My Little Princess

He had taken me to the beach; the white sand and blue water sparkled as I sat in his lap and he fed me the grapes from our picnic basket. We were sitting underneath a tree in full bloom with the Autumn colors.

This summer had been the best, and I knew that it was something I would never forget. He reached over and grabbed a book from inside the basket. I had looked up at him with a questionable face. He just smiled down at me and read from his book,

"I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee"

He quoted Edgar Allen Poe to me. It was one of the most beautiful things he has ever said, and the way that he spoke the soft, sweet words that left his lips I knew I was his Annabel Lee. There wasn't anything that could tear us apart anymore. As I stared at his beautiful face, I knew that this wouldn't ever last for I knew that this world was just make-believe, my personal fairytale, and one day it would come to an end. I looked down at my hands as we sat underneath the trees, golden from the Autumn rush, as he read poems to me aloud. I knew he wasn't reading the poems from the book in his hands; he had memorized them years ago to read to the one he loves. Staring at my hands I realize that my alternate universe will end, possibly sooner than I can imagine. I let three tears fall from the corner of my right eye. He looks up at me, and notices my head down, he lifts my head up with three of his fingers and whispers soft words to me. The words he spoke broke my heart because I knew it wouldn't ever last, fairy-tales never do. I look up at him and watches as the words left his mouth. "I love you..."

I didn't know what to say; I opened my mouth to speak and nothing came out. I finally looked up at him from under my eyelashes and smiled an award-winning smile. "Jack... I like you a lot, I really do... but I don't... l-l-love you." I stuttered on my words and I felt embarrassed.

He just looked at me, and smiled softly, "It's alright, Annabel. Don't worry. You will one day." He leaned over and kissed me on my forehead, I closed my eyes and leaned into his chest.

I wished I could love him the same as he loved me. I just can't though because deep down I knew that I didn't belong here, and one day I would be ripped from this place. I was being selfish and was trying to keep myself from becoming heartbroken.

I just hope he would understand.

I closed my eyes, and relaxed; letting the heat of the sun calm me and pull me into a deep, incoherent sleep. I wasn't sure I would ever wake up.