Only A Memory (Part 1)

Chapter 8: The Sakura Tree

It was a perfect day just outside of Beacon hills, California. With a perfect 83 degrees and the sun shining through the oncoming snow white clouds; it wasn't a day to spend inside, and it surely wasn't to be missed with Lydia. I picked a table right under this enormous tree, with a waterfall of branches laced in soft pink flowers that floated down one by one endlessly, as if they never would stop.

I heard footsteps and I turned around and there she was, in a light pink dress lined with gold flowing in the wind. Her hair collected the petals that fell upon her creating a crown. She reached the table and looked at me. I stared jaw dropped and wide eyed.

She reached the table looking behind her as if I had stared at something else, "What?"

I closed my gaping mouth, "w-what?"

She sits down, "You were staring at me, without saying anything."

I came up with a quick excuse, "Oh well you have a few flowers caught in your hair."

Her eyes looked up reaching for her hair, "Oh, ah hah thanks."

She sat down tucking her hair behind her left ear. There was a lonesome flower that she hadn't got. I raised my hand slowly towards her head and her eyes follow but she didn't stop me, "You uh..." I pulled my hand back hesitantly but not all the way, " You didn't get them all." I reached again slowly sweeping my hand across her hair, carefully pulling the petals away. As my hand slowly descended I accidentally caress her cheek. We both freeze, and she started to blush.

Breaking the awkward silence she cleared her throat, "Did you uh, did you get em' all?"

I swallowed softly, "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

I tried to break the awkwardness, "Okay let's get started, how bout we take a picture of this tree."

Lydia placed a hand on my shoulder, as if I was a little kid. "It's..." She sighed closing her eyes, "It's not just a tree it's a cherry blossom or in Japan, The Sakura. Aren't they beautiful?"

I kept my eyes on her, " Yeah, they really are."

She continued with her facts, "They say that they represent the impermanent nature of life, their beauty is short lived as they only bloom for about a week while only living for about 30-40 years, they can symbolize both birth and death." She couldn't take her eyes away from the tree as she kept speaking, but when she finally pulled her eyes free she smiled letting out a sigh. A sigh of relief almost.

"Your really smart," I breathed.

Her cheeks instantly filled with pink, "Oh, I just read it once, I like to read."

The never ending slow shower of petals settled all around her ironically not a single one landing on her. She placed her hand out to catch them and one by one they swayed descending right onto her fingertips rolling down to her palms. Even with the soft colors that seemed to carry us away from reality, I could only seem to focus on her.

I couldn't seem to take my eyes away, she noticed and looked at me, " Stiles, you're staring again."

I closed my eyes, "Sorry ."

She laughed and continued to watch.

She inched closer to me and spoke just above a whisper, " You always seem to make me laugh Stilinski."

I didn't really know what that meant but I took it as a compliment as her eyes did this half up - half down thing while they sparkled like never before.  She looked at my hand and then my face but suddenly switched back to my hand reading the time, her face got serious and worry was written all over her.

"I have to go like right now, but it was fun, sorry we didn't actually get to do the project, again!"

She ran off and I was left sitting there. But what she didn't know was that while she was in her cherry blossom heaven, I was snapping her beautiful moments with the flowers and the trees with her in the middle of it all. A picture tells a thousand words, while her expression alone gave off a billion.