Just Another High School Story!

Mia looked at him, then looked around, this was her moment, she realised, it was not the time to be shy or serene, and miss the chance of a lifetime, she got up and sat in front of Xin, Leah was still playing guitar, it was Xin and Mia's favourite tune, "Obstacle", she had written this tune herself, right after Ethan left her, or she left him, she wasn't sure which, but after their 'breakup', she'd gotten into music and written this tune, somehow it was her best one yet, she was playing the guitar, the mood was set and the atmosphere was blushing, because Leah had written the tune right after she lost E, you'd think that the tune would be sad, right? But in reality, the tune seemed like a song that gave hope, it sounded like a bird calling out to her mother, the mother flies away to get food, but they know she is going to come back, they wait for her, just like flowers that wait for the rain, once it is over, they don't lament, because they know they will see the rain again, just like the sky, it doesn't get upset when the sun sets, the moon has its beauty to show off, and so do stars, just like moments that you can't forget, no matter how small, no matter how beautiful, their beauty doesn't wear you out, you feel refreshed every time, it was a song of hope, a song that meant, every hard thing in life is just an obstacle which can be overcome, therefore, the melody was hopeful and marvellous enough to hold everyone's attention, Ethan, especially, he was looking at her and he felt like, after a long time, he had finally returned home, through the music, he knew that she had suffered just as much as he had, that it had hurt her to say those things too... that she loved him.

When Mia finally kissed Xin, everyone was cheering, and making noise, so no one saw, Leah's eyes were full of tears, she was missing the feeling of loving someone, now that she was in love with herself, now that she had finally overcome her bulimia, she was really missing one thing-- his hand, his heart, his everything, she needed him. And even though he was right there, he seemed far away, as if she was staring at him with a distance of a thousand miles between them, as if he were a view that would disappear with time, as if he were like those city lights that would flicker away, was she drunk, of course not, not on alcohol anyway, she was drunk on the best liquor in the world, she was drunk on love. And going under every second.

Slowly, everyone started drifting off to sleep, without saying any words, Leah and Ethan were still up, staring into each other's eyes, not looking for anything, but staring as if into deep oceans, both wondering what tomorrow would bring, both pining for tomorrow. Leah wanted to tell Ethan how much she loved him, she wasn't willing to let him go, despite all her counselling to herself, she saw him as the one for her; he wanted to tell her, he would love her more than wanderers love stars, more than a flame loves a candle, he would love her more than he loved anything, he was willing to be by her side this time, without asking for much, if he could lay with her at the end of the day, that was more than enough, it was even asking for too much, he just wanted to feel her warmth, she just wanted to feel his coolness... like folded curtains, and torn tapestry, she wanted him for infinity. Life is such a strange tide, it rises and falls without permission, yet you are still mesmerised, knowing how unpredictable it is, we plan, but that is because we like safety, knowing, being aware, maybe that is just our way of surviving, but either way, don't ever let moments when you like someone or want something, slip away, at least try for it... miracles, after all, are silent most of the time, uninvited, unexpected, no matter how inadvertent, when they do happen, their noise can shake the silence significantly, shaking all dimensions!

Mindy wasn't sleeping either, she had just closed her eyes, and as Leah and Ethan stared into each others eyes, her anger grew. She needed to take care of Leah, tomorrow, for good.

Like two lovers hurt by each other, but bound by love, their staring did not stop until the sun rose, they were the first ones up, and so they saw the sunrise together, for the first time, they ambled along, and no one was awake, the sun was beautiful, the moment, perfect, and just like all perfect moments pass in silence, this one too, was left peacefully protected, no word was allowed to escape, the ecstasy was preserved and the permanence exhausted before they left and began planning.

Everyone wanted to know, as they hiked, were Mindy and Ethan going to stay together in college, and about Xin and Mia too, for Xin and Mia, it was a very lucky coincidence, they were going to the same college, they were going to be together, their first love was going to be beautiful, and different, unique and fragrant, fragile but fervent, just like every love story, they would have to weave the threads themselves, but no matter how tangled the threads would get, they could always untangle them... like any other pair of lovers. As for E and Mindy, Leah wanted to know too, just like Leah and Ethan's breakup, Mindy and Ethan's relationship, or whatever you want to call it, their 'show' was not official either, they had not ever announced it, or behaved like they were a couple, before Mindy could say something, Ethan replied, "No, we won't be together." He wanted to add, I only love one girl and I will go wherever she does, but realised that he needed to wait, he wanted the moonlight because it was special to him, back in Middle School, they were out on a camping trip, their class, Leah and Ethan were obviously in the same class, he had just bullied her, and she was crying, she had not cried in front of him, even after being teased a ton, she had held her ground, he realised that he was not as strong as her, he wanted to cry too. He stood behind a tree, and watched as she talked to the stars, she cursed at him, and wished that he would just disappear, she was tired and could not take it anymore, the moon was Leah's friend, so were the stars, he wanted to make sure that this time, he confessed properly, and promised to take care of her.

The start of their relationship had been messy, she had not known herself, she did not have a good relationship with herself, and therefore, back when he told her he loved her, the moment when she wanted to die, without realising it, his love had become a noose around her neck, a rope that she couldn't loosen no matter what she did, she had started living for him, he had never wanted that, for his love to become suffocating, the result of that was the weak foundation of their relationship, he had gone in with both feet, while she was barely standing on the edge, their boat was destined to sink, but this time, he would make sure to help her in first and then step in himself, he would make sure to hold her, so that even if they did sink, they would sink together, that was true love, he was willing to deal with it all now. Together. And do it perfectly.