7 minutes in Heaven (Love Games #1)

Remember

"You even gave her your mother's engagement ring," Dad said, "and said you were going to marry her."

"Your father and I, along with Mariya's parents, we made a little wedding service for you guys. It was so adorable. We all took pictures and videos of you two saying your vows to each other." Mom was melting into the memory. Where as I didn't remember any of it.

"There was something you two always said to each other..." Dad trailed off trying to remember.

Mom beat him, "It was 1-4-3. We couldn't for life of us figure out what it meant. And we still don't know what it means."

Suddenly, the memory of the accident came to me. The ball rolling onto the street. 10 year-old me going to get it. A car coming down the street. It hitting me. Me screaming. Then the little girl I've always dreamt about appeared by my side, shaking me and begging me to get up through sobs. I tried to get up. I wanted to get up. To hug her. To tell her I was fine. But my ten year old body was too small and weak. I was losing too much blood to gain the strength to move at all. Then I felt a weight on me, and comforting feeling ran through my body. It reminded me of all the times I was with Mariya and how she always gave a comforting feeling. I felt her breath on my ear as she whispered "1-4-3." Then the weight of her and the comforting feeling she gave me was gone. I know I had to say something before the darkness took me. "I love you." The words came out of my mouth without me having to think them first.

"I love you." I said, coming back to reality.

"What was that, honey?" Mom gave me a concerned look.

I smiled, "It means, I love you. 1-4-3."

"Oh! That makes perfect sense."

"What makes perfect sense?" Dad asked, holding a small rectangular box. The same box I use for my phone when I gave it Mariya's mom. Also in his hands were a bunch of old envelopes held together with rubber bands.

"What's that?" I asked dad, before mom could repeat herself.

"Someone just dropped this off for you." He said and handed the box to me. "These are letters you and Mariya wrote to each other when you were kids." He gave me the envelopes too.

"Thanks." I said then headed up to my room. Once my door of closed, I sat on my bed and placed the box and letters in front of me. I decided to open the letters first. I took of the rubber band and opened the first envelope. The letter read, in a neat kid handwriting:

Dear Bae,

Today you gave me your mom's engagement ring and said you were going to marry me when we grew older. I'm so happy. I love you, Bae. I asked you if you promised, and you said you did. Then you kissed me. That made me more happy. Mommy said we can have a pretend wedding. But I can't wait til we're older. 1-4-3.

-M

M. I only knew one person who ended their notes like that. Mariya. My heartbeat started to pick up, while anxiousness and hope ran through me. Could it be?

I opened the box. Inside was a blue stoned ring and a picture of a little boy and girl. The boy was giving the girl a ring. The same one that sat in the box. I had to take a second look at the girl. The girl was from my dreams. I turned over the picture to see there was writing on it in faded black ink.

Bae and Mariya Blake. Age 9. Newly weds. <3

Beneath it, in new blue ink, in read:

Come to our bench. Tonight at 5. We need to talk about us.

1-4-3

-M

It was confirmed. Mariya was the girl from my dreams. She was my childhood love. She still is.