Blind love (Part VIII)

For the next few nights, Ariel decided not to visit Brandon. He was worried sick that something had happened to her. She thought that if she stayed away, maybe he would stop loving her. She loved him with all her heart and soul and deep down she was happy to know that he loved her. She didn’t mean for any of it to happen. She was just going to sneak into his room and check on him, that’s all. When she sneezed, it changed everything. She never intended for him to fall in love with her. She and he were living in different worlds and she felt that she did not belong in his. She finally couldn’t take it any longer. She had to see him once more, even if it was for the last time. She went up the stairs at her usual time and tapped on his door. He had been sitting in a chair near the door and opened it. As soon as he opened the door, he smells the fragrance of her perfume as it drifts into his room. He smiles for the first time in days and asks, “Casper, is that you? I know it’s you! I can smell your perfume! Where have you been? I have been worried sick about you! Why haven’t you come to see me? Have I done something wrong? Please come in!” She takes him by the hand and walks into his room. She helps him to get in bed and sits in the chair next to him. He turns his head in her direction and says, “ Please talk to me. What have I done wrong. I don’t understand!” He doesn’t see her sorrow as she sits there with tears in her eyes. She finally reaches over and takes his hand and with a breaking heart, says, “ I have come here tonight to tell you goodbye. After tonight, I won’t be back to see you again.” Her words break up as she tries to continue, “ I have really enjoyed our time together and I will miss you. Please don’t ask me to stay, I can’t! It wouldn’t be fair to you or me. I know that you will forget me and go on with your life. I will never forget you. I thank you for giving me happiness in the time we had together and I will hold it in my heart forever.” She couldn’t talk anymore; the pain of her heartache was too much to bear. She just sits there crying and holding his hand. He was so shocked that he couldn’t even speak. The thought of not having her in his life made the pain in his heart unbearable. He couldn’t just let her go. Not like that. He had to do something but he didn’t know what to say or what to do. She had to know that he loved her. She would have to stay if she knew that! He tries to speak, “ You can’t leave me! I lo….Before he could say it, she stood up and put her hand over his mouth. She knew what he was going to say and couldn’t bear to hear him say it, because she knew that it couldn’t be. She talks in a quiet voice and tells him, “ Please don’t say it. It won’t change a thing. I just want you to know that I love you and in the Cathedral of my heart, I will always have a candle burning just for you. I’ve got to go now. Please don’t ask me to stay. You promised me, when we first met, that you wouldn’t stop me when it was time for me to go. Now, is that time. Good bye Brandon.” She starts to cry like her life is over. He remembers his promise to her and says with sorrow in his heart, “ I told you that I would keep my word, Casper. I won’t try and stop you. I will say, that I will find you one day and there is nothing that you can do about it. I will find you!” Deep down, she wanted to hear that but she couldn’t give him false hope so she said.” For your own good, please don’t try. Just let me go the way I came, like a ghost in the darkness.”

His heart was broken. He tried to smile one last time for her and asked, “Could you do me one last favor before you go?” She squeezes his hand and asks, “ What can I do for you?” He turned his head toward her and asked,“ Will you kiss me good bye. I want to remember you with a kiss. Would you do that for me.” She bent over, with tears streaming from her eyes and puts her lips on his. He told himself that he would never forget that kiss and would, one day, find her again. She couldn’t bear the pain anymore. As she is pulling away, she says for the last time, “ Good-bye, Brandon.” She turns and walks slowly out of the room. When she gets back to her room, she falls across the bed and cries herself to sleep.