Good To You (a short story)

ok, so here i go, another shot at short story... though is this a one-shot? not sure what those are, but since i don't know how long this is... ah well. who cares.

anyway, as the title says, this is a short story based on "Good to You" by Marianas Trench and Jessica Li, or if you like the one with Kate Voegle (not sure how to spell) that's fine. Completely different (or mostly) from the music vid, because i, for one, did not get it AT ALL. (i was too distracted by how cute Josh looked with his hair and that blue streak... hehe) so, hope you enjoy!

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They stand in the middle of the crowded boardwalk, staring silently at each other as if in a world of their own. But they are not smiling. They are not moving, not talking, not doing what every other young couple out there that day should be doing. They stare at each other, as if communicating with their mind, some sort of sad message that everyone who's looking can see that they shouldn't be interrupted.

The boy sighs finally, breaking eye contact. Through the chatter of the crowd, he speaks softly, but the girl  catches every word. "I didn't mean for it to happen like this," he says. "I never meant for things to become this way. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."

The girl looks away, and replies just as softly, "I know. I know, but it doesn't help now, does it? It's a little late for that."

He remembers the first date, when they stopped by the outdoor market because she so wanted those bangles... The way she smiled at the lady in the stall, the way the sun shone on her face, she looked like an angel. It didn't matter that they'd only just met, or that he was going away in a couple of weeks... She looked up at him, her eyes beaming with joy as she lifts her arm to show off the new bracelets. He could've kissed her then. But he waited. He didn't want to ruin this before it'd even started.

"I see that. But..." He takes a step closer, needing her to understand. "But give me another chance. I can do so much better, I know I can. I know I haven't exactly been around as much as we thought I would... and I know I haven't been the guy you deserve. But I can change. I will change. Because..." He looks into her eyes, his own earnest and trying so hard to let her see how much she means to him. "I don't want to let you go. You've been everything I was looking for, and so much more. I don't want to let us go."

She looks at him, seeing him, all of him, hearing what he's saying. But she isn't sure. She doesn't know what she wants. Before, she could tell you in a heartbeat that she believes him, that she chooses him no matter what. But that was before. She still wants him, because he's right, she doesn't want to let them go either. Because even as they stand here now, staring at each other sadly, she can still remember that first day she saw him. She thought she'd found everything she'd been looking for in her life. Is it real though? Or was it just a trick of the light?

She couldn't forget those long afternoons, sitting on her couch with only the TV to keep her company, holding that stack of papers wrinkled from too many reads. She'd read every single one of them over and over again, until she knew them by heart. Every morning she'd swing by the mailbox to see if there's a new one. Every day she waited for his reply, every night she waited for the phone to ring, every hour she thought of his arm around her. Every moment she waited for his return. His smile. The way his  eyes hold her gently, so real she could almost feel them... She tried so many different things, trying to get him to respond in more than just words. Maybe it was selfish of her, but... he'd promised to come back. He'd promised to come back soon.

"I don't know if... I don't know if I'm the same girl," she confesses quietly, looking at the ground. "I'm not  sure if I'm the same person as the one you bought a coffee for that first day, or the one that wrote all those things in those letters, or the one that you... that you fell for." She looks up at him. "I don't know if I can be the girl you love."

He steps even closer. "That's alright. It doesn't matter." He takes her hand. "I know there was something there that first day. Even if you don't know who you are... we can figure it out together. I guess what I'm trying to say is that... I can learn to love you, all parts of you." He takes a deep breath. "You've been so good to me. I really don't want to give up on us. I really think we can make it, we can be so much. Can't you feel it?"

She looks into his eyes, such beautiful eyes. The ones she wants to fall asleep with, the ones she wants to wake up with. For a moment, she closes her own, and listens. She pictures it. She sees it.

The two of them laughing as they raced to the swings. They pushed off with their feet simultaneously, seeing who can go the highest. There was a moment where she was scared he would go much higher than she ever would, but when he smiled at her, she realized, he would never ever leave her behind.

His hand in hers, as they walked down the dark streets together. She never could take this route at night, but she trusted him. He''d keep her safe. He'd be there for her.

That night she ran out in the rain crying, so confused and angry and sad. She didn't know how to deal with it all, her heart so broken, the pain so raw. Then he pulled up beside her. He took her into his arms, whispered in her hair. "I'll be there for you. Always."

And she sees more.

Their laughter as they swing through the shop together, trying on crazy sunglasses, throwing on random scarves. The clerk would give them exasperated looks, but it doesn't matter. They are young, they are foolish, they are in love. Nothing can darken the day.

His warmth as they lay on the roof, next to her so reassuring. His presence is all she needs to feel safe, to feel seen, to feel wanted and loved. He'd point out the stars to her, in that soft voice that would eventually lull her to sleep, so peacefully and subtly. She'd pull him close, and they would never let go.

There she is, sitting in the dark room, alone. She's afraid to turn on the light in case of seeing what isn't there. She doesn't like being alone, but in a way, she's used to it. A soft step into the room, the light switch, and there he is, his eyes warm and soft. "Hey," he says softly, sitting down next to her, pulling her close. "I'm back." 

She opens her eyes, stares up at his. Then she glances down at their hands, already so familiar with each others'. "Can you promise to always be there?" she asks softly.

He hesitates, but he's thinking. "No," he answers truthfully. "But," he continues before she can feel anything else, "I know that I'll always come back. I won't ever leave you, I promise." He pulls her even closer, arms around her. "Nothing can or will ever come between us," he whispers into her hair.

Her arms go around him, unable to help herself. "I hope so..." And in that moment, she can feel it. She can see many lonely nights, lying in bed, waiting for someone that's promised to come back. But she can also see all those lazy afternoons, their legs tangled with each others', lying on the couch and just being with each other. It feels... maybe not perfect, but better than what she had before him. One thing she knows, it's one thing she'd rather not do without. 

She pulls back, enough to see his face. He looks down at her, question in his eyes. She smiles, that radiant smile that he knows he won't ever forget, and says, "I think we'd be good together, too."

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So, how was it? Short... kind of bad at the end... oh well. I actually wrote this without a rough draft, just sat down in front of the computer and wrote. Which I never could do before (it's this thing that distracts me all the time, it's called the internet?) BUT i did it this time. so yaya!

feedback VERY much appreciated, so don't be shy! and BLAST MARIANAS TRENCH AS LOUD AS YOU CAN!!! haha :)

thanks for reading and bearing with my long chat :P