I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me.
S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders

•••••

I heard a soft knock on my door. Since I would actually have to talk to a living person, I quickly pulled on a white sweater and pulled my hair up in a messy bun. I walked to the door and opened it up.

"Hi-"

I froze when I saw who was at the door. It was Zach. Zach. I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up his hand.

"Just here me out." He begged. I closed my mouth. He took something from the side of the doorframe, something I hadn't seen. A guitar. He ran his fingers down the four strings. He didn't meet my eyes.

I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason

He strung a few chords, as he sang in his deep voice that he never seemed to sing with.

Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return

He kept singing, and I covered up my mouth, willing myself not to cry.

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

This was our song.

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood

The song we had sang to so many times before.

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

I can.

But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

Love can be a complicated thing. But my love is standing right in front of me now. He was looking me in my teared eyes.

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime

No. He isn't singing this. I had never really read the words or listened to them carefully. Now I hear them. Now I know this song has too much sorrow.

So let me say before we part

No. We aren't parting.

So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you

Small tears started rolling down my cheeks. I met those beautiful eyes of his, seeing that his were also filled with tears.

You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart

I felt like someone was hitting my heart with a cold metal knife.

And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...

We were so much more than friends. We still are more than friends. I want to go back to that.

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood

More tears fell down my face as I remembered when we had danced around his room to this part. Him being a weirdo and I being an idiot, and together being a weird idiot.

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you

He slowed down now. His fingers barley brushing agents the strings to his guitar.

Because I knew you

His voice jumped a octave higher, and I was surprised that he could sing that high, still sounding that good.

I have been changed for good

He started singing a bit faster all of a sudden.

And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done, you blame me for

He sang looking down at his guitar strings again.

But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share

I sang an octave higher. He looked up at me surprised.

And none of it seems to matter anymore

We sang at the same time, him an octave lower than me. Together we sang the rest of the song.

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes the sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood

Together like we once did.

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In the wood

I don't know what Zach was thinking anymore, but I let tears flow down my face. I stopped singing.

Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better

Zach continued singing, ever after I stopped.

And because I knew you...

I took a step closer to him.

Because I knew you...

Because I knew you...
I have been changed for good...

He stepped closer to me and kissed my lips lightly.

Though it felt like a miracle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's Note

Alright. I'm debating ending this story soon or not.

Word Count: 807