Fifth Fall - REUNION

--wordcount: 549

-- created for the Tropetember event: Reunion

--note: sadness incoming T^T

I still remember that day. Trees were already bare, and you were rather annoyed with the crunching of leaves beneath your shoes. Our coats were barely winning against the chilly air.

I remember laughing when both of us raced to catch a falling leaf, as I’ve heard that catching one would make you fall in love with the person you were walking with. We already were in love, so maybe it didn’t take effect.

Or maybe that saying only applied to maple leaves.

I’ve never seen you since. This is the fifth fall.

I don’t know why I keep going back here, but I always do. I hope to see your familiar face, leaning over the bridge as you watch the ice start to form on the lake. I hope to see you drinking your coffee, smiling and laughing and happily talking with your friends about everything.

“It’s been a while.”

I stop walking. You straighten up and give me that stupid smile.

You’ve... You look well.

“You’re back.”

“I never really left.” You laugh, shaking the half-empty cup of hazelnut mocha in your hand.

I can’t help but stare. I try to talk but nothing comes out.

“Aren’t you cold?” You nod your head towards me.

I fix my sweater, and think of what to say so it wouldn’t be too awkward. If I could see from your eyes, I must look pathetic, and that’s not doing anything to help my situation.

Your gaze washes over me with their warmth. I feel my lip quiver and I hear your footsteps filling up the few feet between us as my tears force their way through.

I let out a pathetic sob.

And you stop. Your hand reaches out to comfort me, but you stop.

“I’m sorry,” you say.

A crumpled smile forms on my face as my heart breaks for the second time.

“It’s not your fault, Leo. It never was.”

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It was a fine day. Almost too good to be true. And I was right.

I remember looking down to see your hand not in mine. I remember you facing me and clearing your throat and you shakily breathing. I remember feeling so confused that my thoughts swirled around my head, suffocating me.

And I remember you saying the one thing that you promised not to tell me. You promised that you’d prove me wrong, that I was wrong about you being another guy who gave up too fast because I was ‘too much’. I remember.

“As of this moment,” you paused, seemingly fighting the urge to look at me directly. But you lost.

Your brown eyes looked so cold.

“We... broke up.”

=---------------------------------

But I understand you.

“I understand.”

You nod.

“You’re fine, Mira. We both are.”

“But I have to leave now. You take care.”

I watched you walk away again. And I couldn’t say it. I still couldn’t. I can only just whisper to the wind and trust that it shares my message to you, no matter how long it takes.

“I wanted to ask how you were doing. I wanted to hug you, but I was too scared. And I wanted to tell you that you were wrong about another thing. I loved you, Leo. I did. And I think I still do.”