Triumph of Love | Romance Anthology

19 | 'Sky Full of Hope' by @amandafaulborn

Midnight Wishes Contest Winner - amandafaulborn

It was the 31st of December, almost midnight—the moment that everyone had been waiting for. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation as the crowd gathered, their eyes fixed on the dazzling fireworks display that would soon light up the night sky. As the countdown was about to begin, people were eager to say goodbye to the old year and welcome in a new one full of hope and possibilities.

And Mira was hoping for all the new possibilities that stood before her. Her eyes flared up, staring up at Anthony. A small smile formed across her face as she took notice of him. With his smooth skin and curly long hair, a subtle grin played at the edges of his lips as he looked upon the nearby early fireworks that were already going off.

The couple stood at the edge of the cliff with the rest of the townspeople who had gathered there to watch the fireworks.

Year after year, this was the spot where the young townspeople would gather together with their friends and partners to enjoy a romantic night with each other. Starting from when sun started to dip below the horizon. From this vantage point, one could take in the breathtaking view of the entire town, perfect to see the new year's fireworks.

And as the sky darkened, anticipation began to fill the air, creating a sense of excitement amongst everyone.

Mira and Anthony held hands tightly, their eyes locked on the sky, eagerly awaiting the spectacle that was about to unfold. And she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement and nervousness as she wondered if this new year would bring them closer together since he was her first crush since she was only 16.

"How is this even possible?" Mira wondered as she continued to admire Anthony.

***

Her mind wandered back to a decade ago. She remembered herself in high school as a shy and introverted person who always kept to herself. And Anthony was that confident and outgoing boy whom she had observed since she first laid eyes on him, engaging effortlessly with others. Especially with the ladies. She was a high school freshman while he was getting ready to head out to college with his girlfriend.

It was the day of Anthony's big game when Mira accidentally walked into the boys locker room as the boys were changing and getting ready to head out onto the field.

Mira had no idea since she had on her headphones, assuming the boys had left for their game.

As she walked in, her face froze with embarrassment when she noticed Anthony in his boxers, along with the other boys in her school who were only holding up towels and were shirtless.

A look of surprise flashed across her face when she saw the entire football team, half naked. Mira quickly turned around and rushed out of the locker room, her face burning with embarrassment. She couldn't help but feel mortified as she imagined what the boys must have thought of her as they smiled and joked at her embarrassment. And being a freshman nerd certainly did not help her case.

As Mira rushed out, Anthony took notice of her and the way his teammates embarrassed her. Realising that Mira must have been embarrassed, he felt some guilt and sympathy for her.

As the days went by, the boys from the football team somewhat bullied Mira. They would make snide comments and laugh whenever she walked by, making her feel even more humiliated. And Mira's self-esteem plummeted, and she began hating going to school.

One afternoon after school, as Mira was isolating herself from everyone in the science lab, Anthony rushed in and slammed the door behind him and he stood still, hiding from his girlfriend and the other girls. Mira glanced up from her books, startled by the sudden noise. She noticed Anthony's tense posture and could sense that something was wrong.