[ Overall Winner ] My entry for the 14-day micro-writing challenge "Bite-sized Love Buffet" hosted by @YARomance with @FreeLGBT and @WattpadShortStory
「 No doubt, dedicating this to @Rad_Mills 」
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Did it ever happen to you that you started gaining feelings for someone when they were midway between losing theirs?
Well, it did to me.
And it still was happening as we sat on the swings with the silence hovering over our heads.
There was a maple tree above us, filling the air with its silent goodbyes as the standout beauty continued to slip off its hold, leaf-by-leaf. It sure wasn't sad since each piece of the tree's crown kissing the golden dust down under our feet had promised it a return of beauty.
Unlike with me, when I wasn't sure if my life would still be beautiful without her in it.
I stole a glance at her. The ground bearing as a bed for the fallen leaves had those silver orbs locked to it, and her dark locks were dancing with the wind that brushed our faces. Zara looked irresistible with that pretty smile on her lips.
My face loosened, and I looked down again, gripping tighter on the swing chains. How come after all those times, after telling her we were better off as friends, it was "now" that I was starting to feel something unavoidable about her.
Even after knowing she'd leave one day.
Even after knowing that day was today.
I knew I didn't have the guts to give voice to my feelings. I knew I couldn't dare tell the girl how I felt- especially when I was aware she was moving on from me. The confession was forever to remain stuck in my throat because it wasn't a choice game where you could reject somebody and then return to tell that you love them.
"How long's it till your flight?" I asked her.
She tore her gaze from the ground and moved to pull the phone out from her pocket. Her pursed lips didn't mean good, and I knew we had met only to come that far.
"It's almost time. Like, there's an hour, but mom wants me home." She replied.
I shot her a thin-lipped smile and gave an understanding nod.
It's so unfair how life makes us bump into our keys to all those stupid smiles and happy days but later tells us that we were never supposed to keep them forever.
We got up together and walked towards the exit of the park. Crossing the gates, we turned to look at each other, with me trying to absorb every detail of that face.
"So, this is where we part?"
I didn't allow any word to leave my mouth because I knew it'd just break into a stupid sob, so I let a tight hug answer for me.
"It was lucky meeting you, Olivia." She said while we pulled away. A glint of tear flashed in her eyes.
I forced a smile as she started walking backwards before turning around.
"Likewise."
The fact she was never going to look back again was already starting to tear me apart. My tongue was still heavy with those unsaid words that I knew I could never get out.
I loved her beyond I should, but it was too late to say it out aloud.
