Fallen Star
Fallen Star
The day I met him, a star had fallen.
The smell of the fresh beeze surrounding me was so delicate, I closed my eyes and slowly let my mind fly away.
Sitting there, infront of the ocean, waves calmly approaching and leaving the sand, I wandered into another reality.
I moved my hands along the soft crystals of sand as the vivid images in my head appeared, leaving me in shock at the sudden change of place.
Lilies, roses and lotuses. White, red and pink. I was standing in a beautiful garden, with a swing handing off a marvellous tree in the middle as if it was welcoming me to sit and just swing, high and low. Casually, I came to it and just sat, pushing myself back and forward. Just as I looked up, a man appeared in front of the me. He was smiling elegantly and sat down to rested next to me.
"You see, grandson. It takes a lot of patience to grow a garden like this one. I spent my best years here. On this swing, together with your grandmother. Oh, was she a beautiful woman. You see that star over there," he pointed at a barely visible dot on the sky, "now it might be hiding behind the sun light, but when the night comes it will shine brighter than any other star. Do you know why?"
I shaked my head in denial, only as I have noticed that the man sitting next to me was actually my grandfather, only a bit younger than when I last saw him. Only a bit more happier, only a bit more alive.
"Then let me tell you. This star, grandson is you grandmother. That star is my wife. She is looking at me everyday and is the first one on the sky because she misses me. That is why, I had to leave so soon. I had to see my beautiful wife who waited for me so long and who is now calling me."
Speechless, I glanced at his eyes, which, just like the star, shimmered. He stood up, looked at me with pride and bowed his head.
"Do well grandson, because I am not expecting you up there any time soon."
A single tear came running down my cheek, then followed by a whole sea of them. The fiqure started disappearing, slowly fading and finally changing into a puff of air that flew away towards the star. Yet another star, the one that had just appeared had fallen as I watched the sky get dark and my mind going blank.
"Hi... Erm, are you there?" I blinked and what before seemed like heaven, now was back the misty, yet bright beach. I sat up, feeling a touch on my arm. I turned my head and saw a man, a boy squating near me. He had delicate features. Small perfectly shaped lips that curled into a smile, cute rounded nose and those mystical, hypnotizing eyes that penetrated me through as he stared into mine.
A minute passed and my mind finally found it's way to the reality. I felt my cheeks burning from embrassment, why did I kept looking at him?
"Sorry, hi... I mean, yes, I'm here." Confused, I just felt confused and I couldn't focus. The words were coming out of my mouth but I couldn't hear them. Was I even saying it out loud? Or was all in my head?
"Why are you here, all alone? And what's with the tears?" He gave me a little smile and his hand reached over to my cheek and dried the tears out. The boy sat down and just stared a me, waiting for the answer. The problem was, I wasn't even sure myself.
"I don't know, I just like sitting on the beach, alone with my thoughts and problems. The breeze makes me feel better. A bit more alive. And the tears... Well, I just had a strange dream." I didn't know how to explain to him that my dead grandfather and I were just talking. He nodded and layed on the sand, his eyes fixed on the stars.
"You're a really interesting human being, never seen someone like you before. Tall, handsome, mysterious... I guess I have to visit the beach more often. To see you." His talk was odd, talked as if he knew me. Did he just call me handsome? Impossible, who would ever think of me as handsome. I had baggy eyes, unsymetrical face, messy hair at times. Just a piece of failure walking around, useless. Just wasting the oxygen.
"You're not very talkative, aren't you? I see. Don't be embarrased, I'm no harm. You see, I think we could become friends. Really good friends. Don't you think? I can draw, you can do wushu, both have a special talent. I wear the white, you wear the black," my eyes went wide as ever. How did he know? I trained wushu for so many years and yes, I love black clothing. It suits my mood. He continued talking, "you are the Yin and I am the Yang, you should start being more positive you know? I heard you talk to many times about your bad self image and opinion. Don't you think you should like yourself more? And stop coming to this beach alone? There are so many people in the world and you're here... Alone. See, I think you should be my best friend. I know a lot about you and the fact you once tried to get run over made me very unhappy. Good that I was there to save you. Again."
