My Heart will always be Yours

The stars shone dimly, the wind blew through the trees, and everything was still but for the seemingly "perfect" high school couple everything was taking a turn for the worst.

"Good god Asher! Not everything depends on how people see you! Can't you ever just enjoy your life without worrying how people will see you?" Everleigh screamed at her boyfriend.

"Yeah well leigh I don't feel like looking like an idiot! Everyone watches what I do and cares for some reason!" Asher yelled back.

"I am so tired of having this same fight with you Ash. I am sorry I can't just be the girl standing beside you anymore. I need to be myself and with you I can't do that." Everleigh said as she put her head down.

"What are you saying Leigh? I love you, it's been me and you since freshman year. That's 4 years you know, Everleigh." Asher told Everleigh as he walked toward her. Everleigh giggled and answered with a sigh, "I know but we are going to college in a month and I just can't do this anymore.” She said. 

“Bye Asher.”  She kissed him on the check and left his  house.

8 years later...

Her long brown curly hair blew in the breeze as she walked down sixth street. She was on her way to Seattle Medical center,  where she worked as a nurse. When she looked up and to her surprise she was thrown into the past. She saw her high school love walking down the street about to bump right into her. She didn't know what to do, but she did not want to talk to him, she had a fiance and who knew what feelings could come up.

If she turned around he would see her. If she crossed the street he would know she was avoiding him. She just had to keep her head low and hope that he doesn't see her. He was 5 feet away and so far so good. Almost past when a huge man ran right into her knocking her to the ground.

"Oh my god are you alright! Wait Everleigh is that you?" Asher said as he bent down to help her up.

"Um hi uh Asher." Everleigh said, grabbing  Asher's hand. Butterflies filled her stomach the moment their hands touched, she looked at him in a daze. Now back on her feet she had to figure out what to say, but her mind was blank, she didn't know what to say.  Everything seemed to have stopped on that moment. They stood there for a couple seconds and it felt like nothing had changed in the past 8 years, then reality hit them. He smiled at her and said, "Are you alright."

"Oh yeah I'm okay, just great." Everleigh answered.

Asher chuckled and grabbed Everleigh's bag off the sidewalk. He handed her the bag and asked, " So do you want to get a cup of coffee some time and catch up?"

"You know I have a shift in 15 minutes and really should be getting to the hospital," Everleigh said, "But I'm free tomorrow at 9?" She said as this panic filled her stomach.

"Yeah that's great. Bye Everleigh." Asher said walking away.

"Bye Asher." She whispered under her breath.

She went to work that day with an odd feeling, she blamed it on the fact that she was tired or that she was just busy, she didn't even want to think that it was because she still had feelings for Asher. She hadn't seen him in 8 years, the summer before college, feelings don't last that long. Do they?

The morning of their meeting Everleigh woke up with a happy smile on her face. She quickly wiped that smile off her face and got ready. She saw her fiance making coffee in their kitchen and she realized she had to get those feelings about Asher out of her head.

"Want a cup?" Everleigh's fiance,Cooper, asked her.

"No thanks, I'm grabbing coffee with an old high school friend before my shift." Everleigh replied.

"Oh, what friend?" Cooper asked Everleigh.

" Um, Asher." She whispered back.

"You mean your high school love, Asher, that Asher?" Cooper said in a high pitched voice.

"Yes, but it's no big deal. I really do have to get going though, love you Coop." She kissed him and left their apartment.

She locked their door and started walking to the coffee shop.

Mean while a couple blocks away Asher was getting ready...

Asher was sitting in his living room wondering about what could happen at their date. They could have coffee, catch up, and never see each other again. Or they could get coffee, have a good time together, and become friends. Or you never know they could start having feelings again. He shook his head and thought that that would never happen, those feelings were in the past. He looked at the clock and realized he really needed to start getting ready. When his girlfriend walked in. At that moment he remembered that that was the woman he loved.

"Hey lily." Asher said as Lily came into his apartment.

"Hi Ash, I just wanted to drop by before work. You know it would be a lot easier if we just moved in with each other. It has been 2 years." Lily said walking over to Asher to give him a kiss.

"I know Lil, I just think we should save up to buy an apartment together." Asher said, he knew he was just making up excuses, he just didn't know why.

"Yeah yeah, you've been saying this for a year. You said after med school, well you're starting your first year of residency, you're out of med school and now it's once we are able to buy an apartment together. You just bought this apartment because it was closer to the hospital!" Lily said.

"I know I'm sorry Lily but I really have to get going. I'm having coffee with an old friend but you can stay as long as you want." Asher replied, walking out of the apartment and heading to the cafe.

