It was a quiet night in the small Arkansas town. The weather wasn’t too warm, nor to cold but just right. The stars were as bright as diamonds, gleaming as softly as they can ever be. The smell of lilacs, roses, and other wild flowers in the air, making me dizzy and a bit light headed. It was also the perfect night to relax, with friends and family, and maybe with someone special. I sigh sadly while I braid my sister’s brunette hair. As thoughts of love and heartbreak, fill my distraught brain. “What’s wrong sissy?” asked my sister noticing my sad sigh. “Nothing Mi-Mi,” I say trying not to sound sad. “Don’t lie sissy, I know that something is bothering you,” she says not letting the subject go. “No it’s nothing Mi-Mi. See I’m happy as a mouse with cheese,” I say turning her around to see my fake smile. “Are you sure, because you seemed so sad when Jonathan left yesterday afternoon.” My heart started to squeeze painfully, at the sound of his name. And I very wanted to slap Mi-Mi, telling her to stop asking about it, but I couldn’t, knowing that it was very wrong of me to do so. I sigh again only in annoyance, and say, “Yes Mi-Mi I’m sure, and no it has nothing to do with Jonathan.” It was hard to say his name, because it bought back a flood of memories of times when I was his, and he was mine.
I check the time on the watch that father gave me, before he went to fight off in the war. A deep longing for him lodges in my heart, as well as eagerness, and happiness flooding me all over, temporarily making me forget Jonathan. “Mi-Mi will you go inside, and set the table for mother and father’s return?” “Ok,” she says running off into the house, finally leaving me alone. I sit on the porch, my legs dangling off of the side, as I look past the gate waiting for mother and father to get home. The night was quiet except for the crickets chirping and the soft almost silent music coming from next door. Off in the distance I see a person quickly approaching this way. I couldn’t tell who it was, only that it was a he judging from the silhouette. My heartbeat started beating loud in my ears; my heart was hoping it was Jonathan while my mind knew it cannot be. Secretly I was hoping that he changed his mind, and realized that he made a mistake. The footsteps were getting closer, and closer, I closed my eyes.
“Hello Mille,” said an oddly familiar voice. I opened my eyes, and for the first time in the past day or two, start to smile, because my long close friend has finally come home from the war. “Ace?” I ask not believing my eyes. “Yep, I’m right here aren’t I? The one and only Ace,” he says smiling his joyful smile. I couldn’t help it I jumped down from the porch and went to hug him. A bit surprised that he haven’t even changed in the last 18 months. He accepted the hug, by hugging me tightly; almost one of his crushing bears hugs. That did it. I started to bury my head in his chest, and just decide to let all the long awaited tears out.”What’s wrong?” he asks not letting go of me just yet. “Nothing it’s, it’s just that…,” I can’t do it; I just can’t seem to tell him about what happened between Jonathan and me just yet. “Is it about Jonathan?” he says reading my mind like always. Tear after tear starts streaming down my eyes, as I remain quiet, the truth obvious. He sighs, “You know Millie he wasn’t really good with relationships, but he seemed to hold on to you for a while. But maybe you should start to move on, and realize other guys.” My mind didn’t really quite comprehend what he was saying; wait was he suggesting? “What are you saying?” “Well…” he said acting nervous. He starts twirling me around softly making us start to dance. If you call swaying, side by side a dance. I look up at him with confused, comprehending eyes trying to read his unreadable face. “Well what I’m s-s-saying is,” he falters, a bad habit of his whenever he gets nervous. “That there was someone out there,” I say piecing it together. “Yeah that there’s someone out there for you, now bye,” he says start to quickly walk away from me.
“Wait!” I say grabbing his hand. Amazingly, he didn’t pull him away, as I expected him to do. Only he came back and stood in front of me relaxing a little. “Please finish what you were saying,” I ask softly almost incoherently. He takes a deep breath, and decides to hold my hands. “Well I think that there is someone better for you instead of Jonathan. Someone like…,” he says it slowly, so I could figure it out. “Someone like you?” I say looking into his eyes. He nods his head a bit stiffly, and tries to manage an easygoing smile. Understanding comes to me, as I realize why Ace has been acting different to me these past couple of years. It explained why he always stutters and always looks a bit uncomfortable when we’re alone, why he was flirting a teensy bit when we wrote to each other. It was all because he had a crush on me. And as I realize it, I guess I’ve had a crush on him too, without really knowing it. He must have seen it in my eyes, for we started dancing again. I start smiling a huge smile, and rest my head on his shoulder. “So do you like me or not?” he says whispering in my ear. And I nod, contended. That must have satisfied him for he gave me a quick kiss on my head, making me forget about what happened with Jonathan yesterday. I sigh a contended sigh; glad for the people in my life about how they’ve impacted it in a great way.
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