One Time Too Many
This is it
Blood red rose
Snow white dove
What is this feeling
That we call love?
It can make you feel
Or make you numb
But all of your senses
It shall overcome
It can take you over
And rip you apart
In this twisted game
The only piece is your heart
You’ve stolen my heart
Please treat it well
It’s been broken one time too many
Or can you not tell?
Halme read the words on the wrinkled piece of paper. He had seen Akuji throw it out, and he knew she never threw her work out at school. So he went to retrieve it for her, but curiosity got the best of him and he had to read it. The words hit him hard, and he could feel his heart crack slightly. Akuji was in love. She hadn’t told him. She didn’t trust him; even after all they had been through together.
Halme remembered back to when they first met. It was at Projekt Revolution during the summer of 2007. She had looked beautiful, but he had a girlfriend and kept his mouth shut. Then, he didn’t really think about her after that until January, when the met again in a chat room. Halme knew then that they were meant to be friends, but he never anticipated falling for her.
It was four months later, and Halme was in love with Akuji. She had been hurt, and he had hurt those who hurt her. She liked someone; he went to find out their opinion. He would go to the ends of the Earth and back for her. He wanted to tell her more then anything, but was terrified. Akuji was scared of letting people in, and was even more scared of emotions. So he put off telling her, waiting for the right time.
Then he read this poem, this confession, this…this thing that wasn’t what he wanted. Akuji didn’t trust him enough to tell him she was in love, and that hurt him. Halme had to do something, anything to make her see how he felt.
Hearing the late bell, Halme decided he had a valid excuse to skip class and take a long lunch. This gave him 40min. to think over what he wanted to do and say, but he honestly didn’t think it was enough time at all.
Waiting at Taco Bell, and using every cent he had to curb his everlasting hunger, Halme finally saw the first of the students crossing Highway 64. Going outside and sitting on one of the stone tables, he talked to a couple of his friends before Akuji came.
Laughing and eyes moving rapidly from his friends to the intersection, he finally saw her crossing the street.
With a guy.
The same guy she had liked last semester. The same guy who had led her along, crushed her, and then got beat up by her. Then, Halme beat him up at a later date.
And here was Akuji, walking across the street with him, and laughing.
‘She must have never gotten over him,’ Halme thought, anger rising. ‘She fell in love with a bastard, even after he hurt her. God, how do I compete with a stuck up prep?’
Halme plastered on a fake smile as Akuji approached, and moved over so she could sit. Before she did, she put down her book bag and scrutinized him, seeing right through the mask.
“Is everything alright, Halme?” Akuji asked, concern lacing her voice. “You look a little down, and like you want to punch a baby.”
Halme laughed slightly, and poked her in the side when she sat down. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just been thinking a lot.”
Akuji smirked, and Halme knew then he had set himself up.
“Well, you see, thinking is a very dangerous task, that only the strong can accomplish. Obviously, you are not one of those few.”
Halme opened his mouth to respond, bastard-boy beat him to it.
“Ha-ha, owned. Owned in face man.” And bastard-boy, whose name Halme thought was Cody, kept laughing.
Akuji saw Halme’s good mood fly out the window, and she instantly intervened. She only liked a fight if she was the one in it, not one that was happening around her.
“Hey Bobby,” She said, Halme internally smacking his forehead for being so off, “why don’t you go wait in line? I’ll be in soon.”
Bobby nodded and clapped Akuji on the shoulder. He leaned down and whispered something in her ear, making her face heat up instantly. Halme’s fists clenched, hating the affect that Bastard Bobby had on Akuji.
The two sat in silence for a moment, Halme enjoying every second of it. The day was warm, and a slight breeze was blowing, but it was still nice enough for short sleeves. Akuji smiled slightly and leaned back, deciding that the table was the opportune place to lie down. Halme stared at her, knowing that he needed to tell her now, before he lost his nerve.
“Akuji?” he asked, getting a soft ‘hmm?’ in response. “I need to ask and tell you something. Well, some things.”
