Breaking the NewsA Story by NoblePariah I already added this a while ago, but took it down for editing, again, this isn't a story I want to give away with a description. Breaking the News Bill slowly sat down on the bench. No, it was their bench. No one else would ever understand the importance of this bench, save the two of them. It was the bench where she had come, crying over the death of her father, and it was where he had listened and consoled her. In the rain. For six hours. They were strangers then, though it felt like they had always known each other. He rubbed his hand over his fist, the note folded neatly inside, nervously awaiting her arrival. He had sent her a text message telling her the time and place to meet him, and she had agreed, but was already a half hour late. This only made what he had to do harder, he didn't want to see sadness cross the face he loved, he didn't want to see her glossy lower lip quiver, most of all he didn't want to see tears leak from those beautifully deep forest green eyes. He had tried to hide the fact that anything was wrong ever since he had realized what he had to do. He couldn't take the lies and the secrecy anymore, he simply had to end it, to tell her the truth, as much for her benefit as for his. He hoped that she would show up soon, as the suspense was killing him. Turning around, he realized that the sun would probably only be up for another half hour, and he didn't want her to walk alone to find him in the dark. A layer of clouds was forming across the sky, carrying with it the threat of rain. He decided that if she didn't come soon, then he would go looking for her. He wouldn't forgive himself if something happened to her, especially if it was because he was trying to tell her the truth that should have come out so long ago. Finally, he saw her on the horizon, her long amber hair waving carelessly behind her. Her green eyes focused on him, watching as he stood to greet her. She was making it even more difficult. Everything that he loved about her was in full blossom today: She walked with confidence, yet an approachable kindness that had given him the courage to approach her in the first place. Her long coat conformed to the slender curves of her body shaking slightly with each step he took towards her. She almost seemed to be walking in slow motion, the last rays of the sun highlighting her form through the clouds. The only thing he noticed that was absent, was her smile; a benevolent curling of the lips that could stop time around the subject of her gaze, allowing them further time to appreciate the gift she had given them. The same smile that she gave to him at the end of their first meeting, sitting on this very bench. The same smile that he was sure, he would never see again. She reached him, surrounded by a cloud of lavender and sweet vanilla, leaving him wanting to hug her, if not to catch a whiff of the aromatic elegance, then simply to be close to her silky smooth skin. He refrained, knowing that would make this much harder. He noticed the clouds beginning to swell as the sky darkened around them. “Hey, I'm sorry to ask you to come on such short notice,” he said, wondering at the fact that she hadn't made to kiss, or even hug him, as was her ritual. He had always felt safe and welcome in her arms, but he knew that there would be no more solace in her embrace. She looked determined, though he couldn't figure out why. “I've been meaning to talk to you, anyway,” she said, looking at his chest. Her voice sounded unusually emotionless, as if she didn't want to be speaking to him. He nodded, wondering what it was effecting her so, and they sat next to each other on the bench. He looked into her eyes and listened as she said, “There's no easy way to say this Bill, but I'm leaving you.” The statement struck him like a brick to his face. This was the last thing that he expected from her, not to mention the last thing he had wanted to hear before he had even told her what he had to say. “But...” he stammered. She put up a hand, looking at the ground, “please, Bill. Don't make this harder than it needs to be, we've been drifting apart recently and I think you know that. There is someone else. I'm so sorry.” This revelation struck him even harder and the only thing keeping him from bursting into a fitful outburst of tears, was his sheer willpower. He couldn't tell her. He simply loved her too much, even now, to do that to her. There was a baseball in his throat, and someone had replaced his stomach with an empty blackness that he couldn't begin to describe. “Go,” he said. It was the only word he could manage without choking over it. His body began to shake and shudder uncontrollably. She looked as if she wanted to stay, to hear him yell, or berate her, but he simply couldn't do it. He didn't have the strength to yell or to speak, he simply had ceased to function. Besides, in his mind, he blamed himself as much, if not more than he blamed her for this. He looked directly at the pavement beneath his feet until she eventually stood. Before she walked away, she said, “goodbye, Bill. I'm so sorry.” As she walked away her silhouette disappeared against the outline of the sky as the sun was completely overtaken by clouds on the horizon. “Me too,” he managed to get out through an increasingly tightening throat. “Goodbye, my love.” The final words were too quiet for her to hear. He opened his fist, unfolding the note and letting the ring inside fall to the ground as he reread the note one last time. It read, My love,
I don't deserve your forgiveness for keeping the truth from you, but my time is running out. I was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer. The doctors gave me three months to live, three months ago and I kept it from you so that we could be together as we were meant to. I refused chemo so you wouldn't know. The only regret I have is not asking you one thing; will you allow me to die a king among men by marrying me? Bill coughed into his hand, ignoring the blood that came out. Rain brought with it, the night. It still did not mask the tears that he left on the page as hung his head and dropped the note into the now pooling water at his feet. © 2013 NoblePariahAuthor's Note
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NoblePariahAboutI am a writer trying to better myself in the craft. I'm 22 and in college, pursuing a degree in creative writing. Please don't add me and send me a read request without reviewing a piece of my work. .. more..Writing
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