Chapter XXVI + Epilogue

Time passes without regard.

It heeds no one, stopping for no one. It just goes on and on, it just is.

Seconds turn into minutes into hours, the years slipping by until you realize your whole life just passed by.

As he stood with his eyes locked shut like his heart, head bowed slightly, not wanting to face life. But he knew. He knew he didn’t want it to end this way.

Vermillion streaks the gently billowing air as his head whips around, legs not moving fast enough as he stumbles a bit; running, running. Run to her.

He hoped it’s not too late, not to late to say three little words.

No. No he doesn’t need to say anything, not anything at all.

He just runs.

That’s when he sees it. Another chance.

Hands grasp onto arms, bringing the girl close to him, her eyes slowly turning towards him as if everything slowed down.

She sees his heaving shoulders, his lowered head as he catches his breath. He’s so close; she can see wisps of scarlet shrouding her vision.

“Mikael,” she whispers, burying her face into his neck so all she saw was red.

They stood for a while, no words were exchanged. None needed to be said as everything was already known.

When they finally broke their embrace he cupped her face and delved into deep blue, his own grey brimming with emotion. He leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her lips, and then let go.

“Mikael,” she said again, eyes hiding nothing as she looked unshakably at him.

“Thank you.”

~

Wheels clacked against the ceramic, creating a steady rhythm along with the tap snap of black heeled boots. A low whistle from the other side of the glass filled the quiet room, making heads pivot towards the noise.

A dark haired girl blinked, peering at the slate asphalt marked with dotted and slashed lines that struck the vast sky. No trees encircled the airport, just endless azure.

Sleek, pristine ivory jets meandered lazily across the tarmac, flags signaling its path by waving men in dark green with yellow helmets.

“Are you ready?”

The gentle benevolent tone of her sister brought her back from her reverie. She smiled at her toffee haired younger sibling before relying, “Yes.”

The lighter blue eyed girl nodded and shifted forward to embrace the girl she called “sister.” Even if they weren’t by blood.

“You better write to me,” she said, her voice muffled by the hug.

The older girl chuckled softly and affirmed she would.

Withdrawing, she added, “I’ll never forget you Elisa.”

Tears formed in Elisa’s eyes as she lightheartedly responded, “You better not Esteire!”

The girl nodded, a melancholy smile glancing her lips as she rested a hand upon Elisa’s shoulder.

“Be good,” she said, gazing down into those powder blue eyes, “And don’t worry about me.”

Bobbing her head slowly in suppressed sentiment that dared to reveal itself like dew on a leaf after rain, she gave one last embrace before Esteire walked down the corridor to the awaiting plane.

The midnight haired girl waved goodbye the whole way down, soon disappearing around a corner, never to know that another pair of eyes that didn’t belong to her sister watched the whole exchange. To them, it was only the two along with other boarding passengers and flight attendants. To him, it was that too, for he was only a spectator this time; a grey eyed onlooker.

He watched the two say their farewells, noted the bittersweet air and withholding emotion, and said in his own mind, adieu.

Then he remembered her last words. It wasn’t goodbye, but thank you. So he revised his words and whispered instead,

I’ll be waiting.

Epilogue

The brunette laughed as the tall, young blonde man swung her across the dance floor. The changing lights cast each color of the rainbow upon the pair, switching every few minutes. Other couples danced in the alternating glow whilst others sought quiet by the walls or refreshment at the tables.

It’s the last celebration of the year. The spring dance.

The season where life beings anew.

But like the seasons before it spring came and went, and the years passed by swiftly and tenderly. Leaves turn to shades of gold and red to dry and drift upon the ground only to be reborn again as chartreuse buds. As the seasons moved on, so did life. And thoughts and regrets of the past faded with time.

No one can wait forever.

Author's Note

-u-