Present Day

***

None of us were sure about what was going to happen next. They could accept us, or they could abandon us. We could be happy holding hands with each other facing the world with confidence, or we could be on separate flights heading towards two different ends of the world, maybe forever,

"Let's go home," he said as he let go of my hand,

It's funny how we never believed in fate, but today we were fully relying on it. I was praying to every power I knew, hoping at least one of them would hear me. The silence of the night engulfed our internal urges to run away again,

"Thank you, for making a silly guy like me happy," I said looking at him,

He smiled as his eyes had started to tear up,

I felt his inner self wanting to come running to me but then I could see his conscious holding it back,

We had to go back home. We had to give ourselves to our families because that was the least, we could do for them. We knew our families would never accept us. Our fathers had been on the edge with each other for as long as I could remember.

We stood across each other, facing our houses that were on opposite sides of the road. I looked at him and I saw a boy at the brisk of giving up,

"See you, Dew," he said knowing that this was probably the last time we could stand close to each other, still being able to hold hands and reassure one another. He knew only miracles would help us. We were letting go of what was healing us, losing to reality.

"Until next time, Sky," I replied, forcing a smile. I didn't want to turn back time, I wanted to buy more of it. My legs felt heavy knowing that now I have to turn around and give up on him. It was as if everything told us, that we tried enough, it's now time to let go.

We walked towards the gates to our houses and opened them. Only we knew how much we loved each other, but I guess I was wrong to expect a happy ending for us. He didn't turn back, neither did I. I was taught to hate him my whole life and now I could see things collapsing.

I knew we had to break it up one day. We could not go against our own parents, that is just not how we were brought up so we would always have been guilty even if we tried. No matter how vulnerable we were, we couldn't change their mindsets.

We ran away from home to find solace, even if it was for a little while, we were happy. We were genuinely happy and free. Nothing stood in our way, as if this time was meant for us. It was just him, me, the sunsets, and the free air, but I couldn't keep it like this forever. I couldn't keep him to myself.

I entered my house and saw my mother awake sitting on the sofa waiting for me. As soon as she saw me, she ran and hugged me. "Thank the heavens, you're alright! I was so worried, where have you been?" she asked cupping my face.

I slowly took her hands off. What do I tell her? I was having the best time of my life and probably the last time I would ever be that happy. I couldn't say anything. I sighed and internally pushed down the hurricane of emotions.

"I'm tired, I want to rest a little," saying this I turned towards the stairs, climbing up till my room. I closed the door behind me, lights still turned off, as my legs couldn't hold up anymore; I had sunk to the ground.

My back touching the door, I sat on the ground not knowing which emotion to feel first. Anger? Sadness? I just felt heavy and broken. The darkness seemed lighter than the chaos going on inside of me.

Mine and his windows were at the same level since our houses were opposite to each other. I saw his room lights turning on. I somehow picked myself up and walked towards my window, waiting to see if he would show up too, but instead, his mother walked up to his window. Behind her I could see him sitting on his bed with his shoulders drooped, until I could see more, she drew the curtains.

My last wish was to see him through this window for as long as I could, but I guess, not all wishes are meant to come true.

I walked to my bed and lay down, looking up at the ceiling with every memory of us flashing back all at once. From competing and fighting at everything to realizing the growing reliance on each other and coming to terms with the fact that in so little time we had to love and let go.

"Dew? Are you okay?" I heard my mom outside my door,

"I will be,"

"I'm so sorry that you have to feel this way, son,"

"It's okay," I lied again,

"I just want you to know that you will meet a lot of good people ahead,"

I don't want other people, Ma. How am I supposed to tell you that?

I couldn't reply to her,

Even if we decided to fight and be reckless, how long could we go on? It was us who had to give up in the end. So instead, we chose to let go until our minds were still in their tracks instead of fighting against our families.

I loved my family. I believed I had one of the most beautiful families of all time, but I also loved him. We didn't get much time to love so I might not be knowing much about it. Yet, it felt like I could overcome anything if I had him beside me.

I loved him because he made me happier, and unknowingly became my biggest strength. I can't explain what kind of love I have for him, but he knows. He knows my love, he has seen and felt it, and that's all that matters to me.

I asked myself, although I knew how our story was going to end if given a second chance, would I still take all those steps and fall in love with him again?

I would. I would meet him again, fight with him, laugh with him, and love him all over again. It wasn't the feeling of love that broke us, it was because of that feeling we were able to smile till the end.

Thinking of it, our story flashed in front of my eyes like a little movie. It all trailed back to our childhood, from our school.

Our story began with a fight, of course. We were fighting over our mark sheets. He argued that he should have gotten a grade higher than me, and I argued that I should have gotten a grade higher than I already had. The teacher looked at us bewildered but we were both determined to please our parents by achieving more than each other. It was always like this.

A soft laugh escaped me as I remembered everything,

Back then his parents had shifted to a different city to complete his schooling since something went wrong with his father and mine. For those 7 years, we stayed apart.

It was a peaceful time without him. I didn't have to fight, keep thinking about ways to achieve more than him, or always try and look cooler than him, but it kept getting depressingly boring.

I didn't realize that fighting with him was my new hobby. Not having anyone to compete against made me feel strangely alone, making me realize how he was always there, right next to me. Until one day I saw them moving back to their old house. The house in front of mine.

I was unfamiliarly excited. His parents enrolled him in the same university as mine probably not knowing that I studied there as well. On the first day of college was where we met again, in front of our houses.

About when we met again, the story slowly started unveiling itself in a fractioned way. Although it broke me to keep thinking about us, my heart wanted more.

Let's imagine our story all over again, at least that way you can get through the night, my mind said. I readily agreed because I found sleeping the toughest task right now.

Here's where my mind took over.

Let me tell you a story. A story about two lost people who met again probably to find eternity together.

Let's meet again, Sky. Until happier next time...let's meet again and change the way our story ends. Perhaps this time, we get to choose the ending.

I watched my mind drive back into time as I closed my eyes.

***