Leaf

Leaf's story

 

**Disclaimer** This story is based off of a story I read. Although the writing are mine, most of the storyline does not belong to me.

 

Ever since I was young, I loved collecting leaves. Many photo albums were filled with pages of countless leaves I had gathered. Spring and fall were the best seasons to collect. Spring gave the freshest leaves and autumn gave the most brightly-painted ones. At first, I would often catch colds for staying outside for so long. But over time, I grew adapted to it and my mother could no longer use the sickness as an excuse to get me inside. I found collecting leaves calming and relaxing. In a way, I admired leaves. I felt that it must’ve taken a lot of courage for a leaf to leave the tree she had been relying on for so long.

During the three years of high school, I grew close to a guy. I had only viewed him as a brother and a good friend. But when he got his first girlfriend, I learnt a feeling I came to be familiar with— jealousy. The sourness in the heart couldn't be described by a lemon. It was closer to a hundred thousand rotten, sour lemons. The bitterness of my heart...Their relationship only spanned two months. When they broke up, I fought hard to hide my happiness, berating myself for my joy. But after a month, he was with another girl.

I liked him and I knew he liked me. But I couldn’t figure out why he wouldn’t pursue me. Since he loved me, and I was the inexperienced one, I wanted him to make the first move. Whenever he had a new girlfriend, my heart would hurt. Just when it would heal, it would break again. Each time it broke, it became harder and harder to mend. Again and again, my heart was broken, healed, and broken. When I wanted to cry I always took refuge at an oak tree. It was the only friend I had that stood by me. The oak tree was always strong and I loved it for that.

I began to realize that this must be a one-sided, unrequited love. If he didn't like me, why does he treat me so well? Some of the things he had done for me? It's beyond what someone would do to a person you only considered “friend”. Liking a person that was so indecisive was very painful and heart-wrenching. Figuring out his habits, likes and dislikes was the easy part. But when it came to his feelings towards me, I spent many hours trying to decipher his strange ways, always hitting dead ends and walking the same paths. Did he expect me to approach him?

Despite that, I still wanted to be by his side. I wanted to care for him, stay by him, and love him with every cell of my existence. And desperately hoping that one day, he will come and love me in return. I wanted to hear his voice, savor his kisses, and be comforted by his embraces. I wanted to wait for his phone call every night and wanted him to send me gifts. I was sure, somewhere, he cared for me. And that no matter how busy he was, he would be there for me. Because of this, I waited for him. Three years passed. It was hard and took every ounce of willpower I had not to give him up. Sometimes, I questioned my motives. Should I continue waiting? The pain and hurt, desperate wanting, hopeful fantasies… They became familiar things during those three years.

Near the end of my third year, another second year took interest in me. Every day he pursued me relentlessly. At first, I resented his constant attention. But I came to love him for his gentle nature. He stayed by me the whole time just like my oak tree. From my outright rejections to when I felt that I was willing to let him have a place in my heart. He was like a warm and gentle wind, trying to coax and blow a leaf away from the tree. In the end, I realized that I wanted to give this wind my heart. I knew this wind would bring this battered leave far away to a better land. Finally I let go the tree and the wind caught me with loving arms. I left tree, but the tree only smiled and didn't ask me to stay. Leaf’s departure is because of Wind’s pursuit. Or because Tree didn't ask her to stay.

Author's Note

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