The Scarlet Rose

Nestled under an oak tree, lying beside a river, I couldn’t help but stare in awe as the world shifted around me in every direction. It seemed so vast and spacious. My eyes could hardly keep up with its beauty; the marvelous way that the sun rose over the land, setting its light upon the plains, only to soon vanish from sight. At least, from this side of the world. But either way, it was a remarkable view; one that I would not have wanted to ever end, but all things must come to an end eventually...and that is what happens when you’re in love.

       Love is like a sun set. It sprouts out of the world, ever so lively, with not a care, nor worry, ready to breathe for the first time, and the last. In some ways, love is like a person. And that person; that one human being, can make the whole world spin around and around...eventually causing change. In time, that change will lead to unimaginable dreams, ones that do come true, and possibly ones that will last a lifetime. That was what I had thought, and wanted to happen...but it never quite happens the way we expect it to, unfortunately, and that is where my story begins; under an old oak tree beside a river.

       Resting my head against the tree’s trunk, I slowly closed my eyes. It seemed like the only way I could appreciate the beautiful sounds of nature, without any distractions. What I hadn’t realized is that without my sight, I was quite vulnerable, but I didn’t seem to care at the time. What I wanted most was to relax on my one day off from work, and nothing would stop that from happening...at least, that’s what I thought. The fact is that a loud noise woke me. "Gung-ho!" is all i heard as whatever it was came hurtling my way, throwing me off balance and eventually into the river.

       As i was now sitting neck deep in water, clothes drenched from the fall, I now looked at who had pushed me, with an awkward expression. I knew right then that my quiet day had come to an end, and I’m sure she knew it as well. It surprised me for a second, but I quickly came to the realization that it was none other than my best friend, Emma.

       “Em...why on earth would you do something like that? Haven't you ever heard of a pat on the back? Or couldn't you have called out my name, rather than screaming it like you did?" I scowled at her, a little startled and irritated, but the tone of my voice quickly calmed down when I noticed the look on her face. She seemed a little saddened by how I yelled, but what was she to expect? It’s not like I knew what was going to happen.

       She looked at me for a little bit longer with that saddened expression, but she eventually let up, and a large smile formed on her adorable little face. It was such a beautiful smile, that I couldn’t help but smile back, and then we both began to laugh.

      “I’m sorry,” she yelled out, laughing at the top of her lungs, “I couldn’t help myself. You’re too easy to surprise. I had to!” And with that, her laughter grew into a frenzy.

      At that moment, I knew there was only one way to stop her from laughing so chaotically...and that was a kiss. A kiss? What was I thinking? I couldn’t do that. Not with her. She was like my little sister. How awkward it would be if I actually pressed my lips against hers...to feel her gentle touch, one I’ve never felt before. How could I have never kissed a girl in my entire life? At seventeen years old…? Has she ever kissed a boy? Has she ever done anything more? What was going on inside my head? Why were these thoughts appearing from nowhere? And why wouldn’t they stop? I couldn’t take it anymore...I couldn’t...I had to…but what would she do? Would she kiss back…? There was only one way to find out.

      As Emma kept laughing, I quickly, and urgently, pressed forward. My eyes were closed, so I wasn’t sure if I had actually kissed her on the lips or not. I should’ve taken a hint when her laughter took a pause. So did I? The only way to know was to open my eyes, but I was too afraid. Her reaction might not be what I wanted it to be, and that kiss could either make our relationship better, or break it. Either way, I needed to know.

      I slowly opened my eyes, and as I did, I noticed Emma staring right back at me, her lips against mine, with a surprised look on her face. What startled me was the fact that she didn’t pull away. She just froze. I could tell that it had been her first real kiss, and I slowly pulled back, my face now a bright red.

      “What was that for?” she asked. I could hear the curiosity in her voice as I could feel deep down inside that I shouldn’t tell her the truth, that I am truly in love with her...but my mind wandered off.

      “Oh, sorry. I wasn’t sure how to quiet your laughter, and that was the first thing that popped into my mind,” I lied.

