Love Is My Battlefield

I could feel the warmth of something surround me, in my haze before I disappeared into the darkness again.

Two kids were running down the beach together, one of them holding a small basket and the other held onto a blanket. Both children were laughing and smiling, only slowing down their pace when they reached what they believed to be the perfect spot on the beach.

One of the children, a little boy, took the blanket he was holding and placed it neatly on the dry sand. The other child, a little girl, placed the basket on the blanket before they both sat down.

The little girl took out a plate of sandwiches her mother had made, as the little boy grabbed the two bottle of apple juice and gave one to the girl. The girl gave him a beautiful smile, a twinkle in her deep brown eyes as her dark brown her lightly flew behind her with the wind. The boy grinned back at her, his dimples on full display, as his hazel orbs practically sparkled. He gently scratched his short black hair as he placed his bottle in front of him and took a sandwich from the plate.

It wasn’t strange to see this event unfold, the little boy and girl were best friends and loved having these small picnics every Sunday if it was possible. They both loved the beach and since neither of them lived very far from it, so their parents didn’t worry about them being their alone together. The young boy had also just turned nine, so they knew that he could take care of the six year old little beauty beside him.

These picnics continued for many years and the girl and boy loved them even if the girl now was almost 15 and the boy a senior in high school and almost 18 years old. The two of them had always been friends, the best of friends and they knew everything about the other, including the boy’s dear wish of joining the army straight after high school.

The girl wasn’t too fond of that, but she would never dare to say anything against it to him. She knew this was his lifelong dream and she would support him in this, even if it broke her heart to see him go. Unbeknown to the other, they had both fallen in love with each other. But with things left unsaid, the other never knew and the subject never came up.

The boy’s graduation day came, and the girl knew that the day of his departure had arrived. Tears keep spilling from her eyes as she quietly sobbed through the ceremony. Everything happened too fast for both of their likings and soon they were at his graduation/going away/good luck party. It was nearing the end and the girl’s tears had yet to let up. She didn’t sob anymore, but a silent stream of tears still flowed freely from her eyes.

They were outside his childhood home, clinging to each other in a hug so tight it was a miracle that either of them could breathe. He gently kissed the crown of her head repeatedly as he whispered sweet nothings into her ear. He pulled away slightly, before he removed his favorite dog tags from around his neck and placed it around hers. His grip tightened once more.

“I want you to have this to remember me by, I hope you’ll never forget me as I will never forget you..” his voice was husky and strained as he fought against his own tears. She pulled him even closer if possible, wanting to mesmerize every little thing that was him.

“I love you my dear Rose. Stay safe my love..” his words sent her heart into overdrive and her tears seemed to fall harder than before.

“I love you too David. Please don’t die on me.” He gave her a watered chuckle as his tears won the battle. He kissed her forehead one more time, lingering slightly, before pulling away completely. He quickly got into his car, pulled out of the drive way and drove away.

The girl stood there motionless for a moment. Her arms tightly wrapped around her, before she quickly ran home. Her bed never looked more welcoming, as she once more burst into heavy sobs and cried herself to sleep that night. His necklace clutched tightly in her hand, a necklace which would now almost permanently a part of her.

The boy kept on driving, wiping his tears away as he drove towards his new home and where his future now lied. A future with the military.

My senses came back to me slowly as the darkness lifted from my body and mind. The dream, no the memory seemed so real. It seemed like it was yesterday it had happened and not three years ago. I remembered that last day all too well. I had used the next month crying over it.

I gently shook my head as I slowly opened my eyes, blinking rapidly at the now harsh daylight surrounding me. I could still feel the warmth surrounding me and as I looked up. My breath got caught in my throat for a moment.

I recognized those warm hazel orbs, I knew those dimples, the short black hair, that bronzed skin and the familiar mixed scent of trees, ocean and his own special odor. I blinked a few more times as a warm smile spread across his lips.

“Da..David?”