Forever and Always

Prologue: Harsh Beginnings

One Year Ago 29th June 2012

Oliver Ross

“Watch it Melanie!” Oliver swiftly yanked her back holding her bag strap just as a car sped past beeping almost angrily. “For God’s sake Mel, you’re fifteen learn how to bloody cross the road properly.” The boy’s heart had skipped a few beats from his friend’s sixth near death experience that day.

Melanie punched him in the shoulder. “Lighten up, will you? It’s your birthday! Go out and get drunk or something!”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “Mel, I think you’re fifteenth birthday taught us that we should never ever have another drink in our lives.”

“We were underage then!”

“We’re still underage!”

Her fifteenth birthday was unforgettable. It was a night Oliver could never wipe from his memory. It started with Melanie accidently pouring the wrong drink. Her father usually kept his vodka in a normal water or Sprite bottle to drink in secret with his wife not watching (the two found this hilarious) and that was the bottle Melanie had poured. Whether she knew or not, she and Oliver were pissed that night.

It went from drunk prank calling, to walking in the McDonald’s Drive Thru, then to accidently letting the cows loose on Melanie’s farm.

Thankfully it was her sister, Lauren, who caught them.

Melanie pondered. “…I’m sure it’s not illegal if you take it in your house.”

“Mel!” Oliver grinned. “We’re not drinking in my house!”

“What about mine?”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “We’re getting muffins not bloody shots, alright?”

Melanie huffed in response.

It was a tradition for them to get chocolate fudge muffins on their birthdays at the small, family-run bakery not far from their school. Every birthday ever since they started secondary school, they would do it. Melanie would wait outside Oliver’s school then they would head down together.

“Actually,” Melanie began, “speaking of muffins, we might want to get a move on.” She pointed to the sky where dark grey clouds were forming over them. The drizzling could turn heavy at any given moment.

Typical Irish weather.

“Come on,” she said, grabbing his hand and quickening into a run. “My hair remained straight throughout the school day and it’s not going back now.”

Oliver chuckled and grasped her hand tightly. They ran through the rain which, every step, was gradually getting heavier.

Fog was soon starting to settle and it became harder to see. The grey streets began to fill with cars with people not wanting to walk in the rain.

However Melanie was still speeding on ahead so Oliver pulled back, letting her hand slip away.

First mistake.

He didn’t notice her face fell as his warmth left her. “What’s up?” she asked.

“I can’t see,” Oliver pointed to his foggy glasses. “The perks of being blind.” He earned himself a laugh from her and smiled.

She stared at the ground fidgeting with her feet then she lifted her head and through her damp chestnut brown hair, Oliver saw a mischievous grin widen. “Pity,” she pouted, “I thought we could race the rest of the way.” She looked at him through doe, warm chocolate eyes. ‘Bambi eyes’ as Oliver liked to call them. The type of eyes she used to get what she wants. “After all, the bakery is now just around the corner.”