Leaves of life

By the time I stepped outside the leaves where on fire,The tree that I grew, It's leaves where on fire because I saw him again, Him, a memory from the past, the past I wanna forget.

"Hi." he said.

I rolled my eyes. "The hell, you doing here?" Anger rose from my voice.

"Come on, Caroline! It's been three years already. When will you forgive me?" He sounded so desperate, so sad, but still not enough to believe.

"I thought you where dead, honestly." I was nonchalant. So cold, like all of my emotions where swept away by the wind, it sent me goosebumps

Caiden's eyes widened in disbelief. "DEAD? I kept on calling, almost everyday! I was calling yesterday! You thought I was dead?" Disbelief was evident in his eyes.

"I wanted you dead. Ever since I saw you in bed with that skank of a best friend you have." I spat out in frustration. "Just leave me alone! I don't want you here, nor near me, EVER!" I screamed, my eyes with unshed tears.

"I did not want anything...ANYTHING, to happen between us." He said as he tried to get a hold of me but I stepped back. "Baby..Please, you were everything to me. EVERYTHING." He cried.

I just looked at him while he was crying his eyes out. I was amazed. He never cries. He grew up to be strong and independent. For him to cry like this?

Something downed on me. I stared at him, heart's beating loudly, emotions where in the open. I lifted his face and wiped his tears.

"Don't cry. I don't like seeing men cry. Especially you." My voice turned soft all of a sudden.

He looks at me with hope. "Forgive me? Please?" he pleaded.

Again I stared, I was narrating the pros and cons in my head. The question, what will happen to me if I forgive him? and If I don't, what then?

After a few weeks........

I was holding Caiden's hand while we where walking at the park.

"Ice cream!" I screamed in excitement. He laughed as I ran towards the Ice cream vendor "two scoops of mango ice cream, please." I said to the vendor

"Alright, pretty lady." He complimented me.

"One scoop of chocolate ice cream for me, please." Caiden also requested. The vendor nodded. He looked at me in adoration. "After all those years, mango Ice cream is still your favorite?"

"It will never change." I laughed, he was staring at me, I felt conscious. "Is there something in my face?" I asked.

"I missed you." He looked at me softly. "You're gorgeous. Thank you for forgiving me."

"You should be thankful."

He laughed at what I said. The vendor already gave us our ice cream. He paid for it, then he held my hand and we continued our walk.

As we where about to exit the park, my phone beeped. I looked at my phone and saw a message from one of our friend.

from Aliza:

Hey, girl! PARTY AT SATURDAY AT CLUB ONYX 7PM! BE THERE! BRING CAIDEN WITH YOU!!!!!! SEE YAH, BITCH!

I laughed and looked at Caiden "Aliza is inviting us at a party at club onyx." I told Caiden. "She said we need to be there. Then I need to pick up a good outfit, let's go to the mall."

"Okay." he answered. We headed back to his car and drove to the mall near our location.

We entered the mall and I headed straight to to H&M to pick out a top

"Do you want this or this?" I asked Caiden as we where in a mall picking new outfits for our friends party tomorrow.

He smiled "That one." he picked the red crop top.

I nodded in agreement, I returned the other one in the racks and I held his hand as we walked to the counter.

We where done in H&M now we went to Levi's to buy him a good outfit. He went straight to denims.

"Baby, what looks better with this blue top. This jacket or this one?" He asked me.

"The paler blue denim jacket." I answered.

"Okay, thanks." He said as he put the jacket that I picked at the basket.

We where done at the mall. He sent me home and kissed me goodnight.

Saturday came in a blur, we where already at club onyx in a VIP room. I was drinking a shot of tequila when Aliza whispers me something.

"Good thing you gave him a second chance," She was smiling from ear-to-ear as she said that.

"Yeah, I know." I laughed with her. and we went to the dance floor.

That day, the day we saw each other again, I said. "I'll think about it." I asked him to leave.

I went to a near coffee shop and sat there as I drink my iced mocha. As I was sitting there, thinking, I saw a swing under a tree. I went outside to sit on that swing.

As I swung and looked at the tree, I realized. I planted a tree full of dead and live leaves over the past three years, some leaves that are full of life, hope, and love, and some full of regret, hatred, betrayal, and anger. And I grew to be strong but weak in the inside.

When I saw him again, that tree got burned with the anger I kept for years. I am ready to plant a new tree, a tree that's only full of love, grace, hope, life, and perseverance to move on, grow as a stronger person, and forgive.

The doorbell rang, I went running to the door. I opened the door and saw Caiden holding and bouquet of white Tulips, my favorite, wearing a boyish smile and his usual denim pants and plain t-shirt.

"These are for you. I hope tulips are still your favorite flowers." He was frantic.

"Yes, they still are. Come in" I answered. I opened the door wider for him to come in. "Make yourself at home." I shyly said to him as I went to get a vase for the flowers.

I went back at the living room holding the vase with the flowers in it, I placed the flowers at the center table.

I cleared my throat and put my hands in my lap, feeling the awkward air around us. minutes passed he held my hand and kissed it.

"Can we start anew?" He carefully asked me while he was playing with my fingers.

I looked at him warmly and held his face and smile. "Yes, we can but promise me to kick that bitch out of your life." I made him promise.

He smiled at me "No need to tell me that, baby. I already did, the moment you left." He said to me and then kissed me on the lips after.

I'm ready to plant a new tree, I'm ready to start a new life with him, and I won't let any bitch try and ruin us again