Akuji opened her eyes and gave him her full attention. He swallowed his courage, clenched his eyes shut, and just blurted it out.
“Are you in love with Bobby?”
When he heard no response, he cracked an eye open and looked down at her. Akuji was biting her lip trying not to laugh, and Halme became more confused. When she saw his look, she sighed and sat up.
“Halme, Bobby is a bastard. I don’t like him, I barely even like him. But….” At this point, Akuji paused and bit her lip again while rubbing her arm. “I…Well, I’ve been talking to him lately because he’s a good listener when it comes to feelings, and well…I needed someone to talk to about them.”
Hurt instantly stabbed Halme through the heart, and he turned away from her. He heard her get up, and then saw her in front of him, frowning slightly.
“Do you not trust me? I thought…I thought we could talk about anything…” Halme said, wincing slightly at how pathetic he sounded.
Akuji furrowed her eyebrows, and put her hand on his cheek. “Halme, we can talk about anything and everything, but I needed his help on how to approach someone when I want to tell them that….that I love them…” Akuji looked away, a furious blush spreading across her face.
It all clicked suddenly. The poem, her talking to Bobby and not him, she was in love. She was in love with him, not Bobby, and she was scared.
Halme smiled and turned her head back towards him, and he frowned seeing tears in her eyes. He tilted her chin up, and kissed her softly, feeling the tears run down her face. Halme moved back and wiped them away, pulling her close and resting his head on her head.
“The poem was beautiful. You shouldn’t have thrown it out.” He whispered, kissing her forehead.
Halme felt her half laugh, half sob and he smiled. He held her and let her cry, knowing she needed the release.
He pulled the poem from his pocket and recited part of it to her:
“You’ve stolen my heart
Please treat it well
It’s been broken one time too many
Or can you not tell?”
Akuji buried her head in his chest, and he could tell she was blushing again. “I can tell, and don’t worry; I have no intention of hurting you, or giving back your heart.” He whispered, pulling her closer.
No words of ‘I love you’ needed to be said, for it could be felt. And Halme loved that more then hearing it.
Snow white dove
What is this feeling
That we call love?
It can make you feel
Or make you numb
But all of your senses
It shall overcome
It can take you over
And rip you apart
In this twisted game
The only piece is your heart
You’ve stolen my heart
Please treat it well
It’s been broken one time too many
Or can you not tell?
Halme read the words on the wrinkled piece of paper. He had seen Akuji throw it out, and he knew she never threw her work out at school. So he went to retrieve it for her, but curiosity got the best of him and he had to read it. The words hit him hard, and he could feel his heart crack slightly. Akuji was in love. She hadn’t told him. She didn’t trust him; even after all they had been through together.
Halme remembered back to when they first met. It was at Projekt Revolution during the summer of 2007. She had looked beautiful, but he had a girlfriend and kept his mouth shut. Then, he didn’t really think about her after that until January, when the met again in a chat room. Halme knew then that they were meant to be friends, but he never anticipated falling for her.
It was four months later, and Halme was in love with Akuji. She had been hurt, and he had hurt those who hurt her. She liked someone; he went to find out their opinion. He would go to the ends of the Earth and back for her. He wanted to tell her more then anything, but was terrified. Akuji was scared of letting people in, and was even more scared of emotions. So he put off telling her, waiting for the right time.
Then he read this poem, this confession, this…this thing that wasn’t what he wanted. Akuji didn’t trust him enough to tell him she was in love, and that hurt him. Halme had to do something, anything to make her see how he felt.
Hearing the late bell, Halme decided he had a valid excuse to skip class and take a long lunch. This gave him 40min. to think over what he wanted to do and say, but he honestly didn’t think it was enough time at all.
Waiting at Taco Bell, and using every cent he had to curb his everlasting hunger, Halme finally saw the first of the students crossing Highway 64. Going outside and sitting on one of the stone tables, he talked to a couple of his friends before Akuji came.
Laughing and eyes moving rapidly from his friends to the intersection, he finally saw her crossing the street.
With a guy.