      “Silly! You should’ve just told me that in the first place!” She yelled, with that stunning smile still upon her face. It was almost mesmerizing, sort of like being pulled into a trance-like state where not a single bone in my body wanted to function. I was frozen to a point where my words wouldn’t come out, and my eyes were fixed on her smile. Her smile...if only...she knew…

       “Well, you know, I..I…” Like I said, my words seemed to be glued to my tongue. I couldn’t say anymore. I just kept quiet and waited for her to speak, which wasn’t for a while. She seemed more fascinated with the view of the river, and the beauty of nature.

       It wasn’t long before she looked back at me, and once again, smiled ever so brightly. I couldn’t help but smile back.

       “Come on,” she said as she hopped up, water running down her body from the river. As she held out her hand, she called out again, as if the running water was too loud for me to hear her speak. “Let’s go!”

       As I accepted her invitation, she quickly pulled me up. I can almost remember the smoothness of her hand, as she gently clasped hers with mine.

      “Where are we going?” I asked, waiting eagerly for an answer.

      “You’ll see!” She giggled, which always put me in a good mood.

      As she took the lead, I followed. Her long brown hair flew back in the wind as she ran, and as she quickly glanced back at me, I couldn’t take my eyes away from hers. Her beautiful green eyes resembled two gems that couldn’t be matched. They were the only ones in their existence, and I was happy that they were focused on me.

      At this point, I didn’t really care where she was taking me. I just wanted to stay by her side...even though I knew that I would most likely never tell her about my true feelings. After all, I’d rather only be friends than some random stranger who has no connection to her whatsoever.

      The longer we ran, the slower time seemed to flow, and the distance between us and our destination felt as if it were growing further and further away, almost as if there was no end to our journey. For me, that was perfectly fine. I wasn’t sure about Emma, though. She seemed to be enjoying herself, giggling repeatedly. I couldn’t help but laugh, myself, since I was truly happy. Happiness wasn’t something I encountered much in my life, so I would embrace what little happiness I could get my hands on. And with her, the feeling became great, and there wasn’t much that could ruin the way I felt. With Emma, anything seemed to be possible...even what came next.

      After running through fields, over fences and under bridges, through the woods, and all the way to the other side of town, Emma came to a complete stop. She let go of my hand, finally, and went behind me. Putting her hands over my eyes so I couldn’t see a thing, she spoke a few soft words that have stayed with me since that very moment.

      “Close your eyes, and let me show you the way…”

      I listened to her, and I let her take the lead once more. Walking slowly, so I wouldn’t bump into anything, I noticed a certain scent. Although it seemed quite familiar, I could hardly put my finger on it. What was it? Something I’ve seen or felt before, I know, but I couldn’t figure it out. It was only then that realized what it was, but why would she bring me to them? Why would Emma bring me to a rose garden?

      "This is my favorite place to go when I’m sad, Michael. I absolutely love roses. They cheer me up no matter what. That is why I’m always so happy. Because I have you, and these lovely roses. I’m not sure what I would do without either of you. You two are my family.”

      That was the first time Emma had said anything like that to me before. It was the first time she expressed her emotions openly. Usually she would just hide her feelings behind a smile, and of course, I’d buy into it. Once that face of hers starts to grin, it’s all over for me.

      “How come you’ve never shown me this place before, Em?” I questioned her so subtly.

      “Because, I would come here alone every day after school and think, about my past, my future, the relationships I have with people...and you. I think about you a lot, honestly. And after that kiss, I just had to show you my favorite place to be. I wanted to share with you my happiness, and maybe you would be happier too.” And with that, the smile that was already parked upon my face lit up once more, and brighter than ever.

      “Thanks, Em. I love it here,” I said.

      “I knew you would,” she replied with the biggest grin I’d ever seen. “Come on, help me pick a few roses to bring back to the oak tree.”

      I nodded and chased after her, as she was already running towards the rose bushes.

       “Be careful,” I called out, hesitantly, “the roses have thorns!”

       “Don’t you think I know that, silly?” She replied, giving me a sarcastic gesture.

       “Sorry, this is the first time I’ve been here.”

       “It’s okay,” she said, grabbing my hand again, and this time, holding it firmly while she collected roses with her other hand.