15 minutes later at the cafe...

Asher walked into the cafe and saw Everleigh sitting next to the window sipping on her coffee. He started to stare into her big brown eyes that were shimmering in the sun. He stopped himself and went to sit in front of her. As Asher sat down Everleigh felt as if her heart had stopped for a minute. She forgot how his green eyes glistened when the sun hit them, and his beautiful sandy colored hair. But she thought about her fiance and stopped herself from staring into his eyes.

"Hey Everleigh, it's been what 8 years?" Asher said after he sat down.

"Wow. Yeah I can't believe it's been that long." Everleigh said with a surprised tone.

"So what are you doing now?" Asher asked Everleigh.

"Well, I'm a neonatal nurse at Seattle Medical Center a couple blocks down. How 'bout you?" Everleigh replied.

"No way! I'm starting my residency there today!" Asher said excitedly.

"Really? Wow!" Everleigh said with excitement.

"So are you married yet?" Asher asked.

"No, but I am engaged, weddings in 5 months. How about you?" Everleigh said.

"Nope, but I am in a 2 year long relationship." Asher said.

The rest of their coffee date went well, it was just like two old friends catching up. They decided they would walk to the hospital together and began to get up. Everleigh's purse slipped off her chair and Asher bent down to pick up the purse, he handed her the purse and their hands met. There it was again, that moment where it feels as if time froze. Their eyes met and Everleigh wanted to lean in to kiss him, she knew it was wrong and she backed up.

"Um, ready to go?" Everleigh said.

"Uh, Yeah." Asher said.

They walked to the hospital and they went their separate ways. Everleigh didn't realize she kept staring at him whenever they were by each other. After she caught herself she looked away and remembered they were over and she is with Cooper. What she didn't know was he was staring at her whenever she wasn't watching.

Everleigh went home that night confused on why she was feeling this way. She walked inside her apartment and saw Cooper sleeping on the couch. She smiled and went to go lay with him. She kicked off her shoes and snuggled up next to him. She fell asleep curled up in his arms. 

The next few weeks at work everything seemed normal, she didn't have to see Asher too much. When she did though butterflies filled her stomach and she couldn't help but talk to him. They were growing closer everyday. They would eat lunch together, spend their free time with each other, and get drinks together after work. Everyone could tell they were getting close, including their spouses.

"Hey Leigh, I'm having a little get together at my place, just a couple people from work." Asher asked Everleigh.

"Yeah, I'll come over to your place after my shift." Everleigh told Asher.

"So I see you and Asher have been getting really close the last couple weeks." Everleigh's friend Rachel said with a grin on her face.

"I mean I guess so. Wait, no not like that! Rachel!" Everleigh said.

While Everleigh was finishing her shift at the hospital Asher was on his way home ready for a relaxing night but little did he know his girlfriend was waiting for him in his apartment. 

He walked into the apartment and threw his bag on the counter next to the door. He went to sit on the couch when he heard a small sniffle from behind, he turned around and saw Lily standing in the hallway with mascara dripping down her cheeks. He quickly stood up and walked towards her. He grabbed her hand and led her to the couch and sat down. 

"Are you alright?" Asher asked sympathetically.

"No, I think we need to talk."  Lily said, trying not to make eye contact.

"Okay what is it Lil?" Asher asked.

 "I love you so much, you know that, but we have been together for two years and we haven't gotten engaged, we aren't even living together. I want to get married and have a family. I'm 28 years old Asher. I'm tired of waiting for you to be ready. No no, I'm not tired I am done waiting-" Lily began as Asher interrupted her.

"Lily no, I love you and yeah we are only 28 we have plenty of time to have a family I just want to take it slow, I'm sorry." Asher said, tearing up.

"No Asher I don't want to be almost 40 by the time you are ready to have a family. I can't keep waiting for you to get over your ex." Lily said.

Asher was shocked by that statement. He didn't even realize that Everleigh was what was holding him back until she said it.  He realized that his love for Lily was there but wasn't half as strong as his love for Everleigh. The love he had for Everleigh was what he was measuring his love for all his other girlfriends with, and they never came close; that's what was keeping him from moving in with Lily.

"Asher come on, I'm not an idiot I have eyes I've seen what has been going on between you two." Lily said with a shocked expression still on his face. He didn’t know what to say at this point so he just walked over to her and gave her a hug. He whispered sorry into her ear and all of Lily’s thoughts suddenly became a reality to her. She said, “Me too.” And walked out the door. 

