Early autumn. The leaves have just started falling. We are walking side by side through the garden, making our way to the lemon trees. Our lemon trees.

The sun has already set. We watched the sunset together from my house. It was beautiful but the only thing I could see was Sunny, her sweet smile, her bright eyes, her hair shining under the last rays of sunshine.

We are walking hand in hand, slowly arriving to our destination. There is a meteor shower again today. It’s exactly like the day we met.

In the last few days of spring, when the whole town had gathered in the city square to watch the meteor shower, that’s when I first saw her, joking and laughing with her family, pointing at the shooting stars above her head. For me, time stopped. For a few moments, which felt like an eternity, Sunny and I were the only humans on earth. I didn’t even look at the sky. My whole attention was on her.

And then the magical moment was gone. Her mother tapped her shoulder and whispered something to her. Sunny nodded her head and followed the rest of her family. I hesitated only for a second but it was enough. She was lost in the crowd. I felt my heart break and tears streamed down my face.

How could she have that effect on me? I girl had never met before, I girl I hadn’t even talked to. And yet in those few seconds my world was turned upside down. She filled both my heart and my mind.

I felt somebody grab my hand and pull me with him. My brother dragged me towards the town hall up the hill. We walked through the garden with our friends but my mind was still focused on her, my eyes searching for her among the people.

When we finally arrived at the town hall I had to admit that I lost her. She must have been a tourist visiting with her family for the summer.

During the ball held in the town hall everyone else was laughing, dancing, eating, having fun. Many were looking at the falling stars through the large windows.

I felt empty inside. My tears were threatening to spill any moment and I had difficulty breathing. I silently went out the balcony doors and down the stairs, towards the garden. I walked along the path seeing young couples everywhere. I started running. A place to be alone, that’s what I needed,  a place to be alone.

I finally arrived at the lemon trees. No one was there. The trees were in full blossom, filling the air with their scent. I looked at the white flowers. So small and fragile, plain-looking to many, but so beautiful and pure. Like her.

The stars kept falling above me. I closed my eyes and let the night air cool my face. I heard footsteps behind me. I was about to leave when I recognized her voice. She was humming to herself absentmindedly, playing with a few flowers in her hands.

She noticed me as I was turning to look at her. She looked surprised at first but her expression soon softened and she smiled at me. The rest of the night is like a blur to me. I can barely recall the small details, Sunny looking shyly at me, my heart skipping a beat, her cheeks painted red as she laughed, having a lump in my throat, the shooting stars illuminating the sky above us.

The garden with the lemon trees was our place. Where we met every day, where we shared butterfly kisses, where we enjoyed a few stolen moments of happiness. It was there we whispered sweet nothings to each other and we shared all of our feelings and our thoughts.

That summer I was waking up and falling asleep thanking my lucky stars. She became my world. My every thought revolved around her. The sun rose and set on her. I loved her more than I had ever loved someone on my life. I gave her my heart and she gave me hers.

She knew I had a soft spot for her and made sure to use that to her advantage every day. She was energetic and cheerful. She loved being outside, exploring and playing under the sun. I on the other hand preferred to stay inside and read a book or play the piano. But somehow she would always convince me to follow her in her little adventures.

We were over the moon. Like the lemon flowers, our love grew and blossomed and turned into something beautiful. We were completely devoted to each other. We weren’t always on the same wavelength but we worked on our relationship together. I meant the world to her and I was smitten by her.

But just like the flowers, as time went by, we both had to admit that we had reached that point. The point where we have no choice but to call it a day.

We are standing under the lemon trees. Their branches are no longer decorated with white flowers. We are not looking at each other. We don’t dare to look at each other. She is leaving tomorrow. Our summer came to an end and we can no longer deny the truth.

The first shooting star appeared on the night sky. Then another and another. Soon the sky was filled with them. One of the most beautiful sights I have seen in my life. It looks almost as if it’s raining stars.

It’s exactly like the day we met, only now the stars don’t seem as bright, the trees  are stripped of their leaves and the future ahead of us is dark and lonely.

I feel her hand tighten around mine. I’m still not looking at her but I know that she’s crying. I hug her. I hold her as close as possible.

Even if it’s the last time, let me hold you in my arms and breathe the sweet scent of your hair. I’ll kiss all of your tears away even though I know they’ll spill again tomorrow. I’ll be strong for you again tonight, I’ll be a shoulder to lean on for as long as you need me.

Our love was like the shooting stars. An intense streak of light across the night sky. A beautiful second that cannot last. A fleeting moment of happiness that we held onto more than we should.

Our summer love, your smile, the songs I wrote for you, the cookies you made for me, the places we visited together will forever be curved in my heart.

Right here, after all is said and done, I have no choice but to let you go. I have to let go of my first love, the one who came and turned my life upside down, the one who brings the best out of me.

Your tear-stained face tugs at my heartstrings. I hate to see you cry.

I love you. I want to be with you forever.

I kiss you, you kiss me back. Our kisses have always been sweet so how come this one is sour? Like a lemon. The last time we meet under the lemon trees.

We stay here for hours, crying, kissing, whispering sweet nothings to each other under the rain of stars.

I love you. Don’t forget me.

As we part and you disappear into the darkness I collapse. I am reduced to tears trying to support myself on the lemon trees. My tears feel hot against my skin but the rest of my body is cold. I look at the sky. My vision is blurry.

I love you. Come back to me.

But I know you won’t.