Flashback: Stage 3

A few years ago, in the coolness of an autumn evening, everything was different. Just our anniversary that had passed, and you did surprise me with dinner at home; it had candles lit. The room was full of the soft light of these candles, the flame dancing to throw gentle shadows on the walls. The smell of your cooking wafted through the air, an appetizing mix of spices and warmth.

Your eyes shone with that extra special light right across from me, and my heart skipped beats. We had dinner, each bite marking the aftereffect of all the efforts you gave to make this night perfect. More than the food, it was the love that you had put into every single dish, every single detail of the evening.

Between courses, we'd share stories and laughs. The closeness that existed between us was so strong, so true. In your eyes, I saw the love of my own reflection staring back. We spoke of dreams, of our future together; each word a promise.

When evening wore on, we sat on the couch, under a warm blanket. I pulled you in, and we watched the stars outside through the window, with our fingers entwined. Your head was on my shoulder, and I felt so at peace. The world outside faded into oblivion, and all that mattered was the two of us, sealed within our cocoon.

It was simply the most natural thing in this world: overwhelming certainty that we belonged to each other, that nothing could ever tear us apart. I felt so lost in this depth of my feelings that knew our love was peculiar.

Present :

Summoning my courage, I spoke the words that seemed to have burned themselves into my heart. "Y/n, do you still love me?" I begged in a low, barely audible voice, begging your face for at least a speck of the love that once was between us. The guilt engulfed your expression, and I fought myself hard not to beg. But my tears had betrayed me, streaming down my face as I confessed, "I love you with every fiber of my being. If you ask for my life, then please take it." My voice shook, and the lump in my throat was swallowed. Seeing you like this is killing me, and I-I don't want to say this, but I just really don't think our six years of relationship can work anymore. I'm done trying with something that feels so broken.

Those words fell on my soul, and I knew how it would be when our separation comes. The next morning, my eyes opened to a world that was bleaker and greyer than before. My vision was hazy; my eyes swollen from all the tears shed in pain. My heart was lighter compared to the previous day; yet, thoughts of you were in my head.

I was lower than myself, as if torn asunder, a part of me that over so much time had interwoven with you. My body ached, fatigued from the emotional turmoil that consumed me. I had no curiosity to go further, no desire to seek joyful moments anymore. The cascade of emotions ran riot in my heart, while my eyes became the vent through which to let them out in the form of tears. It happened when you would have walked away, with the pain lingering on and reverberating within me.

I couldn't bear the thought of letting you go without one last plea. I looked to you, my heart aching with every beat. "Y/n, please. Please, don't walk away from us. I know things are hard, but we can fix this. We can make it work. I just can't imagine my life without you. Just give us one more chance. Let me show you how much I love you. Let me prove that we're worth fighting for."

You hesitated, and for one fleeting moment, something quivered in your eyes-a shadow of our love that once had no end. I reached out, clasping your hand in mine, desperate for any indication that you still felt the same. "I'll do anything, Y/n. Just please don't leave me. I can't bear losing you. I need you to come back to me. I need you to remember what we had."

You would look away, and the silence between us was deafening. I clung onto your hand tightly, hoping somehow, through physical touch, it would bridge the chasm that had grown between us. I continued, my voice cracking with emotion: "I cannot imagine a future without you. Nor can I face the idea of waking up each day knowing that you are not here with me. Please, let us look for a way back towards each other. I love you way too much to let you go.