One Step Closer

He is right here. Finally, after four long years, we meet again under our beloved oak tree. He looks taller. Well, of course he would. Talking to your boyfriend for four years on your phone and computer really distorts his true height and image—almost to the point where he seems like a stranger. There are some things though that have not changed about him. He still has that little birthmark on his right hand. He has the same bright, hazel eyes; and the same messy side swept, black hair that looks soft to the touch…I want to touch it again, but I’m afraid. I’m afraid, if I move even an inch, this will all prove to be a dream. Tell me this is real. Tell me I just have to move one more step to be in your arms again. Tell me…

***

I can’t believe it. It’s really her. She looks as beautiful as the day I last saw her, maybe even more. Ha. She looks terrified though, or maybe the right word would be shocked. I can’t blame her though; I am a bit nervous myself. After all, it is not easy keeping a long-distance relationship. Some people say it is impossible, and that it always fails in the end. They’re not wrong; ours almost did.

We had what you call ‘a summer’s romance.’ I met her right here under the oak tree. She was reading Pride and Prejudice. She was so engrossed in the book, gazing at the pages with such vigor, that she hadn’t even notice that I had walked towards her. It wasn’t so much I was interested in the book, but more her eyes. She seemed to capture a whole world in her vibrant, blue eyes, and I swear it was almost like the pages came to life in her eyes, showing me images of the book’s contents. I had breathed out a sigh, and she suddenly looked up at me startled.

“Um…Who are you?” She asked me. Her eyes stared right into mine. For a moment, I was lost in them, so lost that I could have sworn I forgot my own name for a second, but I soon snapped out of it and introduced myself.

“Hi. My name’s Orion, Orion Fideli. What’s yours?”

She looked at me once more, straight into my soul, and said with the warmest smile: “My name is Aria Bernardo. Nice to meet you!”

From that day on, I had met her everyday at the oak tree. We would talk about almost everything and anything. We would play games, climb the oak, bathe in the sun, and go on little trips to town or simply taking a stroll. Sometimes, we would even borrow books from the local library and read them together, or more like she would read aloud, and I would listen. I loved her voice. Our favorite book to read though would have to be Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. We would act it out and laugh so hard. Those moments were the best, but sadly like any good book and every good dream, it ends.

It was on a cloudy day. I told Aria to meet me at the oak because I had something important to talk to her about. She came with a smile on her face and asked: “What is it, my love?”

I looked at her and said: “I got accepted into that University I told you about.”

She then said with so much excitement: “Congratulations! I knew you could do it. But why do you look so glum about it? You told me really wanted to go there. What’s wrong?”

I looked at her with a tear streaking down my face and said: “That University is about 3,000 kilometers away, Aria. I won’t be with you…I don’t want to be separated from you. I love you! I…”

“Orion, I love you too! That’s exactly why you should go. I don’t want to keep you from making your dreams come true. Don’t worry. We can talk on the phone and video call. It will be fine.” She said it with a smile and warm tears streaming down her face. I embraced her as the rain slowly came down from the heavens.

In the beginning, it was going well. We would video call every weekend and call each other every couple of days, but soon we were both busy with schoolwork, our friends, and work. It was getting to a point where you could barely call what we had a relationship, and the memories of each other and our love soon felt like a distant dream. It was in that time when we decided to have a short break.

***

In every relationship, there is a time when you are the closest to each other and a time when you are as distant as ever. It was in that instance when we decided to take a break, that we became the farthest from each other. It was hard to be sad when you no longer felt as close as you did. You simply just continued your routine. It was like nothing happened, but what I did not know is that the pain of loosing him was slowly manifesting.

I remember it was on a warm Saturday that I decided to take a stroll. I walked aimlessly, until I came across our oak tree. It was there when suddenly all the pain and sadness that I thought did not exist seemed to pour out of me upon the memories of us in front of our beloved oak. I missed him so much. Hot tears strolled down my face for about an hour. I wanted him to embrace me like he did then. I wanted him so badly. I was so lost in my emotions that I didn’t even realize that I had dialed his number in my phone. He answered saying:

“Hello? Aria? Are you okay?”

I couldn’t hold it anymore. I sobbed harder and I said in an almost inaudible whisper:

“No…Orion. Orion. Please, don’t leave me. I love you. I know it’s hard. We are so far away from each other and have our own things to do, but please—I can’t forget you. I can’t! I love you too much. If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up. I don’t want it to end. I want it to last forever with you. Orion…”

***

Her words hit me like a slap to the face. I would be lying if I said my heart didn’t skip a beat every time, she said my name like that. She was calling out for me and me alone.

It was a couple of weeks after we decided to have a break, when I started to think about her. I wondered how she was, and if she was doing alright. It was in that moment when the thought of another man or person embracing her came to my mind. My blood started to boil at the thought, and my fists clenched tightly. It was then that I realized, I was still in love with her, but I couldn’t bring myself to call her and ask to get back together. What if she found someone else? Someone that would make her happier and be there right beside her every day. As much as I want her back, her happiness was worth more. It was after another grueling month that I got a call from her. I could hear her sobs of pain and longing form the other end of the line. How I wish I could have held her to me at that exact moment and comforted her, but all I could do was listen as a wide smile spread across my face and say:

“What took you so long, my love?”

Another two years passed. Of course, I am not going to deny that we had small arguments here and there, but we tried to make it work. I already realized I could not live without her; I was not going to let her go again. Soon enough, we graduated. As soon as that happened, I packed my bags and bought a plane ticket back home to where the love of my life awaited my return. Now look at us, back where it all began right under this oak tree. Let it be the witness of our love and what we’ve overcome together. My love, my dear Aria, I’ve come 3,000 kilometers to be here with you once more, now all it takes is one more step for you to be in my arms again.

By Katerina Casas