Snowflake

Bayan Khalfah

by Bayan Khalfah

Story

It was snowing hard… I was about to fall from the highest cloud… I saw it coming before I started falling.

The chain reaction is about to start unfolding once she wakes up. She grabs her phone and calls him. He is too busy packing to answer. She thinks he must still be sleeping and opens the window to see the beautiful snow covering up her whole neighborhood. Hope for a promising night is apparent by the look on her face. She thinks it will be the night. After all those years of waiting and yearning. He will finally pop the question. She recalls the last two weeks and all the hints he has dropped, feeling giddy with anticipation. He hurries to his car hoping for everything to go as planned. He makes sure everything is packed. He says his last farewell to his second family; the one he grew so fond of during his military service. They hug and cry wishing each other the best and hoping for a near reunion. He heads to the cap that will take him to the train station. She writes in her diary that the snow has always been a good omen. She doesn’t want to call him again, for she thinks he might still be saying his goodbyes. She opens her closet considering her options. Deciding that no outfit is good enough for an occasion like this, she decides to get something new. She knows better than to drive on snow-covered roads. But she cannot waste time waiting for a train. He arrives at the station and trusts that the driver will carry his bags for him to the platform. He runs to get the ticket that will bring him to his girl. He doesn’t have enough cash on him and knows he must hold on to that ticket. He settles on one of the seats, waiting for the train. He rummages through his bags looking for the one thing he can’t wait to give to her. He buries his head into his hands feeling frustration eating at him, and then calls a friend. She arrives safely in the city and starts looking for the perfect outfit. She wants it to be breathtakingly gorgeous, but she’s running out of time. She looks up at the sky and feels hopeless, when she lowers her face, she sees it. The perfect outfit. Elegant white, as white as the snow that’s falling. She buys it without a second thought and heads back to her car. He arranges to meet his friend at the city center station to lend him money to get another ring. They meet and drive together to the nearest jewelry store. His eyes land on a similar ring to the one he lost, and decides to get it. He thanks his friend and promises to pay him back as soon as he can. His friend offers to lend him his car, but he refuses. He’s not taking any chances in getting into accidents. On the way back, she is held up by unexpected traffic. She turns on the radio only to find out that a train ran off the track because of snow accumulation. She’s worried he’s on that train and wants to call him, but her phone ran out of battery. She gets out of the car to ask a police officer about the accident. He tells her the train’s route and her world stops. She knows he is on that train. She heads to her car and drives, crying and barely seeing anything.

I see it happening while I’m falling down, down, down. If I could, I would have assured her. He’s not on that train. He took another one to get you a ring. He’s safe and he’s heading home. He’s smiling while thinking of what is yet to happen. Until his phone rings and delivers the news of what has already happened.

I would’ve cried, had I not been made of water…

© Bayan Khalfah 2023-07-26

Genres
Novels & Stories
Moods
Emotional, Hoffnungsvoll, Traurig, Sad
Hashtags