The Willow Tree

Chapter 1

The weeping willow tree is where we met. Where we found each other. Where our story begins.

It was miday and the sun was setting nicely, the orange gold stretches far and wide. The sight was beautiful as it was getting lower and lower under the hills of the valley. I've watched it everyday for as long as I can remember. The valley is near where I live, it's only a 5 minute walk.

Not once have I missed the bright rays of the sun reaching my eyes, burning them but in a calming way. The sensation of warmth radiating from the star would embrace me as it set, and when it did the warmth slowly faded from me and then disappeared.

Eventually the sun went down and the stars came out, like brand new Christmas lights on a tree. Shining through the ebony sky, conquering it with its gleam. The moon was a crescent, a silver colour that still brightened the sky despite it being night.

You see, I lived in the countryside and we didn't use many cars here, so you could see every powerful star and the amazing moonlight, it was so bright that it would seem that the sun hadn't set yet.

There I was sitting under the pink willow tree, watching the stars like I do every night while listening to music. At the time, I was a 15 years old girl, it was 1989 and I was a big fan of Queen. So I would play there songs through my black and red Walkman with my headphones on.

One day as I was doing my normal routine, I had my eyes closed, my head leaned against the tree and I was singing along to Love Of My Life when I felt a soft tap on my right shoulder. I had opened my eyes and taken off my headphones to see a girl standing in front of me, smiling at me.

I had seen her before around town but never really talked to her, the most interactions we'd ever had was a quick glimpse and smile across the street. She used to come to my school but her parents decided that it was best to home school her for some reason, I wasn't really sure as to why, but, I'm guessing its because they were strong Christians and believed that going to school would distract her because of all the boys that were there. Also, she was the only child in her family's generation, for them that was more of a reason for her to not go to school. So she wouldn't get "corrupted".

"Hi! My name is Heather! Do you come here often?"

She politely asked me as she sat down next to me, holding a book in her hand.

"Yeah actually I do. My name's Amber, nice to meet you."

I replied as I held out my hand, she then took it, gently shook it and then let go. She had a warm smile.

She had beeline honey hair that went a little lower than her shoulders. She had bright viridescent eyes and wore a cream summer dress, covered in dahlias. She wore flat, cream shoes and a crucifix around her neck.

While she dressed as a girly girl, I preferred to be a bit more tomboy ish. I wore black trousers with a grey vest, a red and black flannel shirt over it and my shoes where grey and black converse. I wore Dark Brown beads that wrapped around my wrist on both arms.

"What are you listening to?"

She asked me, I told her that I was listening to a Queen song and how I was a big fan of them, I then began to babble on about them and how I had recently been to a concert of theirs. She giggled as she agreed with me on how cool they were and how she also liked their songs. I dont know what it was but Heather was really easy to talk to. She just had one of those faces where I could trust her easily. And I did.

As the night progressed so did we, our conversations lasted long. While we were talking my mother appeared and she told me that it was getting late and I had to go home, that's when we said our goodbyes.

After that night it had been settled that we would meet up everyday under the willow tree. Slowly we became quite close to each other and became good friends. I would tell her everything that happened that day in town or at school, and she told me everything she did at her bible school (although it was still boring, I listen regardless since she didn't complain about my chatter).

She would bring me different books to read as soon as I finished the other and I gave her my Walkman, so she could enjoy Queen songs and other bands like Guns N' Roses. Heather would always talk about different types of flowers, she would always tell me how dahlias are her favourite.

No matter where Heather and I were, or how busy we were, we would always find a way to meet up with each other at the willow tree. We were always happiest when we were together. We'd always smile in each other's company. We'd always laugh while we were together. And sooner or later, the friendship grew into something more precious for me.

As the days went on my feelings for Heather grew. Before whenever I looked at her and see her smiling at me, I would smile back excited to spend some quality time with my now best friend. However, with every sunset a different emotion began to rise to the light within me. I dont know how, but I had started to fall in love with Heather.

It has been a few years since I've met her now, now I am nearly 18 and she is 18 and a half. Now whenever I look at her, I feel my heart skip a beat, blood rushing to my ears and a flutter in my stomach. The dimples that arose when she made that perfect smile, the giggle she'd make whenever we talked to each other. Simply the way she said my name was perfect. Everything about her was. I had fallen for her.

But it couldn't happen. She and her family all believe in the Lord, and from what I can tell they're not too fond on people like me. People who dont care about whats your creed or gender, people who is happy with the same sex as long as they're in love. But the Bible believes that it is Adam and Eve, Not Adam and Steve.

And that's why I can't be with her. But every moment I stay with her my feelings grow, there's no point in allowing them to if they cannot become reality.

The moment intensifies as my tone becomes more serious showing that i want to talk to her.

"Heth, there is something important that we need to talk about."