hope ; kaveh √

004

a beautiful morning. the sun shines brightly in the cool spring air. the birds chirp and birdsong fills the air...

some would say it's a day for adventure, and laughter, and fun...

what do you choose to make of it?

once again , you were walking around the school’s garden and came across a pond . you took a nearby stick as you swirled it around the waters .

the water shimmers in the sunlight...

you can see minnows darting around below the surface, swimming for small bugs, while frogs and turtles sun themselves on the shore.

the calm and beautiful scene reminds you... life can be full of simple, quiet pleasures... small things that can bring a smile to one's face and a sense of contentment.

but... sometimes, it takes someone special to remind you that sometimes... you need to take the time to notice and enjoy those small things... just as they are.

you put the stick down and hug your knees , just quietly staring at the water .

“does the peaceful scene... the tranquil beauty of nature... does it give you any comfort? does it remind you that, sometimes... life can be worth living, even when it's just for small, quiet things that you can always choose to appreciate, no matter what goes on around you? do you start to feel... hopeful? that, even if life can be hurtful sometimes, you can always choose to look on the bright side, and find the good things around you... as long as you pay a little bit of attention?” someone behind you started blabbing , you didn't expect them to be behind you causing you to jump into the pond in shock . you were soaked now .

“ ugh .. it's you . again . ” you furrow your eyebrows, staring at him as you look down at yourself , all wet .

“ oh .. sorry , that's my bad . ” he lent you a hand .

you slap his hand away getting up from the pond by yourself .

“ i told you i didn't want to see you again . stop following me , you stalker .” you said , pushing him as you ran away to a nearby bathroom , getting changed .

this time , it was his fault . the water was really cold . kaveh could imagine how terrified you were when you fell into the pond . you might even be crying now , or mad .

he felt his heart beating slowly , and it felt like he couldn't breath . was he about to give up ?

the answer to that is no .

as a token of asking for your forgiveness , kaveh had left you alone for a couple of days . until he noticed you looked like you forgot everything that had happened between the both of you .

he walked behind you , and you stopped in your tracks .

“ oh. it's you , once again . you know , it was great when you left me alone for a couple of days ? continue doing that . ” you said , not even wanting to look at him .

“ do you know what a heart is for ? ” kaveh said , trying to strike up a conversation.

you kept silent , not responding to his question at all .

“a heart... a heart is meant to feel. it's meant to love, and to be hurt, and broken, and then to heal, and to love again. without a heart, we're no more than a lump of flesh and bone, existing just to eat, just to work... just to survive.  but life is more than survival. i wish you could realize that.” kaveh said , rubbing his arm .

“then maybe I shouldn't live a life . maybe I should just die and get rebirthed into another life . you wouldn't understand what I'm doing, what I'm going through .” you could feel a tear rolling down your cheek as he explains the meaning of a heart .

“but how can you be reborn if your heart has turned to stone? if you feel nothing? without emotions, your mind becomes numb, and your heart shrinks, and... in the end, you become... soulless. i can understand that you've been hurt. that you're scared of being hurt again. but to shut yourself off completely... to deny yourself every little bit of happiness or hope or light... why? why do you feel you need to go that far? ” he continued. you wouldn't be able to stop him from trying .

“why do you keep trying to convince me ? why do you keep trying to talk about this ? why are you not leaving me be ? why? ” many questions fill your mind as you were so confused . many people would've thought you were a lost case . but this guy , you don't even know his name .. and he's still trying to convince you .

“why? the reason is simple... everyone is special. everyone has the right to be happy. and i hate to see someone like you... so resigned to sadness... so unwilling to even try to be happy... i hate it. there's a small part of me who wishes you could see, who wishes you could feel. if i have even the smallest chance to convince you, to make you realize that you deserve happiness...” he explained with a soft smile on his face as he brought you to sit on a nearby bench .

you sat down as you think about his words .

“ look . you're a person. you deserve to be happy. no matter how much you try to tell yourself you're not. you are. you matter. ” he said , hesitant to place a hand on your shoulder , and he didn't .

“ fuck you... ” you hide your head with your arms as you start to give in that small little hope .

kaveh chuckled softly as he waited for another response .

“ i hate you so much .. ” you said , hitting his arm .

“ keep telling yourself that .. ” he teased as he laughs at the sight of you hitting his arm .

“ i’ll give it one last chance .. i’ll put my last hope on you .. ” you looked up at him , you had tears on your face .

kaveh’s eyes lit up as he heard that . he was going one step forward . he was happy and relieved .

“ you mean that .. right ? ” he said , unzipping his bag as he pulled out a pack of tissues , passing them to you .

you took the tissues as you wipe off your tears .

“ you'll try? you'll try to let yourself be happy? to open your heart to life? to others? to me..? ”

you groaned . “ you're going to make me change my mind if you don't stop asking . i already said yes , damn it .. ”

“thank you. you don't know how much this means to me... to be able to help someone... anyone... realize they deserve to be happy. the world is a dark, cold place, and it takes a special kind of person to be able to find beauty and happiness in it. the strongest kind. they're the ones who can truly appreciate... all the good things life has to offer.”he gives you a smile .

“ then i suppose .. um, my name is l/n y/n , culinary arts major .. ” you slowly take out your hand for him to shake .

he happily took your hand and shook it . “ kaveh , psychology major . ” he smirked softly .

“ huh.. so that's how you could say all those words .. ” you said , shaking his hand .

kaveh just laughed softly . is the end or just the beginning?