Once Upon A Time There Was The End

Cally Simmons and Sam Jensen were always together. Since birth, even. They were born in the same room, in the same hospital, on the same day, Cally just seven minutes after Sam.

They grew up together. Going through kindergarden, they always sat together, slept next to each other on the floor during nap time, held each other's clammy hand when the other was afraid, shared their cookies and milk when the other was upset and they would always stand side by side when either one of them were in trouble.

As they grew up, Cally and Sam's friendship never weakened. In junior high, they stood up to the bullies who tried to steal their packed lunches. When Sam was convinced girls had cooties and stayed 10 feet away from them at all times, Cally persuaded him boys had more cooties than girls did.

In high school, Sam held Cally in his arms as she weeped over her boyfriend who had dumped her and comforted her, assuring her there was nothing to worry about. Cally had picked out all the little annoying imperfections of Sam's girlfriend he was grieving about and joked about her until he felt better after their sudden break-up.

The night of prom, they accompanied one another, unable to find a suitable date. He looked gorgeous in his ebony black suit and midnight blue tie, bringing out the bright glow of his baby blue eyes. She looked stunning in her ankle-length spaghetti strap midnight blue dress, matching the tie around her date's neck. That night, as they gazed up at the fireworks which lit up the night sky, they shared their first kiss. Nothing more. But for each of them, they had never experienced anything better. They were just too afraid to admit it before.
+ + +

Cally Simmons

As we glanced up at the explosion of colours in the night sky above, I felt my best friend shift next to me. I turned to my right, where he had repositioned himself to face me. I imitated his sudden movement, turning to face his gleaming blue eyes, smiling.

I opened my mouth to say something but something stopped me. I didn't know what it was. I wanted so much to break the uncomfortable silence between us but a small part of me enjoyed that silence and that small part won, leaving us to stare in each other's eyes as the fireworks drew to an end.

I sat there,silent, as I noticed his motionless body began to move. First, his eyes. The pools of limpid blue ventured from my eyes to my lips, then back to my eyes. Next, his body. I heard the material of the ebony suit wrinkle and crumple as he shifted his weight to move closer, my eyes never leaving his. Finally, his head. His mahogany brown hair ruffled as a gust of wind surrounded us. His face, his gorgeous envied face, neared mine. His baby blue eyes became hidden as his eyelids drifted shut. His breath, I could feel on my skin, was warm and even. It was then, when I felt his breath on my skin, that I realised I was doing the same.

As our lips met, there was something new there. Something I had never felt before when I was kissing my other boyfriends my best friend and I had spent hours crying and laughing over. I had never felt it when I spent all my time with him, every single day. It was new and unfamiliar to me but I enjoyed it.

As we parted, I heard that little part in me calling his lips back to mine. It was louder than any of the thoughts racing through my head at that moment. I wanted to, but I couldn't. Not if he didn't want me to.

I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. They flapped their wings harder than I ever imagined possible. But I hardly felt the soft flapping of wings in my body as his fingertips gently pressed my cheeks as we sat upright. Those gentle touches were all that my mind could focus on. I opened my eyes, slowly this time, to look at my best friend sitting cross-legged in front of me. His eyes were already open and they were staring at me, waiting for my own to open. A familiar tiny smile crept up on his face to form a smile I had never seen before. His eyes were lit up, not only by the fairy lights which draped over the trees surrounding us, but by happiness, somehow. I didn't understand how his already-entrancing eyes could appear more beautiful.

I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. I grinned sheepishly, unsure how to react. I decided to just sit there, like how he was before me now. I couldn't tear my eyes away from his and I didn't have to if he couldn't either.
+ + +

Sam Jensen

The fireworks were beautiful, I noticed. But the figure on my left was nowhere as appealing and angelic as the lights which shot across the sky. She was there, right next to me, living and breathing. I could smell the floral perfume which lingered on her skin. I could smell the cherry lip gloss on her two perfect lips just inches away.

I had danced with her, again and again. And with each dance, I watched how her chestnut brown hair swayed as she moved with me to the music. I observed as the midnight blue satin of her dress brushed against her skin as she crossed the room.

She was beautiful, I had seen that before. But there was something about her, something compelling, somehow. I didn't know what to do. I wanted so much to reach out to kiss her and satisfy the uneasy feeling in my stomach. But I was afraid. Afraid she didn't feel that way. Of course she didn't. We were best friends. That's all we were to her. Best friends.

