A Collection of Short Stories
Chin Up, Bright Eyes
In the dim glow of the moonlight, her fingers found their way to intertwine with his. As her head lay on his chest, she felt the slow thudding of his heart. The slow steady beat, however, was no match to the clock that ticked so loudly, reminding them that time was moving. “Maybe you don’t have to leave tomorrow,” her voice rang, breaking the silence that was enveloping them. “Maybe you can stay and I can make you coffee and we can be happy.”
His free hand stroked her hair; he treasured her sweet smell. Times like these were seldom, and even when they were around, he knew they would vanish quickly. “You know how much I love your coffee,” he chuckled. “And you know I’d rather stay with you than go anywhere else,” he paused, hating to say the words that were to come out next. “But I have to go.” He stared at the perfection he was holding in her arms, already hating the thought of having to leave when the first ray of light enters the room.
She sat up straight, untangling herself from the arms that held her so tenderly. “I hate it when you leave,” she muttered, her voice cracking. She willed that dawn stop from breaking and the stars stop from burning out, but she tried to no avail. Even with the given situation, he managed a slight smile - the kind where his lips turned ever so slightly; anyone would miss it in the blink of an eye, but not she. She noticed the little letter c that formed when he smiled, and that was enough to contain her tears - for the moment, at least. “Why are you smiling? Don’t smile! I’m about to cry!” She thrust her towards him, playfully hitting him on the chest.
He caught the arm that was coming towards him and held it to his heart. “Remember the night we first met?” he asked, looking into her eyes. He knew he got her attention now; he knew she was listening. “How in love were we that night?”
Slowly, her tears streamed down her eyes, flowing to her cheeks.
“That night, it was me and it was you truly knowing each other for the first time,” he affirmed, reaching out to wipe her tears. “And nothing about that is going to change. You’ll always have me. I’ll always have you. You’re not losing me.”
The tears were rushing now, and at the thought of him having to leave again made only encouraged them.
“I’ll be back,” he whispered. It was a quiet promise, but it rang in the silence that was between them. “I always come back. I won’t allow myself to lose you so easily.”
As the sun came up and daylight broke in, he bid her a beautiful goodbye.
His free hand stroked her hair; he treasured her sweet smell. Times like these were seldom, and even when they were around, he knew they would vanish quickly. “You know how much I love your coffee,” he chuckled. “And you know I’d rather stay with you than go anywhere else,” he paused, hating to say the words that were to come out next. “But I have to go.” He stared at the perfection he was holding in her arms, already hating the thought of having to leave when the first ray of light enters the room.
She sat up straight, untangling herself from the arms that held her so tenderly. “I hate it when you leave,” she muttered, her voice cracking. She willed that dawn stop from breaking and the stars stop from burning out, but she tried to no avail. Even with the given situation, he managed a slight smile - the kind where his lips turned ever so slightly; anyone would miss it in the blink of an eye, but not she. She noticed the little letter c that formed when he smiled, and that was enough to contain her tears - for the moment, at least. “Why are you smiling? Don’t smile! I’m about to cry!” She thrust her towards him, playfully hitting him on the chest.
He caught the arm that was coming towards him and held it to his heart. “Remember the night we first met?” he asked, looking into her eyes. He knew he got her attention now; he knew she was listening. “How in love were we that night?”
Slowly, her tears streamed down her eyes, flowing to her cheeks.
“That night, it was me and it was you truly knowing each other for the first time,” he affirmed, reaching out to wipe her tears. “And nothing about that is going to change. You’ll always have me. I’ll always have you. You’re not losing me.”
The tears were rushing now, and at the thought of him having to leave again made only encouraged them.
“I’ll be back,” he whispered. It was a quiet promise, but it rang in the silence that was between them. “I always come back. I won’t allow myself to lose you so easily.”
As the sun came up and daylight broke in, he bid her a beautiful goodbye.