Promising Memoirs | soft h.s.

Chapter 6.

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A/N: It's a super long and very important one. 

Aubrey.

Paralyzed.

That is the feeling that I got as the shock continued to vibrate through my body and towards every single sense that I had. I couldn't feel my toes and simply felt numb. That same nickname from his voice, was an instant reminder of my childhood — from Harry.

How was this even possible?

It's been years since I'd last seen him — fourteen years. At such a young age, I always knew that there was so much more to him than any other boy that was in our neighbourhood. Our parents were close friends and we'd always meet at our favourite nearby park which was just behind our homes. A park that had swings that I loved and missed. Beautiful tall oak trees were scattered throughout, the grass was a always a vibrant green from the constant rain, up until it met with the sandy ground. Flowers were planted in the spring, leading to a beautiful blossoming in the coming summer.

At five years old, I remembered everything. It was rare for me, but I knew so much about my childhood. Bits and pieces were faded, but the things that were important to me, were tattooed in my mind — and happened as if it was all yesterday.

It was the last summer that I spent there, I'd go and pick a bouquet of flowers to put in the purple vase on our kitchen counter. The window looked out on the park and I was always watched by my mum who was cooking in the afternoons. The area was safe where we lived, as my parents made sure of that when they decided where to reside. Our complex was almost in a crescent; Harry lived on one side, Eleanor's across from him, and us were spot on in the middle. We all knew each other because of that, friendly neighbours from the start. It almost reminded me of how the mothers knew each other from before they had any children, like how it was in The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants — of course, not exactly. They were all so close.

Once we were born, each at different ages, we still managed to carry on with that same connection. We always said that we'd be best friends for life. It remained like that for me and Eleanor; but with Harry, things changed a bit over the years. With that said, I was never certain why he always cared for me more than any of the other girls — even Eleanor. So many things happened when I was younger; so many memorable things. That park and Harry were the first two things I remember in my life.

That park was the same place where he always gave me his word, told me his dreams, his secrets, handed me flowers daily, and also the last place I saw him.

—

"Harry, I can't believe you would do something like that." I scowled at him, arms crossed, watching as he hung from the monkey bars. He was a short distance away from, keeping a gap between us purposefully — that was, until I decided to change that.

The vibrant hue of grass, had turned to olive as it faded in colour. The leaves on the trees were now golden and a deep crimson. It was autumn — and it was my favourite season. As I walked closer to him, the sound of dried leave crunched as they crumbled underneath the soles of my shoes. Nearing my best friend, my view of house got smaller and smaller — well, the house that was no longer going to be ours.

Multiple boys were swinging from bar to bar, none of them acknowledging my presence; though, my focus was only on one specific person. Normally, I would sit on the same or the few tree stumps that were around, when we met. We'd stay together until sunset; but it was different this time. Everything was different this time.