She knew she was being selfish by hoping that he wouldn't let her get in that bus, but she couldn't help it. For the first time since her dad passed, she was happy and it was all because of the boy before her, his hair slightly mussed up from him constantly, nervously running his fingers through it and his eyes shining with un-shed tears.
"You know, even when you cry, you're still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." She choked out a laugh and reached up to dry her cheeks while he wiped fresh tears from under her eyes before leaning in, slowly pulling her face to his and softly brushing his lips against hers. One more goodbye kiss. He knew that there was still a possibility that this was going to be the last time that he saw her, thus this being the last chance he had to feel what he hadn't felt until her. He was desperate to feel that spark one more time. His lips closed over hers and for a second, there was no sadness, no feeling of impending heart break, just them together.
Please don't let me go...
She paused and turned around to glance at him one last time. "Bye, Jo-Jo..." His nickname fell from her lips just as a broken smile found its way onto her face. His responding smile was just as broken. "Bye, Alli..." She tried to smile wider but failed as she just turned and walked onto the bus, the doors hissing shut behind her.
Please... Please don't let me go...
She silently hoped with all her heart that he'd do... Something. Anything really. Chase the bus, call her, something. But sadly, he stayed, feet planted on the sidewalk where they'd shared their long goodbye, a look on his face that perfectly reflected how she was feeling. Her tears fell silent and plentiful down her face as she felt her heart shatter to pieces in her chest. Once the bus turned a corner and he was out of her sight, she clutched the pendent hanging from her neck and bit her lip, keeping her hand pressed to the glass.
Don't forget me...
She wanted to die.
He wanted to live.
•••
A hand grabbed onto my wrist, yanking me back just as the train rushed past, before I'd even had time to comprehend whether or not I'd carry out the action. I stumbled back into the person's chest, my heart jumping out as I swivelled around, startled to find myself staring into piercing dark brown eyes.
"Were you going to jump?!"
"No," I drawled out sarcastically, ignoring the intensity of his eyes as they bore into my own, "I just stand on the edge of train platforms at midnight because I feel like it."
Seeing the stranger tense, I stepped away from the edge, feeling his hand let go of mine as I picked up my bag before moving to sit down on one of the platform benches. Letting out an evident sigh of relief, he sat down after tentative movements towards me, and I could feel his intense gaze raking across my features. His eyes never left me, I was sure of it, with every step both he and I had taken.
"Are you okay?"
He had asked warily, apparent apprehension in his deep voice while he spoke, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"What's there to talk about?" I threw his question back at him, watching him study me for a few critical moments before his potent gaze switched to our surroundings.
"I did just watch you nearly kill yourself; that might be a place to start?"
•••
She didn't expect for a complete stranger to stop her milliseconds away from committing suicide. She didn't expect him to be so kindhearted and patient.
He didn't expect to stop her from jumping in front of a train the first time they met. He didn't expect to find himself falling for the one girl he knew he shouldn't.
[Word Count: 180,000 - 200,000]