Aurora of Love

Aza was running late as usual and was cycling as fast as he could. It was raining and the roads were slippery. His headphones drowned out the sound of the bus honking at him as he ran a red light. He arrived at his college out of breath and drenched. Usually, early mornings coupled with drenched clothes annoyed him and put him in a mood. This morning was different, Aza was excited to see his girlfriend after being apart for two weeks. His eyes darted everywhere, searching for her as he walked into the atrium of their college. 

“Aza!” Someone shouted.

He found his friends sitting in one corner and with them, his girlfriend. She was wearing Flared leggings, A hoodie and a beanie. He couldn’t help but notice how she effortlessly stood out among their friends as the prettiest one. He always admired her style and beauty. He started running at her, his Jordans squeaking against the rubber flooring. He closed the distance between them in seconds and hugged her as tightly as he could. They both laughed and smiled, feeling the warmth of the embrace.

“You’re soaking,” she said.

“No shit. Anyways, how was Dubai Bea? Got me anything?”

“This,” she said, as she pulled Aza in for a kiss.

“Get a room!” Finn commented.

“Piss off,” Aza replied.

“Actually, can we get a room? I have something to tell you.”

Aza raised an eyebrow and said, “Yeah sure, I’ll meet you upstairs.”

Beatrix picked up her bag and headed for the elevator.

“I had booze and weed at my party last week and we didn’t see you smile this much dude!”

“Well Noah, you didn’t have Bea there,” Aza replied.

“Go on, don’t keep her waiting lover boy,” Mia said.

“See you guys in class!” Aza called out as he made his way upstairs.

Aza knew where to find Beatrix. During their breaks, they would sneak into the only classroom that wasn’t locked to make out. He was brimming with excitement as he took the stairs two at a time.

He opened the door to find Beatrix facing the whiteboard. 

“Bea?”

She turned around and he could see her mascara and tears running down her cheeks. He rushed to her side and wrapped his arms around her.

“What’s wrong darling?”

She pulled away and just stood there, looking at the floor. Before Aza could follow up, she pulled off her beanie. Her head once full of beautiful lush brown hair, now was bare and shaven.

Despite his best efforts, Aza could only utter one word. “Wow.”

Beatrix broke down and was now sobbing uncontrollably.

“Hey, hey sweetheart, it looks great on you. I love you, my beautiful girl,” Aza said, trying to comfort her.

Beatrix shook her head and wiped her tears and mustered up the strength to speak. “I have cancer.”

Aza's heart sank as Beatrix's words sank in. He felt a wave of disbelief and helplessness wash over him, his mind struggling to comprehend what was happening. 

“Please say something.”

Aza felt his throat close as he tried to speak. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He felt the pressure building inside of him, and he prayed this was just a nightmare and he would wake up any moment now.

“How long have you known?” he finally asked.

Beatrix came closer, taking his hand. “A month. That’s why we went to Dubai, for a second opinion.”

“Is it …” Aza trailed off, not finding the strength to complete his question.

“Yes. It’s terminal.”

Her words felt like a punch in the gut. He sunk into the chair next to him, a feeling of despair overwhelming him. He felt like all his hopes and dreams had just been stolen from him. 

“I … I don’t know what to say.”

Beatrix knelt down and took his hands in hers once again, “I know and I am sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I wanted to be sure before I told you. I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t apologise. We’ll find you the best doctor, and, and …” he trailed off again, his eyes welling up. 

Beatrix shook her head and buried her head into his chest. She stood up and wiped the tears off Aza’s face. 

“Come on, don’t let the guys see you like this, I haven’t told anyone yet.”

Aza stood up and hugged her, tighter and longer than he had ever hugged her.

“How long do we have?” Aza asked breaking the silence.

“All the doctors estimate around three to five months.”

They stood in silence for a moment touching foreheads. 

Beatrix kissed Aza and said, “Come on, we have to get to class.”

Aza nodded and kissed her once again. The kiss was passionate yet gentle. Their lips met in a sweet and lingering embrace. They left the room and Aza held Beatrix’s hand as tightly as he could.

“I have to fix up my mascara.” 

“I’ll come with you.”

“You can’t come into the girl’s room Az.”

Aza pulled her into the disabled washroom and locked the door behind them. As Beatrix reapplied her mascara, Aza had his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder. His heart was beating fast, and his mind was racing. He wanted to hold her and never let go for a billion years. 

“I love you,” Aza whispered.

“I love you more Az.”

“You wish.”

They stepped out just as their friends turned the corner.

“Oooo,” James said, a smile spreading across his face.

Aza and Beatrix rolled their eyes at him. 

“What were you two doing in there?” Finn asked, with the same expression as James.

“Baking,” Aza replied sarcastically.

Just as James was going to reply, a teacher poked her head into the corridor. “Excuse me, some people are trying to study here.”

“Sorry!” Beatrix replied.

The teacher went back in and Mia quietly repeated what the teacher had said, mocking her. Aza and his friends laughed as quietly as they could. They made their way to their classroom and found their seats. Aza held Beatrix’s hand the whole time.