       After we picked enough roses, we found a spot on the grass and sat for a little while. Surrounding us were roses, everywhere, but they made Emma happy, and that was all that mattered. I was glad that she had showed me this place, especially in Spring, when life was at its best, and nature still bloomed. I couldn’t have asked for a better moment in my life, and I never wanted it to end. As I grew more comfortable, Emma rested her head on my shoulder, and looked up at me. This time, there was no smile, but a sort of saddened look on her face, but barely noticeable. I asked her what was wrong, but she only shrugged it off.

       “I guess I don’t want this moment to end,” she said, “I never want my life to end, because I know that once it does, I won’t ever be able to be with you again.”

       Those words...somehow brought a single tear to the left side of my face. How could she say that, at that particular moment? I mean, no one has ever said anything like that to me before, and it felt nice. It felt warming, and cozy, almost as if all of my troubles had disappeared from this world. For the first time, I felt comfort. I felt safe. I felt...love.

      “Em, you never have to go. I will always be by your side, no matter what. I…I…” My words froze. Was I really going to say that, right then and there? Would I really confess my passion for this beautiful girl at that very moment? I figured, why not? There might not be another perfect moment like this. I was ready to say it, but Em pressed a finger against my lips.

       “Shhh..it’s okay, Michael. You don’t have to say anymore. I know what you’re thinking, but don’t. Not right now, okay?”

       With that, my thoughts shattered. Had she not wanted me to tell her that I loved her, that I would do anything for her? Or that I would be there for her no matter what? No, it wasn’t that. It seemed like she was hiding something, but I wasn’t sure what. I didn’t question it, though. She always had a reason for everything, so I just listened.

       Keeping my thoughts to myself, I admired the beauty of nature, the roses around us, and the girl that I have always lived for. She was everything to me, and I would never leave her. At least, for the moment, I didn’t realize what she was hiding from me.

       Finally, she leaped up from her spot, along with me right behind her, and the roses in her hand. Without a word, she ran back the way we came, and I followed. The sun was finally setting, and it was time to head home before dark. After all, we were on the other side of town, and we didn’t exactly live in the city. This was out in the countryside, so everything was distant and spread apart.

      Although the journey was beautiful, it did wear me down. When we finally reached the oak tree, I tumbled over, landing face first in the dirt. Emma only laughed, but helped me up. I shrugged it off, pretending that nothing happened, but she only laughed harder at the fact that I tried to cover it up. That was Emma, for you. Everything could be thought of as a joke to her, but that’s what made her special. Finding the positive in even the darkest of times was a gift; one that not many people possess nowadays. I could stand there, and find something completely random, and make a lousy joke about it, but she would still find it hysterical. It made me happy.

       “What now?” I asked. She paused for a moment, not laughing anymore. Her face shaped a slightish smile, this time, almost as if she was thinking while staring at me.

       "Oh, nothing,” she looked away. sixteen years old and still had that childish look on her face, yet still ever so beautiful. I couldn’t help myself. I lifted myself to my feet, and I told Emma to wait right there, that I would be right back. She nodded and sat on the grass, next to the roses she placed underneath the oak tree. I rushed to my house, where my most prized personal belongings were. Fortunately, they were already all in a backpack. I quickly grabbed the sling of the pack and bolted out the door, forgetting to lock it behind me. Emma was my main priority. Nothing else seemed to matter to me at that moment.

       Reaching the oak tree alongside the river, I paused for a moment in a panic. Emma was gone. Where could she have disappeared to, and why? Was she playing a trick on me, or was something really wrong? I couldn’t figure it out, but I ran around the tree, looked back and forth, under every rock and stone. I even jumped into the water yelling, “Emma, Emma! Where are you?!” It was then that I heard a burst of laughter near by. I stopped all sudden movements, and slowly turned towards the tree, only to notice that it was Emma. She had climbed up the tree, waiting to surprise me. I guess her plan had gone a little too far, but she still couldn’t contain her laughter. She jumped down from the tree and walked over to me.

       “I’m so sorry, Michael,” she said, trying to keep a straight face when she saw the expression on mine.

       “Oh, it’s not a problem,” I replied, with a small grin on my face as she went to grab my hand to pull me out of the water. Had she realized a few seconds sooner as to why I was grinning, she would’ve thought twice before reaching out to help me. That was when I grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into the river, but my plan backfired. She toppled over, landing on me, rather than the water itself. I yelled when I realized that I was about to be flattened like a pancake, but it was no use. The laws of physics never seem to fail.

