heading to the finals as predicted.
I have to get up early in the morning to take the train to class, so I change into the shirt I swiped from Brent’s closet. It’s my nightly reminder of him. I shut off my lights and tuck into bed. Through heavy lids, I check the score of the game on my phone. My eyes eventually close and don’t open again as I fall fast asleep.
~~~*~~~
With weighted arms, I push the paddle through the murky water in the early morning light. The fog is thick above the dull lake, and like a sea of moist dust, it’s obstructing my view.
“Just keep going,” a voice says from behind me.
I look over my shoulder, finding no one there. The blanket of mist is too dense.
“It will be fine,” he says again.
This time, I recognize the voice, and a calm comes over me.
“Okay,” I reply to Brent.
Turning back around, I plunge the paddle back into the water, pushing forward. I trust him, knowing he would never lead me into danger.
The visibility is minimal for some time, but as the sun rises farther into the sky, the fog lifts, and a small island comes into view. Knowing where we are, I whip my head around, and I’m finally able to see Brent. It’s not the Brent from our teenage years who took me to this very place years before, but it’s the one who made love to me before saying good-bye not too long ago in California. It’s the Brent who has grown into the man beyond our days from this island and the place where we began as a couple.
“We’re almost there,” he says, a content smile plastered across his face.
“I know,” I excitedly say. Facing forward, I urge us to shore with his assistance.
The sun is high in the sky, and the mist has completely dissipated. We exit the small sea craft and haul it up the small beach of our island. It’s just as I remember—vivid and lush with flowers and trees spanning the private space made just for us.
Like déjà vu, Brent grasps my hand and pulls me into the wooded area that’s full of our secrets. They’ve been waiting and resting for our return.
Here, a tree whispers inside my head. He kissed you here.
And here, another says.
Here, too, more of the trees utter as we weave toward the beach.
As we pass every one of the tall oaks, my heart swells, feeling the passion from each one of those kisses, those caresses, and those tender touches. The memories of our young love beat against my soul.
At the wooded edge and through a small meadow of spring flowers, Brent leads me to the narrow beach overlooking the glassy lake framed by trees on either side. A blanket appears where the water begins, and I find myself seated between Brent’s legs, his arms resting over my shoulders.
“I told you.” Brent’s voice cradles my soul.
“You told me what?”
“That I would always come for you.”
I close my eyes. “How do you know where to find me?”
“Finding you is easy.” His lips graze the shell of my ear. “Because that’s where I find me.”
The water laps near our feet, and I melt into him completely. We’re finally one with absolutely no barriers at all.
~~~*~~~
The alarm on my phone gently alerts me that it’s time to get up. My hand clumsily grabs it from the space next to me on the bed. Groggy, I silence the tone and then place it on the nearby table.
In a very lazy and autopilot-like fashion, I toss Brent’s shirt into the laundry basket, and then shower. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, my hand brushes the raised, uneven skin on my left arm, evidence of a past pain. Nothing mends perfectly, and the scars are reminders. I barely notice it anymore, but it still causes my gut to flip. Not lingering too long on that thought, I hurriedly get dressed.
The sun has yet to rise as I slip on my jacket and pull my schoolbag over my shoulder, heavy with my laptop and books. Tugging the beanie hat over my ears, I go to the bedside table to get my phone. Quickly checking the time to make sure I’m not running late, I
I have to get up early in the morning to take the train to class, so I change into the shirt I swiped from Brent’s closet. It’s my nightly reminder of him. I shut off my lights and tuck into bed. Through heavy lids, I check the score of the game on my phone. My eyes eventually close and don’t open again as I fall fast asleep.
~~~*~~~
With weighted arms, I push the paddle through the murky water in the early morning light. The fog is thick above the dull lake, and like a sea of moist dust, it’s obstructing my view.
“Just keep going,” a voice says from behind me.
I look over my shoulder, finding no one there. The blanket of mist is too dense.
“It will be fine,” he says again.
This time, I recognize the voice, and a calm comes over me.
“Okay,” I reply to Brent.
Turning back around, I plunge the paddle back into the water, pushing forward. I trust him, knowing he would never lead me into danger.
The visibility is minimal for some time, but as the sun rises farther into the sky, the fog lifts, and a small island comes into view. Knowing where we are, I whip my head around, and I’m finally able to see Brent. It’s not the Brent from our teenage years who took me to this very place years before, but it’s the one who made love to me before saying good-bye not too long ago in California. It’s the Brent who has grown into the man beyond our days from this island and the place where we began as a couple.
“We’re almost there,” he says, a content smile plastered across his face.
“I know,” I excitedly say. Facing forward, I urge us to shore with his assistance.
The sun is high in the sky, and the mist has completely dissipated. We exit the small sea craft and haul it up the small beach of our island. It’s just as I remember—vivid and lush with flowers and trees spanning the private space made just for us.
Like déjà vu, Brent grasps my hand and pulls me into the wooded area that’s full of our secrets. They’ve been waiting and resting for our return.
Here, a tree whispers inside my head. He kissed you here.
And here, another says.
Here, too, more of the trees utter as we weave toward the beach.
As we pass every one of the tall oaks, my heart swells, feeling the passion from each one of those kisses, those caresses, and those tender touches. The memories of our young love beat against my soul.
At the wooded edge and through a small meadow of spring flowers, Brent leads me to the narrow beach overlooking the glassy lake framed by trees on either side. A blanket appears where the water begins, and I find myself seated between Brent’s legs, his arms resting over my shoulders.
“I told you.” Brent’s voice cradles my soul.
“You told me what?”
“That I would always come for you.”
I close my eyes. “How do you know where to find me?”
“Finding you is easy.” His lips graze the shell of my ear. “Because that’s where I find me.”
The water laps near our feet, and I melt into him completely. We’re finally one with absolutely no barriers at all.
~~~*~~~
The alarm on my phone gently alerts me that it’s time to get up. My hand clumsily grabs it from the space next to me on the bed. Groggy, I silence the tone and then place it on the nearby table.
In a very lazy and autopilot-like fashion, I toss Brent’s shirt into the laundry basket, and then shower. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, my hand brushes the raised, uneven skin on my left arm, evidence of a past pain. Nothing mends perfectly, and the scars are reminders. I barely notice it anymore, but it still causes my gut to flip. Not lingering too long on that thought, I hurriedly get dressed.
The sun has yet to rise as I slip on my jacket and pull my schoolbag over my shoulder, heavy with my laptop and books. Tugging the beanie hat over my ears, I go to the bedside table to get my phone. Quickly checking the time to make sure I’m not running late, I
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