After class, they settled back down in the atrium to have their lunch. That was when Beatrix broke the news to them about her cancer. The silence that followed was not awkward, but rather soothing. In that moment of silence, her friends were able to convey their love and support without even speaking a single word. It was a profound silence that spoke volumes, comforting Beatrix’s words in ways that no words could. They each shared a heartfelt hug, and Beatrix felt a sense of peace knowing that she had the support of her of best friends when she needed it most. After lunch, they said their goodbyes and planned to meet up later that day as it was prom night in the college.

***

Aza got back into Corvette Stingray which he had rented for the night. He had gotten Beatrix her favourite flowers and was now driving to pick her up. He pulled into her driveway and knocked on the door. Her sister answered the door.

“Hey Az, Bea will be down in a minute.”

“Perfect. Here you go,” Aza replied, handing her a piece of chocolate. 

Beatrix’s dog, clover came prancing down the stairs and greeted Aza. Clover happily accepted the treats Aza had in his pockets. Aza was giving Clover a scratch when he heard the floorboards creak and he spotted Beatrix at the top of the landing. As she made her way down, Aza couldn’t help but admire her beauty. She was wearing a stunning dress that accentuated her features and made her glow. Aza’s heart skipped a beat as he realized how lucky he was to have her, and he found himself momentarily speechless.

“Wow. You look beautiful sweetheart,” Aza complimented as he handed her the tulips.

Beatrix thanked him and hugged him. 

“Drive safe!” Beatrix’s mother called out as they left.

“Will do!” Aza replied. He opened the door for Beatrix and waited until she was seated before closing the door and getting into the driver’s seat. 

“The beanie doesn’t really go with the dress you know?”

“Yeah, but…”

“It’s your choice but you’ll look gorgeous with or without it, I promise.”

The rest of the drive was spent in silence and 15 minutes later they arrived at the college. Aza opened the passenger side door and held out his hand. Beatrix hesitated for a moment but removed her beanie and took his hand. Beatrix held Aza’s bicep tightly as they walked down the red carpet leading to the entrance. Once inside, they noticed fellow students staring and murmuring, their eyes fixated on Beatrix’s shaven head, provoking whispers of speculation and admiration.

“Hey, beautiful!” Mia called out as she made her way through the crowd towards them. “You look stunning Bea!”

“You too Mia!”

They hugged and the rest of their friends joined them a moment later. They spent the next hour talking, dancing and drinking. It was a well-needed distraction for both Beatrix and Aza. Towards the end of the night, Aza grabbed Beatrix and led her outside.

“Come on, get in the car.”

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise, just trust me.”

They got in the car and Aza sped off. They sang along to the radio till Beatrix fell asleep. Aza drove as fast as he could and arrived at Anglesey, a county off the north-west coast of Wales. 

“Bea, wake up, we’re here.”

“Where are we?” Beatrix replied groggily.

“You’ll see, come on!”

Aza grabbed a backpack and trainers from the trunk. “Put these on.”

“Where are you taking me dude.”

“It’s a surprise!”

“Ugh, okay.” Beatrix took off her heels and slipped into the trainers. Aza set off, pulling a half-asleep Beatrix behind him. They navigated the rocky terrain with the help of their phone’s flashlight. They trekked past an early 18^th-century lighthouse and arrived at a cliff. As they stood on the edge of the cliff, Beatrix couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and wonder. The breath-taking view of the star-filled sky and the sound of the waves filled her with a deep sense of peace and tranquillity. Little did she know, her sense of awe of wonder was about to multiply tenfold. 

“What are we doing here Az?”

“You’ll see any minute now, keep looking at the sky, my love.”

As Beatrix’s gaze returned to the horizon, she was greeted by a mesmerising display of dancing lights. The aurora borealis shimmered and swirled in the night sky, illuminating the darkness with vibrant hues of green, purple, and pink. Beatrix stood open-mouthed, her heart filled with an even greater sense of wonder and amazement. 

As Aza stared at his girlfriend, he couldn’t help but notice how the reflection of the northern lights danced in her eyes. It was as if the magic of the dancing lights had taken hold of her, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. The longer he looked at her, the easier it became for him to do what he was about to. 

“Bea, I remember the day I asked you out. I remember you looked as beautiful as ever. How nervous and sweaty I was. How I was tongue-tied and how I just stood there staring at you for a good minute before saying anything. And then I finally asked you and you said yes. And when you smiled at me it was like all my problems just melted away. I remember how you hugged me and how relieved I was to have you in my arms like that. I remember how we spent the whole day together and how we spent the night staring at the star-filled sky. I remember our first actual date, our first movie, our first dinner, our first Valentine’s Day, our first sleepover, our first birthdays, and all our anniversaries, I remember every moment I have spent with you because those are the best memories I have and will ever have. You are the very best thing that’s happened to me, and I will always and forever be so in love with you … no matter what.” Aza pulled out a box from his blazer pocket and went down on one knee. His heart pounding, and tears in his eyes, he opened the box to reveal a stunning sapphire ring. “Beatrix Davies, Will you marry me?”

With tears of joy running down her cheeks, Beatrix replied, “Yes!”

Aza put the ring on her finger and hugged her. “I love you to the edge of the multiverse and back, my beautiful girl. Always and forever.”

“I love you more.”