THE FALL

[02] Letting go

5/09/08 (Ten years before)

Edward......

He was the only boy Sarah loved so much. Being just a fifth grader, she already knew he was her true love.
They have been together since kindergarten, when Edward peed his pants and was crying, Sarah came and comforted him ,they became best friends since then.
* * *
Sarah was sleeping all cozily in her bed, when she heard a shout, "Sarah!! Sarah!! " it was Edward, she crawled out of her bed and reached the window, she snarled at him, "WHAT??!! ".But the moment Edward saw her he burst out laughing, "😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂ha ha ha!! "

Sarah gave him a confused look and asked "what? Why are you laughing? " to which Edward replied, "What's wrong with your hair?" Sarah checked her hair and sighed, "Ah
.... I just got up from the bed and it's Saturday today ". Edward smiled and said, "oh okay, just freshen up yourself and come down fast! " said Edward.
"Why? " asked Sarah sleepily, "oh, I discovered something really amazing, you gotta see it! Come down fast! " said Edward. "okay, I will there in 15 minutes " said Sarah.

*After 15 minutes *

She stepped outside her home and walked up to Edward. While walking, she realised she had crushed so many yellowed fallen leaves, "Damn! the autumn has already hit Indiana so early!" exclaimed Sarah.
"I know right!! And it's only the first week of September! "exclaimed Edward too.

They stared walking together, holding each other hands. "hey Ed, where exactly we are going? "Sarah asked Edward. "Oh, the park " replied Edward with a broad smile. Sarah raised her one eyebrow and asked him, "Isn't that the place where we go everyday? ". "Yeah of course! But I discovered an amazing thing yesterday, so I have to show you" said Edward,
"oh.. Okay. Let's go "said Sarah. They walked for another ten minutes and there only seven in the morning, not many people were there in the park.
They walked through the park and stopped in front of a tall tree, its most of the leaves had fallen ,beside the tree there was a empty bench.

"So? " Sarah asked Edward. "so..... We gotta climb this tree " said Edward dreamily. "WHAT?! " asked Sarah, shocked. "oh yeah, we have to climb it. Believe me you would love it " said Edward. "ah!! Fine! " said Sarah. They both climbed the tree. Edward was ahead of Sarah,after 4 to 5 branches, Sarah exclaimed,
"Hey Ed! Look, the whole Indiana looks so beautiful from here, let's just stop here and enjoy the scenic beauty ." "well, that's only Indianapolis, it's a small state Sarah, you have to watch it from there "Edward pointed up the most uppermost branch of the tree.
"But it's good here "said Sarah.

"Ah! Just follow me, it will be better than this "said Edward.
"Fine... "said Sarah. They climbed more and reached the uppermost branch. Edward exclaimed "Well ,would you look at that " it was as if they were at the top of the world and the whole earth could be seen from there. Everything was so small and beautiful.
"Wow! " whispered Sarah . "I told you it would be amazing! "said Edward excitedly.
After a long time, gazing such scenic beauty, Sarah said "hey, don't mind but I really kinda want to go back to the fourth branch, I want to watch Indiana from there ".. "okay.. I don't get it, why do you have to go to see Indiana if you have California at west and Texas at south to look at, they are better than Indiana. " said Edward with a twitch in his eyebrows.

"I didn't say, I didn't liked it here, but Indiana is better to look at, its so peaceful and quiet "said Sarah in her defence. "yeah okay... But isn't it too peaceful I mean there is always so less to do in here, they have got bigger opportunities in larger states you know... " said Edward.
"Not that I care!! " snarled Sarah. "well, what if I say that I will leave this bloody place and go to NY or somewhere else? "Ed pouted. "Well in that case, I am gonna spank your butt and make you repeat the promise we made to each other in kindergarten, do you remember it or not??!! " Sarah glared at him.

"Of course I do!, 'we promise each other that no matter what, nothing will separate us and we will never leave each other ' see!! I remember it. " said Edward. "And it was a pinky swear! "Sarah added. "Yeah, I know " said Ed, then looked the other way. Then they climbed down the fourth branch. They enjoyed over there for sometime, then got down. They both walked up to their home, they said goodbye to each other and went back their home.

