lasting love

We were sitting near the bay, the salty air brushed through my hair, cold and hard. The sun had started to set already, and your arms, only covered with a thin layer of fabric, were covered in goosebumps. One of your dress’s sleeves had slid down over your shoulder, but you didn’t bother to pull it up again. “Do you sometimes wish you could just…stop time? Like capture a single moment forever?” you asked, and the sunlight reflected in your dark eyes. I thought about your question for a short while, my hand gently intertwined with yours. “Yeah, I guess so. What moment of your life would you like to rewind?” Your gaze wandered up towards the orange sky, remaining there for a split second before meeting mine. “I’m not sure. A simple one, with only you and me in.” I couldn’t help but smile as you said that. “Nothing lasts forever though, maybe that’s the way it’s supposed to be” I quoted. You leaned back and laid down in the moist grass that left small droplets of water all over your skin. Your hair was spread out around your face like a halo, something I noticed later, when I looked at the pictures I took of that day. “I wish I could be happy like this forever. Just lay by the sea for my entire life, looking at the sunset and being bathed in its light.”, you said that in an almost angry tone, your cat-like face making a funny expression.

“Me too” I said, and laid down on the ground next to you. The salt in the air felt so dense, distant laughs were audible and over our heads, a few leaves were blown out towards the endless ocean. “Anything you want to talk about?”, I asked you, but got no answer. Instead, you pulled me closer, your head against my chest. It had started to become much colder, and even underneath my warm jacket, I was freezing. “Let’s go home. You must be cold in that dress” But you didn’t answer again, and I saw that you had silently started to cry.

I put my arms around your shaking body, repeatedly asking what’s wrong. “I’m scared that you’ll forget me one day, I’m scared you’ll forget you were here with me. For you, everything passes, but for me it doesn’t. I just really want things to last forever.”, you let out between small sobs. “Why would I ever forget someone like you? Someone whose eyes spark with life, someone who I love so dearly?” The sun was gone now, I could barely see your face in the dark, but I felt your lips against mine.