Who is this boy? He knows all the things... I'm getting scared, this is not ordinary for someone to know every single thing about you and to say it out loud so confidently. So confidently it made you want to listen more, like being drawn towards him, wanting to hear more and just look. Look at the perfection he carried with his posture, courage and voice. Just like wanting more of him, even though he was just a stranger. But was he?
"Again? Save me? Who are you?" This was too much, who is he? Can a human hold such a perfection within himself? And how... How can one person be so intimidating and soft at the same time?
"Yes, again. You always get yourself into trouble, don't you? Want me to list? The car accident, broken leg, hospitalization after taking to many sleeping pills. Want me to continue? I can. If not me, you wouldn't be even be here, but because I am such a good person I decided that I should help you out a bit." He paused for a moment before continuing his rant, my eyes as wide as possible, staring into his perfectly white suit that contrasted so much with that black one of mine. "Who am I? If you really want to know, the answer is only one and it's hidden in the stars. What I mean is, you have to know my reason to be here first to know who I am. And as I'm seeing for now, you don't seem that interested."
He moved closer, very close. A centimetre between us, his dark eyes staring into my soul. Could I be even more hypnotized by this stranger? Even if I felt scared, I would not resist the temptation of those eyes and lips that spoke so much about myself. His eyes went wide as never and he turned around, his back to me.
"You don't want to talk, then don't. Never mind. I'm just going to sit here and draw."
I heard the smirk and quickly ran to the other side and sat in front of him again. He smiled widely and stared at me.
"I didn't say I'm not interested. It's just very strange to meet... Well, a stranger and listen to him tell you your life story, when you have never seen him in your life."
"Oh, so you are insterested then, I knew you would be. I mean who wouldn't be interested in me? I'm not a stranger, I though we got over that already. Didn't I say we were friends? Ah, I just remembered, you still haven't explained why you were crying before?" Friends, that sounds nice. Friend. I don't think I ever had one.
"I'm just a bit sad. My grandad passed away a few days ago and today was the funeral, hence the black suit." I looked blankly at him with shimmering eyes. A tear fell down to the ground silently.
"Your stupid, he haven't passed away, just changed home. See that star, the one that shines the birghtest in the middle of the sky? That's him watching you from there." Without hesitation he moved closer to my side and I leaned my head on his shoulder, while smiling. My grandfather has said just the same thing.
"You know, your grandfarther and I were really good friends. I met him a few days ago in his garden, he was sitting with his wife and laughing. We talked for a bit. He said he needs me. I asked what he means and he said that someone really dear to him is down here, alone." I didn't understand what he said and why would he lie now? My grandmother was dead since two years.
"Why are you doing this and lying to me now?! My grandmother is dead, she's dead since two years how could you possibly meet them together?"
"I never said I met them here. You know up there is a different world, with beautiful gardens and beautiful people. Your grandparents believed in stars and they were given a star. But they gave that star away to someone. That someone was you." I stared at him in disbelief, isn't he talking about heaven, about the skies up there?
"A star for me, I don't understand..."
"Fallen stars aren't just for wishing, they are gifts from those up there who watch over you and others. Everytime a star is given, an angel falls here. They watch silently untill the right moment comes, to meet with their second half that was left here on earth. And today was my day." He moved closer and closer untill our faces were only centimeters away, my breath quickened and I couldn't move. I felt paralyzed and I couldn't withstand his breath so close. I couldn't give in, but I didn't want to stop.
"You might have not remembered me, but I was here all the time, just waiting for the right moment..." He whispered and his lips were together with mine as we locked our mouths and an explosion of passion came over my body and mind. I felt everything at once and images were flowing in my head. Everything, I knew everything. This kiss was more then just a kiss. It was a remainder of who I am and who he is. And he is mine, he always was.
"So do you remember me now, ZiTao?"
"My fallen angel, I finally do. So late, yet I do and I will never forget again, my dear WuFan." My eyes went up to the sky, I simply though to myself. 'Thank you grandad, for sending me your star and giving me my own guardian angel.'
I wanted to kiss him again, but he placed a finger on my lips and just simply said, "Maybe next time," as he stood up and started walking towards home. My home.
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