Dear diary – 30th June
Our bond was solid, our love was immovable and our trust was so indestructible. I was his moon, he was my art. I always felt safe around him and trusted him with my heart and he never gave me a reason to doubt him. He was my strength and I was his weakness, he wouldn’t let anything or anyone hurt me. He was the first person I thought about when I opened my eyes and last before I closed them. The only person I want when I was down and sad.
We never skipped a day without texting or him coming to my place. I had some of his art on my bedroom wall. I had lost my parents on a hit and run gunshot and since I was the old child I inherited everything. I couldn’t imagine my life without Shaquille.
“You seem distracted, are you OK?” he asked and paused the TV.
“Yes, I am OK,” I said.
He changed from a sweet to a frowning face.
“I will talk,” I know I had to talk because I never wanted to see the side he always warned me about.
“Your father…”
“What about my father?”
“Is he involved in drug smuggling? Shaquille, I am sorry he told me to stay away cos you are dangerous,” I said with tears in my eyes.
“He, who is he?”
“Shaquille please,” I sobbed.
“Luna, who is he?” he yelled.
“Aubrey, your neighbour,”
“My father was once involved in drug smuggling years back, but we are clean now.”
“I am sorry,” I said.
We got some pizza and let things be.
*****
Dear diary – 2nd September
Weeks turned to months and we were still in love. His family was loving and welcoming, I was like one of their own now. His sister always teased me of the first day they saw me, I would help him around the store when I was not busy with school work. It went down on our sixth month together.
One day I saw Alexa sobbing.
“Alexa what is wrong?” I was scared.
“Shaq…” I didn’t let her finish.
“What happened to Shaquille, where is he Alexa – is he alright?” I sobbed quietly over the phone.
“He was shot and his condition is critical,” she said, struggling to speak.
“Where is he?” the flood ran down my cheeks.
“I am coming to get you, give me five minutes,”
I waited, still crying my lungs out when I heard a knock. I rushed to open and I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was Shaq.
“My art,” I threw myself in his arms and wept none stop.
After a long hug, he lifted me up and I was still holding on him so tight, saying nothing but imagining what I could’ve been.
“I am sorry, I’ll never pull a stunt like this, it was dumb of us and Alexa. I am sorry my moon,” he said breaking a little too.
“You owe me so much,” I said, still holding onto him.
“Where is the necklace I gave you?”
“I pulled it out of my t-shirt.”
“Give it to me,” he said.
I was surprised he would want that necklace, he gave me on our second month. It was an emulate, it opened and stored miniature photos inside and it was sealed and round in shape. He took it and took a tiny pin from his pocket, inserted the pin in a small hole and it cracked open. And there it was.
“You know I am not good in speaking but with this ring, I promise to be the man you need, to be there every time when you need me through highs and the lows. I vow not to be the perfect partner but the one suited for you. I promise to protect you and cherish you till death do us part. And if there is life after death, I promise to love you still.”
I was in tears at this point, waiting for the question I already knew the answer to.
“The plan was that when she comes and get you, I was going to be waiting for you in our back yard. But I couldn’t wait any longer and I cancelled all the plans and decided to come myself. Seeing you so heart broken when I got in here made me realise that you are the one I want. So, will you marry me?”
I was still shocked that I was wearing my engagement ring around my neck all along, but I responded without hesitation.
“Yes, yes, yes!” I cried all over again.
***
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