How To Begin Again

Chapter 22 - They Say That The World Was Built For Two

Chapter 22 - They Say That The World Was Built For Two

"Adriana?" Evan guessed. The two of them were in Emily's back garden ready to leave for the Old Wood. Emily sat on the step wearing a pair of pale blue skin-tight jeans and a white t-shirt whilst a blue and red chequered shirt sat tied around her waist. Her hazel eyes sparkled in the sunlight along with her rich auburn hair which reached passed her shoulders and rippled slightly in the breeze.

"Yes, she wanted me to go down to the bridge, but I've told her we've already made plans." Emily felt guilty for putting her love first but she couldn't help it. Evan was all that she needed in her life. He stood beside the doorway in a pair of black loose cut jeans and a grey polo shirt. His turquoise eyes were pools of pure delight.

"I don't mind if you want to go, what kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't let you see your best friend." His words were kind and gentle. Emily smiled as they had never spoken about relationships before, they had just accepted the fact that they were in love. Hearing Evan say 'boyfriend' gave her heart a smooth burst of warmth, she felt like she belonged with him, he was her one true love. As she stood up and walked over to him they shared a moment of affection, an everlasting experience that would remain in their memories forever. "You know I'd never leave you." Her words were complete bliss.

In the kitchen they put together some cheese and cucumber sandwiches with Helen, packing fresh fruit and other snacks. Helen trusted Evan for she knew he would look after Emily, she knew he would take care of her no matter what. No matter how dark and desperate times became he would be there for her. She hugged Emily and reminded her not to be home late, standing at the door she watched them walk down the street, longing for love once again. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't let Emily's father go, she wanted him to come back and realise he wasn't in the right frame of mind to make any rash decisions. He wasn't coming back, but Helen's tears were.

They strolled the usual path, down the winding road and through the back of the park. They walked in the opposite direction of the bridge and the crumbling wall down a more visible footpath. It was difficult to know the bridge even existed, hidden behind drooping willows and brittle branches it camouflaged itself into the surroundings. The Old Wood however, everyone knew that existed but few often ventured through it. Just like the bridge it had been abandoned by the world.

Walking through the deserted forest, Emily and Evan held onto one another, their hands interlocked as a delicate breath of wind took the leaves on the ground in multiple directions. Passing the lifeless trees, they sauntered down the murky path as overgrown greenery lay tangled at their feet. Rays of light shone through gaps in the trees at irregular intervals giving the gloom some company. They paced slowly until they reached a stranded bench, neglected from care. It was fixed together with three planks, one of which had completely broken in half, whilst ivy grew vigilantly around it's frame. Thick, venerable roots sat beside the bench, watching over it, preserving it's twisted disposition. The Old Wood was in extremis, a latin phrase which here means at the point of death, clinging on for any possibility of life it had left.

"The name really does fit the place here doesn't it?" Evan suggested, he was shocked as to how the woodland had been left behind, deprived of people from the outside world.

"It's been called the Old Wood for as long I can remember, even when it did used to have life," Emily whispered as if she didn't want the trees to hear, "my mum and dad always brought me here, we would climb up the trees and jump through the leaves, it's so painful to grow up isn't it? Can you remember when we would come up here as kids, although we never really dared to go far."

"Growing up is inevitable Emily, you can't let yourself dwell in the past, live in the present and make it worthwhile." His words were concealed with truth and pain, his eyes sparkled as they stared into hers and they smiled at one another.

"It's just sad to think that everything fades away, everything on this planet is temporary, people come and go, live their lives, feel the wind in their faces and the rain on the their skin. Trees grow old and fade into nothingness, grey clouds slowly disappear and the wind dies down. We grow up and make mistakes, we dwell in the past and live with regrets, we feel pain, we feel happiness, we feel loneliness and anger and sadness. We feel, we live, we die, because after all that is what we are born to do."

Evan looked deep into Emily's eyes, she was at war with herself, contending with all of the things going off in her life, struggling to get to grips with her emotions. He grabbed her by her waist and enveloped her in a warm embrace.

"Trust me Emily there is so much more to come, a storm is coming for you, you'll feel true anger and experience true pain, but after the storm there always comes a better time, a time where the sun prevails and your happiness comes with it, moments where you live in pure bliss that make you feel as though the hardship was worth the fight. No matter how dark your days become, there will always be a better time."

Emily knew the worst was yet to come. She knew there would be bad days and good days without her dad but she didn't fear the storm, she embraced it.

They sat awkwardly on the bench and ate their sandwiches in peace as silence blanketed the air, the soft rustling of the trees around them added a definite sense of serenity to the atmosphere. Emily pushed away the despairing thoughts from her mind, letting them escape into the sounds of the trees. She had him, he was the heaven she was building around herself.

"I love you." Her words escaped in a soft tone, breaking the spectral silence.

"I love you," He replied, his voice echoed in the flush of wind that was beginning to pick up, "you mean so much to me Emily." Looking deep into her eyes he fell in love with her all over again and as they shared that precious moment, they were happy. Although the wind comes and goes, they seized the moment and captured the day, for they knew if they did not grab the opportunity, it would fritter away.

As the clouds passed over the Old Wood and the sun tried to infiltrate through the trees as it departed the sky, the two lovers gazed upwards. They looked up as the stars arranged themselves into their usual places, swimming through the night. Together they watched them in all of their beauty for what felt like eternity.

"Even though people come and go Emily, I promise I'll never forget you."

"And I'll never forget you." She replied with a tear in her eye. For the first time in her life, she knew what true love felt like and wished that the moment could last forever. But of course she knew it wouldn't as everything fades away eventually, blown away in the wind. They both knew that nothing lasted forever, but they didn't mind because they were making the most of the present, the greatest gift of all.