she stepped up the bus, looking for a window seat. she pushed her bags into the overhead compartment just above her seat and sat down. didn't want to look out of the window. it would be much too painful.
there was nothing, and there never will be,
if there is, he won't say anyway. she thought to herself,
just let it go. makes things much easier for both of us. she tried to make herself busy by spreading out the thin blanket over her legs and taking out her book and orange muffin from her handbag before placing it on the floor. but her heart raced faster and faster. it got too hard not to look out of that window.
will the bus just leave? she thought.
what's taking them so long anyway? she knew that he would want her to wave back as she left.
but no, i'm not doing that. goodbyes are hard enough. it has been hard enough. finally, she heard the engine starting up. through the speakers came a voice, a strange one, just like the place she was leaving for. not familiar, not warm and friendly like people back home, sending shivers down her spine. the bus started to move forward slowly. tears started to run down her face. she tried to blink them away, saying,
i'm strong, and i need to leave.
as the bus start to accelerate, she saw out of the corner of her eye someone running alongside the bus. the biggest mistake she made, was to look out. as he ran, he held his right hand up, with the letters 'I' 'L' 'U' in sign language. and he never stopped. not once. she gave up, pressing her face against the window, signing him the same thing. smiling through her tears. he kept running, till he couldn't catch her anymore.
she just sat there, crying now, with more pain than ever. wishing she was never strong enough to go. ILU, was, and is, strong enough to make anyone stay.
and he said it, loud and clear. that's all she needed to know.
*
inspired by jodi picoult. and mish was justbored. so she decided to write. something, romantic.