I carefully stared at his picture while it burned. His look was stern and strict, as if revealing masculinity and strength as he overcame life’s painful tests. Every line and every curve has been imprinted on my memory, but I at least had to try to forget.
A single spark now slowly blazed into a fiery flame, as if dancing to the lamenting melody sung by my heart. Not once did he ask me to dance nor did he ever hold me close as slow music played to the tunes of romance, but I remember every time he found his smile whenever we were together. I remember how his eyes lit up when I told a joke or whispered sweet nothings in his ear. And now, I was watching his picture be consumed by the fire, erasing every feature that made me fall in love with him.
As black smoke rose up on the air, I knew I had to let everything go, including the princess in my fairy tale. I had to forego every ounce of pain and what remained of all hope, for what once was solid now turned into dust, just like every wish I used to build around love.
Every second seemed to take forever, as if giving me the time to think about what I was doing, and still try to somewhat save a part of the burnt memory. Although I fought the urge of cherishing last glimpses of him, my mind was locking everything deep inside. Still, I had to give forgetting a try.
His body has disappeared and I could already feel the heat at the tip of my fingers. The fire seemed to burn faster now, eating up his chin, his lips, his nose, his eyes, and now his forehead. Slowly I put the burning remnant of a recent past inside an old candle holder as it flickered, then raged a little violently, as if a dying spirit cried in anguish, before it eventually died.
A pungent odor filled my room, as if entailing the loss of love’s aroma. The wind whispered in my ear romance’s cruelties, then enticed me to develop distaste towards it. I bent my head down and close my eyes as I surrendered to the cold embrace of enmity. In the attempt to completely forget, I conceded to losing faith in whatever it was that love deemed real.
As I opened my eyes, I gave out a heavy sigh, then, peeked into the glass candle- holder. The remains of the picture submerged into the wax and there was no way to extract them now. Or maybe I didn’t want to throw them away because it would remind me of the foolishness I once made and of my vulnerability that led to such a bittersweet reality.
Suddenly, the phone rang.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
“Hello?”
A familiar voice…that familiar emotion…
“Maddy, are you there?”
“Yes, Seth. What do you want?” Once again, I let the enemy defeat me.
“I’ve been trying to reach you for days. How are you?” he said. His voice was calm and soothing.
“I’m fine,” I coldly replied.
Silence.
My heart was racing faster and faster. Just when I wanted everything to end, he had to leave yet another painful memory.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he broke the silence.
“For what?” I sarcastically exclaimed.
Then, another string of silence…
Egotistical jerk! He couldn’t even admit it. He has always been used to saying he’s sorry.
“Look, Seth, I’ve got a lot of things to do…” I tried to say, but then he cut me short.
“I miss you, Maddy,” he softly said.
I felt like a little child, unable to speak, dazed and confused, but I knew what had to be done. There have been many second chances, and it was about time I called the last shot.
“I’m really busy, Seth. I have to go.”
With that, I put the receiver down.
The room was no longer filled with smoke. Even the odor was gone. I let a few seconds go by as I just stood beside the phone.
Then, I felt peace. I turned off the light and went to bed.
A single spark now slowly blazed into a fiery flame, as if dancing to the lamenting melody sung by my heart. Not once did he ask me to dance nor did he ever hold me close as slow music played to the tunes of romance, but I remember every time he found his smile whenever we were together. I remember how his eyes lit up when I told a joke or whispered sweet nothings in his ear. And now, I was watching his picture be consumed by the fire, erasing every feature that made me fall in love with him.
As black smoke rose up on the air, I knew I had to let everything go, including the princess in my fairy tale. I had to forego every ounce of pain and what remained of all hope, for what once was solid now turned into dust, just like every wish I used to build around love.
Every second seemed to take forever, as if giving me the time to think about what I was doing, and still try to somewhat save a part of the burnt memory. Although I fought the urge of cherishing last glimpses of him, my mind was locking everything deep inside. Still, I had to give forgetting a try.
His body has disappeared and I could already feel the heat at the tip of my fingers. The fire seemed to burn faster now, eating up his chin, his lips, his nose, his eyes, and now his forehead. Slowly I put the burning remnant of a recent past inside an old candle holder as it flickered, then raged a little violently, as if a dying spirit cried in anguish, before it eventually died.
A pungent odor filled my room, as if entailing the loss of love’s aroma. The wind whispered in my ear romance’s cruelties, then enticed me to develop distaste towards it. I bent my head down and close my eyes as I surrendered to the cold embrace of enmity. In the attempt to completely forget, I conceded to losing faith in whatever it was that love deemed real.
As I opened my eyes, I gave out a heavy sigh, then, peeked into the glass candle- holder. The remains of the picture submerged into the wax and there was no way to extract them now. Or maybe I didn’t want to throw them away because it would remind me of the foolishness I once made and of my vulnerability that led to such a bittersweet reality.
Suddenly, the phone rang.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
“Hello?”
A familiar voice…that familiar emotion…
“Maddy, are you there?”
“Yes, Seth. What do you want?” Once again, I let the enemy defeat me.
“I’ve been trying to reach you for days. How are you?” he said. His voice was calm and soothing.
“I’m fine,” I coldly replied.
Silence.
My heart was racing faster and faster. Just when I wanted everything to end, he had to leave yet another painful memory.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he broke the silence.
“For what?” I sarcastically exclaimed.
Then, another string of silence…
Egotistical jerk! He couldn’t even admit it. He has always been used to saying he’s sorry.
“Look, Seth, I’ve got a lot of things to do…” I tried to say, but then he cut me short.
“I miss you, Maddy,” he softly said.
I felt like a little child, unable to speak, dazed and confused, but I knew what had to be done. There have been many second chances, and it was about time I called the last shot.
“I’m really busy, Seth. I have to go.”
With that, I put the receiver down.
The room was no longer filled with smoke. Even the odor was gone. I let a few seconds go by as I just stood beside the phone.
Then, I felt peace. I turned off the light and went to bed.
Tomorrow... It’s going to be a new day, I told myself.
