The Words She Held in Her Heart
She smoothens out the crumpled photograph for the hundredth time, running her fingers across his cheek. Her gaze lingers on his hazelnut-coloured eyes, but their smiling faces soon become a blur. Outside the window, rain begins to fall, its rhythmic beating against the windowpane serving as ad-lib to the ballad playing in the background. It has been two months, she whispers, as she buries her head in her palms, burgundy hair falling down the sides of her face. "I loved you," he said. Gripping the withered rose tightly in her hand, she goes out to the balcony for the third time in five minutes and peers down, certain that he would be waiting for her at the first floor. It is unlike him to be this late. “Is he alright?” she wonders. It was merely a dream. We could never live without each other. She nods her head. The cold wind embraces her lovingly, only for her to retreat deeper into the thick cotton blanket wrapped around her. Yet, she continues to shiver - her only source of warmth was not here. "I am sorry. This is the end." The first snow falls on the street where she stands alone. It wasn't like that last year. Couples walk on by hand-in-hand, Christmas lights decorate the trees all around, and the air is heavy with the soft hum of carols. She stares longingly at that wedding dress displayed in the shop window, sojourning in her own thoughts of him. The shattered pieces of her world lay before her feet, cushioning the tears that roll down her broken face. "I wish you happiness." Skimming the rim of the cup one last time, she sets the cup down into the yellow box, together with the rose and photo album. We were so precious, and now we are our own treasures, she smiles. All of a sudden, she feels the fleeting warmth of a draft, hears the joyful chirping of birds, and smells the fragrance of lilacs. It is time. "It will not be easy, but time will heal." I want to be free. She reaches the open field just outside her house, and flings the heavy yellow box away. "On your mark, get set, go!" She spreads her arms wide open and runs - freely and happily; to a better tomorrow, a wiser self, and a brighter path ahead.