.

"No." The first whisper that escapes her lips as she soothes herself and then curses. She doesn't want to lose control again. She doesn't want to, for him.

Suddenly, her breathing halts and a memory is caught inside her throat, as she wills herself not to remember it. It would only make her lose control after all. She hugs herself even tighter as a soft wind blows her way and she feels a case with a flower in it inside her pocket that stabs her thigh, telling her to remember. She doesn't let the memory come, but she allows the pain to settle in; not fighting it because she knew it would be of no use.

After minutes had passed with her emerald green eyes glued upon his name on the headstone: Eric Joseph King; she finally allowed them to close soundlessly. As her eyes close, she feels a small amount of peace regaining inside her and that's when . . .

Her first teardrop falls.

She sighed in contempt and allowed the tears to continue falling for she knew that there would be no stopping them in the end. She had always know that she was weak. He was the strong one, not her.

The weather didn't help her either. The bitter chills ran along her skin being slowly to cover every inch which only reminded her of how cold he had been to the touch when she said her last goodbye. Another memory.

She fights against the heartache and allows words to form and cascade out of her mouth. "Hey, Buddy," she whispers, playing with her nickname for him. Another chill hits her. "It's so cold."

Her head dips down in disappointment. That was stupid of her to say the obvious. What was she meant to say to her best friend? The boy who she named her first love, but best friend before any other.

A gentle breeze touches her back, edging her on to remember him. The breeze reminds her of his gentle touch. And so, closing her eyes in long defeat, she allowed the memory to resurface once more.

"Andrea?" The two were sitting side by side on the park bench in front of the hospital. He never had the chance to leave his grey, gloomy hospital bed. These moments were rare now.

"Yeah?" She refused to meet his eyes, because she knew she would see the most beautiful crystal-clear blue eyes that only spoke of pain. She couldn't bare to see him in pain. He had always fought it though.

He wouldn't take any of that.. He refused to see his best friend looking sad on the limited days he had left with her. He swallowed down and with one of his hand he clutched hers tightly which made her jump in a pleasant surprise, and with his other hands, he lifted her delicate face up to look at his.

"The days I can come out are the days I live for, Andrea. You know that I can't do that a lot, right?" She nods, sadly, trying to look even the slightest bit happy just for him. "Can I tell you a secret?"

He knew she wouldn't be able to resist. If it was one thing, his best friend was a curious girl. "What is it?"

He flashed his smile that came hardly ever nowadays. "We met each other on snowfall when we were 6 year old right? And every year from that day, when it would snow, we would run to our secret little area. And I know last year we couldn't, so we just stayed up late in my hospital room. This year, though, I begged my doctor and he said I could go, but I had to come back before night, of course. He also said that it had to be a secret. And I know that snowfall is months and months away, but he said if I was healthy then I could leave. And I know I'll be healthy because on that day I have to show you something really special. Promise, you'll meet me in our area on snowfall so I can show you?"