The sun rays fall on my face passing through the window, disturbing my peaceful sleep. I cover myself with the blanket as I was too lazy to get up. The climate was kind of getting colder which also looked like asking me to sleep a little more. I closed my eyes and slowly drifted to sleep. After some hours, I heard my phone rang. I took my phone and attend the call without even sparing a glance who called me. The person on the other side shouted, "You lazy girl, wake up and check the mail I sent." I kept my phone away from my ears. It was Shelly's voice, she is a manager and also my one and only best friend. Before I could even reply, she hanged up the call. I sat on my bed and open the mail she sent. The very next moment, I jumped off the bed. I couldn't believe it. My painting was sold for 100 US Dollars. I really can't believe what I saw. I rechecked the mail again and again. It was damn true! I got a message of congratulations from her. I thanked her and went to fresh up.
I wore a gray tee and blue denim. I grab my purse and phone and walked outside the apartment. There was chill air overnight. The climate was little colder. I rubbed my palms and kept on the both side of my cheeks. I walked as the dry, dead leaves crunched beneath my foot. I went to a flower shop and bought a bouquet of red roses to give it to him. I grinned happily as I continued to walk. It's been a week, I didn't visit him. I have many things to share with him. After next month, it will become fifteen years of our bond. I still remember the day he talked to me first.
{FLASHBACK}
I was just six years old. I was travelling with my mom and dad in a car. I was asleep, out of sudden my mom pushed me out of the car. When I open my eyes clearly I saw the car got hitting to a pole and burst in front of my eyes. The cops came and investigated. Later they found out it was happened due to break failure. One of the cops took me to an orphanage. I was literally crying for the three whole day. Who wouldn't after seeing their own parents died in front of their eyes! I fainted due to exhaustion. When I opened my eyes my only wish was this to be a dream. But god won't favor us always, right? After that, I started to avoid everyone because whoever close with me would always end up getting hurt.
And so, lo and behold, two years passed. I woke up early in the morning that day. There were frost in the ground, mist and fog in the air. I saw a boy with a cop to our orphanage. I don't know what they talked, but one thing was sure that he was going to be here. It's not my business, so I went to garden. I sat on the swing as I closed my eyes. I suddenly felt someone pushing the swing from back, to and fro. I jumped off the swing and standing as he holds the swing. I was about to go when he held my hand. I tried to jerk his hand, but his grip was strong. He said, " Hey, I am Jarek, ten years old. I will be staying here only. What's your name?" I just replied, "Hazel". He smiled as he stated, " Hazel represents autumn and so our first meet." I replied sarcastically, " Yeah! And your name is Jarek, which represents spring. So we both are opposite ones. Leave me!" He left me as he heard my words. But he didn't stop after it. He continued pestering me to talk to him. He even said that opposite poles attracts each other so do we. After a continuous pester of him, I started to talk to him. Slowly I opened myself. Little later, when I felt comfortable with him, I told him about the accident and the reason I avoid everyone. He hugged me and asked me if he should pity me or laugh at me. I was really confused. He slightly smiled and said, " Their time came, so they went. That has nothing to do with you. They will always be looking at you from above. And if you are sad and be alone like this, they will blame themselves. And they are still alive in your heart."
{FLASHBACK ENDS}
I don't know why, I believed that. It's been fifteen years, but it is still fresh in my memory as it just happened yesterday. Many things changed after that. He became the one and only hope in my life. I reached my destiny....him. I sat in front of him as I kept the roses on his lap. I said, "Hey love, Don't be angry on me. I couldn't visit you because of my works. As soon as my painting got sold, I came to tell you first. You know, it got sold for 100 USD. You can't believe right, either me. Now we are pretty rich. Do you remember that day after seeing your portrait painted by me, you asked me if I have any dreams to become an artist? When I said I just love to paint and don't have any aims nor dreams, you asked me try to become an artist since I am very good at this and furthermore I loved to do this. I myself had a doubt that time, but you encouraged me. You are the reason for this success. You are proud of me, right? My parents will also be proud of me, right? Wait, I will show you that painting first." I opened my phone and show the picture of the painting to him. It was a painting of a stag. The antlers of the stag was bigger than the real and painted like red brown branches of the maple tree. Maple leaves were scattered around it. Some in air, some in ground. Its eyes show some emotions of missing someone or something which was beyond to describe in words. "It's awesome right. Of course, it should be! Because it was done by the greatest artist." I said as I chuckled. The next some minutes passed in silence. Tears welled up in my eyes. I tried to control it but ended in vain. Tears streamed down through my cheeks.
I continued, " Do you remember, there were some unknown feelings were developed in both of us from the beginning. Later some years, even after when we realised it is 'LOVE', we both didn't confess each other. The fear of rejection was more in our heart. Of course, no relation would stay the same after confession. If other party accepts, they will become closer but if the other party rejects, the bond won't stay the same. But five years ago, you decided to overcome your fear because you don't want to regret later for not expressing your feelings. You confessed me and asked me to give you a chance to prove your love. That day, I was on cloud nine. What else could be happier to me? 'The person I love also loves me.' Moreover, you proposed me. That day, happy tears flow down from my eyes, but you wiped my tears and said that it's okay if I reject you. I couldn't help myself but chuckle. I hugged you and said, 'I love you too.' After hearing me, you carried me and swirled me around the whole park. Look at my eyes, now also I am crying why are you not wiping it?" I shouted my lungs out, "WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY DID YOU ALSO LEAVE ME? No no, You are still alive....alive in my heart. You didn't leave me! You can't leave me!" I wiped my tears with one hand as I wiped the frost with the other hand which is hiding the name 'JAREK' carved in the tomb which is in front of me. My lips automatically formed a crescent moon shape when my eyes met his name. I silently leaned on him. The leaves shredded down slowly, and the birds came and sat around us silently which looks like they are also mourning for him. A hush fell over the place. I close my eyes as I remember his last day in this earth, which was two years ago. We were about to celebrate our third year love anniversary. But all of a sudden, he fainted. The orphanage mother took him to the hospital. When I said, I will also come, she refused. That day, he found out that he is in the last stage of brain tumor and has barely had one week left in this world. He asked the orphanage mother to hide it from me. She hesitated but later agreed as she knows how much we love each other. When they returned, I asked them what happened, they replied that he fainted because of over stress. The next one-week passed with full of happiness but little didn't I know it was just a calm before storm. It was nearly eight p.m. He called me and asked me to promise him that whatever happens I shouldn't give up on my life and should achieve my dream and become an independent woman. I was confused, but I promised as he was literally getting weaker day by day and I don't want to stress him anymore. He pulled me into a hug and whispered, "Live the life you love!" And the next moment I felt him heavy, and my ears couldn't hear his breath anymore.
Now I am fulfilling his last wish. I am living the life I love. I also became an artist, and I am an independent woman now. Suddenly a long wind passed. When it passed me, I heard his voice saying, "I LOVE YOU". The wind passed me was not warm moreover it was cold, but I felt some warmness in my heart....warmness of his love! He was the one I love! He is the one I love! He will be the one I love!
I slowly stood up. The birds flew away without any noise. I walked out of the graveyard. I took a glance at him before I walked away. I stood in the middle of an empty road. I froze on my place and close my eyes as I place my hand above my heart feeling his warmness.