* * *

7/09/08
At 3:00pm ,when they cycled down to their home from school, Edward asked Sarah if she wanted to climb the tree once again. Sarah agreed, they both decided to meet at the park at 5:00pm

* * *
5:00 pm
They both reached the park at the same time ,they walked through the park and reached the tree. "Let's climb it! " said Edward. "Yeah! "said Sarah. While Edward continued to climb further, Sarah stopped at her usual fourth branch, and shouted, "Ed! ",he stopped and looked around, Sarah gestured him to sit with her.

"Ah! not again Sarah!!, I really want to go up there! " Ed complained.
"Ugh!! Fine.... You go up there and I am gonna stay here. " said Sarah.
After some minutes Ed came down and sat beside her. "What's so amazing in here?! " Ed asked to Sarah. "What do you mean? "asked Sarah.
"I mean, what is there to see from here, it's just a bunch of small people and trees. At least from up there you can see the empire state building! "said Ed. "But I like it here! "exclaimed Sarah, "But why? "asked Ed. "Because I love to be connected with the roots, I don't want to go somewhere else "said Sarah.

"But there are much more better opportunities in other states than here! "said Ed. Sarah raised one eyebrow in confusion ."Don't you aim higher? don't you want good opportunities and a good life? "asked Ed. Sarah shooked her head in disapprovement  and said "I don't know what's gotten into you Ed, we are just 10 years old kids, why on earth we need to think about our future now??!! " "You know me Sarah! I am a very ambitious person and I care about my future, unlike you "Ed glared at Sarah.

Sarah gave a bewildered expression to him and shooked her head again, "You are crazy, stop thinking those things and enjoy your life! " said Sarah. Ed became restless and said "why don't you under-" Sarah interuppted him by saying "Ugh!!! Just stop it... I know you are crazy but you are driving me mad too!! Can we please stop talking for sometime " "Fine..... "said Ed, he was all red because of the anger. After sometime they got down and walked back to their home.

* * *
8/10/08. (1 month later)
Sarah was on her couch watching TV when she heard the phone rang, she went and picked up the call -:
Edward : hello? Sarah?
Sarah : oh hey!
Edward : what are you doing now?
Sarah : ummm.. Nothing much, just watching TV. Why?
Edward : oh nothing, just asking.
Sarah : okay, and why didn't you come today to school?
Edward : oh I was little sick.
Sarah : sick??!!are you okay?
Edward : yeah, I am totally fine now, the thing is I kinda wanted to talk to you about something.
Sarah : yeah, say?
Edward : not in phone, in person. Can we meet now?
Sarah : oh yeah sure, where?
Edward : the tree?
Sarah : sure.

As Sarah reached the tree, she saw Edward sitting on the empty bench beside the tree. She approached him, she cleaned the bench little bit (it was still autumn )and sat beside him and waited for him to speak first.

"so you must be wondering why I called you here?"asked Edward to her. "well I don't know... You wanna climb the tree?"asked Sarah. "Ah!No.... " he chuckled, "I wanted to say you something " said Ed. "okay.. Go on say it "Sarah said. Ed clenched his jaw and said "I am leaving ",

"leaving??!!"asked Sarah with a grim face, "I am leaving Indiana and going to NY for the rest of my life " with a breath voice Ed said it. "Don't mess with me, I know you are joking " with a trembling voice Sarah said it. "I am not joking!My life is not a joke!"Ed snarled at Sarah. "Leaving me?leaving everything else??!!" said Sarah, tears in her eyes. "I am sorry " said Ed. "sorry??!!! Just sorry??!!"she screamed. "I am sorry okay??!!and don't scream!"shouted Ed. "what about our promise?"asked Sarah, crying now...

..Ed didn't replied.. She asked him again, to which he replied "I don't know!!maybe.... "Ed stopped
"maybe what??"asked Sarah. "Maybe some promises are meant to be broken " said Ed. They became silent and didn't say a word.
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"I should go "said Ed after a very long time "I have my flight at 9pm", Sarah didn't replied to him, she just stared at the tree, Ed shifted closer to Sarah, then he planted a kiss on her temple and ear and whispered in her ears, "goodbye ". And then he stood up and started to walk. Sarah didn't say anything, she didn't even looked up to see him. She could hear the sound of leaves crushing as Edward walked. Gradually, the sound faded and then in all at once it disappeared, and he was gone.

She loved him so much, she had to let him go.