The same guy she had liked last semester. The same guy who had led her along, crushed her, and then got beat up by her. Then, Halme beat him up at a later date.
And here was Akuji, walking across the street with him, and laughing.
‘She must have never gotten over him,’ Halme thought, anger rising. ‘She fell in love with a bastard, even after he hurt her. God, how do I compete with a stuck up prep?’
Halme plastered on a fake smile as Akuji approached, and moved over so she could sit. Before she did, she put down her book bag and scrutinized him, seeing right through the mask.
“Is everything alright, Halme?” Akuji asked, concern lacing her voice. “You look a little down, and like you want to punch a baby.”
Halme laughed slightly, and poked her in the side when she sat down. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just been thinking a lot.”
Akuji smirked, and Halme knew then he had set himself up.
“Well, you see, thinking is a very dangerous task, that only the strong can accomplish. Obviously, you are not one of those few.”
Halme opened his mouth to respond, bastard-boy beat him to it.
“Ha-ha, owned. Owned in face man.” And bastard-boy, whose name Halme thought was Cody, kept laughing.
Akuji saw Halme’s good mood fly out the window, and she instantly intervened. She only liked a fight if she was the one in it, not one that was happening around her.
“Hey Bobby,” She said, Halme internally smacking his forehead for being so off, “why don’t you go wait in line? I’ll be in soon.”
Bobby nodded and clapped Akuji on the shoulder. He leaned down and whispered something in her ear, making her face heat up instantly. Halme’s fists clenched, hating the affect that Bastard Bobby had on Akuji.
The two sat in silence for a moment, Halme enjoying every second of it. The day was warm, and a slight breeze was blowing, but it was still nice enough for short sleeves. Akuji smiled slightly and leaned back, deciding that the table was the opportune place to lie down. Halme stared at her, knowing that he needed to tell her now, before he lost his nerve.
“Akuji?” he asked, getting a soft ‘hmm?’ in response. “I need to ask and tell you something. Well, some things.”
Akuji opened her eyes and gave him her full attention. He swallowed his courage, clenched his eyes shut, and just blurted it out.
“Are you in love with Bobby?”
When he heard no response, he cracked an eye open and looked down at her. Akuji was biting her lip trying not to laugh, and Halme became more confused. When she saw his look, she sighed and sat up.
“Halme, Bobby is a bastard. I don’t like him, I barely even like him. But….” At this point, Akuji paused and bit her lip again while rubbing her arm. “I…Well, I’ve been talking to him lately because he’s a good listener when it comes to feelings, and well…I needed someone to talk to about them.”
Hurt instantly stabbed Halme through the heart, and he turned away from her. He heard her get up, and then saw her in front of him, frowning slightly.
“Do you not trust me? I thought…I thought we could talk about anything…” Halme said, wincing slightly at how pathetic he sounded.
Akuji furrowed her eyebrows, and put her hand on his cheek. “Halme, we can talk about anything and everything, but I needed his help on how to approach someone when I want to tell them that….that I love them…” Akuji looked away, a furious blush spreading across her face.
It all clicked suddenly. The poem, her talking to Bobby and not him, she was in love. She was in love with him, not Bobby, and she was scared.
Halme smiled and turned her head back towards him, and he frowned seeing tears in her eyes. He tilted her chin up, and kissed her softly, feeling the tears run down her face. Halme moved back and wiped them away, pulling her close and resting his head on her head.
“The poem was beautiful. You shouldn’t have thrown it out.” He whispered, kissing her forehead.
Halme felt her half laugh, half sob and he smiled. He held her and let her cry, knowing she needed the release.
He pulled the poem from his pocket and recited part of it to her:
“You’ve stolen my heart
Please treat it well
It’s been broken one time too many
Or can you not tell?”
Akuji buried her head in his chest, and he could tell she was blushing again. “I can tell, and don’t worry; I have no intention of hurting you, or giving back your heart.” He whispered, pulling her closer.
No words of ‘I love you’ needed to be said, for it could be felt. And Halme loved that more then hearing it.