I feel like sharing.

The Reunion

So here I am now, sitting alone on this park bench at the top of a cliff, facing the ocean, and waiting. The day couldn’t have been any more beautiful, the ocean was calm and glinting like a thousand pieces of broken glass twinkling mischievously. The seagulls were gliding over the water top carelessly, occasionally dipping their little feet into the water. There was a slight wind that kept ruffling through my hair and into my face. I exhaled and closed my eyes; she would be here any minute now and I hadn’t even thought about what I was going to say. It had been 14 years since I’ve last seen her, but there hasn’t been a single day when I haven’t thought about her. It was obviously entirely impossible for her to remember me of course; she lost her memory on the night of our high school prom. That was the last time I ever saw Aisha. All I could think about was all the countless memories from high school. Was there a chance she would miraculously remember me? I bought with me a box of photos and notes we used to pass in high school, to show her, remind her of the past and about me. I heard light footsteps and a trickle of laughter from behind me and my heart pounded as my eyes snapped open. I turned around and I saw her family, her little brother was so big now! Then I saw her, and my heart just stopped. I stared and went into a state of shock as reality hit me.

It was as if the wind had sensed all the tension and anxiety in me, for at that moment the wind had dropped leaving the moment hanging. She was smiling and laughing with her family, and as they approached closer, she glanced at me for a moment and then looked past me to stare into the endless sky. It felt like an anchor had plunged through my stomach, she didn’t recognise me. Her family walked over to another bench near the bottom of the cliff. I held the side of the bench for support as I suddenly felt my knees buckle. We were standing only 10 metres apart but she showed no interest in the stranger standing in front of her, me. She was even more beautiful than I remembered, she was always one of the best female runners in school and it looked like she still continued running. A pair of denim jeans covered her long slender legs and she wore a simple plain green coloured shirt, which was most strange because Aisha never liked the colour green, ever. Her long curly hair hung on her shoulders waving slightly in the breeze. Although her hair was still the same, I was still reminded how much time had passed and how things had changed throughout time. Her eyes were focused behind me and yet she still showed no interest in me. Tears were now streaming down my face but I made no attempt to wipe them away, but a stifled sob escaped from my slightly gaping mouth. She didn’t remember anything and everything just hit me like a powerful gust of wind. She then looked at me to give me a strange look and then all of a sudden her face was expressionless and all the blood drained from her face.

My heart started pounding, she did remember me! It was incredible, a miracle. She looked like she was having doubts now and she scrunched up her face trying to remember and as she did her eyes glistened with tears. Her eyes pierced into mine and her mouth was a gaping a little open. The wind was blowing between us more forcefully this time as we stood facing each other, tears pouring out of my eyes and she stared at me looking confused but certain.

I wasn’t sure whether it was a matter of hours, minutes or seconds that had passed but soon enough the rest of her family were back. The moment was now gone as we both watched them approach. I wiped away my tears and Aisha started making her way back to her family slowly. I couldn’t move or utter a single word. She was walking away now without having said anything to me, no hi or goodbye. I felt as if all hope had been lost and I started shivering. I was about to walk away as well, but before I did I hesitated and took a look at her one last time. At that exact moment, she looked over her shoulder gave me a smile and walked away while I stood by the bench watching her walk away never knowing whether she knew who I was or not. The box of memories fell from my hands and the photos and notes were blown away carried by the wind into the sea and gone forever.

I wrote this essay for English Class, what do you think of it :)