The Runaway

Stillness - Part 14

Two months had passed and still no sign of him.  Ara had lost 10 pounds and suffered headaches from lack of sleep.  She was a pale shell of her former happy self. Sleep having deserted her, she laid awake thinking of him, recalling his sweet smiles and the gentle touch of his lips on hers.  Sometimes she wandered the streets at night hoping to find him, or be taken as he had been taken.   She dolefully wondered what had become of him and wept.

Then one day, she thought she had spotted him among the students leaving school.  Her heart stopped in anticipation and she felt a stillness in her soul. But, it was just another boy that resembled him from far away.  Just another false hope and her heartbeat again.  

Ara sat at a bench by the entrance.  She looked up and there was Jay.  He walked up to her and gave her a sweet hug.  

"Hi," she said.

"Hi, baby, how are you doing today," he answered.

Ara gave him a soft smile and nodded, "a little better thanks."

"Can I walk you home," he asked gently.

"Sure, Jay, but I want to look around for him, please?"

"Anything you want.  How about we stop and get a snack?"  Everyone was always trying to coax her to eat but her appetite was one of the things that left with Yoongi.

"I'm not hungry."

"Okay, no problem, I'll make you something when you get home then."  

Jay held her hand as they walked slowly, her eyes mainly on the pavement with occasional glances upward, always searching for the familiar figure that she loved.  She prayed each day over and over for Yoongi to return.  She closed her eyes tight and imagined getting home to find him sitting on her doorstep, but was soon disappointed again.  

Jay didn't know what to do.  He remembers wishing for Yoongi to leave so he could have her to himself.  How jealous he was of their quick friendship and growing love, but he never would have wished for this.  The girl he loved was gone too.  

He too searched for Yoongi everywhere he went.  He couldn't find it in his heart to leave her now, even though he knew she didn't love him.  It was hard to love someone that was so engrossed with someone else.  It pained him, but he couldn't give up because he still loved her.  This experience had sobered him.  He was not the same arrogant bully he was before.  He no longer felt on top of the world, and he regretted hitting Yoongi and being abusive towards her.  It was his fragile ego getting the best of him.  There was no excuse for acting that way, and he would stay with her for as long as she let him. 

Ara appreciated his kindness and would sometimes praise him, but it was the occasional smiles that he brought out in her that he longed for. 

They arrived at her house and Jay made himself busy making her a sandwich.  She laid still on the sofa, her aching head and stinging eyes finally closing finding the sweet release of sleep.