Truth

     Trees swaying, rustling as the breeze swept through the, dancing around those crimson leaves. Now was not the time, not the place for another sad story. This is my hiding place, my quiet sanctuary away from misery, boredom, and time. I breathed, taking in the cool, calming air, crisp with the scent of pine, wondering how life could be so peaceful. I looked up at the giant domed sky reflecting my happy atmosphere with crystalline blue and white windswept clouds.

      “Ashley?”

      Shattered, the remnants of my daydream dissipated, almost melting before my eyes. I dropped my brush.

      “Yes?”

      My life was one of those that led in circles, never really going anywhere, but good enough to keep me within the paradigm of assumed happiness. I knew I had no real sense of adventure, I dabbled more in passion. I liked making paper birds, watching them fly away in the breeze. I loved paint. My colorful, acrylic spattered hands made that obvious. I never understood artists who get their hands dirty on accident. I always did it on purpose and never washed my hands when I finished a piece. It was kind of a bragging right to me. I am an artist. I only painted scenery. And paper birds.

      “You okay?” His name was Bryce. He was insufferably gorgeous. And he was my best friend. I looked up at him and smiled. I was painting. Of course I was happy.

      “Yes!”

      He half smiled, and looked out the window. He’d been so distracted lately. And he wouldn’t tell me why. I frowned at that, and turned back to my picture. I hoped he wasn’t getting depressed again. I hated him when he was depressed. I suddenly felt his breath on my shoulder. He was watching me paint. I smiled inwardly and turned towards him.

      “Do you want something?”

      “Watch you paint.”

      “That’s boring.”

      He shook his head, making me grin. I splotched his nose with gold and turned once again to my work. I laughed when he called me a brat. Then silence. The clock in the left corner, ticking, etching into my brain. An hour passed slowly. I didn’t understand how he could just sit and watch me for that long.

      “Hey, I’ve got to go soon.”

      “Brittney again?”

      He nodded. It figured. It was always Brittney. Bryce’s girlfriend. She was okay with me. I was the only girl she wasn’t jealous of, when I hung out with Bryce. Still.

     “I don’t want you going.”

     “I know.”

     I glared at him. He sighed and stood up. I followed him as he walked out of the room. He about faced at the door.

     “Ashley. I’m breaking up with her.”

     “WHAT?”

      He smiled. Why was he so darn grinny about it? Why?

     “Why???”

     “You don’t want me to?”

     “You know that’s not a fair question.”

     “I know.” Another brilliant, beautiful smile. “I also know that she’s not what I’m looking for.”

     “Why?” I asked again, trying so hard not to grin like the devil and cry at the same time. That would’ve been so embarrassing.

     “Because, I already found what I’m looking for. She’s not it.”

     “But why not?” I was in denial. It was Bryce and Brittney, all the way. They were together, forever. High school sweethearts since sophomore year. Why would he break it off now?

     “Ashley, she cheated.”

     “WHAT?”

     “She’s been cheating.”

     “Why didn’t you tell me?”

     “Because I wanted to tell you now. Tell you when I knew me and her were over. When I knew I was over her.”

      “Bryce-”

      “Don’t talk me out of it. I’ve thought of this for a while.”

      “Okay.. Okay I won’t.” I was so confused. So confused. How could anyone do that to him? Cheat on him? Especially her?

     “That’s not the only reason.”

     “What?”

      “I told you I’ve thought this through. And you know what I found?” He didn’t wait for me to answer. “I found out that my life has already been complete, without her, before I even met her. I just didn’t realize it. Don’t interrupt me, I need to get this out, I need to. Ashley, you are, and you have always been, my best friend and the most important thing I’ve ever had in my entire life. I love you, and I know you love me. I just can’t deny it anymore. It’s been killing me, killing us, every day. And I can see that. I’m tired of lying about it, of acting like it isn’t true. Because it is, Ashley, it is, and"“

     “Shut up.”

     “What?”

     I couldn’t help it. I threw myself on him and I cried. I laughed and cried and blubbered right in front of him. And I couldn’t stop. He was holding me so tight, so wonderfully. I looked up at him. I knew I looked awful but I didn’t care. He was crying too.

     “I love you.”

     I wasn’t sure who said it. I didn’t care, because I knew we both were saying it in our hearts, over and over. It was an expression that had been buried alive for so long, and now it had exploded.

     “Now,” he said, “let me finish up business. I’ll be back in forty.”

     He was back in thirty. Brittney was gone. And he had a ring.

     “Ashley, have you ever felt something so right you just followed it impulsively?”

     I remember screaming, and laughing, and crying, and jumping around and laughing. And hugging him and laughing. I kissed him and said yes. Impulsively.

     I would never, ever be sad again.

Reviews

[ashleydawn]

There was so much emotion that just jumped out of this piece. I had tears in my eyes at the end. This is truly beautiful and captures the dreams of girls everywhere. The descriptiveness in this short write is so expressive that I feel as though I know Bryce and Brittany and Ashley. All people in my high school that I can point out quickly. You have done an amazing job here. You have talent.

[A.Lee]

Aww, this is wonderful! Such a beautiful encounter. The imagery and feeling in this flowed right off the page. You know you did a good job when your reader is laughing out loud and smiling along with the story. Beautiful work. Definitely a favorite of mine.

[Snickers]

Awwww, this was so cute, I couldn't help but giggle a few times as I read it.

[Pax Analog]

It's always good when the psychic jigsaw puzzle pieces fit so much better. It's quite an odyssey of self-discovery and relatedness discovery to find what's supposed to last. Sometimes a short trip lasts a lifetime, sometimes it takes a long trip. . .Depends on inner and outer circumstances, of course.

One can see in your vignette that these two are a better match for the time being than the previous configuration. There's the element of art which bodes well for long-term, especially since it seems meaningful to Bryce as well.

One would like to check in on this couple, documentary-style in ten years, see how they're doing.

A sweet valentine of youth.

[Sammie]

Well done!! I loved it...I am a hopeless romantic after all.

First person POV's is one of my favourites, I love reading it as well as writing it. One thing I look for when I'm reading anybody's work or when I'm just reading is whether my imagination can follow it and while I was reading this my imagination put together the scene very easily. Awesome!