A Sky Full of Stars

A Sky Full of Stars

“Are you asleep already?”

“Shhhh!” she hissed, clocking him on the head in annoyance.

“Ow! That really wasn’t necessary!” She could hear the indignation in his voice, and smiled at the scowl she couldn’t see in the dark, knowing it was displayed magnificently on his face anyway.

“Shut up and enjoy the view, you little wimp!” She couldn’t resist antagonising him, loving the reactions she drew out of him.

He made a sound of protest, and she could sense an argument approaching. He could never resist a debate with her no matter the circumstances. She swiftly reached out to entwine her fingers with his, and that effectively cut off any noise on his side. They continued to silently bask in each other’s company, while observing the spectacle that the stars were putting on for them.

Night was her favourite time of the day. It meant that she had made it through a hectic day of work; when almost everyone was already in bed, when the city was quiet except for the occasional sounds of a vehicle rumbling past, or the scuffle of a cat fight that broke out on a street somewhere, when the dark sky was decorated with lights from buildings where people like her were enjoying the nightlife.

Living in the city, she never got to experience the view of a night sky full of stars. The most she would usually see were a few meagre stars scattered in the vast sky, blinking in and out of existence. She had often stood at the tiny balcony of her quaint little apartment, wondering how a sky filled with countless stars would look like. She’d dreamt of going away – away from the city, where she would be able to stare at a sky that was filled, with no empty spaces left.

When he surprised her with this little trip, she was – ecstatic – to say the least. Her heart felt like it would burst from the sheer amount of love she felt for him. She loved him for knowing her so well and being able to make her happy with the right things. She loved that he listened and paid attention to her, no matter how inconsequential her ramblings were. She loved how her delighted reaction at that moment had drawn a rapturous grin out of him, reminding her once again how making her happy never failed to please him in return.

The stars continued to twinkle in the sky, as if showing their approval of the young couple camped out on the beach below them. She had been so in awe when the enchanting lights in the sky had first started making themselves present, leisurely lighting up the sky as the sun sank slowly in the horizon. Her gasps of excitement and childlike exclamations had tickled him, but she didn’t mind him chuckling at her expense. Nothing else mattered except the fact that they were both wrapped in their blissful little bubble in a beautiful place.

Later in the night, she had snuggled in closer to him, and he complied by shifting his body to fit hers perfectly. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice brimming with gratitude and adoration for this beautiful man that belonged to her. He responded by landing a tender kiss on the top of her head, and they continued to marvel at the beauty painted in the sky above them.

The memory felt so real that she reached out beside her, half expecting to feel him there with her. But all her hand met were the damp grains of sand that made up the beach she was lying on. He wasn’t there with her, of course. That memory had taken place more than ten years ago, before he left. Before he had gone and vanished from her life, leaving a gaping hole in her heart that nothing could ever replace, no matter what she or anyone else did.

She squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to push away the pain that still haunted her. It was agony, coming back to this place where she had once experienced the most amazing night of her life. Yet, here she was once again, broken and alone.

On this particular night, miles away from home, she sat on this same beach. It was the same place where she had – so many years ago – agreed to marry the man who had brought such joy into her life. So much has changed since then, yet this place remained the same, isolated from all the upheaval she had to wade through in her life. Even though it was impossible for this place to not be tinted with memories of him – of them, even though it was still immensely painful to be in this place where they were last so happy, she found – to her relief – that she could still be lulled by the comforting sounds of the waves dousing the sand. She could still close her eyes and savour the gentle breeze that caressed her skin lovingly. She could still gaze dreamily at the network of stars winking at her from the night sky.

Amidst the peace and quiet of everything, she couldn't help but let her thoughts wander, and they circled back to him – as they always did. Is he looking at the same stars that I am? she wondered, with a tinge of melancholy. Would his view be as magnificent as mine? Does he… does he remember this incredible moment that we once shared?

There was another reason for night being her most favoured time of the day. It was his, too. After he had gone, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d never really left at all. Maybe he was lurking in the shadows just behind that tree, watching over her. Maybe he would spring out from behind it any minute and surprise her, then things would go back to how they used to be.

She missed him, so much that she ached physically to run her fingers through his hair, to wrap her arms around him and feel his body pressed tight against hers, to hear his voice laughing beside her once again.

As these thoughts continued to float around in her head, the stars continued to shine, illuminating the vast, dark sky.