      As she fell on top of me, my head sank into the water, but I was able to resurface quickly, with my arms wrapped around Emma, holding her. That was my reaction to the whole incident. I had to make sure she was safe. I had to protect her. As she realized that her and I were in the water, body against body, she just looked at me. Her beautiful face, with that look in her dark green eyes, it left me to wonder what she was thinking. She quickly looked away, but before she could fully turn her head, I touched her cheek with my hand. With that, she moved for the last time. I don’t know what it was, but my touch had frozen her.

       “Emma, what’s wrong?” I said, a little concerned. Her facial expression wasn’t one I’d ever seen before. She looked at me for another moment, then turned away.

       “Nothing...actually. It’s quite the opposite. I’m actually...happy…” I could hear in her voice that she was ready to cry, and sure enough, tears began to flow down her face. Almost immediately, I took a finger and gently wiped some of her tears. I wasn’t entirely sure why she had been crying, but I wasn’t going to ask. If it was something she had wanted to tell me, she would have by now. I decided I’d let it go. All I knew was that I would be there for her, no matter what, and my heart would stay beside hers, forever. I knew right then and there that I wanted no other girl. Not ever. And I was okay with that. I could live with being in love with her. It left me content, after all, and that was just fine with me.

       “It’s getting late, Em,” I said regrettably, “your parents are probably worried sick by now. The sun has gone down and the moon is out. Let me walk you to your house.” And with that, I helped her out of the water, and walked with her, hand in hand, all the way to her house. It wasn’t much of a distance, but I wanted to make sure she was safe. After all, it was night time now, and who knows what could be out there at this hour. I decided I’d just walk with her up to her front door, and then head home afterwards.

       Reaching the front steps of her home, I said my goodnights and slowly turned around, ready to rush off to my own place, but she stopped me. I was quickly turned around, and when my eyes met hers once more, I noticed that almost instantly, my lips had once more collided with hers, as she went for a kiss this time, turning my face bright red.

       “What was that for?” I asked curiously.

       “Haven’t you ever heard of a good night kiss, Michael?” She said with a little sassy tone in her voice, my face still blushing.

       “I...well...yeah...but…” I couldn’t quite form the proper sentence, but as I searched for the right words, I was finally able to finish what I was trying to say. “I…just…wasn’t expecting it, is all.”

       “Well, expect it, my good sir!” She said, with a louder tone than normal, but it was like music to my ears. Even her voice had a certain a melody that I couldn’t live without. Things were just becoming more and more perfect, and I knew that for the rest of my life, I would be satisfied. Never again would I feel loneliness, as long as I had her with me.

       I smiled as she said her good nights, and the door closed behind her. As calmly as ever, I scurried my way off the steps and practically skipped home with my head held high. It would be a night that I would remember for the rest of my life.

*    *    *

       The next morning, I woke up early, hoping that I could get a head start on my day. I was wondering if Emma had dreamed about us last night like I had. It was the perfect dream. Her and I were lying in my bed, her back against my chest. We were both content, and nothing could ever come between us. She calmly hummed a lovely song that I wasn’t familiar with, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to close my eyes and listen to the melody. With my arms around her waist, I couldn’t think of a better moment than this. If there was any, it would be with her.

       Unfortunately, I had woken up right before we kissed. Couldn’t I have kept dreaming for a little while longer? At least for a few more minutes? That was all I needed. Just a few more minutes with the love of my life, and everything would’ve been fine, but I knew that there was a reality, and it also had an Emma waiting for me.

       I quickly shot out of bed and raced towards the shower, tripping over my sneakers on the way there. I wanted to get ready to head over to Emma’s as soon as possible so I could spend another beautiful day with her. That day with her was possibly one of the best days of my life. I didn’t want it to end, but like I said before, all things must come to an end eventually, as sad as it sounds. What I didn’t realize at the time, was that things would come to an end much sooner than I thought.

       Finally, out of the shower, I threw on what clothes I could find lying around, hopped into my sneakers, and raced out the door. It wasn’t too far of a distance to Emma’s house, but I didn’t want to spend any time away from her. I only knew that I wanted to be with that girl, and only her. I knew...that I loved her.

