As I sat in the airport, a beautiful girl in high heels and red hair bolted right past me. My gut instinct was to ask her out, but I immediately rejected this idea as this particular event triggered an agonizing memory from high school. I suddenly felt like a high school student, and the entire story played out in my mind once again, clear as a crystal.
Tears sprang from my eyes, for I could not confine the pain within my mental prison any longer. Eventually, the harrowing memory possessed my mind.
Ah, the nostalgic memories! During my senior year in school, my teacher was teaching calculus, but my distraught mind only had one thought on replay – Emily. I kept glancing around, tapping my feet, biting my nails, awaiting the bell to ring. My heart was beating so loud I could not concentrate. Today was the day I would finally profess my love to her.
I had waited years for this day and could not suppress the thought of what awaited me. My love for her had started when I first saw her in middle school during the dance, and we talked.
“Hi, I’m Luke. What’s your name?”
“Emily.”
“I don't know what to say...you're really pretty.”
Emily’s cheeks turned red and she looked down as she replied, “Thanks.”
I gently asked her, “Do you want to dance?”
“Sure, but I have no clue how to dance.”
“That’s alright, I’ll show you. Just follow my steps.”
Emily and I danced endlessly into the night, staring deep into each other’s eyes. We conversed and began to know each other better. My hands delicately wrapped around her waist, and I could feel her every breath on my chest. Her soft arms held close to me while I held onto her as if I would never let go. I absolutely could not take my glance of her eyes, glistening like the moon in a starry night sky, for she was the most attractive girl I had ever met. Before I knew it, the dance was over, and we had to part ways.
That night, my thoughts were wrapped around Emily. She had caught my attention. There was definitely something different about her.
Maybe it was her eyes. Maybe it was her smile. Maybe it was her character.
Whatever it may have been, her mere presence enlightened my day whenever I was having a bad day. As I fell asleep, I dreamed of seeing her once again. The next morning, my dream had come true, and I saw her again during lunch.
“Hey Emily! How’s it going?”
No response.
“Emily, it’s me. Luke, from the dance?”
Still no response. Something was definitely abnormal. She had never been so distraught.
“Are you alright?”
She collapsed into my chest in tears and told me her dad had recently passed away.
“It’s alright Emily. Just calm down. Everything will be fine.”
The next day, however, I could not find her in school. I searched all the hallways, every classroom, and every nook and cranny. My attempts were futile as I heard a horrifying rumor: she had permanently left the school. Afraid I would never see her again, I began to cry, too. The weight of the world was on my shoulders, dragging me down.
After going home, I had an idea! I could call her! I darted to my bedroom, kicked the door, threw up the charging cable, and frantically searched my contacts.
No. No. No. This cannot be happening.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.