Sweet Ache of Memories

The place was filled with deep silence and fresh scented flowers. I gazed the place where my beloved Arrah peacefully rested as I reminiscing the sweet ache of memories we shared together.

I arrived early for my basketball practice. I was the team captain and my team was practicing for our basketball competition. Our coach gave us a break for a minute; suddenly a pretty girl came to me and offered me bottled water and a towel.

“Oh you must be the team captain. You are a good player; by the way I’m Arrah a transferred student. Here, please accept these.” She said smiling.

As I looked at her, I felt in my heart skip a bit. I’ve never felt this feeling to any girls I’ve met before, unlike now I met Arrah.

“I’m Ryan. Yes I’m the team captain. Thanks for your concern.” I said.

Arrah lend her hand and I accepted it. I felt an indescribable sensation when our hands touched.

One day, I was heading towards the gym when I saw Arrah standing near the entrance. She was very pretty wearing the school’s uniform. Her hair was fixed in a ponytail making her face more radiant.

“Hi Ryan, I came to see your practice and I prepare your water and towel.” She said with a simple grin.

“Oh, don’t bother yourself Arrah. I’m fine thank you. You can watch our practice whenever you like.” I told her.

Every practice, Arrah was there to watch my basketball practice. She was there to cheer for me and everybody in the court presumed that she was my girlfriend.

One night, Arrah told me that she love me. I was shocked and I can’t believe that she would confess to me. She was expressive and straightforward for her feelings for me. I was speechless and honestly I felt offended.

Everyday, Arrah would gave me three red roses with chocolates on my table inside the class. I was really embarrassed and annoyed because she did the courting. I began the center of attention in the campus and it really bothered me. Everybody knew that Arrah was madly in love with me. My basketball teammates even teased me about Arrah’s wooing. I really tried my best not to entertain them and from that I began to dislike Arrah.

I did my best to stay away from her and refuse all her presents for me. Arrah was so persistent and still courted me. Until one evening after my last practice, Arrah came to see me. She looked straight into my eyes and gave me a sad smile. She gave me again three red roses and said,

“I love you Ryan, please believe that. I know that this is awkward because I’m the one who courted you but please believe me, I really do love you.” Arrah kissed me and left.

That night, Arrah occupied all the corners of my mind. She was kind, sweet and charming I thought myself. I admit that I liked her for the first time and as the days passed my feelings for her grew deeper. I felt pain whenever I stayed away from her and it turned out that I missed her a lot. So I made up my mind to confess my feelings to her.

It was my basketball competition. The school’s gym was getting packed but there was no sign of Arrah. The game was getting started but I felt that I am not ready. Until, I saw Arrah on the left bench holding a banner with the name of our team on it. She waved her hand to me and shouted, “I love you!” I felt a great mood to play the game. The game was tough and both of the teams tied. It was fifteen seconds left I saw Arrah with an encouragement in her eyes that our team would win the game. At last, my team won the game!

After the competition, I excitedly went to see Arrah, I know she was waiting for me and I was right she was indeed waiting. I immediately hugged and kissed her.

“Arrah, I love you too!” I told her. She cried for a moment and hugged me tightly. Then she gave me a cake.

“I baked this cake for you. I hope you will like it.” She said. I was touched and held her hand tightly and I wished that time would stop for both of us.

It was our first anniversary and I planned to bring Arrah out after our basketball practice. I went to our meeting place but to my disappointment, I saw Arrah laughing and giggling with another guy. They seemed so close, so sweet. All of my nerves wanted to burst out and Arrah didn’t even feel my presence. I went away immediately because I don’t want to witness the scene, the reason for my heart to break.

I never talked to Arrah after that incident. She always texted and called me but I didn’t replied. She was asking me why I’m so cold to her but I remained silent. I never saw Arrah almost a week at school and I began to worried about her.

One day, I saw the guy whom Arrah was with on our first anniversary. The guy was mad and punched me.

“You bastard! What did you do to my sister?! She loves you so much and this is how you will repay her?! Damn you! You hurted her so much and now she’s in the hospital right now battling between life and death!” The guy shouted.

I was shocked as I heard the words he said. The guy told me that he was Ben, Arrah’s brother. I was stunned from that big revelation. We hurriedly rushed to the hospital. He told me that Arrah had a serious heart disease since birth. I was horrified. He told me that Arrah has been already told by her doctors that she could not live any longer but Arrah miraculously survived from the doctor’s deadline. Ben told me that Arrah was lively, the time she met me. He never seen her sister that happy and contented before. The night of our first anniversary, he wanted to see the man who made her sister so happy but I was not there. I felt a heavy guilt inside me.

I went to Arrah’s room as fast as my legs could carry me. Arrah was lying on the bed in a terrible condition and it brought tears to my eyes. I held her hands encouraging her to live.

“Arrah, I’m so sorry…I didn’t trusted you…forgive me…please live and stay.  I’m sorry for being an idiot! Oh God! This is my fault!” I cried in vain.

Arrah slowly opened her eyes and looked at me. I saw the love in her eyes on me. I felt her hands moving and tried to utter the words of love.

 “Ryan, there’s nothing to forgive. It’s my destiny to die. I will never forget you. Thank you for making the world a wonderful place for me. I will bring the love you have given me. I love you, thank you and goodbye…” Arrah said in whisper tone and expired. Arrah died with a peaceful and happy smile on her lips.

It’s been years since Arrah’s death. I learned to move on and accepted the tragic end of our love story. I am peaceful now and hoping for another Arrah to change my life.