Paper Airplanes

25 Years Old

He is lying on a hard bed, in a room that smells faintly of antiseptic. The last thing he remembers is that he fainted out in the battlefield. He must be in a hospital now. But something is wrong. It's pitch dark in here. Did the nurse forget to turn on the lights? He stays in the darkness for a few more hours, waiting impatiently for morning to come so that he can get himself a glass of water. Moments later, he hears voices. It's the nurse. He tries to tell her to turn on the damn lights, but his throat feels tight, like a rubber tube was pushed through it. The nurse gently asks him if he wants to have his lunch. He is faintly confused. Does she mean dinner? Why would he want to have 'lunch' at night?

Then it strikes him hard. The lights are not off. He is just blind.

"Are you okay?" 

Will snaps away from his thoughts at the sound of Alice's familiar voice. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just remembering a few things,"

The wooden bench suddenly creaks as Alice sits down beside him. He leans to the side until his head touches her shoulders. A few years ago, she would have slapped him upside the head for even laying a hand on her, but now she tilts her head towards his. He reaches around blindly, hoping to catch her hand, and when he does, he holds it tight, and she does the same. 

Will laughs inwardly, thinking about how red her face must be right now. 

A sudden thought hits him, "Alice, do you remember the paper airplane you made during class when we were seven?"

"What about it?" She asks. 

"You threw it to a boy, remember?" He reminds her, "He turned red when he read what was written inside. You refused to tell me what you wrote in it, though,"

Alice suddenly laughs, "Oh, that. It was supposed to be a love letter for you,"

Will straightens up suddenly, "What?"

"I was supposed to slip it in your bag during recess, but I told you I was making paper airplanes cause I was embarrassed," Alice is still laughing, apparently amused, "It was just a shallow seven year old crush, just forget about it. And don't you dare laugh!" 

Will is 25 years old, and the only thought dominating his mind at the moment, is how to stop himself from laughing. 

-FIN-