For My Beloved

iv

BEANIES AND WINTER

"My sister forgets everything," Christian said matter-of-a-factly. He didn't dare look up. He was afraid his words would escape him if he did. "But whatever she needed," he brushed his slight fingers across the tattered black book in front of him, "she wrote down." He held it up. "In this."

ONE MONTH EARLIER

"Brooke, let's go out today," her boyfriend had said to her on the phone that day. The sun was still ruling the sky and the clouds were helpless.

"I can't." She clenched the phone between her shoulder and her ear. "I have to run errands for my mom."

The boy didn't miss a beat. "I'll come." She could hear the smile in his voice.

"You don't have to. It's just grocery shopping and then I'll have to go to my aunt and... it's just going to suck." She picked up her handbag and went out the door.

There was a brief pause on the phone. "Well, damn. Too late now."

Brooke squinted away from the sun in her eyes, smelling only grass and dew. And then, there he was. Standing on the sidewalk. A black beanie on his head and dark jeans hugging his legs. A shrug on his shoulders and a smile on his lips. He tucked his phone into his pocket and gave a small wave.

Brooke attempted to contain her smile, her tongue poking at her cheek. She hung up the phone and shook her head before walking down the concrete pavement. "What are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you, too."

The smile broke free of her. "Go home, you're going to regret this."

He shook his head, taking her hand in his. "It's going to take more than grocery shopping and your aunt to get rid of me."

She took a second to relish in that.

Then, they were off.

And there were certain things Brooke couldn't forget. The whistle of the wind in her hair as Sawyer pulled the strands back behind her ear. The feel of his fingers intertwining with hers. The blinding sun down the sidewalk when Sawyer squinted viciously and said, "If you make an Asian joke right now, I'm breaking up with you." The god in his eyes as she held her breath. She even remembered the pungent smell of the man sitting two rows in front of them on the bus because Sawyer crinkled his nose and gagged dramatically. They laughed like their happiness was endless.

Her aunt's eyebrows rose when she saw them hand in hand at her doorstep.

"He's cute," she commented as she and Brooke watched her two-year-old son grab Sawyer's phone and run around the living room. "What's his name?"

He quickly chased after the smaller boy before scooping him up and propping him on his forearm, tickling his sides. "Sawyer," Brooke said.

And they were off again. Walking idly through neighbourhoods and watching the sun take its leave from the sky. He talked about last winter, when they weren't together, but it felt like they were. She talked about how spring was her favourite season. He talked about how winter was his because he could wear beanies every day. Then she grabbed the black one off his head. And ran. "Embrace the Spring!" she shouted, her arms as wide as her smile.

He went after her. His thin, disheveled hair let loose in the wind and his converse stomping against the concrete sidewalk. She tried to go faster, but his laugh, and her laugh and the quiet neighbourhood weakened her steps so much that he caught her in seconds.

His arms found themselves around her. "No!" she laughed, her hair frantic around her, "Spring is the best!"

He held her still. "Winter!"

Her eyes caught his white smile. "Spring."

His eyes caught her brown ones. "Winter."

And their chests slowed, but their heartbeats didn't. "Spring," she muttered.

He pulled the hair out of her face and his palm found her cheek. "Winter," he whispered. His eyes fell to her lips. "Brooke," he said, his voice heavy. And their bodies shivered at the youthful liberty they felt then.

He didn't say anything more. He didn't have to. Instead, he leaned in. And that was the most memorable moment of them all. The warmth of his lips. His arms hugging her hips. Her fingers combing through his black hair. Their tongues brushing.

She was absolutely certain, then, that even if her memory had jolted only for today, and she forgot everything tomorrow, that she would never, ever forget him.

And to make sure of it, the second she got home she took out her black book and calligraphed everything into its pages.

Because today, Brooke would remember everything.

Author's Note

Wow. Those last lines still make my heart swell. If it did the same for you, then go ahead and hit that vote button. Also, don't forget to drop a comment telling me your thoughts. The next chapter comes out on Saturday guys, so be sure to add this book to your library for notifications!