Two Steps Forward

"You know, I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

"It's-it's hard to say."

She smiled at him, her hazel eyes finding his grey ones as she took his hands and held them gently. "Whenever you're ready to talk about it, come find me. I'll listen, no matter what. I promise."

He laughed, pulling one of his hands away to mess up her hair. "I'll hold you to that, birdy."

---

"Little birdy?"

"Yes, you mangy puppy?"

He smiled and traced the streaks of tears on her cheeks. "What's got you upset?"

Her eyes glimmered with more tears and she bit the inside of her cheek, debating whether or not to tell him. "Look, Siri, there's something yo-"

And all of a sudden, he was no longer holding the incredible girl he'd come to love. Instead, he was holding a bracelet, the same one she was planning to gift him in only three days. The neat cursive read, "𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶."