An Ignorant Society Kids Compilation: The Freshmen Files

#56: Still Isn't Over

IcisxLuke

LUKE SAT ALONE IN THIS BIG HOUSE that he had built for a girl he once loved. He had built it the exact way she wanted, right down to the ugly yellow shutters. He smiled remembering the sun shining in her ebony hair. But that was years ago, and she was gone.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, there was a knock at the front door. Setting his beer down, he made his way to see who was there. He pushed the curtain on the front door aside to have a peek. It was a woman, wearing a yellow dress and a big yellow hat with white flowers pinned on it; she was facing away from the door. 

He opened the door swiftly, saying, "Ma'am, I've decided I'm not selling this house to anyone for any amount of money. Ever. Have a lovely day now."

Then there she was, in her ugly yellow dress with the matching ugly yellow hat. It was her, she was actually here, standing at the front door of the house he had built her.

"Icis Spearman." he said.

"Luke." was all she said.

"What are you doing here?" he stepped onto the front porch.

"I saw you in the paper. You actually bought this place, huh?" Icis took a step back to look at the house once more.

"What are you doing here?" he asked again.

"You've grown out your beard. It suits you." she ignored the question.

"Would you like to come in?" asked Luke.

"Is that alright with you?" asked Icis.

"Sure, why not." he gestured for her to enter. It was her house after all.

After giving her a grand tour, they stood in the kitchen smiling at each other. It had been seven years since they'd last seen each other. They had been kids in love, now here they were, adults who felt like strangers and familiar friends all at once. What do you say to someone after seven years of hating them? 

"Do you wanna stay for dinner?" Luke blurted.

"I'd love to." Icis nodded.

They had leftover steak, mashed potatoes, corn, and cold beers. They laughed through their dinner, telling stories from the summer they met and fell in love. They did well to avoid the whole loving each other part though.

"There's something I think you'd like to see." Luke wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"It's getting late, and he'll be waiting for my call." Icis looked at her watch.

"I promise you'll be back at the inn in time to call your husband." said Luke.

"Okay." said Icis.

"Okay." Luke smiled.

They ended up in a boat, Luke rowing down a small lake. Icis sat on the opposite end smiling at him. They didn't speak, but just sat in each other's company in peace. Then Luke stopped rowing in the middle of the lake.

"What are we doing out here?" asked Icis.

"Wait for it." said Luke.

Moments later, swans came floating by maybe a hundred of them. Icis couldn't tell but they were beautiful. She laughed and turned her head to and fro in awe.

"Swan, that's your middle name." said Luke.

Icis smiled at him, "Thank you."

"Looks like rain, we should start heading in." said Luke.

"Okay." said Icis.

As they neared the dock, the rain started to fall hard. Icis grabbed a towel, holding it over her head in an attempt to stay dry. Luke laughed at her, a real laugh, his first real laugh in years.

"Luke!" Icis squealed.

He just continued to laugh at her, letting the rain soak them. Icis threw the towel into the water and started to laugh hard. She tilted her face up to the sky and felt free. Then she looked at Luke and the laughing died away. All the pain from the past seven years resurfaced for them both. 

When they docked, Icis started to walk up the dock as Luke tethered the boat. She turned and said, "Why didn't you write me?"

Luke just looked at her and walked closer. Icis held up her hand, "It wasn't over for me."

"It wasn't over for me either." said Luke.

"Don't do that. Don't lie to me," said Icis, "I waited for you and now it's too late."

"It's not too late." said Luke."

"I'm married! I'm in love! I'm happy!" Icis yelled.

"Then why did you come here?" Luke challenged.

"Because despite all that, I still care about you! Even though you forgot about me all those years ago, I still care!"

"I wrote you three hundred and sixty-five letters." said Luke.

"What?" Icis faltered.

"I wrote you every day for a year." said Luke.

"That's impossible," said Icis, "It was over."

"It wasn't over," Luke walked up to her, cupping his face in her hands, "It still isn't over."

He kissed her with all the love he'd felt since they were teenagers. Slowly, he felt the hate draining away. The truth was out now. They had always loved each other. Only others had stopped their love from blossoming into a lifetime of happiness.

Fin.