Close, but still so far away

Before we met...

"I don't think you can define love." - Harry Styles

Erica's POV:

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Let me introduce myself: My name is Erica and I turned 25 this summer. I was born in New York City as a healthy baby, surrounded by a loving and caring family. My parents gave me everything I could wish for, I had lots of friends and great marks at school. You probably think my relatives forced me to be a "perfect" girl and to socialize, but it isn't the truth. I got a lot of freedom, but I used my spare time to develop new skills. My ambition didn't let me rest, I wanted to get into the best university possible. Don't get me wrong, I lived my life just like any other kid: my worst habit was to sit in front of the TV all day. Literally, trust me!

One day I found something which made me really curious. I saw a ballroom dance competition. It was breathtaking: the woman wore a tight, blue dress with pearls and shining gems. Her hair was put in a big bun, the remaining locks in a beautiful braid. The man's black dress showed every inch of his perfectly toned body. They seemed happy, strong and confident. The show ended and I rushed to my Mom and started begging to take me to a dance class. After some convincing she agreed and changed my life forever.

I became obsessed with the moves, the atmosphere, but mostly with the way it made me feel. It was a form of self-expression. After 3 years of non-stop practising I got a partner. He was the most talented guy in our group, filled with excitement and pride. We were unbeatable and won every single contest which we attended. Nobody knew our secret, the recipe to our glory. Our passionate motions came from the greatest thing in the World: we fell in love and started dating. This went on for 5 years. My life was consisted of three things: dancing, studying and love. My boyfriend and I got scholarship to the same institution, so we moved to Europe and lived in a shared dormitory. My life seemed perfect, I enjoyed every single moment.

On the day of our 7-year anniversary I woke up in terrible pain and feeling sick. I started getting suspicious, because I missed my period, so I ran to the nearest pharmacy and bought a pregnancy test. I got home and rushed to the toilet. I remember tapping my fingers on my thighs in fear while I waited for the results. As the two red lines appeared, meaning I was pregnant, I started crying. I couldn't decide if I was happy or sad. I waited for this moment for a long time, but I was still young. My thoughts were interrupted by my phone's ringtone which showed: "Love", so I picked it up.

A very nice lady greeted me on the other side of the line. She told me the worst news in the whole universe. My boyfriend was hit by a car on a busy road. The ambulance tried their best, but it was too late, because several organs were injured and he lost too much blood. The driver was found guilty due to the high amount of alcohol in his bloodstream, so the police already took the case to court.

I fell on my knees, holding my temple, covering my ears from the high-pitched silence surrounding me. Everything became blurry, so I held onto my bed and laid down with tears streaming down my face. How can life be so unfair? What will I do? I am pregnant, my Love is dead and I still had a semester until I got my diploma... I called my mother immediately and begged her to come and save me from myself.

Six horrible months passed. Every day hurt, my heart and soul constantly falling to pieces and I had to bear all the physical pain my baby cost me. I finally finished my studies, so I moved back to America and gave birth to my beautiful daughter, Lily. She had the most beautiful blue eyes and blonde, curly hair just like her father. I looked at her and she already put a smile on my face. All the great memories, every lovely moment I spent with my boyfriend came back like a lightning. Her eyes just like the ocean: deep and full of the unknown. They reminded me about our first holiday, jumping off a cliff, holding hands. When we landed in the cold water I started shivering, so he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around my body, heating me up with his warmth. We got out of the water and cuddled in the sand and sunlight, the same colour as Lily's hair. He told me how gorgeous I was every time we were together... If he could see his daughter... Her sight was breathtaking, just like an angel on Earth, so pure and innocent. I hugged her small, fragile body and gently caressed her cheeks. She grabbed my fingerand closed her fist around it, making me burst into happy tears. My parents stood by my side all the time, I already knew they were going to be amazing grandparents. 

After my recovery I began working as an author and journalist at the local newspaper. My boss was fully satisfied with my work, so he made me his assistant and gave me a promotion. I had a flexible working schedule, so I could spend my free time with my daughter. Things started to get back to normal until...