english,
He chews on his bottom lip – something he does when he’s nervous or excited, or both. I nudge his left side with my right elbow, trying to let him know that I’m ready for my surprise, but he doesn’t feel it. He takes a deep breath and slowly unzips his bag, taking his time in revealing what’s inside. “I know you’re looking,” he says just as I was about to peek over his shoulder for a better view. I immediately shake my head and close my eyes but he doesn’t notice.
A few seconds later, I feel something soft tickle my nose. I open one eye out of curiosity and I see two brown eyes staring back at me. I open my other eye out of excitement and I see a black nose and a smile made from red thread. I blink a few times and after a while, I realize that a green bear is right in front of me.
He shakes the bear a few times, making it appear as if it was dancing. “Hi,” he says in a voice that almost doesn’t sound like his own. “My name is Peter and I’m here to make you happy!”
He puts Peter on his lap and plays with its ears, his lips forming a smile. “I was walking around the mall today,” he tells me. “I finally had enough money to buy the sneakers you promised to get me. But, I passed by the toy store you always dragged me into and I saw this on display.” He takes a deep breath and looks up at the sky. “I decided to buy it for you because I know how much you loved stuffed toys and I know how much you adored the color green.” He moves on to Peter’s paws, letting its soft material caress his fingers.
“I know you think I’m a fool for not buying the shoes I’ve always wanted and instead, bought this bear for you…” I shake my head again but he continues. “But, I’ve already wasted all my chances in seeing you smile, making you happy, and letting you know that I really truly am grateful for you and all the things you’ve done for me. So here I am now, with a bear in my hands and a brain in my head that’s making me say all these things I should’ve said a long time ago but was too afraid to, hoping you’d listen because I really need you to,” he tells me as his eyes start to water.
He takes a deep breath and a tear rolls down his cheek. “Thank you for all that you’ve done for me. I wish I did the same for you. Thank you for staying when everyone else left. I wish I stayed by your side, too. Thank you for loving me with all your heart. I honestly wish I had told you that in all the years you’ve been with me. I really, really do love you.”
He looks to his left where I am sitting, where a white marble is embedded on the grass. My name, date of birth, date of death, and a short message are all engraved on it in beautiful cursive. “I miss you terribly. I miss you so. But no matter how many times I say it, I know...” he gently puts Peter on the grass, right beside me, “that you’re never coming back.”
As he lifts himself off the grass I grab his hand. He doesn’t feel it – he can’t, but he stops nonetheless to look at me. “Thank you,” I begin, “for visiting me, for Peter, and for telling me all the words I’ve always wanted to hear.”
I smile at him and he smiles, too.
And in that moment, I felt as if I was still alive and that he and I were together, but that’s a happy ending and those only happen in fairy tales.
And sadly, we aren’t in one. / by Mary Jane
Literary (Submission): Once Upon A Time
He sits down on the grass, beside me, with his hands protectively on his backpack. “I brought you something,” he says, a small smile dancing on his pale pink lips. I raise my eyebrows questioningly but he doesn’t see them. I ask him what it is that he brought for me but he doesn’t hear me.He chews on his bottom lip – something he does when he’s nervous or excited, or both. I nudge his left side with my right elbow, trying to let him know that I’m ready for my surprise, but he doesn’t feel it. He takes a deep breath and slowly unzips his bag, taking his time in revealing what’s inside. “I know you’re looking,” he says just as I was about to peek over his shoulder for a better view. I immediately shake my head and close my eyes but he doesn’t notice.
A few seconds later, I feel something soft tickle my nose. I open one eye out of curiosity and I see two brown eyes staring back at me. I open my other eye out of excitement and I see a black nose and a smile made from red thread. I blink a few times and after a while, I realize that a green bear is right in front of me.
He shakes the bear a few times, making it appear as if it was dancing. “Hi,” he says in a voice that almost doesn’t sound like his own. “My name is Peter and I’m here to make you happy!”
He puts Peter on his lap and plays with its ears, his lips forming a smile. “I was walking around the mall today,” he tells me. “I finally had enough money to buy the sneakers you promised to get me. But, I passed by the toy store you always dragged me into and I saw this on display.” He takes a deep breath and looks up at the sky. “I decided to buy it for you because I know how much you loved stuffed toys and I know how much you adored the color green.” He moves on to Peter’s paws, letting its soft material caress his fingers.
“I know you think I’m a fool for not buying the shoes I’ve always wanted and instead, bought this bear for you…” I shake my head again but he continues. “But, I’ve already wasted all my chances in seeing you smile, making you happy, and letting you know that I really truly am grateful for you and all the things you’ve done for me. So here I am now, with a bear in my hands and a brain in my head that’s making me say all these things I should’ve said a long time ago but was too afraid to, hoping you’d listen because I really need you to,” he tells me as his eyes start to water.
He takes a deep breath and a tear rolls down his cheek. “Thank you for all that you’ve done for me. I wish I did the same for you. Thank you for staying when everyone else left. I wish I stayed by your side, too. Thank you for loving me with all your heart. I honestly wish I had told you that in all the years you’ve been with me. I really, really do love you.”
He looks to his left where I am sitting, where a white marble is embedded on the grass. My name, date of birth, date of death, and a short message are all engraved on it in beautiful cursive. “I miss you terribly. I miss you so. But no matter how many times I say it, I know...” he gently puts Peter on the grass, right beside me, “that you’re never coming back.”
As he lifts himself off the grass I grab his hand. He doesn’t feel it – he can’t, but he stops nonetheless to look at me. “Thank you,” I begin, “for visiting me, for Peter, and for telling me all the words I’ve always wanted to hear.”
I smile at him and he smiles, too.
And in that moment, I felt as if I was still alive and that he and I were together, but that’s a happy ending and those only happen in fairy tales.
And sadly, we aren’t in one. / by Mary Jane
nakakaiyak huhuhuhu :(
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful, brilliant! Congratulations!
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