Misunderstandings

I sat on the curb by the road

Street signs

Buildings

It was all lit up around me

Cars drove past at rapid speeds

People eager to get to where they needed to go

I looked up at the midnight sky

I saw stars

Hundreds of them

I realized how unusual that was in a big city like New York

And the thought came to me, this is such a perfect night, what could I have possibly done wrong?

A lone tear traveled down my cheek and dripped onto the concrete below

I turned my gaze away from the sky and to the street ahead

The cars a blur behind my teary eyes

Their headlights blinding in the late of night

I gasped as someone touched my shoulder

I turned with a start

It was him

His hand moved until his fingers rested on my cheek

He brushed the tears away

I bit my lip and stood

Staring into his crystal blue eyes,

I leaned forward

I knew I should ask him why he had missed our date

I knew there were things I needed to know before I forgave him but...

Our lips met

It was too late

I put my hands on his shoulders

He put his hands on my head,

his fingers intertwining with my hair

All the sounds of the city faded

I forgot every thought

Every worry

Every fear

Every past event

All but one

He had stood me up

Suddenly,

I pushed away

He looked at me with eyes that were full of concern

I explained that this couldn't work out if he was not commited

If he was unwilling to be there for me when he was needed

A smile tugged at his lips

He told me he had had something to do

Anger filled my heart

He explained how his younger brother had just gotten his drivers permit

How he had been illegally driving without an adult

How he had been in a car crash

How the impact had been so strong,

it had shattered the bones in his legs like glass

His brother would never be able to walk again

"I'm sorry."  I told him

He smiled now,

tears welling in his eyes

I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him closer to me

"I love you."  I whispered in his ear

"I never stopped."  He whispered back

- Katie