Life After You {Short Story}

Chapter One

I laughed and smiled at you in the passenger seat, your eyes glued to the phone screen in front of you. You were zoned into the latest music video from your favorite artist, they we're good, but I only liked them because you did. You caught onto my gaze and made eye contact with me.

"What?" You questioned, a smile stretched across your face, your perfect teeth shone brighter than the stars that night.

"I just love you," I smiled back, blushing slightly, you gave me a small smirk, "are you blushing?" you asked.

I turned my head, your finger hooked under my chin and pulled my head back to face you and our lips locked.

"I love you more."

It wasn't that I wasn't trying to move on, but when you're the only thing running through my mind day and night, it's hard. Trying to not think about you made it worse too, trying to push you out of my head just made tears well in my eyes waiting to be spilled. So I wrote.

"Kylie, are you even listening to me?" My mom broke me from my day dreaming, I looked up at her with blank eyes.

"Sorry, what?" My mom rolled her eyes at me clearly annoyed.

"Nevermind, it wasn't that important anyway," I shrugged and looked down at my chipped nail polish on my manicured nails. I usually go to a salon to get my nails done, but more recently, just getting out of bed was a chore.

"Sorry," I mumbled, nothing felt right anymore, but maybe it was my fault.

"I understand, sweetheart," my mom gave me the same sympathetic look everyone has given me since it happened, my mom kisses the top of my head and rubs my shoulder gently as she passes me, the click of her heels on the tiles is quieter and quieter as she walks away.

I pick up my pen and my hand flies as I quickly write down words, memories, it's the only way to cope now even if it's short little memories. Anything helps.

You wanted to take me to a bridge, you said, a place you sought comfort, where you could watch the stars as you inhaled herbs into your lungs as you thought about life.

It was so cold that night, so we held each other for warmth, and I held you closer when cars drove over the grate on the bridge because it didn't feel sturdy and I always sought sturdiness.

You tested my fears, holding my shaking hands tightly as we walked across the metal grate, whispering sweet nothings to keep me from crying.

I feared the worst.

Soon we were wrapped tight in each other's arms, holding all of the broken pieces in place as we cried to each other.

So maybe I thought loving you was a mistake before.

But that night on the bridge - our bridge...

I don't know what hurts me more, the memories, or recalling the memories. My therapist recommended it, she says that it can help me sort out my emotions and get me on a better path for life without you, but I keep telling her that I don't want a life after you. She says a life with you isn't life at all, maybe one day I'll see you again and we can try this all over again, yeah?