That same night Everleigh was going to have a life changing conversation. She wasn’t ready for it, her clothes were drenched , she had makeup smeared all over her face, and her hair was tangled in knots. All she wanted was to take a shower and get some sleep, that would not happen this stormy night.  She walked into her apartment with Cooper waiting for her in the living room. He had an angry look on his face. 

“What’s wrong?” Everleigh said as she walked over to him. She placed her hand on his arm but he quickly jerked away. 

“ God Everleigh you act like I’m a fool!” He screamed at her. 

“What are you talking about Coop.” Everleigh said quietly. 

“Don’t act so innocent! I know you’ve been cheating on me with the idiot ex of yours.” Cooper said. He was furious at this point. 

“I am not Cooper! I promise I love you and only you.” Everleigh said but she knew she was lying to him, and herself. Cooper shook his head and sighed.  

“I wish I could believe you Leigh, but the thing is I don’t” He walked out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him. Everleigh fell to the floor and started sobbing. She didn’t know what to do. She fell asleep on the floor thinking about the man she thought she loved, and the man that kept giving her butterflies. She didn’t know what to do.

Everleigh was silently sleeping on the floor in the hallway when her phone started buzzing. It was Rachel and Everleigh’s phone was blowing up with photos. The first one was of Cooper talking to some blonde girl in a skin tight red dress that just barely covered her butt. She kept scrolling through the photos, one was Cooper and the girl dancing, the last photo Rachel sent her was of Cooper and the girl walking out of the bar together. Everleigh started to bawl she didn’t know when everything went wrong. She wouldn’t let herself know it but she didn’t even care that the relationship was over, she knew she would miss Cooper. He was a big part of her life but she didn’t love him like a fiance. She loved him as a friend. But again she wouldn’t let herself know that. She stood up, took a deep breath, and went to get ready for work. She showered, did her makeup, and put on a gorgeous purple velvet dress with a slit up the side and called Asher to tell him to meet her at 24th and Barnum. She then called Cooper and told him to meet her at the cafe on Bleeker. She knew what she had to do and for the first time since she ran into Asher she wasn’t confused. 

“Hey Coop.” Everleigh said as he sat down in front of her. 

“Why are you so dressed up?” Cooper asked with a confused expression on his face. 

“I am going dancing with the man I love in 30 minutes.” Everleigh said looking up at Cooper. 

“We are going dancing?” Cooper asked, still confused.

“No. I said with the man I love and I know now that that isn’t you.” Everleigh responded while she started to tear up.

“What?" Cooper said shocked. 

“The man I love would never hurt me on purpose and he would never accuse me of lying, nor would he cheat on me.” Everleigh said. The tears went away but she started to get angry. 

“Everleigh I’m sorry. I only cheated because I thought you were cheating but-” Cooper started before Everleigh interrupted him. 

“I don’t care you shouldn't have done it, and there is no excuse for what you did. I wasn’t cheating on you Cooper, I loved you too much to cheat on you. Obviously you don’t feel the same way. I’m not even angry the relationship is over, which it is if you couldn’t tell, I’m angry I kept dating you when I knew I could never love you as much as I need to to marry you. I was never over Asher, I’m not over Asher and that’s what was keeping me from loving you. I love you Cooper but not as a fiance anymore, I realized I loved you as a person who I needed to feel safe and loved. But you broke that and all my love for you shattered, It’s gone.” Everleigh said in a mellow voice. 

“I don’t know what to say, you didn’t even love me.” Cooper said. 

“Not the way I needed to.” Everleigh answered. 

“Goodbye Cooper.” Everleigh said standing up and leaving the cafe. 

“Um goodbye Everleigh.” Cooper mumbled. 

Everleigh left the cafe and called a cab over. She was on her way to see the man she loves. She was filled with excitement and was anxious to see him. She ran into the ball room, she spotted Asher from across the room. The butterflies were back. Their eyes met and all her anxiety went away. She ran over to him leaping into his arms, she finally kissed him. It’s all she’s wanted to do since they ran into each other on the sidewalk. She felt protected and loved in his arms. And as for him he felt like everything was finally coming together and everything he’s ever wanted came true in that moment. 

They danced with each other for what felt like 5 minutes but was actually 3 hours. They didn’t want that moment to end. She picked her head up from his chest and looked into his eyes, they glistened the same way as they did when they first met. At that moment it again seemed as if everything froze around them; they both felt as if they were the only two people in the world. They stared into each other's eyes, he ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her into his chest. Their lips met again. 

“Hi Asher.” Everleigh said while her whole heart filled with love for Asher. 

“Hi Leigh.” Asher said. Their hearts beat for each other, they always did.