The Love That Never Fade

After The Storm

"Some things are meant to be
Take my hand,
Take my whole life, too
For I can't help falling in love with you" 
- Elvis Presley

Toby flipped the screen on his phone more than he used to. Again and again. The screen flashed a message and he stared at it in seconds. He smiled again.

His heart beating faster than ever. He wasn't worried but more to feeling excited. Last week had already drained his emotions. He was almost feeling lost of hope. His love. He looked again to the short message he received three days ago .... Will you still be my friend?

He texted: I miss you. I wish you're here. I want you to...

"Hey sweetheart, what are you doing here?" He startled and dropped his phone. It was his mother in her best dress for Christmas dinner. He looked at her, smiled sweetly.

"Toby, come join us. They are waiting for you," his mother added. Toby didn't say anything, he just nodded but felt a bit reluctant. He still didn't move from his bed. He was waiting to finish writing the text. His mom still waiting at the door and she grew impatient,"Toby? Please... Now?"

"Ok, alright. I'm coming" He grabbed his black coat and followed his mother. He left his phone behind with a heavy heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a cold winter in London. Too cold to stay outside. He joined the dinner but he felt miserable. He simply couldn't be his usual self. His mind drifted to Toronto or probably to Sydney. Her images kept flashing in his thought. He admitted he started to miss her.

Everyone kept asking about his personal life, his recent girlfriend. Tess was no longer his girlfriend. She came with her fiancé, his best friend. He wished them happiness as they announced their coming wedding in February. They didn't know about his recent crush. Only his mother did make a few wild guesses about "the girl". For him, it was best most of his family and friends did not know about it. He managed to answer with jokes and funny faces, as usual everyone forgot the question. It was such a big relief for him.

Toby went to a corner in the living room where his guitar rested. He was greeted by the family cat, Flubber, sitting cosily on the couch. They didn't have a very good relationship. Never.

"Hey. Nice to see you again, Flubber. You're really looking fat. I know... Food and sleep? Your routine?" Toby whispered to him, trying to communicate with the cat who seemed very uninterested.

He picked up the guitar and and started strumming freely with a few random notes. He smiled to the cat. I know you always dislike me. You should meet my Teddy.

"Do you like it?" Toby asked him. Still uninterested, he was staring at the corner which was lit only by a standing lamp. Toby continued playing another tunes. The melody resonated inside the room and caught the attention of some guests.

"He doesn't seem bothered..." Toby said. His aunt sat next to him with his nephew. They enjoyed his random guitar playing. But still the cat didn't bothered.

He changed the melody by picking another tunes, playing it quicker with the fingerboard. Suddenly the cat moved and looked to him a few seconds, annoyed? The other audiences appalled and they thought the cat might be interested with music. But Toby knew, Flubber wasn't interested and probably annoyed with him who kept disturbing his solace in the cold weather.

Toby felt he understood how the cat's feeling. And like him, he was feeling miserable. He was missing the person who occupied his heart so much. Playing the guitar just reminded him more of her - of their unintended meetings when he played the guitar to her. All the songs and the session in the recording studio. He still remember how her face was lit up with the melody and her unforgettable smiles. He kept on strumming the guitar, ignoring the audience and the cat, and felt her images came clearer in his mind. He simply forgot the unfinished text message.

I love you beyond paint, beyond melodies, beyond words. And I hope you will always feel that, even when I'm not around to tell you so. - Kiera Cass

To be continued.