I felt a sudden falling feeling in my chest as if a rope around my leg had pulled me over the edge of a cliff suddenly. The feeling of sudden shock, disbelief, and pain all struck at once. I collapse over on the ground tears welling in my eyes pulling a chunk of the dead, dry grass up and watching it fall from my hand. I curl up in a ball and chuck the necklace in my hand to the side. The crystal heart reflecting the moon.


It was late one August night two years ago, I had waited for my parents to fall asleep, popped the screen of my bedroom window, dropped out the window a large blanket, fruit snacks, and a water bottle, then I proceeded to place the screen back in my window and picking up my shoes quietly I slipped out of my room. On the landing I paused outside my parents’ door listening for noise. I heard no sound from my parents’ room other than my dad’s snoring. I slid my feet slowly on the wooden floor heading for the stairs. I took large steps taking three or four at a time avoiding the ones that I knew creaked.


Once on the first floor I slide quickly down the hall I took a right and slid past my little brother’s door hearing his soft breathing I smiled to myself. I reached the porch and slipped on my shoes. I opened the door slowly so it didn’t make a noise, then opening the screen door I stepped outside closing them both behind me silently. I turned around to see my two dogs looking at me my heart skipped a beat thinking “would they bark?”, But they didn’t so I bent down and scratched them both behind their ears and started walking around my house to the place under my window where my things had landed. I picked them up and then started down my driveway, the gravel under my feet popping and crackling.


I wasn’t one to break rules and sneak out but it was a special occasion. It was my girlfriend and my one year anniversary. I reached the gravel road at the end of my lane and started walking toward to a nearby field which was filled with random straw bales. I walked out in the field finally out of the trees I felt a warm breeze on my face and the sweet smell of the night. I took a deep breath and listened to the frogs calling to one another. As I rounded the side of one of a straw bale I heard “about time I was starting to think you had forgotten me.” I turned to see Holly. I dropped my things by the side of the straw bail and hunched a little to hug her. She was about a foot shorter then I was with jet black hair down to her waist. She smiled up at me and kissed my cheek. I leaned in and kissed her and poked her and said “tag” and ran off in another direction. Looking over my shoulder I saw her smile wide and chase after me.



A little later we were lying on the blanket looking up at the sky, I was holding her close and I leaned in and whispered “happy one year Holly”. She gazed back into my eyes and said “I love you Joe. Happy one year”. I smiled wider and gazed into her stunningly blue eyes seeing myself reflected in them. I started reaching into my pocket starting to pull out my anniversary gift for her. It was a black crystal heart necklace. Suddenly she stood up and said “CRAP! I lost my phone!” I got up and slid the necklace back in my pocket. We split up looking for her phone. I pulled out my phone and called hers. I found it next to a straw bale that we had been sitting on top of earlier. I opened it and saw her background a picture of her latest art project, a beautiful painting of the town from on top of the coffee shop where I worked. I had gotten her special privileges to be allowed on the roof. I went into her messages to send the picture to my phone I was always fond of her artwork. I noticed a new message and opened it up just out of curiosity. It read “Goodnight baby I love you too ill see you tomorrow morning ;)” it was from Tom, one of my friends who I knew had a thing for her, and I always ignored that fact. I read it again and again hoping I had read it wrong