Young Writers Society

Play the song for a better effect on the story.

Skyla:

The divorce papers were signed and the house was awkwardly quiet.

I missed the old days, the laughter and the joy. I missed Larkin. I missed us. But I knew that we couldn't go back to the way things were. We had changed, and there was no undoing that.

I decided to leave the house for a while, to clear my head. I went to the park, the one where Larkin and I went for our very first date.

*

It was a sunny day, the air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers, and the park was alive with the sound of children playing. We sat on a bench, sharing a bag of popcorn.

‘You like popcorn don’t you?’ I remarked,

I could see that that made him uncomfortable, but he chuckled, ‘Now you’re making it sound like I don’t know how to eat anything else,' he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

He tossed a popcorn into the air and caught it in his mouth, a grin spreading across his face. His laughter echoed through the park, it was a simple moment, but one that would forever be etched in my memory.

'Well, I've seen you eat a bag of popcorn faster than anyone else,' I said, nudging him gently with my elbow.

'Guilty as charged,' he admitted, raising his hands in surrender. 'But in my defence, popcorn is delicious.'

We spent the rest of the afternoon on that bench, sharing stories and laughter. Every now and then, he would throw popcorn into the air and catch it in his mouth or just cover me entirely in popcorn when he missed, making me laugh each time.

As the sun began to set, he turned to me, a serious look on his face. 'I had a great time today,' he said, 'Would you like to do this again?'

I looked at him, and I knew my answer. 'I would love to,' I said. I knew that this was just the beginning of our story.

*

As I sat on the bench now, watching the children play, their laughter echoing in the air. It was a painful reminder of what we had lost.

I’m afraid of all I’ll become without him.

Larkin:

I was left alone in the house, the silence killing me. I felt like I was stuck in an arcade game, where every move I made was wrong, and I was just losing points.

I missed Skyla. I missed her laughter, her smile, her warmth. But I knew that things couldn't go back to the way they were. We had changed, and there was no going back.

I decided to go for a walk, to clear my head. I ended up at the beach, the one where we went for our last date before we got engaged.

*

As we sat on the beach that afternoon, I knew that this would be our last date before we’d marry. Skyla didn’t ‘cause she didn’t know anything about the proposal yet.

I had set everything up along with my brother, and her father. Everyone, but Skyla knew what was happening tomorrow. I tried not to act fishy, we’d been dating for seven years already and finished both high school and university. It was time...

But of course Skyla knew something was going on, ‘Are you planning something?’ she asked, narrowing her eyes.

I tried to hide my smile, ‘No, of course not, why would I?’

‘You’re lying,’ she said. She knew I was lying, but I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.

*

As I sat on the sand now, watching the waves crash against the shore. It was a painful reminder of what we had lost.

I’m afraid of all I’ll become without her.