Evangeline

Her hair, her eyes, her smile, I memorized them all. She was a gift from the Gods themselves. She was an angel. She had an angelic smile, she had beautiful hair and her eyes lit up the room.

Her name was Evangeline . “Eva” for short. Blue eyes, brown hair, dimpled smile. She was perfect.

I met Eva when I was 16, she was my new neighbor and we became quick friends. Eva was shy and awkward when I first met her. She was quiet, but when she’d laugh, she sounded like an angel, even Gods envied her laugh. When she spoke, she was soft spoken. Everything about her was just breathtaking.

Eva started attending my high school shortly after she moved next door. Everyone found her to be pretty and fun right away, and Eva was honestly taken aback by the crowd of people wanting to befriend her, but I knew deep down, she appreciated people noticing her. Eva became popular fast and we were inseparable. We’d spend nights at each others house, we’d go to movies together, we’d do anything and everything together, it really was the best years of our life.

When senior year rolled around, Eva started dating the school quarterback, James. James was not a nice guy. He was stuck up and snobbish. He was controlling and didn’t like it when Eva talked to other guys. He was just a jerk all around. I expressed how I felt about James to Eva and she took it the wrong way. She got mad at me and told me I was jealous.. But I wasn’t. I was just being protective of her. I cared about her.

Around the middle of senior year, James and Eva broke up because James “got bored” of her. Eva was distraught and I was there to comfort her. I held her close as she cried into my arms. I told her it was going to be okay and that she’d be okay. I told her that she’d find someone again and that whoever she finds, will love her until the day she dies.

Near the end of senior year, Eva told me something. She came out as bisexual. She was crying and sobbing, begging me to not judge her or think of her as anything less for being bisexual. I held her close again that night and told her that I’d always love her no matter what and that was the truth, I did love her, and I always did love her.

When it came to our prom, Eva and I learned we were going to separate colleges. We were both distraught and broken by it, but we knew it was what we wanted to do and what we had to do to pursue our dream. That night before prom, I told Eva how I felt.

“Eva.” I said, “You know how you said you’re bisexual?”

Eva nodded, her brown hair tied up in a bun, “Yeah.” She said, “What about that, though?”

I closed my eyes and felt my body tremble, “I..” I tried to speak but I was choking on my own words. “Eva, I..”

Eva cupped my cheeks with her hands, I gazed into her beautiful blue eyes that lit up like the blue sky. “What’s wrong?” She asked, “Are you sick?”

I shook my head, “No..” I replied, “It’s just…” I paused.

“Hey, you’re shaking.” She said, “Come here, let’s sit and talk.”

I nodded and she grabbed my hand, taking me to the bench. We sat down and it was quiet. The street lights were what kept the street lit.

“Eva.” I said, “I..”

“Hey,” Eva said softly, “Take your time.”

“I love you.” I said.

Eva smiled, “Well, I love you too, silly.”

I shook my head, “No, Eva.” I said, “I love you.”

Eva placed a hand on my face and rubbed my cheek with her thumb, “Oh.” She said softly, “I love you too.” She whispered.

“You do?” I asked

She laughed and nodded, “Of course I do.”

I smiled widely, “Eva.” I said.

“Yeah?” Eva replied.

“Can I kiss you?” I asked.

She nodded, “Yes.” She said, “You can.”

I leaned in and kissed her. Her lips tasted like strawberry chapstick. Her lips were soft and the kiss was sweet.

Eva and I went to prom together, I asked her to be my date and she said yes. We danced the night away. She looked stunning. In that blue dress that matched her eyes.

When it came down to graduation, Eva was valedictorian. She did her speech, wishing our classmates well and good luck as they continue their adventures of being adults, whether they go to school or pursue a job. I smiled and clapped as she spoke up on the stage. She looked beautiful in that graduation gown of hers.

Eva and I went our separate ways, but we kept in touch. I held onto our photos we took and hung them up in my dorm room. I held her close and we spent nights after nights just staying awake and video chatting. Laughing and talking. Like nothing changed.

During my last year of College, I went to surprise Eva. We had started dating in our first year of college and I visited her. She was shocked and surprised to see me and I was so glad and happy to see her.

“Eva,” I said, “I love you.”

Eva smiled, “I love you too.” She said,

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Eva.” I said, I got down on one knee. The look on her face brought so much joy to my heart, “Eva, will you marry me?”

Eva smiled, tears dripping down her cheek and she nodded, “Yes.” She said, “Of course I’ll marry you.”

I stood up and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her in close and kissing her.

Our wedding came around. It was short and sweet. It was simple. She looked beautiful in that white dress and I was so in love with her. She made my whole world go round. She was everything.

Eva and I got our first apartment together, we started to plan our life together, and everything was perfect.

I put the letter away after I read it. I was crying and my heart was fragile. Losing her was the worst loss I had ever felt. I was damaged. She was my home and my one place I called home died a sudden death. She was the love of my life. And I was broken, extremely broken. I remembered every detail of her. Her eyes, her smile, her laugh, her scent, the way she’d taste when we kissed. Blue eyes, red hair, dimpled smile. The love of my life. I was broken.

My name is Evangeline, and this is my story. Our story.