Like It Was Yesterday

Part Twelve

Part 2

1809 to present day – Iliana

It had to be some time during the summer. The leaves on the trees were bright and green, the air was warm, and the sun was shining bright. I wanted to see you again, but had to wait until a time when my dad wasn’t around because he didn’t know we were together. He probably would have killed me if he found out I liked a girl.

When he wasn’t home we used to sit in my room for hours just laying on my bed and talking. If we weren’t there we were out in my back yard sitting under our big tree, resting in the shade. My dad never seemed to be home. He always had to find work so we wouldn’t loose our house. We were very poor. I guess the good thing about that was that you and I got to spend a lot of time together.

Occasionally we would even do things both of us knew we shouldn’t be doing. Most of which were my ideas. I was definitely more of a risk taker.

“Aren’t you worried we’re going to get caught?” you asked. “You’re neighbors…”

“Don’t worry,” I told you. “They’re not home much either, just their kids are, and they barely ever leave the house.”

Little did I know that day was going to change the rest of our lives. I thought that everything was okay. At the time I didn't care about what was going on outside of my room. All I cared about was the fact that I was with you.

I remember one day when we were sitting there, under the big tree in my back yard. It was a couple of weeks later… that’s when things went bad. They started off great, but I didn’t know you were hiding something from me. I never thought you would, but apparently I was wrong.

“I wish things could stay like this forever. I’m sick of always having to hide things from my father,” I said.

“Some day we won’t have to hide it from him,” you said with a smile on your face. “We’ll be on our own and there won’t be anything he can do about it.”

“I know you’re right. I just wish that time were now.”

“Me too Alaina… me too.”

We sat there for a while not saying anything, just staring up at the sun. I put my head on you shoulder and closed my eyes. The only thing I needed was to be with you, it made me feel so much better about anything, even lying to my father.

“You know I love you more than anyone else?”

I was a little confused inside, but I didn't put much thought into why you would ask me that.

“I love you too... and nothing could ever take us apart.”

“Yeah, nothing. I want to be with you the rest of my life and I will find a way to make that happen.”

“Same here,” I said.

“But first I have to tell you something that you may not like. I should have told you earlier, but I was too upset.”

I looked up to see you looking in the other direction. I could tell you were trying so hard not to cry though, and it worried me.

“What is it?” I asked.

“My parents are making me leave. It will be somewhere far away from here, but my dad’s not sure where. He said wherever he finds a job. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that earlier. I’ve known for about a week now... I should have said something.”

I couldn’t believe what you were saying and at that point I started to cry. You hugged me and told me that everything would be okay, but I didn’t believe you. How could everything be okay when you were moving away? Why couldn’t I have known about this earlier?