Behind You

Al was never loved nor ever will be. She has no fear, she has no care, but most importantly, she has no emotions or feelings. She'll wander around the world only to feel something but so far, she hasn't.

One thing made such an ordinary day to something worth to remember, worth of cherishing. It was the day, someone, finally, reached a hand to her.

"Hello! My name is Dianne! What's yours ?", as the other girl asked her with one of the brightest smile that anyone has given to her. She mumbles, "Al . . . My name is Al . . .", reaching out to shake her hand.

"Al? That's a really wonderful name! Hmm? What you doing there?", as the girl asked Al, looking at the flowers Al has picked up for diseased father.

"Oh! These . . .?", showing the flower to Dianne, giving it a better look, "It's for my father . . .", there was a long pause, "that left years ago . . ."

"Aww . . . That's so sad . . . Well! I hope he receive those lovely flowers you picked for him!", the child doesn't seem to understand what the other meant, letting out a little giggle seeing how adorable and caring a man's child could be.

"Where is he anyways? Abroad? In another state?", the child then sat down beside the other, waiting patiently for her answer. Although, the other child seem to hesitate answering a question that, which she knows for sure, could destroy another one's innocence and it's perspective to life. The child then answered a simple "yes" before putting the flowers down at the nearby tree beside them.

The two grew more closer to each other and everyday, they seem to found each other's accompany.

Being an orphan, it wasn't easy for Al, but having a friend like Dianne made it seem more brighter and less grimmer.

Years went by, and two became closer than friends, as if they were siblings. They might not be related by blood but for sure, they knew, they're closer than any intact organism there is in the world.

Dianne grew up to be sweet, loving and a beautiful lady. Everybody admired her and a lot of men were chasing after her. Al on the other hand, grew up to what seems to be a "rebellion". She has the strength of a man and many has feared her. Not much was known bout her and a bounty is placed on her head from a distant land that she once visited. They grew to be different but that doesn't change the fact that they are closer than what they seem to be.

Dianne, for sure, has more friends other than Al, but even though she does, nobody could stand out from the rest like Al does. Two in particular share some of same traits that Al possess but only Al is better at it such as archery and cooking. Those two are Ronaldo, whom seem to be a very nice fellow with golden hair and dazzling green eyes. The other one is Thomas, a brave and dashing man with crisp brown hair and dreamy hazel eyes.

One day, Al met a man on a freezing night in an alley near the bar that she works within the night. The man was getting beaten and without a minute to hesitate, Al rushed over to help the young man.

Once the men has left the lad alone, Al brought him to a nearby inn. The man then introduce himself as Fredrickson, a wandering man from a distant land to visit his relatives within the town.

Al then developed feelings for the man, despite the thought she couldn't feel anything or have any sympathy towards Fredrickson. Al never thought that another person, other than Dianne, could make her feel sheer joy.

Dianne, on the other side, started having feelings for the man as well.

Nevertheless, Fredrickson admire Al for her skills and all the amazing things she could do would. He wants to stay by her side but not in a romantic way, but rather, he seems her as a brother figure A brother in arms, Partners in crime and so on. Fredrickson then fell in love with another maiden, for he doesn't found Al as "romantically engaging".

One lovely evening, Dianne decided to tell Al about her feelings and thoughts about Fredrickson. She finds him different from the men that chases after her, like a candle burning bright in the evening within the dark room. Dianne asked, "Do you think I have a chance to be his?"

Al, frozen and was in immense pain, swallowed her pride and said, "Of course! Why wouldn't you? I mean, you are the prettiest and the nicest person out there. You two fit together perfectly for each other", while pinching her cheeks and trying to tickle her.

This brought a bright red color to Dianne's face while playing with her hair, while it felt like swallowing dozen of knives down through her throat for Al.

She loves Fredrickson and so does the other but one doesn't know how the other feels about the man either.

Al hesitated whether to tell Dianne, her childhood friend and the only person who really understands, or not to, but Al, going through so much pain already, took a deep breath and just let the wind take her feelings away.

After talking to Dianne and knowing how she felt for Fredrickson, she then approach the man casually.

"Hey . . ."

"Oh, Hi there Al! what you doing here?"

"Just . . . wanna talk to you bout something"

"Oh really? What is it about?"

"Its about . . Dianne"

"Oh okay. I mean, I've got time"

Al then proceeds to tell Fredrickson bout Dianne and about her daydreaming to be his and how she thinks that he wouldn't like her back, which Al finds to be impossible since there's nothing you could say that's wrong bout Dianne. Dianne is like a living doll. Not a scratch can be seen from her and her skin is flawlessly white.

Silence broke between the two then Fredrickson flashed a smile and told Al, "I like Dianne, too . . ."

This almost made Al cry but when Fredrickson blurted out, "But . . . I don't know how and what to tell her . . . Al, your her best friend and so I am, you'd do anything to make her happy right?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

"Please Al, help me to make Dianne mine"

Even if its killing Al inside, she wore a smile on her face and said, "You don't need to ask me twice, I'm in"

Fredrickson then thanked Al on the top of his lungs, repeating the word "yes" as if he accomplished something, which he did, and gave Al a hug. Al, knowing that she'll never have one of these again from Fredrickson, pat his back and continued on her way.

Arriving home, Al sat down just right behind her door and began to tear up. She could never betray her friends, especially Dianne. What if she loses her? What if Dianne started avoiding her? She could never bear being alone again.

The day after that evening, Al confessed for Fredrickson to Dianne. Dianne then approached Fredrickson and that is where their love story starts, but that was the day when Al decided to stray away slowly from the two and just give herself in to the sheriff from a different village.

Day by day, Al started to avoid the two. Al, whenever asked to join them for things such as lunch, picnic or a little nice pep talk from either Dianne or Fredrickson, she would make excuses such as having do much work to do since she's been supporting herself ever since she was young.

Weeks, months and years have passed by and Dianne has completely forgotten bout her and so does Fredrickson. Al, now having Marie Antoinette syndrome which is the sudden change of hair color to white, has fully blend in the society and is now a stranger to all her friends.

On the day of Fredrickson and Dianne's wedding, Al left the village and decided to hand herself in.

On the day of her execution, her hair suddenly turned white, every strand within her head. Her eyes turned blank white and as the blade of the guillotine fell upon her neck, a tear fell off from her eyes and a smile on her face. She whispered to herself, "And they lived . . . Happily . . . Ever . . . After . . ."

Dianne and Fredrickson had a healthy and loving family. Two kids and a wife made Fredrickson's life worth living and so does Dianne but . . .

Dianne never forgotten Al, who did everything she can to make life less darker and messed up, in fact, she heard the terrible news about her getting decapitated and her last words are, indeed, recorded and was told that Al ever wanted was for her to be happy with Fredrickson and do the same to their growing family.

Knowing this, Dianne kept moving on and continued wearing her brightest smile for everybody.

One had lived in a perfect life and a happy ending while the other one was born within the dark and lived the rest of its life within the shadows, they still managed to have at least a moment to bath with the rays of the sun together as the days go by and every sunset was an ending they'll together, remember . . .