He smiles as I pick a petal from his ear, from the daisy upon it, as it gently grazes the grass we lie upon. The clouds slowly open like the gates of heaven, the sunlight floating through and landing on his hair, giving it a golden sheen. I look at it, blinded by its beauty, while he pulls himself towards me, our collars brushing against each other. I feel his warmth mingle with the light, altogether speeding the rhythm which throbs in my chest. I lower my view, locking my own into his mesmerising, coffee-coloured eyes. I run my fingers through the glowing cloud which sits primly upon his delicate face, to which he lifts himself.
“Do we truly have to go?”
I pick a dandelion and blow its cotton-like tufts into the breeze, handing the empty stem to him, before leaning against the tree myself. “I would rather be with you than at home, hundreds of miles away.”
“Unfortunately, yes,” I sigh, closing my hand around his.
He looks at the empty stem, and then looks at me. “Just one more time. Please.”
And before I could object or even close my eyes, he steals me. And the same comforting feeling which fills me every time, reappears, coming at me like the tide crashing the coast, leaving me wanting him, again.
I let go of him, although unwillingly, and proceed to straighten myself, when we see the sky darken to a beautiful steel blue, the sun still glistening and the clouds still ivory. He stands up, a childish smirk blossoming on his face, the daisy now sleeping blissfully upon his ear, tucked away in his warmth.
The field we first walked in, starts to become the one we last walked in, the memories of birdwatching, and tree-climbing, and chasing each other, sprinkled like dew, amongst the grass, in spring mornings.
As I pick myself up and dust off by the tree, he faces the sun, my gaze following him, as he sprints down the field, towards the school building. I chase after him, with a brighter smile than he had before. He was going to make this moment count. He was going to engrave it in our minds forever. Then he speeds up, knowing I will overtake him, but he loses, because I do. The wind whips at our ankles, while the heat tickles our necks. And I can do nothing except admire him, as he tries to catch me, my feet stumbling behind me as I turn around to see him, laughing and calling my name in his birdsong voice. I trip onto a rock, and land on it with a thud, as he jumps onto me, unable to slow down. We roll on to the roadside, exhausted and breathless, my shirt stained by tar and gravel. And here we are, staring at one another, once again, by the wooden, double doors of the entrance, where we first met. Hoping we never leave each other’s sight. No matter what paths we choose to follow, from tomorrow, hoping that we always love each other, for ever and ever.
-Tanishka Goel, Creative Team