Right then, a sudden gust of wind blew blew across our faces. The wind blew a loose strand of hair, tickling my cheek and carried her floral scent to my nose. I was overwhelmed by the sudden flood of emotions which filled my head. I was unsure and I knew I was going to regret it but I had to.

I turned my body to face her, crossing my legs beneath me. I noticed her eyelids move just a few millimeters higher as she became aware of my change of position. She turned to face me, adjusting the long dress so she could sit cross-legged just as I did opposite her. I returned the smile and we sat there in silence. Pure silence.

Obviously uncomfortable by the silence, she opened her mouth like she had something to say, just like she always did, but hesitated and drew her mouth closed. I could hear her breathing as we sat there, silent. She was calm and collected, prepared for anything she thought I would say.

I questioned myself then. I asked myself if our friendship was worth risking for just one kiss. I couldn't answer that question. Instead, I just looked at the figure in front of me. I started with her hair. The chestnut brown wave danced lightly in the wind as she let it fall beyond her shoulders. I moved to her eyes, my favourite feature on her face. Her two emerald green crystals glistened as the fireworks brightened not only the sky but her breathtaking diamonds. Her lips I saved for last. They were perfect. Her upper lip was just the right size and it seemed as if her lower lip had made an exact replica of it.

I returned to her eyes. She noticed. I couldn't wait any longer but I had had to. I moved slowly, I leaned forward, my face just inches from hers, my gaze refusing to tear away from hers. She mirrored my actions exactly, making them 100 times better. At that moment, I answered the question I had asked before. Yes. It was worth it. Everything was worth risking for Cally to know how I felt about her. I saw her eyelids shut and felt mine do the exact same. I could taste her sweet breath on my tongue as I waited for us to meet.

We finally did. And when our lips touched for the first time, I was happy. Happier than I had ever been kissing Sarah or Penny or Bridget or any of the other girls I had dated before. It wasn't a feeling I wanted to forget. If this was the last time I would feel it, I didn't want to let go.

My lips were reluctant to leave. I gently pressed my fingers to her cheek as we parted. My eyelids moved slowly as they opened. My eyes fixed on the figure in front of me. I watched her closely. Her lips were pursed. What did that mean? Was she angry? I needed to know. Her eyes were still closed and I waited for them to open and reveal those beautiful emeralds. When they did, I didn't know how to react.

I felt my mouth twitch. I felt it pull itself into a smile. It was different from other the others I had smiled. It felt different but it felt good. I watched Cally's expression before me. Her cheeks flushed a deep pink and her lips pulled themselves into a sheepish grin on her face. My smile was plastered on my face and so was her grin. We remained there, silent and motionless, unwilling to say anything or move. I didn't want to. I wanted to stay there forever, underneath the twinkling fairy lights above, staring at my best friend. Or something more, Cally.
+ + +

A young man in his early forties stood before a row of gravestones. In his hands, he held a bouquet of flowers. His eyes searched the engravings on the pieces of grey stone.

He stopped at two near the far end of the row. He laid down the bouquet on the ground in between two of the dull grey stones. The flowers he had brought just a week before had wilted on the ground just before where the fresh ones had been placed. Sitting on the warm ground beneath him, he read the engravings for the thirty-seventh time.

The first one, on the left stated -
CALLIFORNIA SIMMONS-JENSEN
1991 - 2067
LOVING WIFE AND DEVOTED MOTHER

The second one stated -
SAMUEL JENSEN
1991 - 2067
LOVING HUSBAND AND DEVOTED FATHER

The visitor to the grave was no stranger. He was there every week. He brought flowers and would sit and talk for hours. His mahogany brown hair ruffled in the wind just as the blades of grass around him did. His emerald green eyes gleamed as the looked up at the sun to feel the wind on his face.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"Hey mum. Hey dad. I'm back again. I miss both of you so much. I wish you were here keep me company. I'm happier than I've ever been. Joey is growing up to be just like you,dad. He's turning seven next week. I can't believe it. He won't get to celebrate it with his grandparents. He misses you. Both of you. Very much," he paused to wipe a tear from his cheek.

"I know you guys always wanted to travel the world and see Italy. Mum, you always said it would be your happily ever after. Dad, you always said it would be your ticket to freedom. Here," he stopped, placing a rectangular white envelope on the ground beside the bouquet of flowers.

"They're train tickets...to Rome. For both of you. We were saving up to buy them for your anniversary but we could only get so much. Now, after so many years, you guys can finally travel to Italy. Dad, here's your ticket to freedom. Mum, here's your happily ever after."