Slow Suicide

[16]

The next day, things were different in his eyes.

It was strange. The sky, the trees, the grass were all the exact same thing they were yesterday. But she...

She was not.

As soon as he saw her, even just a strand of her hair, it was like the whole planet brightened. He didn't understand it.

Her skin was lighter and it looked softer. Her hair was shiny, as if she was in a shampoo commercial. Her brown eyes reminded him of pure gold.

  But most of all: her smile.

  He fell deeper and deeper each time she smiled.

  He loved everything about her smile. The little dimple below her lips, her perfect teeth, the way her eyes crinkled, the way her cheeks became pink, how she closed her eyes whenever she laughed, how she tilted her head back in joy. 

  Absolutely everything.

  There were no flaws in her smile. And even if there were, it wouldn't make her smile any less dazzling.

  So much beauty she had, yet it was only taken for granted.

  But he wouldn't. Not now, not ever.

  "Hi, Rainy, " he grinned shyly at her. "You look beautiful."

  He wanted to tell her how beautiful she was yesterday and all the days before that. How her beauty only seemed to increase each day.

An angel, he thought.

  But he would save those words for another day. When he had enough courage.

She blushed, his sudden compliment surprising her. "Um, t–thank you."

A smile spread across his face and she smiled back.

And deeper in love he went.

"How was your day?" he asked her as they sat across from each other.

"So far, so good, " she nodded. "How about you?"

"Better now."

Her heart began to beat a little faster.

  A small, nervous chuckle escaped from her lips. He couldn't help follow the movements and replay the moment in his mind.

  She wondered why he kept staring at her that way. It was like he was dreaming, his eyes dilated and his mouth slightly open.

  "Cig?" she called.

  Distracted, he didn't respond.

  Frowning, she snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Cig!"

  "What?" he shook his head, furrowing his eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

"Were you daydreaming?"

"No." His face flushed as she regarded him skeptically.

"Then, what were you doing?" she questioned and he averted his eyes from her.

  He cleared his throat. "I, um, was thinking."