I gave her a kiss on the cheek and held her hands in mine.
"Final boarding for flight 51 leaving for India," was sounded over the loudspeakers at the airport
"Are you sure you have to go?"
"We've been over this a hundred times." She said with a crocked smile. I knew she really didn't want to leave but at the same time this is exactly what she had been wishing for.
"Goodbye then and good luck. I'll miss you" and with that I kissed her hands and slowly backed away. "She looked at me with watery eyes and walked back toward her exit. Her named whispered past my lips. Diann...my Diann.
My Diann was beautiful, there was no other way to describe her. Her short dark brown hair just barely reached her shoulders always straight and choppy but somehow looked professional. Her brown eyes that seemed to entrance me when i looked deep inside them, she always complained how she thought they were so plain. She stood about 5'2 almost a foot shorter than me. I loved everything about her. When we dated she tried to be cute and girly because she never really had a relationship with anyone. We ended up together for a while but she left me after some time because this day was known to come. She had dreams as a kid to travel the world and study abroad. I couldn't hold her back from what she wanted. Life was going to be different without her around to always make me smile.
I layed in my bedroom staring up at the ceiling, recalling all the good times we've had and I remembered she slid a note into my pocket before she left. I rolled over to one side and reached over the bed aimlessly for my coat and the note inside the pocket. I grabbed hold of it and let the coat fall to the floor and opened up the note rolling over onto my back again.

Rick,

I don't really know how to say this, and you know this is hard for me to do anyway. I'm going to miss you. This all sucks because of you. I've been so happy with you even as just a friend. I'm giving up one happiness for another. I'll be back eventually and I'll try to keep in touch as much as possible. Don't let me hold you back form anything. Go have fun with your life. I'm so happy about finally going to India. You know this is what I've always wanted to do. I"ll miss you.
















Diann

A single teardrop was on the edge of the paper. I can bet she was hoping I wouldn't catch it. Ever since Diann came into my life things seemed to have been great. We met in High school and i was going through a rough time and she was always there for me. She kept my head up high and i have everything to thank her for. I ended up getting A's for all my classes and accepted to college for the nursing program. I wanted to be able to help people and she helped me make this come true.
The letters came about once a month. In each one she seemed to be happy. She was helping people just like me and learning new things everyday. She got an apartment for the year and made some friends. She was living her dream and I was living mine, except for one part. I wasn't with her.
One day the letters stopped coming. The first few weeks I didn't have much concern but after three months i started to get worried. Finally a letter came. I tore it open as soon as I got back home.


Rick,


I don't know how to say this. It's very hard for me to explain. I'm just going to be forward with it. I found a guy and I'm getting married in India.

My eyes widened at those first lines. Married. I knew that she would have met other guys but married? I recollected myself and continued to read the rest of the note.


I'm getting married in India in 2 weeks. I don't know how long that will be when this gets to you. And I'm sorry for not writing you back before. It was stupid of me. I missed talking to you and I still miss you.

























Diann

I dropped the letter on a nightstand next to the couch and stared at the black screen that was the television. I just sat there and focused on the screen not trying to think of anything, slowly losing connection with reality. Then my phone rang suddenly.
"Hello?"
"Rick? Is that you?" said a voice with a hint of familiarness
"Who's this?" I asked impatiently
"Ugh I'm mad at you. My voice couldn't have changed that much. It's Diann. Do you think you could come get me? I'm at the airport."
I almost dropped the phone. "What are you doing here?"
"I came back for a little and to round up somethings"
"Ok yeah. I'll be there in like fifteen minutes" I said as I reached for my keys.
"Ok thanks."
She hung up the phone and I held it next to my ear. Mixed emotions flooded through me. My last words where whispered into the phone before I closed it silently, smoothly, slowly
"It's good to have you home"
I pressed the phone to my cheek and hung my head. My mind was racing. Flashes of images of her face, her smile, her eyes rushed through my head like a hurricane. I ran outside with my jacket hardly covering me and threw the key into the ignition. I started driving towards the air port. It wasn't until I left my driveway that I realized it was raining. Images of her kept flashing through my mind, pulsing and pushing their way into every thought. The city lights got brighter but blurred more and more. Everything was silent in the car.
As I got to the city it seemed like everything was blurring. I looked down at the speedometer. Over 120! I immediately slowed down to around 60 and began to cruise to the airport. It was about 2am so no one was really on the road and lucky for me, no cops.
As I drove through the streets images of her started to flash through my head again. This time more gentle, bringing a smile to my face as I played back all the good times. I started to remember our first kiss, first date, first time laying under the stars together. Sometimes we were laughing other times the silent expression of looking into her eyes or holding her in my arms meant enough. I grew closer to the airport with a little anticipation but with almost a slight fear. What if she was with her husband, or what if she didn't like who I am now or how I looked? I became unsteady at the thought of seeing how changed she was. As I parked the car and turned it off, I sat there in silence. A flood of emotions rushed through me. Questions flew around in my head and multiplied until I couldn't even hear myself think. I closed my eyes took a deep breath and stepped out into the rain.
To be continued......