I suddenly wake and sit upright in bed. Small beads of sweat make their way across my forehead and upper lip. Nightmare after nightmare haunt me each time I close my eyes. And they’re all about him. I shake my head, throw the covers off violently, and decide I’ve had enough. I throw my hair up in a ponytail, grab my jacket, and run out the door.

Run. Run where? Where do I think I’m going? I take my cell phone out of my front pocket just to check the time. 3:30 am. What am I doing? I look back to my house, wondering what my plans are exactly. I can’t just go to his house. But I can’t stay in that hell I’ve been living in either. Loneliness takes up most of my nights. And the despair gets no better when the sun shines. I can’t seem to face it, can’t seem to live up to it. I just can’t seem to destroy my problem.

I stop in my tracks and gaze up at the sky. And, right as my mind starts to swirl, I feel the rain drops beginning to trickle. I don’t mind. It helps cover up my tears.

I find myself running from concrete to sand. I’m not surprised. The beach is where we used to spend most of our days. I start running across the gritty powder, but soon tire and take off my shoes. I carelessly toss them to the side. I reach the shoreline and sit down. Thunder begins booming, but again, I don’t care. I barely notice it with the millions of thoughts sounding in my mind. Then, almost uncontrollably, the gasps fly out of my mouth. I begin sobbing, the ocean water tickling my feet and the raindrops falling in my hands.

“What did I ever do?” I shout to nobody. “What did I ever to you?”

My bottom lip begins trembling as I try to stop crying, but it’s to no use. I’m done holding everything inside, anyway. The slight breeze sends chills down my back, and I wish I’d brought a jacket. My thin pajama covering is doing no good. I hug my knees up to my chest, for both warmth and comfort, and resume my weeping.

“I knew you’d be here.”

The familiar, almost majestic voice sounded from above me. At first, I think I’m only dreaming again. But then his voice speaks once more.

“And that’s why I came.”

Now, I’m not sure as to what to feel. I’m a bit shocked, relieved, actually, that he’s even here. But then something angers me. He hurt me in a way no other person ever dared to. He split my heart in two. And then the reoccurring sadness comes into play.

I look up at him, tears still stinging at my eyes. His features soften just a bit as he drapes his jacket around my shoulders. He knelt and wrapped his arm around me. Reluctantly, I lay my head on his chest.

“I thought you stopped loving me,” I say, surprised that my voice stood strong without a single waver.

Once again, thunder rolled through and I could feel the tension in the air. I looked up and saw a flash light up the sky. The waves crashed harder, getting my bottoms wet now. But I don’t care, and he didn’t seem to either. He took his time to shift the jacket on me, caring that no bare part of my body would get dampened. I could feel the steady beating of his heart. He leaned down just a bit to kiss my forehead. He rubbed my back in slow circles.

“I could never stop loving you.”