"I love you, Ava." I whispered to her. We were sitting at the top of our favorite hill overlooking the forest like we always did on Sundays.
"I love you too, Oliver." She whispered back into my ear. Her green eyes were shining against the glowing rays of the sun. The sun hit her blonde hair making it shimmer. How could I ever be so lucky?
Ava leaned on my shoulder and let out a deep sigh as she closed her green eyes.
"Why can't everyday be like this?" She sighed. Sundays were the only days that we could meet now. I had pushed her father to the breaking point two months ago and if Ava was seen with me, well it wouldn't be good.
"If we run it can.." I mumbled. It wasn't the first time I had suggested this idea and I knew she would turn it down again. She always did.
"You know that I can't do that..." She mumbled. "My father would find us. And then he would have you hung in the town square." She laughed. I doubt Jeremy was that serious...
"I know, I know." I sighed. As much as I loved spending my Sundays with Ava, I always wished she would come with me. We couldn't go on living like this forever.
Ava opened her blue eyes. She looked at her wrist and checked the time.
"I have to go, Oliver. If I'm any later, my father will know." She mumbled. A tear came to her eye. Just recently Jeremy had been becoming more suspicious of Ava's excursions outside. Last Sunday she hadn't even came to our hilltop. I knew I would see her about town and at school, but if I acted like our relationship was there then the town would find out and Jeremy would lock his daughter away from me for good.
"Are you sure you can't stay any longer?" I whispered into her ear as she began to grab her belongings.
"You remember what he did last time I was late to church, Oliver I can't." She said. She turned her back away from me. I got up from our spot on the hill. I pulled her in for a hug. I didn't know when we would get to see each other next.
"Just promise me," I said cupping her face in my big hands. Her skin was so soft against my own. "Don't forget about me."
She nodded, "I won't, Oliver." And with that she was gone. Her Sunday dress hung at her knees. It's yellow sash waved as she walked away. I hoped with all of my heart that she would come back. She was the only person left for me to love. My mother and father had died in a plane crash when I was only seven, leaving me in the care of my foster mother. But, Vanessa and I didn't have a mother son bond like we should leaving constant altercations almost every night, but it wasn't as bad as what Ava faced when she got home...
I remember the first time I saw the marks on her. They were peaking out of her shirt around her neck.
"What's this?" I had asked her. She cringed as I touched the marks on her neck. Tears slowly formed in her eyes.
"Ava, is he doing it again?" I asked her.
"Oliver, don't worry about me, I'm fine." She replied.
"No, Ava. It's not fine. He's beating you and for no good reason either." I whispered. I couldn't bare to see her in pain. Jeremy was a drunk. Often he would come home at nights and take out his pain on Ava, just like he used to do to her mother before she died.
I hadn't asked Ava about Jeremy since that day. I knew that asking her would just bring back the memories of her everyday life at home.
That had been the first time I had asked her to runaway with me.
****
That summer went by fast. My blonde hair got lighter and my skin got tanner, but things didn't get better. Ava started visiting me less and less on our Sundays. I missed her and when she did come on a Sunday it was brief. She ended up leaving sooner and sooner always saying that Jeremy was onto us and if he knew he would come after me with his gun.
It was the last Sunday before school started that she finally came to see me.
I sat on our hill and would wait for her. Sometimes it would be hours before she would come if she even came. But, I always waited. Sometimes I even pretended that she was there.
That morning it had been raining faintly, but I set out for the forest anyway. I carried with me some food that Vanessa had made for breakfast and in my hand I held a cold shiny ring. It glimmered in the light. Today was the day I was going to propose. This coming year would be our senior year.
I sat on our hill praying she would come. That's when I heard her. Her soft footsteps scarcely echoed on the soft forest ground. Her golden hair flew back and forth over her shoulder.
"Ava!" I yelled with excitement. This had been the first time I had seen her in almost a month. I ran up and hugged her. My arms folded around her back. She yelped in pain.
"Sorry, I just didn't know if I would see you today," I let go and smiled at her. She looked at the ground.
"Ava? What's wrong?" I asked. She meant the world to me and if she was in pain then so was I.
"It's Jeremy." She answered slowly, her green eyes not leaving the ground.
"What about him?" I asked. I turned the ring slowly in my palm. Maybe now wasn't the time to ask her.
"He knows.." She sighed. I returned her sigh.
"Who cares if he knows?" I blurted out without realizing what I had said. If Ava would've let me, I would've put Jeremy in his place long ago.
"What?" She asked finally removing her gaze from the ground and looking me in the eye.
"It doesn't matter if he knows." I said smiling. I got down on my knee and slowly pulled the ring out of my palm so she could see.
"Marry me, Ava? Runaway with me?" I asked her. I could see tears forming in her green eyes. They were forming in my own blue eyes. "I know its hard, but we can make it, Ava."
"I.. I can't, Oliver.." She stuttered. Tears came down more now. I got up from the ground and went to console her.
"Forget about Jeremy." I told her. "I'll take care of you, Ava." She cried more and more.
"Oliver, there's a reason I came today..." She started. "I can't do this anymore."
I felt my heart stop. She couldn't do this anymore? She was my world.
"Why?" I managed to squeak out. She had never seen me cry before.
"There's another guy..." She said. "Oliver, you deserve better." She stared into the sky that was forming with more raindrops. She got close to me and touched her warm lips to my tear covered cheek.
"Goodbye, Oliver." She said slowly, never looking me in the eye and with that she left.
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Sorry for another kinda sad ending. My writing kinda reflects how I feel I guess. Again, this is another song inspired story. The song is called "Runaway With Me". I'll post the link. Thanks for reading!
~Nattk7
