Little Secret

Blank Slate

I woke up the same way I did yesterday; I felt empty, I felt lonely. I don't know the reason why but my heart feels heavy and it feels like I'm forgetting something.

"Ylva," Angela called out as she hugged me. "You look like a lost puppy. Are you okay?"

I nodded, "yeah, I'm okay."

"You've been playing with that necklace since class started. Is that new? I've only seen it now."

"I'm not really sure," I said, still caressing it between my fingers. "But I feel like I have to take good care of it."

"Oh, okay." She shrugged. "Will you get your books?"

"Yeah," I said as I let the necklace rest on my chest. "Let's go."

As we walked along the corridor, it felt like everything was different—but it wasn't. I was the only one feeling different.

"Don't just stare off into space," Angela told me as she unlocked her locker. "Get your books," she chuckled.

I smiled and opened my locker. What subjects do I have? There's English, and then Physics lab, and History. When I got my history book out, a roll of paper fell with it. It wasn't just an ordinary piece of paper, it's a canvass from a sketchbook. I placed my books back in the locker and picked up the roll of paper. The moment I opened it, there was a face of a man smiling. His face I've seen somewhere I can't remember. As I felt the paper in my hands, there was a writing embedded behind it.

"No matter what happens, there will always be this selfish part of me asking you to remember everything—even just a little. Take care of the necklace as you took care of me."

I didn't know why, but the note that was written broke my heart. And as I read the last sentence, I sat down on the floor holding that portrait near my heart.

"Ylva, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Angela started comforting me. I don't even know why I was crying, but the pain I felt was enough for me to break down; is this why I feel lost? I don't even know who this guy is.

"I love you, for eternity."