Tomorrow

All I remember is him. His eyes. His gorgeous blue eyes and how they twinkle in the light, taunting me from afar. His perfect skin argues with his jet-black wispy hair, which he sweeps aside too often.

"Tomorrow."

The only word he had ever spoken to me, and yet I yearned to feel his soft hands in between mine.

The night I met him was like any other. The crystal sky was lit with stars, shimmering against the darkness that cascaded around them. I wore my favorite dress: periwinkle, with flowers that danced across it like petals that got swept away by the cool, light breeze on a summer day. Embroidered with jewels around the trim, I knew I should feel like a princess. But I didn't.

With a cup of soda in my right hand and a crushed flower, an orchid, in the other, I gazed sadly across the swarm of students at prom...all with loyal dates. But then my blue eyes locked on his, and my insides melted like ice cream on a hot day.

Numbly, I walked to him, but it was like nothing had ever happened. He had disappeared. Lost in a sea of faces.

And then his voice was in my ear, whispering a promise.

"Tomorrow."

Deep and comforting at the same time, but mysterious and dark all together. Oh, how I longed for him. Yes, he was a stranger. Yes, he could be a terrible person. But how could something this perfect turn out to be bad? Could this be too good to be true? In my head, it was like a fairytale. But I knew it wasn't. It was real.

I woke up to the soft glow of the sun pouring into my room, eradicating every inch of darkness. I slipped on my clothes for the day: a light, soft, peach sweater, every stitch in its own precise position. Jeans that were ripped at the upper thigh of my right leg and just above the knee of my left. My white vans slipped perfectly onto my feet, and I twisted my dirty blonde hair into a knot to form a loose bun at the base of my head.

I stepped into my bathroom and sprayed my favorite perfume; one that gave off a tropical vibe by radiating the scent of pineapple, the salty air, and always made me long to plunge my feet into the ground and feel the sand in between my toes.

For breakfast, I had a perfectly ripe banana and creamy vanilla yogurt, topped with granola to form the perfect concoction. As I stepped into the warmth of the sun, I spread my arms and took a deep breath. It was tomorrow.

But then a thought came to mind. Where would we meet? When? What if I never see him again? I walked on, with no precise destination in mind. As I passed the coffee shop, something caught my eye. A pair of deep, ocean blue eyes that you could get lost in forever. A small smile creeped upon my face; I took a deep breath for the second time today.

I approached him, slowly and cautiously. Ecstasy sneaked into my insides, filling me with warmth and putting butterflies in my stomach.

"You look nice."

He had now spoken four words to me. Four.

"T-thank you," I stammered. You are such an unbelievable idiot, I scolded myself. Act natural. Be you! I gathered myself.

"Shall we go for a walk?" he asked, and turned to go. I hurried to be in stride with him.

"May I ask...what-" I had barely begun to ask the question when he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. No, that was an understatement. As his lips met mine, I was lost in a world of longing and wonder. Everything in reality vanished as I tasted a mix of vanilla and strawberry, sweet enough to taste, but not too strong. I was the one to pull back.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, a frown beginning on his perfect face.

"It's just...I don't even know your name, where you come from...I've only ever seen you once in my life!" I stuttered. What are you doing?! A voice inside my screamed at me. But there was another...You haven't even known the guy 5 minutes. Good choice. I shoved both of them out of my head like a tidal wave flushing away a pebble.

"Derrick. Derrick Williams." He held out his hand, and this time I gladly took it.

"Meg," I replied, but I was barely listening. His hand had been as soft as I had imagined...if not softer. He smelled wonderful, like he had just jumped into the river of life and come out...all the wonderful things in life seemed to be compiled into this teen boy.

Without another word, we walked on. Around the block, through different neighborhoods, giggling together as we dashed through lawns of elderly people (who proceeded to yell angrily at us), and we got to know each other.

Finally, we ended up back at the coffee shop, barely holding ourselves up. We entered, took our orders, and sat down at a table for two.

"So," he started.

"So," I replied, my hands beginning to sweat from nervousness. Derrick reached over and tucked a piece of hair that had gone astray behind my ear, and I smiled. Don't be such a dork!

After minutes of awkwardness, a waiter came by.

"One venti caramel macchiato and one venti salted caramel mocha."

"Thank you so much," Derrick and I both said in unison, and I blushed. However, I turned my attention to the delicious glass of mocha topped in a flawless spiral of whipped cream. With caramel drizzled on top, it was perfect.

"Meg, there's something you have to know about me," he started.

"Oh?"

"Do you want to know the reason I was at the prom?" his blue eyes were unreadable, and I was prepared for the worst.

"I mean...I guess, but why are you asking me this now?"

"I'm not your average 18-year old boy. I've done things."

"What? Derrick, I don't understand."

"Have you ever seen this before?" He held up a newspaper article.

"What is it?" I grabbed the article, and the second I saw the headline I wished I hadn't. It read:

18-YEAR OLD BOY KILLS GIRLFRIEND

"No." I breathed, slowly getting up and backing away from the chair. My world began to collapse. "No, no, no."

"Meg, it's not what you think. I can explain," Derrick stood up too, coming towards me.

"Don't touch me!" I exclaimed, my eyes clouding up with confusion, anger, and fright. "Never come near me agian!" And with that, I dashed out of Starbucks, down the street, and through an alley to an opening that lead to the street. I didn't hear the roar of the truck that was approaching quickly, didn't hear the screams of people around me, and didn't hear the truck trying to screech to halt, when it was too late....

"Meg. Meg, wake up."

"Huh?" I woke, startled to see the blue eyes that I get lost in every day, the jet-black hair that was always messy. I was back in our house, laying on my own soft, cushioned bed.

"You were twitching, and murmuring," Derrick said, a concerned look in his eyes.

"Just a nightmare," I replied, and pressed myself close to him.

"Good night, darling."

"Goodnight."

And I closed my eyes, knowing that there would always be a tomorrow.