A Love Song

Chapter Nine

Yuri and Thomas walked along the sandy beach in silence. They both stared at their feet and the sand and were careful to avoid each other's eyes. Finally, Thomas broke the silence.

"Why didn't you deny it and speak the truth? Look at your hands, they are blistering and red from all that work and yet, why did you not tell the truth to avoid such pain?" he asked, finally finding his voice.

It was his first time taking a walk with a girl and he never knew it would be so awkward. For a moment, Yuri didn't reply, as if thinking of an answer.

"Emily Radley is not someone you would want to mess with. She is stubborn as a rock and wouldn't give up until she gets her way. If I don't give up, she will think of more ways to accuse me,"  Yuri replied earnestly.

"You know, she seems very attracted to you," Yuri added as an afterthought, or perhaps to change the subject.

Thomas's face darkened instantly.

"That's none of your business." He said shortly.

"I've known Emily for a long time and she is not quite my type."

Yuri fell silent.

"It's getting cold, let's go back inside."

Thomas suggested after another moment of silence. Yuri nodded and they started to walk back to the school.

That night Yuri dreamed of Simon again. She dreamed that he had come back to life and they were reunited. Her heart was filled with happiness. They were to be wedded. On the happiest day of Yuri's life, just when it was the moment for Simon to give Yuri her ring, Emily came up and stabbed her in the back. She felt intense pain and saw Simon fading away - Yuri woke up screaming and sobbing. It was then that she realized she was still in her dormitory and that Simon was dead. It was close to midnight and to Yuri's enormous relief, Emily had not yet returned. Her thoughts drifted to Simon and her heart sank.

'Why did she have to think about him?' She thought desperately.

All she wanted was Simon's life back.

Just then the dormitory door opened and the figure of a boy came in. Yuri sat up with her eyes slightly unfocused. As her vision slowly cleared, she gasped. It was Simon.

"Yuri, are you alright?" Simon said. "I heard you screaming."

Yuri threw her arms around Simon's neck.
"Simon, why did you have to leave me like that? You really... Really scare me when the police officer said you died in that crash!" Yuri murmured, hugging him close to her.
Her tears were mingled with sweat from her dream and she held him tightly.