       It wasn’t much further, I thought to myself, but as I ran faster and faster, the distance seemed to increase. I felt as if the path to her house grew longer, and that I would never reach her like this. I slowly stopped to gasp for air, taking deep breaths, one at a time. So intertwined with the thought of reaching Emma, I hadn’t noticed that I decided to rest in front of her house. What I didn’t realize was that there were a lot of police cars around, and an ambulance. What was going on?

       I slowly walked towards the house, with each step dragging on. I noticed Emma’s parents over in the corner of the yard, talking to a police officer. That was when they noticed me. Emma’s mom walked over to me and handed me a note.

       “She...wanted you to have this…” she said, trying not to burst into tears. I was a bit confused. I wasn't sure what happened. My mind wouldn't process it, but deep down, my heart burned. I could feel pain trembling within me, swelling throughout my body, as I hesitated to open the note, but I did. It read:

Dear Michael,

       If you’re reading this, then it’s already too late. Thank you for last night. It was the most amazing night I have ever had. You are truly the greatest friend a girl could ever have. And I wanted to tell you something that I’ve been too scared to tell you for the longest time. Deep down inside, I’ve wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how you felt. I wanted to make sure that you felt the same...and because of last night, I finally knew...that you loved me. And the truth is, I’ve been suffering an illness for a few months now, Michael, and yesterday was my last day...to live...but thank you. The moments I spent with you, laughing and having fun. Those are the moments I want you to remember me by. Please, I tried to be happy for you, and I tried to make you happy, always. I have been in love with you since the day I met you, with your short brown hair, and your colorful brown eyes, sparkling at me with that delicate smile of yours. I just wanted to tell you how I felt. I wanted to tell you everything yesterday...but I was too afraid. I...I...I didn’t want you to cry...So just smile, and keep on smiling. I’ll always be with you in heart. And, Michael, can you do me one more favor…? Take the roses we picked to the rose garden, and plant them in the spot that we sat, for me,  okay? I appreciate it. Now...it’s almost time for me to go...so I have to say one last goodbye...so goodbye...Michael...I love….

       The note ended there. With tears flowing down just one side of my face, I realized that she was writing that all the way up to her last breath...her parents must have read it and realized this too. If only I could have told her how I truly felt...and if she had told me of her illness, I could’ve made yesterday an even better day for her…

      “Why...why didn't you tell me?!” I screamed, not holding back how I felt, “I loved you...and you didn't tell me that yesterday was your last day to live?!” I dropped to my knees, wailing in sorrow, not caring that everyone was watching...and Emma’s parents sulked even more, not being able to hide their tears any longer either.

      “You...you meant everything to me…” I continued, “You meant the world...I was ready to give my life for you...and you just...you just…disappear like that, leaving me behind? How could you do such a thing?!” Not listening to reason, I balled my eyes out. Was this the pain of losing a loved one? No, this was far greater. This was the pain of losing a soul mate...and I knew that I would never find another girl like her. Not in this lifetime, nor ever.

      “Michael…” Emma’s mom said, putting her hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. I didn't want to talk to anyone at that moment, so I stood up and ran, tears still streaming down my face. I knew where it was that I had to go. I would acknowledge Emma’s last request, and return to the rose garden that she had shown me just yesterday, but when I got there, something was wrong.

       All of the roses were dead...Every single one, but why? Why would this happen, and on a day like this? Did Emma know? Is that why she chose to pick a few roses before we left? Maybe, but how? What did she want me to do? She told me to plant the roses in the spot that we sat on yesterday, but what good would that do? Just then it hit me. Emma knew the roses would die, and she wanted to preserve a few. She wanted to regrow the garden...and wanted me to help. Was that her dying wish? For me to replant all of the roses in the garden? If that was her wish, then I had decided that I would. I would make my own rose garden, and dedicate it to the love of my life...Emma Rose Scarlet, the girl who had changed my life; my soul mate. Forever would I remember her name, and each and every day, until the very last one, will I visit this rose garden. And each and every moment, will I remember, that a rose may wilt, but with just enough love and care, that one rose may yet still live on...

Reviews

[Layi Tate]

Wow Brian this story was amazing
I love good love story combined with tragedy it was beautiful
I'm a sucker for love and sad endings but I just adore how you captured it and made it stand still briefly and I loved the anger with Michaels grief of losing her ......

