It was winter break. Anna Beth and Thomas were going to their hometown for the vacation. Anna Beth got into the passenger's seat and Thomas started driving.
They held hands. Occasionally, they looked at each other and smiled. At every red light, Thomas would reach over and give Anna Beth a kiss.
Thomas pulled into a parking lot in front of a jeweler's store. Anna Beth smiled. "What are we stopping here for?" She asked as she got out of the car.
"You'll see, my love," Thomas replied. He grabbed onto her hand again and they walked into the store.
"Thomas, tell me!" Anna Beth giggled.
"I need to know which ring you want most," He asked her.
"Why?" Anne Beth replied, holding on to Thomas's arm.
"I need to know which ring to pick when we get married," he said sweetly. Anna Beth smiled.
"Thomas, you're so sweet." She kissed him and looked up at him. "I don't care which ring you get me. As long as you're promised to me forever."
Anna Beth and Thomas booked into a luxury hotel. Anna Beth hugged Thomas and told him that she didn't care where they stayed, as long as she was with him.
For a bit they just read together on the bed and talked for hours. Thomas kept staring at Anna Beth, admiring her beauty.
"Why don't we go out tonight, A.B.?" Thomas asked. Anna Beth giggled.
"Go where?" Thomas shrugged.
"Anywhere. It doesn't matter, as long as we're together."
They ended up going to an ice cream parlor. Anna Beth always got chocolate. It reminded her of Thomas's eyes.
Thomas got chocolate, too; he said he trusts Anna Beth to always make the right choice.
They went back to the hotel room. Anna Beth grabbed a book, when Thomas turned on his favorite song.
"What are you doing, darling?" Anna Beth asked with a smile. Thomas didn't answer. He grabbed her hand and spun her around.
They danced as if they were the only beings in the universe. It was only them. Thomas dipped and spun Anna Beth, and she smiled and enlightened Thomas.
They were so in love. They kissed again before going to sleep, both smiling at each other until falling into sleep.
The morning came, and Anna Beth made breakfast. Thomas woke up and walked into the room, buttoning up his shirt. He kissed Anna Beth on her head. "Good morning, my love," he said, as he sat down on the table. "Sleep well?"
"I slept perfectly, you?" She asked him. She set the table as he smiled at her.
"I'm always happy when i'm with you," he said. "Ah, another perfect meal from my more-than-perfect love."
She smiled and sat down across from him.
"What do you plan on doing today?" She asked as he finished his meal.
"I thought about going to dinner tonight," Thomas said, "I have a surprise for you." Anna Beth smiled.
"You do?" Thomas nodded and smiled back. He wiped his face with a napkin.
Soon enough, Thomas told Anna Beth it was time to leave. "I can't help but to think I'm forgetting something," Thomas wondered aloud.
"It can't have been that important," Anna Beth said, putting on her coat.
"I feel it is important though, my love, I've just forgotten where it is."
Anna Beth set her bag down. "What is it you're looking for?"
"The surprise," Thomas smiled once again. "I'll come back for it, it's best it doesn't sit in the car anyways."
They headed off. Anna Beth couldn't help but wonder what it what that Thomas was looking for.
The violet sky steadily made its way. The street lamps flickered on and the city lights were dim against the soft dusk sky. At last, the couple arrived at L'Amour Vrai, the restaurant of which they happened to be dining at.
Thomas opened Anna Beth's door and gave her a quick kiss before heading inside.
As they took their seats, fresh frost flooded the darkened windows. They ate while talking and laughing.
"What would I do without you?" Anna Beth asked Thomas lovingly, her sage eyes gazing into his.
"If one of us dies," Thomas said, "I hope I die first."
Anna Beth smiled. "I don't want to live without you."
Thomas insisted on paying. He also insisted on driving back to the hotel to fetch the "surprise" before going to the ice skating rink. Frost covered the windows. The was dark blue, the sky, with clouds that looked as if they showed the smallest bit of light.
