What right did I have? If you were in my shoes, would you have told her everything? Would you have told her that you’ve fallen for her even though you’ve only known her for a short while? That you want her to stay because you know for a fact that she’d be much happier with you? Would you have her choose between the life that she’s dreamed of; the life that she could have, and you? No. If one of us has to feel any sort of pain, let it be me. And if both of us have to, then I can only hope that I bear the brunt of it.
Not a single second passed where I didn’t think about her. Her smile, her laugh, the touch of her hand, I didn’t know what I’d do without those things. But apparently, I’d have to find out. And now I’m sitting under the old willow tree, looking over all my thoughts and looking over my shoulders, towards the memories we had. They were brief, but still, they happened. She happened.
I’m not stupid; I knew I had to let her be. I had to let her make her own decisions, and I have no right to influence her. But what hurts the most is being so close; so close to telling her, so close to changing her mind, and yet, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I love her, but she shouldn’t know that. I heard someone approaching, so I quickly put away my notebook and hid my face.
“Catchy? Are you… crying?”
“No! I’m not. I’m... there’s something… I have allergies!”
She sat down beside me and tried to reach out for my hand. I have no idea what came over me, because I turned away, stood up, and left. I wanted to look back, but I shouldn’t. I wanted to go back to her, and kiss her and tell her to stay with me forever, but I couldn’t. She deserved more than me, that much is true. I wanted to tell her I love her, but I shouldn’t.
YOU ARE READING
Hope
Short Story'Strange; that was always the word used to describe me. My teachers knew me as the strangely quiet kid in the back. The other children knew me as the strange kid who was always reading. Their parents knew me as the strange child who was always alone...