This was timeless!!!

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks! Not sure why, but I find that I write best when it comes to writing romance/romance tragedies. Probably because of all of the emotions I put into the story.

[Layi Tate]

Yes perhaps ... I look forward to more pieces like this from you :)

[Afraa]

Sorry for the late review. So many people sending me reading requests, even through messaging. It's driving me nuts!!! And for that, I should consider turning it off. Now that I got that out of the way...

Brian, I am speechless, especially when I was reading that ending. Somehow I knew this was going to end tragically. This is the most beautiful story I have read on this website, and for that, I added it to my favorites. I would love to sit down and read that all over again. You had a way with words in this story and I loved the imagery. I have a thing for roses myself, hence why the title attracted me to read the story. I don't find many stories like this one on here and it frustrates me. I just want to lay my head back, sigh, and tell myself, "That was a good story." Admittedly, the story did pain me, and it's too genuine for words. I hope to read another story like one from you.

Beautiful job, Brian! Thank you for writing this masterpiece.

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thank you! I appreciate this review. I actually have a sequel short story that's currently unfinished right now, in the works. I will have work on it again shortly and post it. I wrote this a year ago, and it's one of my first completed short stories that I still have. I'll keep you posted on when my next one is ready to be read!

[Afraa]

Looking forward to it!

[Brian M. Peeples]

It needs a lot of work because they were both originally two separate stories, with different characters and such, but I figured I could make one of them a sequel since their stories seemed to follow up so coincidentally.

[Afraa]

How long did it take you to write this?

[Brian M. Peeples]

Since I had nothing going on at the time (no job or school) when I wrote this, it took me about a day or two to write it. Then I edited/revised what I could a year later after finding it one day.

[Afraa]

That's impressive that you wrote all that in that small time frame. I will be checking out more of your work, definitely.

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks! When I have enough time, I can write short stories in hours and poetry in minutes, at least, if I'm motivated enough. I don't necessarily always use my brain when I write. I use my heart. I use my brain more-so when I'm finished writing and have to edit. My heart is what brings deep emotions into the stories like this that I write. All of the emotions are real to every story; and I believe my characters to be real people, with emotions, and feelings. It makes them come to life, and it makes the story more realistic than believing it to be just a story. A "story" is somewhat like a myth/legend, in a sense. But if you believe it's real, then you'll feel a connection and then it'll be a better story than not putting as much emotion in it.

[Afraa]

I don't know what's more epic. You or your words. O_O

I couldn't agree more with what you just said. Might I add, you're very talented.

[Brian M. Peeples]

Haha That actually made me laugh, the first statement. And thanks, I appreciate the kind words. I write different genres, depending on my mood, which is weird, because they all possess a different style. Like how my horror story has darker emotions than a romance story, or how my fantasy stories possess a sense of humor, yet a lighter tone to the setting and the pace of the story. I tried posting a few different genres to express the changing styles. But the tone of the story isn't even the odd difference. My horror story might use more sophisticated words than one of romance, and it may have a more twisted logic. It all depends on how I'm feeling on a particular day haha.

[MomzillaNC]

Very engaging and tragic love story. I especially like the idea of the rose garden. This short story shows promise. Well done.

NOTES: I recommend you find a beta reader/copy editor and sit down with them on this one. For example, "Like mentioned," is superfluous to that paragraph. You might give it another pass for grammar, spelling, and punctuation too; you have a few run-on sentences as well.

[Brian M. Peeples]

Thanks. A lot of my short stories have much editing/revising to do. For me, and probably many others, it's a terrible feeling to edit and revise your own work, since there's never really a finished piece of work. You can always add to something. Having someone else help in the editing and revising allows another's input and assists the writer in being motivated enough to make edits and changes. I know for me, editing my own work is my least favorite thing to do. But I love to edit/revise others' writing, for fun. Helps me as a writer.

[MomzillaNC]

That's why I recommend a beta reader and/or copy editor. I find it also helps to read the material aloud. You'll hear things in the audio that you'd miss in reading in silence.

[Brian M. Peeples]

I agree. I always read my writing aloud when I have to read it over.

[MomzillaNC]

Same here.