Thomas told Anna Beth to stay in the car while grabbed his surprise. She thought the whole time about, what it was Thomas was grabbing. She had a small sense in her heart that she knew what. But it couldn't be.
Thomas arrived again, his hand in his left pocket. He reached out is other hand to hold Anna Beth's.
"Off we go, then," Thomas exclaimed. Anna Beth smiled.
They sat, smiling and talking. The road wasn't busy. Every few seconds Thomas would need to wipe the frost off the windshield.
The drive felt long, it felt like the two sweethearts were the only thing in the world.
They drove through the forest. Past the pond, past the city. They drove hand in hand.
Anna Beth could see the ice rink. She got excited.
Thomas was excited to. Not to skate, but something more.
But the next thing they knew, with hands intertwined, past the small bookstore alleyway, an old grey truck came screeching towards them, trying to stop. Thomas had no time to react. He slammed his breaks and shut his eyes tight.
Anna Beth kicked open her passenger's side door and pulled Thomas with her. They fell into the alleyway, by the bookstore.
Anna Beth and Thomas were laying beside the car, which once looked shiny and new, like they had saved up together to buy it.
Their hands were still together, as they breathed heavily.
It hurt. Anna Beth's heart ached every time it beat. "Thomas," she let out. His eyes were staring. "Thomas," She said again.
He slowly turned his head to look at her's. Her eyes filled with tears.
Anna Beth carefully lifted herself up to put Thomas's head on her lap. His head was scratched and bloody. His body looked as if he couldn't move.
Thomas stared at her. "My love," he let out, as if a whisper. Anna Beth started to sob at just the sight of him.
The small lamp on the porch of the bookstore flickered.
Thomas smiled a painful smile. He reached his hand to touch her face, then dropped it with a wince.
"I...I love you," He said. Anna Beth shook her head. "I hope..." He gulped. Snow lightly started to fall.
"If...if we die," He said, eyes drooping. "If we die," Anna Beth sobbed.
"I hope I die first." Thomas started to close his eyes.
"I don't want to live without you."
Snow fell onto Anna Beth's lap. She didn't care. Thomas' eyes were closed. She slipped her hand to his heart. It was still beating. Still.
The blood on his chest, hands, legs and head looked frozen to his light skin. Anna Beth's tears were cold as the dropped onto her soulmate's cheeks.
The bookstore lantern flickered again as Thomas's heart and breath slowed.
And the lantern went off.
Anna Beth bent over Thomas and cried, as if she never cried at all when she was with him.
The book shop door bell rung, which meant the door opened. The kind woman who worked there marked her book as she stepped outside. She gasped when she saw the car. She pulled rushed to the telephone booth when she saw Anna Beth.
When the ambulance got to the old alleyway, Anna Beth sobbed and cried as they pulled her into the vehicle.
"Thomas!" She sobbed. "Why are you leaving Thomas?"
The man shook his head. "Ma'am, he's..." She screamed to block his voice.
It was only a few weeks later when Anna Beth healed. Her wounds were cured. Almost every last one.
Her heart still ached. Her tears were still etched to her face. Emotionally, she would never fall in love again.
Anna Beth drove back home.
Not to her University.
Not to her hotel.
Not to her dorm.
Definitely not Thomas's.
Home. She drove to her mother and father. She didn't bother to go back and gather her things. She didn't bother gather anything. Except one.
You see, the ambulance brought her Thomas's belongings. She didn't want to look at them.
"Not even...this?" The man from before asked. Hesitantly, Anna Beth turned to look. She fell to the ground and curled up to cry.
The same engagement ring was sitting on the passenger's seat next to her. She didn't dare look at it.
When she got home, she cried in her mother's and father's arms. She couldn't tell Thomas's parents. She couldn't face them. She felt guilty.
And still far away, at the same 11pm every evening, the book shop light flickers...
and flickers...
and stops.