Love under the Weeping Willow

After Sunset

Its branches had grown far and wide in the ninety five years it had been there.

Its long slender leaves now flowed gracefully with the wind, glimmering colours of gold and white.

Julia stared at the large Weeping Willow tree, in awe of the beauty of the world she lived in, when she had been so aware of the darkness that had surrounded her for so long.

Julia had been waiting, staring up at the tree, mesmerised by its ever growing beauty as the sun had set behind her.

Michael watched her, his heart swelling with warmth, and an almost unbearable longing.

He would have made himself known as soon as he had arrived, if he hadn't been struck by Julia's smooth glowing skin, the light from the tree reflected in her sky-blue eyes streaked with gold.

The light making her irises even more beautiful and dazzling.

Her blonde silky hair curled down the length of her straight back.

Julia was magnificent to look at on a normal day, but tonight, in the glimmering light of the tree, she was breathtaking.

Julia inhaled deeply, taking in the fresh scent of bark and dirt.

She grinned as the light breeze washed over her and whistled through the surrounding leaves.

The feeling of being outside was magical.

She loved what her eyes could see, her skin could feel and her ears could hear.

So different from the deathly silence of being behind closed doors.

Julia's father, Damon was particularly over-protective and had kept her inside the stone-built fortress of her home for as long as she could remember.

What he had been protecting her from, she didn't know.

Julia rather thought she needed protecting from him.

She remembered a time when her father had been kind, gentle and caring.

But after her mother died when she was seven, something inside him had cracked and twisted into something dark and gruesome.

Julia had no longer recognised him, and the father he had once been started to drift from her memory as the years had passed.

His heart had died with her mother, and so it seemed he could no longer feel.

Damon was now very strict and abusive, sometimes physically, mostly verbally.

He would drink all the time, barely taking notice of the only daughter and family he had left.

Julia preferred it that way.

When he did take notice of her it was never with kindness or affection, but with hatred and aggressiveness.

Julia felt as though he blamed her for her mother's death.

He looked at her as if he did.

Julia was so stuck in her miserably dark thoughts that she hadn't heard someone approaching.

Not until the sound of a twig snapping came from behind her, and she swirled around in fright, feeling her heart climb in her throat.

"Wow ... Sorry! It's only me," Michael said quickly, trying to relieve Julia of her fear as soon as possible.

He watched her take a deep breath and smile warmly at him, and he grinned back, admiring the beauty of that smile.

It was the first thing about her that he had fallen in love with.

"I thought you heard me coming," Michael continued when Julia's shoulders relaxed.

She immediately embraced him.

The depression of her past had turned her blood to ice.

But as soon as Michael had put his strong arms around her she only felt loving warmth and happiness.

"No ... I didn't, I'm sorry. I was distracted by the magnificent beauty of this tree," Julia answered softly, looking away for only a moment.

Michael moved his hands from her arms to cup her face. "And I was distracted by yours," he said lovingly, gazing into her eyes.

Julia blushed.

He always complimented her in all she did and all that she was, and every time it made her heart swell with love and gratitude.

Julia had experienced very few kind words in her life and learned to appreciate and remember the good ones, most definitely when they came from Michael.

Just the fact that he noticed her meant so much, when she had been ignored for almost as long as she could remember.

Julia suddenly felt a strong urge to kiss Michael. 

She pushed herself up onto the tips of her blue, white rimmed converse shoes, enclosing her arms around him, gliding her fingers through his smooth light-brown hair. 

Julia leaned into Michael, opening her mouth and he obligingly pressed his lips over hers. 

His lips were soft and warm. 

His hands around her back were gentle and loving, and made her feel oh so special. 

Julia's heart was full and she felt complete in Michael's embrace, as she always did. 

Michael deepened the kiss, his touch more desperate and fervent. 

He had missed Julia in the short time they had been a part. 

Only a week. 

But it had felt like a lifetime.   

"There's no need to apologise," Michael said, reluctantly breaking their moment of bliss. 

Julia looked into his brown eyes and smiled. 

Michael was the most beautiful, caring, loving man she had ever met, and she couldn't have asked for a better partner.

"Thank you for coming," Michael continued, brushing the back of his hand down her flushed cheek. "I know it was dangerous you coming here ... but i had to see you," he added desperately, sounding a little guilty. 

"I would risk anything to be with you," Julia replied lovingly, the strength of her love showing in the warmth of her eyes.

Michael smiled, thankful that this amazing girl chose him. "I love you," he said earnestly. "I always will."

Something in the way he spoke made Julia concerned. "I love you too, always. Why are you saying it like that? Like it's the last time?" 

Julia's heart started to race, and not in a good way. 

The thought of losing Michael made her feel sick. 

He was the best thing that had ever happened to her. 

He completed her, made her life full and beautiful. 

Julia couldn't bear the thought of losing him.

Michael could see tears starting to form in the corners of Julia's eyes and his heart suddenly hurt. 

"I don't want it to be the last time," he told her immediately, needing her to know. "I want to spend eternity with you. That's why I asked you to meet me here. We graduate tomorrow. Our parents think we'll be going to college ..."

"What do you mean they think?" Julia asked, now confused. 

"Run away with me?" Michael asked excitedly.