The Love that Never Was

Set Me Free

Sue
We had been friends all summer. He was a lanky,overgrown lad of fifteen or sixteen,odd and shy and dreamy,scarcely possesing a speaking acquaintance with others at the hotel.*In many ways,he was far older than his years,but there was a certain inerradicable boyishness about him which my heart warmed. "Beautiful,dear lady,I love to look at you,*"he stated. He crept nearer until his lips almost touched my dress.
"I couldn't go away without thinking of you,I'll make a mess of it,I can never explain things,but you've been so much to me,you mean so much to me,you made me believe in things I never believed in before,you-you-I shall always love and reverence you,*"he stated earnestly. I had known that this would happen but even if I did,I was still taken aback by it all. "What are you suggesting?"I asked him. "Go away with me,"he stated. "Let me think about it,"I stated.
He nodded at me. I thought of his words and wondered what I should do. I thought about it the whole day but I could not make a decision. I finally did and texted a message. "I heard that Stephen asked me to go away,"he,Laurence my next door neighbor stated.
"Yes,he did,"I answered. "You cannot go with him,not only because you are not the same age and the age gap is different but because he has dreams and plans that you might ruin if you ever go to him,"he advised me. "What if I can't do as you ask?"I asked him. "I will be the one to do it for you in the worst possible way,"he answered. "What is the worst possible way?"I asked him.
"I will text him that you do not love him and then I will block him,"he answered me. "Fine,I will be the one to do the job,"I answered. I changed everything that I set out to do. I did not give him any reply and the next day he left me.
I never stated a word and pretended not to be affected by it all. All the people in our little town was appeased by the lies I made. I immediately saw that my next door neighbor kept mum about the situation. I also learned to keep mum,even though this is the first time this happened in my 22 years.
I brought out my cellphone and looked at the message I archived,saved as a draft and locked. I will go away as you ask. I started crying ceaselessly. I immediately placed down my cellphone before I ruined it. My neighbor arrived and he gathered me in his arms.
Though this was his scheme,I hugged him back and let my tears flow ceaselessly. Afterwards,he put me to bed,without doing anything to me. After,he stayed in my house always until I finally answered his three questions,to be his bestfriend,girlfriend and wife.
Stephen
6 years later
It has been six years since the devastating event in my life. Now,I am in that town again. I am now dressed in clothes for a doctor. I also have a wife now named Lauren,who is a trained nurse. "I want to visit a friend here,"I informed her.
"First,let us visit my brother first,"she stated. I nodded. We opened the door to the house next door to hers. Much to my surprise she was there,wearing an apron with another man who looked her age,carrying a hammer. "Hi,brother,this is my husband Stephen and I am your husband is my brother,I am Lauren!"Lauren greeted warmly.
"Hello dear,this is my wife Sue and I am Laurence,"answered the man,Lauren's sister and now the wife of my former beloved. "Nice to meet you all,let us go in,I baked cookies!"she,Sue also announced cheerily. She gave us all cookies and when we finally settled down,Lauren asked Sue:"What is your job?" "I am a cook and though you know it,your brother is a carpenter,what about you?"she asked politely. "I am a nurse and my husband is a doctor,"she answered.
"Brother,I have something to say to you,"Lauren jumped up and stated,competely oblivious to the fact that we were not comfortable of each other.Sue's husband looked at her for a brief moment. A silent understanding passed between them. The two left us alone,to talk.
"Why did you-"I began. "I didn't mean-"she also began at the same time. I allowed her to talk first. She handed me her cellphone after doing something to it. I saw a text message addressed to my number.
I will go away as you ask.
"Why didn't you?"I asked her. "I was afraid,"she answered.
"Well,this is how life is,we see each other again only to both be married,successful and happy,only to not be happy with each other,"I reasured her. "Well,we had been friends all summer.You were a lanky,overgrown lad of fifteen or sixteen,odd and shy and dreamy,scarcely possesing a speaking acquaintance with others at the hotel. In many ways,you was far older than his years,but there was a certain inerradicable boyishness about me which my heart warmed,"she answered me. "We may still be together,"he answered me.
"Actually,I am glad that you came here because I want to tell you something that is not in the text message,"she answered,taking back her cellphone and after a few taps,I heard my phone ring for a while. It was my message ringtone. I looked at my cellphone. I opened my messages.
Set me free. Soon,our two spouses arrived and I immediately locked that message. I started to leabe with my wife and when I turned back,I saw that she was now smiling with her husband. I felt sad,but I suppose life is really unfair.
A/N:All the quotes in asterisk are from L.M. Montgomery's short story The Parting of the ways.