My Short Story #19

The girl new that at that point in her life, that she had lost all hope in life and that there would never be a chance to gain that back.

It had just started the way any story started. There was a girl named Charlotte and boy named Henry. They grew up as next door neighbors since they were both 3. In the summer as children, they played in their backyards thinking of any game they could from morning to sundown. They told shared jokes, laughs and deep dark secrets.

When they got older their relationship was still the best of friends. They were attached at the hip. They still seemed to share jokes, laughs and secrets, well except one. The most important one. That they both were obliviously in love with each other. Both didn’t want to ruin their great friendship. Because without the other, they really didn’t know who they were. They each decided that they would hold that one secret to their selves.

After high school they each went their separate ways. Charlotte moved half way across the country to attend the college of her dreams. While Henry decided to stay in state and attend college their. Charlotte discussed with Henry the possibility of going to college together, but he told her blankly that she had so much potential and not to waste it on a small college.

During college they still remained their relationship. They still shared laughs and jokes. Although secrets remained a thing of the past. Neither Charlotte wanted to admit that she had to cry herself to sleep from being so apart from Henry nor did he want to admit that he hadn’t gone out without anyone because he felt that he would betray Charlotte.

After they both graduated from college Henry became a successful business man and met a decent enough girl who he thought he could marry. She couldn’t bare children so it was just them. He felt that that was just fine. Charlotte traveled the world as a photographer. While she was in Fiji, she met another photographer who was from the states. They eventually became engaged. She seemed to feel that he was good enough person to be her husband.

A month before Charlotte was going to get married she happened to be in London. There in a small café she saw a man similar to one that was a major part in her life. The man looked up at here and she seemed to know that smile from apart from everyone. She came up to Henry’s table and they talked for what seemed to be hours. Just alone in their own world. They talked about how their lives were. She shared she was to be married soon. While he talked about his wife and the business trip he was on. She knew that she was comfortable with him and having a conversation was just as easy as breathing. She knew that was what was missing in her life. The feeling of being comfortable and secure.

Without thinking she blurted out that she had been in love with him since they were little. She then self as if a giant weight had been lifted off her chest. She braced herself for what he would say next. His next words shocked her. He told her that he too was in love with her and had always been. They then once again shared their deep, dark secrets of how they missed each other and that no one seemed to make up for what they sought and could only find in each other.
They decided she would break off her engagement and he would leave his wife. She felt guilty for him having to leave his wife, but he told her that he didn’t love her and it was easier since they had no children. They decided to meet at the café in exactly a week. That was enough time for him to return to the states to leave his wife and her to break up with her fiancé. He gave her his flight number incase of delays, since it was winter.

A week later Charlotte walked in the café, knowing her life was about to change. She had been feeling bad all week, because she couldn’t shake the image of how much misery her fiancé was in when she broke off the engagement. She knew that her life could only move on from there. She sat down and read the newspaper. She found it shocking about how there was a plane crash from there being so much snow. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the plane number was too familiar.

The girl looked at the list of the people who were on the flight. She couldn’t help but freeze when she saw Henry’s name. She seemed to be in a state of shock. There was no way it was true. In her heart the girl knew it was true. She knew in that moment that all hope was lost.

Two months after the plane crashed she took her own life. Realized that she had lived without him for two long and that pain was unbearable. The wife of Henry had become pregnant with his child and had the burden of raising the child on her own.